Already a huge hit in Europe and China, electric bicycle sales in US are now soaring
The new E+ Electric Bicycle is now available for test rides at River Bicycles, an electric bicycle and scooter retail store in Greenwich. Whether you’re looking for an alternative to fossil fuels or the best new way to ride a bike, sampling the new E+ will open the door to a world of new opportunities.
“There’s no doubt that we’re beginning to understand why these bicycles are so popular overseas,†said Ken Alder, owner of River Bicycles. “Now that we have the E+ Electric Bike with the batteries and motors mounted in the wheel hubs rather than saddle bags hanging on the back of the bike, we have a product that offers a much more stable and smoother ride with the power to go from 0 – 20 miles per hour in about 9 seconds.â€
The trend toward electric bikes is at an all time high according to the Gluskin- Townley Group, which does market research for the National Bicycle Dealers Association. They estimate 10,000 electric bicycles were sold in the U.S. in 2007, up from 6,000 in 2006. Now it seems production can barely keep up with demand.
It’s not that electric bikes haven’t been around for awhile, they were just too heavy, too unreliable and relatively unattractive. The engineering team behind the E+ understood that and went on a mission to create a powerful and elegant electric bicycle. What they created was advanced technology that is definitively user friendly.
“Riders can now choose from 19 cycling modes,†said Marc Pultuskier., Marketing/Sales Manager for Electric Motion Systems, “from total electric power to pedal power to exercise bike resistance, but the most important thing that riders will remember is that they can simply press a thumb throttle and the bike powers itself – the ultimate riding experience.â€
* Love the idea of commuting to work, but hate the idea of getting sweaty to get there? No problem! Ride there under full power, pedal back home.
* Always wanted to ride with that advanced bike rider, but just couldn’t keep up? Handled! Just push the lever and pass them!
* Want to get out and bike for exercise but you knew you couldn’t handle the hills? Hills-be-gone! There are no hills to climb on an E+, it actually feels like riding downhill all the time.
* Enamored with the idea of bike touring to enjoy the countryside in Napa or Maine, but afraid of the physical commitment or dread being the “slow one� Not any more.
Zero emissions, no carbon and no noise seem to be popular with East Coast riders, at least that’s what the E+ team is learning. More sales, more Google hits, and now more test rides are available in the East Coast region than any other part of the country.
The E+ Electric Bike is now available at River Bicycles, 12 Riversville Rd, Greenwich, CT, 203-532-1718, open Monday to Friday 10 AM to 6 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM or online at either www.riverbicycles.com or www.electricmotionsystems.com.
