User perspectives on barriers and strategies for inclusive E bike adoption among older adults and individuals with disabilities

E-bikes and other forms of electric micromobility offer a promising option for inclusive, active, and sustainable transport. However, many potential users, especially older adults and individuals with disabilities, face significant barriers to e-bike access and use. This study explores those barriers through nine online focus group discussions with 39 participants across diverse U.S. states, including both current e-bike users and people who had never ridden one. Participants recognized e-bikes’ potential to enhance mobility, independence, and health but described interlocking barriers that are often more severe for these populations than for the general public: safety concerns stemming from dangerous traffic environments and inadequate cycling infrastructure; usability challenges related to e-bike weight and limited adaptive designs; prohibitive costs, particularly for adaptive models; and institutional barriers, including subsidy programs that are difficult for eligible users to access. Notably, participants with disabilities described a gap between what e-bikeshare providers offer in principle and what users can actually obtain. The study also revealed differences across subgroups: older adults tended to view e-bikes primarily as recreational, while people with disabilities were more likely to see them as functional mobility tools. Participants proposed actionable strategies including adaptive e-bike designs, physically separated cycling infrastructure, purchase subsidies, more transparent bikeshare programs, and community-based training. The findings confirm barriers identified in prior research and extend the literature by documenting how those barriers are amplified for these populations and by providing user-generated recommendations grounded in firsthand experience.