E-bikes are the newest way to get around town

Published 7:30 am Friday, October 30, 2020

Ariel Méndez is often seen cruising around Bend on his electric bike, usually, with at least one of his kids, Leif, Enakai or Cora, buried under bags of soccer balls as they make their way through town.

The family’s “trip car” a Chevy Suburban, remains in the driveway most of the year, with more than half his trips around town made on his electric bike —which is alright with him because he says it’s more fun to ride a bike than being stuck in traffic.

“My dream was to take my kids to school without having to drive and sit in traffic while getting some exercise and having some fun,” Méndez said.

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are exactly as they sound. Bikes powered by pedaling as one would with a normal bike and with battery-powered assistance to give the rider a boost, which comes in handy going up hills and makes them an appealing alternative to driving cars.

“A lot of families are turning to these because it helps get cars off the road,” said Marnel King of Bend Electric Bike.“It is just easier to get around town with a bike versus a car.”

E-bikes come in all shapes and sizes, from road bikes to mountain bikes to cruisers to fat-tire bikes. The difference between a regular mountain bike and an electric mountain bike is only notable by its weight: An e-bikes is heavier because of its battery.

There are three different classes of e-bikes: the first is pedal-assist -only bikes with no throttle and a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph, the second is pedal-assisted with a throttle and the third is pedal-assisted with a max throttle assisted speed of 28 mph.

“I just like a regular bike only with a little more juice,” said King.

A ride up the steep hills of Aubrey Butte, which could be a grueling struggle on a standard bike, can become much more manageable, yet still challenging, with few clicks of the throttle for the electric boost.

“With electric assist, you don’t have to worry about getting there loaded with sweat,” Méndez said.

King said that more people are coming to her to buy e-bikes because they have had some sort of physical injury or have aged to a point where they physically cannot handle a standard bike and are needing an alternative to continue riding.

She shared a story of one customer with heart issues routinely stopping by the shop to tell her that e-biking saved his life.

“They still want to exercise,” King said. “Now that motor has them back out exercising again.”

The bikes come with a hefty cost, from $2,000 to as high as $10,000 for a new model.

“The biggest barrier is the cost; that is what people are surprised by,” Méndez said. “I say is it something that you aren’t going to use on a regular basis, then do not buy one.”

E-bikes can be ridden anywhere a motorized vehicle is allowed and on trails 8 feet or wider. But that is not the case everywhere.

“If someone is thinking that is what they are going to do, we give them guidance on what is and isn’t open,” King said. “If you get a mountain bike and think you are going to ride on the single track, that is not allowed.”

Expanding the areas that e-bikes can ride is currently under public discussion, depending on the class of bikes. Yet the electric bike is seen as a viable option for a car.

“I feel good when I ride my bike because it is the only exercise that I get,” Méndez said. “It is saving a car trip, now someone who needs to drive has less traffic and more places to park. It has a benefit for the entire community because there is one less car and one less parking spot for everyone else.”