front of Kalkhoff retail
store in the Pearl.
(Photos by Adams Carroll)
Back in August we reported that a new e-bike store was prepping to open its doors in the Pearl District. Now, although the dust has not yet settled in their combined corporate office and retail space, Kalkhoff Bikes Portland is open for business. Kalkhoff Bikes Portland is a retail venture of Greenlight Bikes, LLC., the Portland-based importer of German manufacturer Kalkhoff’s line of traditional and e-assist bicycles. The company’s Pearl District storefront is the only one of its kind in the United States and joins The eBike Store in North Portland as the second retail outlet for e-bikes in Portland.
In an interview on Monday, Greenlight Bikes’ Managing Director Eric von der Heyden said that Kalkhoff Bikes Portland will celebrate its official grand opening “sometime in mid to late January” once all renovations to their building have been completed. In the meantime, the Kalkhoff Bikes Portland showroom is open Monday through Friday and is stocked with a shiny new line of e-bikes and commuters ready for a test ride.
“People say ‘oh it’s cheating. Why don’t you just pedal up the hill?’ I would say that driving up the hill is cheating. At least you’re on a bike. It’s great for the environment and you’re still getting exercise.”
— Eric von der Heyden, Greenlight Bikes LLC
Kalkhoff e-bikes are made in Germany and shipped to Portland 98% assembled. Every Kalkhoff comes outfitted with fenders, lights, and a rack. Higher end models include amenities like integrated pumps and u-locks, full coverage chain guards, internally geared hubs, cycle computers, and more.
Instead of a throttle, Kalkhoff bikes rely on pedaling to activate the e-assist. Data from a torque sensor is used to determine the amount of assistance provided by the motor. A control panel on the handlebars allows the rider to fine tune how much assist is provided or even turn it off entirely.
In addition to e-bikes, Kalkhoff offers a range of high end traditional bikes that include the same gamut of commute friendly accessories. Although Greenlight Bikes expects that most of their sales will be made over the internet, all of the Kalkhoff models are in stock and on sale in the company’s Portland retail store.
According to von der Heyden, e-bikes “bridge a gap between those people who are already going to be on a bike all the time and those people who really don’t see themselves getting around all the time on a bike.” Rather than replacing bicycles, e-bikes are poised to replace cars, says von der Heyden.
“People say ‘oh it’s cheating. Why don’t you just pedal up the hill?’ I would say that driving up the hill is cheating. At least you’re on a bike. It’s great for the environment and you’re still getting exercise.”
I took a Kalkhoff e-bike for a test ride around the Pearl District on Monday. Even in my upright seating position, the e-assist allowed me to tackle hills like I would on my sporty road bike, but without breaking a sweat. I could see this kind of technology being very useful for somebody with a big hill in their commute and no option to shower and change once they make it to their workplace.
The silent e-assist motor adds quite a noticeable punch to your pedaling. During my test ride, I ended up lowering the amount of assistance to its lowest settling. Other riders would likely appreciate additional assistance, but in general, I found the lowest level was more than sufficient for the relatively flat terrain of the Pearl District.
Von der Heyden says that the beauty of the e-bike is that it makes bicycle commuting accessible to an entirely new group of people, ultimately resulting in a better experience for all roadway users. “The more people you get on bikes, the safer it is for everybody, the more bike lanes you’ll get, and the more attention you’re going to get for bikers in general. I think overall it’s good for all bikers–even if you never sit on an e-bike.”
E-bike sales are surging throughout the world, but they’re yet to catch on here in the states. Will 2010 be the year e-bike sales electrify? If so, Portland seems poised to be at the forefront of the market.
Kalkhoff Bikes Portland is open Monday through Friday at 528 NW 11th ave. Check out more photos from our visit here.