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An e-bike is parked near La Jolla High School. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)\nWhy are e-bikes popular?<\/p>\n
This is the first part of a series exploring electric bicycles, their local impact and the ongoing controversy that surrounds them.<\/p>\n
Electric bicycles, or e-bikes, have become an omnipresent part of life in La Jolla and many other parts of Southern California \u2014 divisive as they may be.<\/p>\n
Loved by riders and loathed by many who share the streets with them, their relatively recent ubiquitousness has led to a scramble in enforcement and education designed to increase safety and reduce misuse.<\/p>\n
So how did we get here? Part 1 of the La Jolla Light\u2019s series \u201cCharged Up: The Rise of E-bikes\u201d looks at the nuts and bolts of e-bikes, their different classes, how they arrived, their appeal to riders and the rules that apply to them.<\/p>\n
What is an e-bike?<\/p>\n
According to the San Diego Police Department, an e-bike is a \u201cbicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first modern pedal-controlled e-bikes came in the 1990s and developed further with affordable, high-energy lithium-ion batteries and lighter motors, providing faster charging times and longer range. In recent years they\u2019ve exploded in popularity.<\/p>\n
The bikes, which are rechargeable, come in three street-legal classes:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Class 1 is equipped with a motor that provides assistance when the rider is pedaling and can reach speeds up to 20 mph.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Class 2 is equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle (with a throttle) and can reach speeds up to 20 mph.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Class 3 is equipped with a motor that provides assistance when the rider is pedaling and can reach speeds up to 28 mph.<\/p>\n
E-bikes are different from another type of bike \u2014 an e-dirt bike, also called an electric motorcycle or e-moto. Those bikes are legal in California only for off-road use and are distinct from e-bikes in that there are no pedals on e-motorcycles.<\/p>\n
An e-bike is parked near La Jolla High School. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
\nWhy are e-bikes popular?<\/p>\n
Pedego Electric Bikes La Jolla opened in 2017 at 5702 La Jolla Blvd., and according to Terry Galka, co-owner alongside Tracy Sheffer, the business keeps growing. Its website<\/a> states there are more than 200 stores dedicated to the Pedego brand around the world.<\/p>\n The appeal of e-bikes is twofold, Galka said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think for the kids, it gives them freedom and responsibility,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd for adults, it gives them the opportunity to kind of bring back their childhood and ride a bike again.\u201d<\/p>\n While some businesses see sales increases during holidays or other parts of the year, business is fairly consistent year-round for his and other stores in California, Galka said.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes the holidays do spike the sales,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I think \u2026 our [business] is based on weather. We always have good weather, and when it\u2019s really nice out, it seems like a lot of people get out there and really want to get bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n Pedego La Jolla currently offers 18 types, including the original \u201ccruiser\u201d and the \u201ccommuter\u201d and \u201cadventure\u201d options. Prices on the store\u2019s website range from about $1,000 to just under $4,000.<\/p>\n La Jolla Ebike & Skate<\/a>, a retailer at 7444 Girard Ave., is only 2 years old but the address has hosted multiple e-bike companies in just under a decade.<\/p>\n Ray Belden previously ran San Diego Electric Bike\u2019s La Jolla satellite location as general manager and head tech. But when the primary store in Solana Beach was sold and the La Jolla location closed, he took over the lease and launched La Jolla Ebike & Skate. Earlier, San Diego Fly Rides occupied the space, Belden said.<\/p>\n La Jolla Ebike & Skate offers a selection of California-based brands, such as E Ride Pro (off-road e-motos), P-51 and Monday Motorbikes.<\/p>\n E-bikes are appealing for their lack of emissions, ease of use and parking and relative affordability, Belden said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you are in an area like La Jolla or Southern California where weather is relatively nice year-round, you can rely on it as transportation rather than having to take public transportation or drive a car,\u201d he said. \u201cMore and more people are interested in getting around on an easy way to ride, and sales are constantly increasing. It\u2019s a viable option for a lot of people for transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n Rules and regulations<\/p>\n As with any vehicle, there are rules that riders must follow. The San Diego Police Department classifies e-bikes as bicycles and therefore riders must abide by all applicable laws.<\/p>\n