We sell and service Human Power Augmented a.k.a. Electric bikes and ride them enthusiastically ourselves. See also our folding bikes at Folding Bikes West.
We invite you to visit our store, phone or email us. Ours is one of the last Internet shopping cart-free sanctuaries.
Electric Bikes Northwest
4810 17th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107 - Map
ph: 206/547-4621
Email form
Summer Hours:
Monday thru Friday: 11–6
Saturday: 11–4
Why are ebikes not selling in significant numbers in the U.S., while they are in Europe?
Let's look to Continental Europe for clues. Over the last couple of years ebike sales finally took off in particularly The Netherlands and Germany. Are these customers forced to settle for an ebike or is it rather that they prefer one (often to or alongside their regular bicycle, bus or train pass or their motorcycle or car)? Most Continental ebike buyers may actually enjoy riding their electric as much or more than their regular bicycle and switch off just like any owner of multiple bikes anywhere.
While culturally bikes are used more for transportation in Continental Europe, biking in the U.S. is overwhelmingly a fun and healthy leisure time activity. As the electric bike is a 'bicycle' as well (by design, operation and law) it is puzzling at best to see it pitched as a car substitute. Our Seattle store rather promotes the electric bike on its own substantial intrinsic merits: An accomplished bicycle with a different 'drive system', i.e. human power augmentation, that is superbly enjoyable to ride. (One great bicycle while not much of a car).
An ebike market geared toward those who may no longer afford to drive a car (or drive as frequently) shall remain dismally small even in a dismal economy. A pitch that in essence says "Hey, I know that you love your car but times are hard. Here's a deal for you: An electric bike. And by the way it is not even a decent, feeble motorcycle. You have to pedal it on hills and you cannot exceed 20 mph even on level ground" is unlikely to entice. President Carter tried the frugality and sacrifice pitch in his July 15, 1979 speech and the rest is history. Facing the grim prospects of a slow, open-to-the-elements, two wheeler financially beleaguered drivers shall rather become ever more determined to give up driving only when their cold, stiff fingers are pried off the steering wheel.
Those who nevertheless spout that increases in gas prices shall significantly improve ebike sales are overlooking that, as an example, a $1/gallon increase may mean a mere 5 cents/mile cost increase of owning a car. Compare that to AAA's calculation that the true cost of car ownership amounts to some 52 cents/mile, of which gasoline purchases may be less than one third.
If someone wishes to stop driving because of the 52 cents per mile cost they can obviously do so any time but it does in no way follow that after doing so they'll pick an ebike among the several transportation options likely to be open to them.
In The Netherlands, Germany and France electric bike sales finally took off not significantly due to gas prices (even though about three times higher than in the U.S.) or any subsidies but largely because people found that they thoroughly enjoy riding high end, advanced, pedal activated, superbly bicycle akin, well supported electric bikes.
It is the rare occasion when a test rider at our Seattle store does not thoroughly enjoy the similarly high end, advanced, pedal activated, superbly bicycle akin, well supported electric bikes (which by the way are priced significantly lower than in Europe).
Does this mean that sales are taking off the U.S. as well? Not yet. Perhaps they never shall. Would it matter?
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