The whole is greater than the sum of its parts as EZE Ryders and OB eBikes have merged into Electric Bike Super Shop in Ocean Beach, an outlet serving all ages and pedaling needs.
The joined company, an e-bike retailer and service center, has relocated to 1926 Bacon St. The new entity also hosts free e-bike safety classes for youthful riders in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol, which enforces statewide e-bike guidelines.
Industry research shows about one-third of all e-bikes sold this year will be purchased for youthful riders. And, even though e-bike riders are required to abide by the same laws and rules of the road as motor vehicle drivers, they are ‘not required’ to hold a driver’s license or any type of certification to operate them.
Devin Raymond, formerly of EZE Ryders on Voltaire Street, which opened in 2020 during COVID, said that venue was “great for us starting,” before they outgrew it. He added he and new business partner Bill Connard are well acquainted. “I helped Bill (who ran the theater on Newport Avenue) which closed due to COVID, to start OB eBikes, and the bikes were an opportunity for him to start a new business,” said Raymond. “He became a close customer of mine.”
“We have been working hand-in-hand for many years now,” noted Connard adding, “It’s now a single business. It was two businesses and we partnered into a new business as of Feb. 1.”
Connard talked about one of the unique things their company does, that no other bike shops in San Diego do. “We carry about 20 brands of e-bikes.” he said adding, “Most bike shops just carry a specific brand or two. We run an e-bike shop, so we shop for new brands, and particular models, from those brands to make sure we’re getting the right bikes for our consumers. That’s our biggest thing, making sure we’ve got e-bikes for all types of consumers, as opposed to single brands. And we service everything.”
Raymond added both he and Connard also wanted to capitalize on a new emerging category and growing trend in the e-bike industry – electric mountain bikes.
Of Electric Bike Super Shop, Raymond said: “We’re (also) unique because we’re focusing (only) on electric bikes and we’re the only bike shop in San Diego that is doing full service on all electric bikes. A lot of our customers are referrals from other bike shops that don’t want to work on electric bikes.”
Connard said their new joint e-bike business is about equally divided between retail sales and repairs. He noted it’s extremely advantageous to be able to offer the consumer the opportunity to come in and “touch and feel and sit on it and ride on it,” as opposed to just ordering an e-bike online from a picture, then finding out once it’s shipped that it doesn’t fit their individual needs.
“They (e-bikes) are motor vehicles at the end of the day,” said Raymond adding “There’s no substitute for sitting on it and riding it yourself. We have these different brands you can test ride here before you buy. We also do rentals. So, if you’re a first timer, you can take it out for a week, ride it, and see if it’s something you’d like long term.”
Concluded Raymond: “The reason that we merged was to have one larger full-service offering, so we could have a service department and many many bikes for sale and do the rentals within the community.”
ELECTRIC BIKE SUPER SHOP
Where: 1926 Bacon St.
Contact: obebikes.com, ezeryders.com, [email protected], 619-879-6993.
E-BIKE SAFE COURSES
On Aug. 15, 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1946 into law requiring the California Highway Patrol to develop statewide safety and training programs based on evidence-based practices for users of electric bicycles, including, but not limited to, general e-bike riding safety, emergency maneuver skills, rules of the road, and laws about e-bikes.
Eze Ryders and OB eBikes in Ocean Beach (obebikes.com) (ezeryders.com) are e-bike retailers and an e-bike service center in San Diego that are actively promoting safe e-bike riding by offering ‘free’ instructor-led electric bike safety classes based on the CHP’s online program for e-bike riders of all ages. Registration can be found at ebikesafetyclasses.com.
In this instructor-led class, e-bike riders will learn the most important things you should know about e-bikes including.
Three class types of e-bikes: Class 1: Pedal assist motor only up to 20 mph; Class 2: Pedal assist and throttle motor up to 20 mph; Class 3: Pedal assist and throttle motor up to 28 mph.
Any e-bikes without pedals, travel over 28 mph, or with motors over 750 watts are not considered by California to be bicycles and may require a license and registration to operate as a legal motor vehicle.
Age requirements: Under 12 are not recommended to ride e-bikes over 10 mph; ages 16 and under riders are limited to Class 1 and Class 2 up to 20 mph ages 17-plus riders only for Class 3 e-bikes
Helmets requirements: Riders under 18 are required to wear helmets at all times; all riders are required to wear helmets for Class 3 bikes up to 28 mph; passengers are required to wear helmets at all times regardless of age.
Night riding requirements: Lights and reflectors are required for riding at night and must include an attached headlight visible from 300 feet, an attached rear reflector visible from 500 feet, a rear tail light, reflectors on pedals or shoes, and side reflectors.
Q. What made Eze Ryders and OB eBikes decide to start running these classes?
A. As a hub for the electric cycling community in San Diego, we believe the safety of riders was a primary concern for us. We found that many of our customers were not aware of the safety program from the CHP so we decided it was a need to get this information out to our community so we began our classes. As an e-bike service shop, we understand the importance of not only having a mechanically safe bicycle to ride but also the importance of following safety rules and regulations on the road.
Q. We’ve noticed there are many young people riding e-bikes, was this also a big reason for your decision?
A. Absolutely. E-bikes have become extremely popular among young people and the amount of students riding their e-bikes to and from school has increased exponentially over the past couple of years however, many of them don’t even know the basic bicycle safety rules. Additionally, several school districts in North County have adopted a policy requiring students to take this particular CHP online course to bring their e-bikes on campus. We suspect this will become the policy for many school districts eventually.
Q. Why would someone come to the class rather than just doing the class online?
A. This instructor-led class is taught by an experienced e-bike rider who has not only studied these rules and protocols but has also been an e-bike enthusiast for 14 years. Class participants can ask questions, get practical demonstrations, and try out and get fitted for safety equipment including, helmets, mirrors, and optimal seat height and handlebar configuration. There is no substitution for hands-on instruction and education when it comes to bikes in ensuring that students are engaged and attentive to the material throughout the course.
Q. Do e-bikes require more service and maintenance?
A. E-bikes are heavier and can travel at faster speeds than conventional bicycles. Because of these factors, e-bikes do require more frequent service including brake adjustments and brake pads. Many of the lower-cost e-bikes come with lower-quality mechanical brakes that require brake adjustments every 100 miles or so. We recommend that the lower-cost e-bikes should be upgraded to hydraulic brakes for better stopping power and fewer required adjustments. We perform hydraulic upgrades at our service shop in Ocean Beach.
Important links include how to sign up for this free class, where to register your e-bike, and how to insure your e-bike. Register your e-bike here: http://Bikeindex.org; insure your e-bike here: https://get.withoyster.com/m/electircbikesupershop/bike; take the online safety course here: chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Services-Information/Bike-and-Ped-Safety; register for e-bike safety classes here:
http://ebikesafetyclasses.com; visit our sales and service center here: http://obebikes.com. For additional information, call OB eBikes at 619-879-6993 or email [email protected]. You can also visit in person at 1926 Bacon St.
