This article is a serious, cautionary piece that reframes e-bike safety as a growing public-health issue in California, with an emphasis on powerful or modified bikes, youth riders, and regulatory gaps. It highlights rising accidents, injuries, and fatalities to argue that existing e-bike classifications and laws are outdated and poorly enforced, and it leans more toward advocacy for tighter regulation, clearer definitions (bike vs. e-motorcycle), and better public education than balanced neutrality. Well worth the read!
The link is a "gift" link which allows you to read the article without a subscription to the NYTimes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/magazine/e-bikes-accidents-safety-legislation-california.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E8.iPCG.a9Z0uPW1xAj1&smid=nytcore-ios-share