OCR Text |
Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, August 22-24, 2018 The Park Record B-7 Not shockingly, e-bikes become popular in another mountain town Business owners say market has expanded JOHN F. RUSSELL Steamboat Today STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Electric bikes are nothing new for Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare general manager Jake Ehrlick. “We have actually been doing e-bikes for 10 to 12 years, on and off,” Ehrlick said. “One year they would do well, and the next year they wouldn’t. It was really up and down, but I would say last year it really started taking off. This year, they are flying out the door.” Ehrlick said the popularity of e-bikes could be due to the constantly improving technology or because the bikes are proving to be a great way to get around town. “They are very smooth,” Ehrlick said of the pedal-assisted bikes he sells and rents. “You still have to put in an effort, you are still working, but you can just cover a lot more ground.” When e-bikes first came out, they were mainly cruisers designed for more urban settings. But these days, customers can choose from many different styles and brands, ranging from a fold-up cruiser to a full-suspension mountain bike. The only things limiting the popularity of e-bikes are the price and the fact that their use is restricted. Pedal-assist bikes are allowed on the Yampa River Core Trail but not on Emerald Mountain. They are only allowed at Steamboat Ski Area as part of a group tour that includes education on how to use the bikes. Throttled electric bikes, controlled by a passive throttle, are not allowed on the Core Trail. Shops like Ski & Bike Kare and Pedego have offered electric bike rentals and sales in Steamboat Springs for years. This sum- JOHN F. RUSSELL/STEAMBOAT TODAY Steve and Brenda Dawes make their way up a Steamboat Springs, Colorado road while checking out the pedal assist bikes available at the local Pedego store. mer, newcomers to the e-bike market include Hala Gear, Ski Haus and Journey Rides. Wheels Bike Shop sells Bulls electric bikes, but owner Hazen Kreis said his shop isn’t currently renting them. Trace Adams and Brandon Buckles, owners of Journey Rides, grew up in Steamboat. The two have been offering electric bike adventures since 2012 and recently opened stores in Steamboat and Scottsdale, Arizona, hoping to expand their business. The Steamboat store, which is currently located inside All That, offers rentals, sales, demos and tours. “It’s not cheating, and it’s just more fun,” Adams said of e-bikes. “Everyone has a bike that’s sitting in their closet or sitting in their garage collecting rust. It’s a little different in Steamboat because this is Bike Town USA, but the majority of people come here and say, ‘Look, I don’t ever ride my bike.’ Then they get on these, and it’s a more enjoyable experience. You can go so much further, and you don’t end up sweating to get across town and you can cruise and enjoy yourself.” Pedego, which opened its doors in July 2016 at 345 Lincoln Ave., was Steamboat’s first all-electric bike store. Owner Linda John also offers rentals, sales and tours. “Before we opened, Ski & Bike Kare had one or two e-bikes in their stores but were not really renting them out or selling them,” John said. John, an avid cyclist, was skeptical when she first researched the bikes after her business partner Bruce Caplowe approached her with the idea of opening a store centered on electric bikes. “When I saw that in the next five years e-bikes are going to go crazy, I realized that his is a great business plan,” John said. “These bikes allow people who come in from out of town who want to bike, but because of the altitude and all the hills, just can’t do it. This is a great way to park the car and see Steamboat.” Hala Gear founder Peter Hall said he added e-bikes this summer because he felt they were a nice addition to stand-up paddleboards. Customers can rent bikes for half or full days and can combine them with paddleboard rentals for a full day of recreational activity. He said he will give it a year, and if he doesn’t have enough rentals, he will sell the fleet. At Ski Haus, e-bikes reach a new customer base — cyclists who aren’t necessarily elite athletes. “It’s a growing bike market and one of our major dealers, Specialized, has an awesome product,” Ski Haus manager Ben Brodsky said. “We get a lot of requests for them, and it’s a growing area of the bike world.” Steamboat Ski Area has been offering guided e-bike tours for the past two seasons. “It’s a thriving program,” ski area spokesperson Loryn Kasten said. “We do Class 1 pedal-assisted bikes, so that means they have motors that are activated by the rider pedaling. If you sit there, the bike isn’t going to go anywhere, but if you are pedaling, it will match your ability, so it really helps people get up some of those hills that are hard for beginners or those that are not into biking.” The ski area offers two-hour group lessons that are available 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m. daily. There is also a late afternoon session on Fridays. The $129 cost covers the group lesson and rental of a bike, helmet and