We’re starting out the new year with a move to a new larger, more visible location here at Ashland Electric Bikes. You can find us at 302 E. Hersey St.#7 (in the Hersey Street Business Park). This is the first in a series of steps to crank it up for 2011. Watch for new ebike offerings in a wide range of price points, with an emphasis on even stronger models to tackle the challenging hills of Ashland and the southern Oregon region. The ebike momentum is building, and we will continue to do our best to support the growth of cleaner, more sustainable travel in and about town. So give us a call, come check out the new storefront, and take a test ride on an ebike that will change the way you think about bicycling forever more. Right now all current inventory is ON SALE for 20% OFF! Are you ready to “Be a Part of the Solution”?

We sometimes hear the comments that electric bikes are yet another expensive toy for the well-heeled or that riding an ebike is somwhow ‘cheating’. These perspectives miss the point of  ebikes entirely. When viewed as a viable transportation vehicle not a toy, ebikes are actually quite a bargain. If you’re considering a second vehicle for your household, or a first vehicle for your teenager or recent graduate, consider the cost/benefit ratio of an electric assisted bicycle. Add in the overall health and environmental benefits of an ebike and the decision becomes even clearer. For most trips around town you’ll find that an ebike can get you to your destination almost as fast as your car. When you factor in parking considerations, you may get there even faster! The power assist allows you to reach and maintain much higher speeds than you are probably used to with your bike. Think about an ebike as both an exercise tool and/or simply a vehicle for short trips. You can decide how much effort and exercise you get from every ride. Many times I simply want to get from point A to B quickly and easily, without much physical effort on my part. I can make numerous trips like this in a day and still have plenty of energy for the activities I want to participate in later. I enjoy the sights, sounds, and fresh air in ways that travel by car cannot provide. I can arrive at my destination feeling refreshed and dry instead of sweaty and huffing. All this happens for a few pennies worth of electricity everyday! Every one of my clients reports that they are riding their ebikes much more than they ever rode before. Trips around town have become much more enjoyable. They run more errands with the bike rather than the car. Because their ebike is so much easier to pedal they’re logging many more miles in the saddle resulting in all the same health benefits you’d expect from bicycling: weight loss, greater strength, easier breathing, etc. Its hard to imagine where the ‘cheating’ comes into such a win-win situation. No mere toy can provide that kind of personal and planetary rewards. The many resource issues that we face on a global scale need to be addressed at the personal level. Its the best that most of us can do, and when we begin to do it en masse, things really will begin to change. Even the largest numbers are made up by the addition of so many ones. Isn’t it time you took another step forward in your desire for a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable world? Come and ride an ebike from Ashland Electric Bikes and see for yourself what the excitement is all about.