I'm not sure what it's like where everyone else lives, but the high-end market around here is basically non-existent. It's all D2C fat tire bikes either 20x4 or 26x4. The city I live in has a population of around 70k people in just over 30 square miles, or around 2,000 people per square mile, which is just above average for US cities (1,600 per sq mi).

Where I live e-bikes have become primary transportation for people who would normally take public transit. IMO, they're not drawing people away from cars, but more so providing a more individual transportation option. For this demographic, a bike like R&M is a complete pipe dream.

Even for people who have the budget, parking an $8,000 e-bike outside while you do your shopping is a risk that most people just aren't willing to take. So these kinds of bikes end up being relegated to wealth beach-side residents whose net worth makes this kind of "toy" disposable. That's a tiny market.

I suppose when you get into larger cities like NY, LA, and Miami you probably have more people who can afford them, but your risks go up too. Can you imagine street parking a R&M in any of those cities?

IMO, the future of the e-bike market in the US is at the low end of the price scale.