Biking from A2B

They may have killed the electric car, but Jon Eisert says the electric bike is thriving. (Photo: Fredericksen)

We’ve all been there. You’re tired, but you need to visit the grocery store to retrieve that one, vital ingredient to prepare dinner. You vacillate between taking the car or the bike. It’s a toss-up between saving future generations from the consequences of climate change or saving your poor, lazy ass from overexertion.
A possible solution: an electric bike. You get some exercise, but don’t get winded. You save money on gas, and save your kin from impending climate doom. Well, maybe not the last part, but the A2B Ultra Motor electric bike sure is fun to ride.
Jon Eisert, owner of Village Sports in Mammoth Lakes, said he invested in six electric bikes for residents or tourists who want to travel around the area, but who aren’t hardcore about road or mountain biking. Ultra Motor is a company based in San Francisco, where the bikes are becoming increasingly popular for commuting around that hill-plagued city.
Some people want to reduce the amount of time they spend in their cars, but aren’t ready to become avid road bicyclists, Eisert said. “Not everyone wants to be Lance Armstrong.”
Eisert said he hopes the appeal of the bikes will catch on after he starts selling them at the end of August. Currently, patrons can rent the bikes for $12 per hour or $36 for four hours. He said everyone who has taken one out for a test cycle has returned smiling.
The A2B model is an electric-assist commuter bike with 20 miles of battery juice on flat terrain for a person of average size, whatever that means. The battery cannot power the bike over 20 mph due to non-motor vehicle restrictions, but cruising up hills still feels like a cinch.
Some people confuse the bikes with mopeds and motorcycles, Eisert said, thinking that they don’t have to pedal, but just power the throttle. They come back to the store complaining the battery ran out. Eisert emphasized the bike is electric-assist, which means the person needs to pedal. To maximize battery life, a bicyclist should power the motor to help up hills, use it sparingly on flat terrain, and coast downhill.
The bike comes with a secondary battery to double the range, which bolts onto the rack over the rear wheel behind the seat. The bike also has a comfortable seat, a seven-speed derailer, a twist-type shifter on the left side of the handlebar and a throttle on the right, and a place behind the seat to install side-saddle racks for carrying items such as groceries.
The most obvious negative feature of the bike is that it weighs 70 pounds, so hauling it up stairs or into cars is an exhausting feat. The A2B should also not be confused with a mountain bike. It can be taken on dirt roads, but single tracks are out of the question.
Charging the bike takes a 110 volt outlet, so a person who lives on an upper level of an apartment building may need to find a long extension cord to reboot their bike. The hefty price tag for the A2B also doesn’t make it accessible for much of the population. The retail price is $2,699, but Eisert said the bike inevitably pays for itself given that a person saves money on gas for in-town transportation. Also, insurance isn’t required to ride. Bike maintenance is no different than a normal bike. Owners must keep the gears greased and replace or fix parts when necessary.
Eisert said he recommends people come to Village Sports and at least ride an A2B around town. A person needs to be at least 16 to rent one, helmets are provided and required, but a license is not. Once you feel the effortless cruise up the Main Street hill, Eisert said he promises you’ll come back with a smile.