Here's whats keeping lower, middle income people from getting bikes and what cities need to focus on:

-E-bikes are too expensive but a must
-Storage capacity for groceries appears bad
-Bike security is really bad
-Lack of long range travel options (rail + bike)
-Unsafe from cars

It would be great if we could get a subsidy program going to buy e-bikes. More bike lockers and bike storage facilities at stores and city centers. I aint paying 4-figures for an e-bike that gets scrapped by thieves.

Segregated streets for bikes like these work so well

We also need to remember that its not about what rationally makes sense but its about what appears safe. A lot of policy wonks think well the excel sheet says you save money with more frequent bike trips. People dont think this way, its what immediately appears more convenient.

Maybe bike lockers are less effective than just bike racks on a spreadsheet. But the time of snaking in a chain to a lock, and locking your bike to a suspect rack, and making sure no accessories can be snatched is just not competitive compared to locking your car doors and going.

You dont need cops to block bike thieves, you need indoor bike parking and bike lockers in city centers and stores. Bike manufactures need to think up equipment to keep them safe for apartment dwellers at home that doesnt require lugging them up the stairs.

"But e-bikes are cheaper than cars by magnitudes"

Opportunity cost matters! You pay $10,000 for a used car and you can go anywhere, feel safe, carry people, travel timely. Pay $1,500 for an e-bike you cant carry much with, feel unsafe on, go slower and end up getting stolen.