E-BIKE FESTIVAL
On May 11th we were thrilled to be part of the first annual E-BIKE FESTIVAL, held at the Zygg headquarters on Sorauren Avenue. And, what a success! It felt like the whole neighbourhood showed up to check out e-bikes – and especially give them test rides! It was also the perfect day for a test-ride as it timed perfectly with the Geoffrey Street Garage Sale; so riders could stop and check out vintage dresses, antiques or buy a book or two.
Besides meeting old friends from the bike industry, we were excited to witness a high literacy around e-bikes in Toronto’s west end. Those who know Timm and Eric of Pedaal know they were behind importing Brompton and Bullitt bikes into Canada, so it was exciting to spread our wings beyond the Annex and meet West-enders who knew exactly who and what these bikes are for.
If you’re reading this and wondering how an e-bike can serve you, it’s good to start with the use case. Those of us who want to live, work and play close to home often primarily do so because they want to live a life where everything is in close proximity. A good measurement of this is real-estate “walk scores” that measure this degree of proximity. But, having a high walk score doesn’t mean distances are actually walkable. Many people who live downtown would agree that distances are too far to walk, but also too close to drive! Here is where the bicycle solves the conundrum. So, what does an e-bike offer that a regular bicycle doesn’t?
First of all, it’s important to distinguish between types of e-bikes. At PEDAAL we only sell “Class 1” e-bikes. These are sophisticated computer-assisted bikes that are able to add more power when you go up a hill and reduce power when the wind is on your back. This is very unlike “Class 2” e-bikes which are largely illegal in Europe (but presently legal in Canada) and feature throttles that eliminate the need for pedalling. Bikes in the Class-1 category tend to be high quality and use motors from recognized companies like Bosch. Companies in the Class-2 category tend to use unrepairable quality off-brand motors; which is why we don’t carry them.
So, what’s an e-bike good for?
In the case of a cargo bike, an e-assist system primarily neutralizes the “gross vehicle weight” of the bike itself. When you consider that a typical cargo bike has a gross vehicle weight of 500lb it makes a lot of sense to take the burden off your legs! In the case of a Brompton folding bike, an electric assist always guarantees that you get to your destination sweat-free; so no change of clothes is required. Of course, an electric assist also flattens big hills, and are great for longer rides. In fact, studies are beginning to emerge from Holland that show that e-bikes are starting to steal market-share from cars when it comes to distances that are not too far to drive but are still too costly, inconvenient, or stressful to drive.
We’d like to thank Kevin at Zygg for hosting a great event and helping build more literacy for Torontonians who are ready to change their transportation habits, especially now that the sun is out. If you’d like to try out an ebike or learn more, please book a sales appointment here. And, because we’re also a coffee shop, if you book an appointment your coffee is on the house!
