CAN E-BIKES TRANSFORM BURLINGTON?
We think so.
Burlington is small -- approximately three miles long and two miles wide. The average commute time is 17 minutes.
Downtown Winooski is 1.8 miles from downtown Burlington. The average commute time for a resident is 22 minutes.
For a city that prioritizes active living and environmental sustainability and where so many people work so close to where they live, you might think bikes would be a more popular transportation option.
But there are real and perceived barriers to getting around Burlington by bike-- long distances; giant hills; kiddos and equipment to carry; limited physical mobility; an inability to keep up with traffic; the idea of showing up to a meeting or date drenched in sweat; these are real challenges keeping people in their cars despite their desire for a more affordable, healthier, environmentally friendly option.
E-bikes come in many forms, but the gist is this: an electric motor gives you the extra boost you need to make bicycling a practical and joyful part of your daily routine, no matter the challenge.
For the past year we've worked with Burlington Electric Department (BED) and Local Motion to figure out how to get more people on e-bikes and enjoying the benefits of bicycling while developing a more sustainable transportation system in our city.
We're excited to share our first steps:
EDUCATION
E-bikes come in all shapes, sizes, and types and it's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the information out there. Our summer media intern, Cyrus, created this e-bike primer for the e-curious to learn about the benefits of e-bikes, a few of the e-bike styles, and local programs to help you make the purchase.
Want to talk to a real human about e-bikes and the options out there? It's part of the Old Spokes Home mission to be as open and accessible as possible. We're open Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm and we're here to share our e-bike expertise with you.
Stay tuned for e-bike specific classes and workshops from Old Spokes Home -- if you want to be alerted when we schedule them, join our mailing list.
$400 E-BIKE DISCOUNT (seriously)
In an effort to bring more sustainable transportation to our city, Burlington Electric Department is offering $200 rebates on e-bikes and conversion kits purchased at local bike shops -- while supplies last.
We want to see people act on this opportunity, so Old Spokes Home is offering a similar rebate of up to $200 off e-bikes for the first 50 customers to purchase an e-bike or conversion kit in our shop.
That means you could save up to $400 when you purchase an e-bike at our shop (if you act quick -- these discounts aren't going to last).
Learn more about the e-bike rebate program on the BED website, and learn about Old Spokes Home's e-bike offerings on our e-Bikes page. Xtracycle is running a slew of specials until the end of the year, so if you're looking for an electric cargo bike, now is the time to act.
E-BIKE LENDING LIBRARY
Want to try one before you buy one? We get that. So we're working with BED and Local Motion to create a Burlington e-bike library in spring 2018.
From commuter e-bikes to e-cargo bikes, we'll offer several e-bikes for borrowing -- at no cost to you and your family -- so you can experience first-hand how an e-bike transforms your riding and lifestyle.
We'll share news about the e-bike library bikes as they come in -- stay tuned in on Facebook and Instagram.
The e-bike lending library was inspired by our friends at VBike who have had incredible success getting folks in the Brattleboro area trying and buying e-bikes for their commutes. Thank you, VBike.
E-BIKE ACCESSIBILITY
Our mission is to make bikes accessible to everyone regardless of socio-economic background, and that includes e-bikes.
We've made it possible for individuals purchasing e-bikes to donate their BED and Old Spokes Home rebates back to our organization so we can then subsidize conversion kits for our Everybody Bikes customers.
Do you know someone with barriers to bicycling who might benefit from an e-bike? Please contact Dan to learn about options.
We're grateful for the opportunity to work with innovators at Burlington Electric Department and Local Motion to bring better transportation opportunities to our community.
And thank you to VBike for helping launch these initiatives.
