Robert and Michael are on opposite sides of the cycling spectrum. Robert is a lifelong cyclist with decades of experience who has a few back surgeries under his belt. Michael is a young guy who likes bikes and just wants to make his commute more manageable.

On paper, they couldn’t be more different, but they have two things in common that might surprise you. They both recently bought an R+E Cycles U-District e-bike, and they both bought it for the same reason. They bought it because the U-District is still a bike first.

“If you’re thinking about an e-bike, test ride it with the motor turned off. If you can’t pedal it around, you don’t want it!” That’s what Robert said to us about looking at a few other e-bike options before he settled on the U-District. He’s taken to only using the motor when he needs to go up a hill and needs a little assistance. That way, he says, his battery lasts over twice as long. Battery charge isn’t something that worries him anymore. Even if it dies, he can still pedal to his destination. He also suggests lifting the bike up onto a platform of some sort. This will simulate getting the bike up onto a bike rack. If you can’t lift it, that may become a problem in the future.

Michael first bought an e-bike from a popular brand that he’d seen advertised everywhere. He discovered quickly that it was useless without a charged battery, being too heavy and unweildly to pedal around under his own power. When he had mechanical issues, he discovered the company wouldn’t even service the bike. That was it for him. He returned the bike and went looking for a different solution. That turned out to be the U-District. He loved how easy it was to ride, with or without the motor engaged. Michael also learned something Robert has know for years as an R+E Customer: R+E Cycles has a long history of quality service after the sale and this includes dealing with both mechanical and fit issues.

Our goal at R+E is to keep people happy on a bike. We do that with fit, service, and finding out exactly what our customers need. Whether that’s a finely tuned race bike, or an e-bike that fits and rides well with or without power, we’re happy to do it. The smiles we see are worth it.

To learn more about this R+E Exclusive e-bike, visit us online or feel free to shoot an email to Smiley with any questions.