The Faraday, shown here at the Oregon Manifest field test in Portland last September, will soon be available as a production bike.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Back in September, when the entries in the 2011 Oregon Manifest Design Challenge competition were revealed, one bike in particular caught my eye. It was the “Faraday” electric-assist bike built … Read more
EV incentive programs should not leave out bikes.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Last week the Oregon Department of Transportation announced the availability of $4 million in incentives for electric trucks. The money comes from the federal government’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program and it’s aimed at, “encouraging the purchase of zero-emission urban delivery trucks.” … Read more
Thanks to battery power, Jeff Bernards is cycling again.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Chronic foot pain threatened to make cycling unbearable for 56-year old southeast Portland resident Jeff Bernards. Now, after installing an electric-assist kit on his bike, he’s riding again. And loving it. Bernards is a veteran of local bike events. Years ago he started … Read more
“If you’re in court, they’ll look at the body of statutes, and it is not crystal clear.”— David House, Oregon DMV There’s a case brewing in Springfield (near Eugene), Oregon that could set a precedent and clarify several legal issues around the operation of electric-assisted bicycles. We broke down much of the legal morass around … Read more
If you ride an e-bike, PSU wants to hear from you.(Photo © J. Maus) Researchers at Portland State University are looking for interview subjects for a project on e-bikes. Jennifer Dill, an associate professor at the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, got in touch with us with the news. Dill says … Read more
E-bikes are popping up all over Portland these days.(Illustration: Mark Young/Portland Storyboard) Whether you like them or not, electric bikes have arrived and it looks like they’re here to stay. E-bikes can now be found in almost every local bike shop, major manufacturers are adding e-assist to a growing number of urban and cargo bikes, … Read more
A customer on a test ride in 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 … Read more
The eBike Store openedlast week in North Portland.(Photos © J. Maus) Opening a new retail business in the midst of an historic economic downturn isn’t exactly a safe bet, especially when there’s not a very big existing market for your product. But that didn’t stop Wake Gregg from opening Portland’s first all-electric bicycle store, The … Read more