Charge up your commute
If you’ve been reluctant to ride a bike to work because of the fear of breaking a sweat in office clothes, then this electric two-wheeler could be the answer. HighTekBikes, a Petaluma, Calif.-based startup, is one of several companies selling bikes with electric motors to help push you up that hill. The company displayed its products last weekend at the Green Festival in San Francisco.
The aluminum-frame bikes fold up and are light enough to carry on the bus or subway. Its lithium-ion battery can be charged from a standard household outlet and a single charge can carry the rider 10 to 20 miles at about 12 miles per hour, depending on how much pedaling he or she is willing to do. A standard bike starts at $799.
Terry Reilly, president of the company and a former electronics engineer, said that the bikes are not meant to replace other bikes, but rather a car. Reilly envisions people will use his pseudo-scooters for short trips that are too far to walk, but for which a five-minute car ride seems unnecessary.
“Never worry about parking again,” he said.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I rode your bike at the Tiburon Old Car Show about three years ago, and now I would love to talk to you again. My E Bike is on its last battery. They don’t make them anymore, and I can’t find another battery for it. You’d given me a web site to contact, but they can’t get a replacement either. I’ve told them that there are about 2000 batteries that could be sold, but no batteries available.
Please call me soon, Jim @ 415-435-3354, cell 415-518-6350
Thanx,
Jim Allen, another Golden Gator.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
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