pads. Steamboat Bike Park manager Trevyn Newpher said it’s a great way to enjoy a day on the mountain. “It’s hard to conceive what it is until you actually ride one of the bikes,” Newpher said. “A lot of people think that it’s like a motorcycle or it’s like a moped where you actually have a throttle to passively propel the bike. These don’t have that. There is some pretty cool advanced technology that senses how much effort the rider is putting into the equation, and it will match that up to a certain percent.” That assist allows riders who may be intimidated by the climbs to enjoy biking on the mountain trails. They don’t have to be in top shape or worry about spending the second part of their vacation recovering from the experience. “It takes the average person, and kind of brings them to an elite level,” Newpher said. “When you hop on this thing, you are still sweating, you are still putting an effort in, but it really takes away the sting and the anaerobic pain that climbing steep hills can create.” Introducing... 435-645-7139 www.marketatparkcity.com Please look for our insert in today’s paper! LIZY MICHELLE JA N E L L E Some of the petS at NuzzleS & Co. lookiNg for love These animals are available to be seen at the Nuzzles & Co. Adoption Center and Rescue Ranch. Our Adoption Center is open Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located in the Tanger Outlets in Kimball Junction. Our Rescue Ranch is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Sunday. The Rescue Ranch is located at 6466 N. Highview Road in Peoa. Grace Murphy Roxie Theona Grace is a 3-year-old Shar Pei mix. She LOVES to play and has a lot of energy. She prefers a home without cats but is good with other dogs if properly introduced. She would do best with a more submissive and easygoing canine pal. Grace would love an active, fun-loving home! Meet Murphy, a 1-year-old Shepherd mix. This happy dog is full of energy! He needs a patient owner who can help him overcome his fears. He is dog-selective but ignores cats. He also prefers a home without small children. He’s an active guy who will make a great companion! Roxie is a friendly 2-year-old Pit Bull Terrier. This energetic girl needs an active family! She’s dog-selective and not good with cats so may need to be an only pet. Roxie’s eager to please and needs her owner to give her the time she needs to be the best dog she can be! Theona is a 3-year-old Chihuahua mix with lots of energy! She loves to go for walks. Theona gets along with some other small dogs and doesn’t pay much attention to cats. She would do best in a home with older kids and an owner who can help her with basic obedience skills. Dontay Ninja Siren Zorby Dontay is a 7-year-old grey tabby and white Domestic Shorthair. He is a relaxed and friendly cat who enjoys the company of people and loves to curl up on your lap. Dontay does well with some other cats, and he is sure to be a wonderful companion for years to come! Ninja is a handsome 2-year-old Domestic Shorthair with a sleek black coat. He’s an outgoing cat who gets along well with other cats and loves people. Ninja will show off his moves while chasing the elusive red laser dot, and he’ll curl up for snuggles after he’s played to his heart’s content! Siren is a gorgeous cat who will lure you in with her beautiful black coat and lovely gold eyes. Unlike her namesake, though, she is sweet and friendly, and she only wants your love! Siren is about 6 years old. She’s a relaxed cat who is looking for a loving forever family! Zorby is a 2-year-old blue Domestic Medium Hair, and he’s one sweet cat! He’s a friendly guy who loves to spend time with people and gets along well with other cats, too. Zorby would love a forever home where he can relax and have lots of fun! WaNted: voluNteerS These Organizations are looking for volunteers. If you would like to include your group in this section, please email information to copyeditor@parkrecord.com. Please limit your entry to no more than 75 words Park City Museum Do you love history and Park City? Are you interested in furthering your involvement in the community? The Park City Museum needs volunteers to help install and take down traveling exhibits, catalog and process collection items, assist in the Research Library, lead both adult tours and school group programs, and assist as gallery guides. Please contact Jenette Purdy at the Park City Museum for more information: 435-649-7457 or education@parkcityhistory.org. Dyslexic Students) promotes elevating literacy through early identification of struggling readers, effective reading interventions, and appropriate classroom accommodations. Park City READS helps people navigate through diagnostic testing, school interventions, tutoring, and technology resources. Membership is free and open to the public. For information about volunteer opportunities, contact ParkCityREADS@gmail.com or search for PC READS on Facebook. Park City READS Park City READS (Recognizing, Educating and Advocating for For a full list of volunteer opportunities, visit parkrecord.com/volunteers Deer Creek TITLE INSURANCE, INC. Confidence to close! MICHELLE HUGGINS 4 35 . 6 59. 4 4 07 D M I C H E L L E H U G G I N S @ H OT M A I L .CO M |