Tag Archives: commuting

Putting the bike in E-Bike

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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.

Robert (left) and Michael (right) and their new U-District e-bikes

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.

This abandoned e-bike was spotted by one of our mechanics on a ride last weekend. We assume it ran out of charge and became too heavy to pedal without assistance.

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.

Welcome to the U-District

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    When designing an e-bike, we knew we would give our customers what we’ve always given them: choice. We are a full custom shop, after all. After months of research, we’ve come up with three different ways to help our customers get an e-bike that works for them. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve come up with

  1. The R+E Cycles U-District

While technically our “middle of the road” option, we are probably the most excited about this one. To make a U-District, we take an existing production frame and modify it to suit the individual rider’s needs. We can add, change, or remove any braze-on as well as modify any parts that the motor might interact with. After that, it’s a fresh paint job and installing a powerful motor and battery system. This method allows us to offer  bike with an accessible price that is still flexible enough to meet your needs. This also comes with R+E’s dedication to fit and comfort. No one wants to ride a bike that doesn’t fit, no matter what kind of motor it has.

  1. A Rodriguez e-bike

A full custom Rodriguez is the only answer for those that want the most out of their bike. Every aspect is taken into consideration to meet the rider’s needs and our e-bike versions would be no different. If you have a specific vision of what you want your bike to be, a Rodriguez is the answer.

  1. A KHS Envoy e-bike

For the more budget conscious rider, we offer the KHS Envoy. It’s a way for you to get an entry level e-bike backed by our proven commitment to service and comfort. We’ve worked with KHS for decades to provide entry level bikes for our customers and they’ve produced an excellent e-bike that we’re happy to sell at our shop.

One thing we’ve learned is that the e-bike motor is still in flux. New designs are coming out often and old ones going away just as fast. Our service technicians are learning the skills to work on any of them that come down the pike. We will uphold our commitment to service no matter which way the winds blow. That’s always been our promise to customers and we don’t plan on changing.

To celebrate the introduction of our U-District e-bike, we have an introductory offer happening right now. The first ten U-District bikes we sell will go for the low introductory price of $2499.99 and you will be able to choose any single color paint job you want. These first ten won’t be available for long, so get in touch today. You can find out more about the U-District and our other e-bike options here.