Seattle Electric Bike - Adventures of the Electric Bike Guy

We're pleased that the PDX Bike Show featured a demo of the new OHM Urban Special Edition XU700, looking sharp with its fabulous new misty Forest Green frame and contrasting faux-leather grips and seat, matched here with a reversible Smoking Jacket by Betabrand and pants by Bike to Work. That's a Topeak basket (but it covers the fantastic headlight so we recommend panniers or the Burley Travoy).

Thanks to all the folks at Pedal Nation for putting on a great show and to all the Portland electric bicycle enthusiasts who came by our booth to see and test ride the OHM.

If you did not receive a 2-for-1 Amtrak travel coupon at the show, and want one to come up to Seattle and test ride the OHM, give us a call and we'll mail one to you. The coupons expire April 30th!

We can help you plan your trip in one day, transport you to and from the train, and you can even reserve a spot for your new OHM on the return trip.

photo credit: David Niddrie

Earlier this month, OHM asked our valued customers: “How has your OHM Cycle changed your life?”

Chad Kirby of Seattle, WA, responded by telling us about how getting his bike was a no-brainer:

“I’ve been commuting with my OHM bicycle every day (rain or rainier) since the first of the year (except for Snomageddon a few weeks back). I live on one side of Capitol Hill and work in downtown Seattle, on the other side of Capitol Hill. My commute to work begins with a 12% grade out of my driveway and features a block or two at a 15% grade. The electric pedal assist flattens out the hill nicely. I still have to work to get up the hills, but I can decide how much effort to expend while still making reasonable time."

(written by Cathy Lau for OHM)

Thanks for the positive review, Chad! 

Need another reason to get an electric bike (or at least come in for a test ride)?

Well, look no further. With gas prices on the rise, and forecasted to rise even higher in the coming weeks, switching to an electric bike for your commute has never saved you so much money in gas, not to mention insurance and maintenance.

So treat yourself and your wallet to a little gift... Come take a ride and experience a whole new world of possibilities and savings!

And check out the sale prices on the OHM Urban XU700 through the end of February! $100 off the already low Factory Store Price.

Watch gas prices go up in front of your eyes...

OHM Cycles and Seattle Electric Bike / The OHM Factory Store are pleased to announce the 2012 Limited Edition 48V OHM Superbike, featuring the 48-volt BionX Super-Light system. Read the OHM press release here.

This new system enables a top range of at least 65 miles, and it does so while lowering the battery and motor weight by over two pounds from the previous model, an engineering feat that reflects the latest developments in lithium battery technology.

The system is completely integrated into OHM's Sport and Urban models. OHM bikes are the first e-bikes on the market to feature a custom frame with standard wheelbase designed from the ground up, making it compatible with buses, trains and bike trails.

All OHM bikes come standard with features that exceed our competitors’ high end bikes, giving you more electric bang for your buck! These include the reinforced 7005 aluminum frame for the highest strength to density ratio, and oversized tubing for best handling and stability, and internal cable routing for less clutter. OHM’s ergonomic frame is easy to step over and the cantilevered seat suspension provides unbeatable comfort.

Also standard on the OHM are its high-end components: hydraulic disc brakes front and rear that enable precise control and the best stopping power, Shimano dynamo hub systems powering your LED lights front and rear, custom all-weather fenders and a rear carry rack. All standard! 

OHM is the ideal e-bike for all-weather riding!

We are expecting these 48V bikes in February. Electric Bike Guy cannot wait to get his hands on them and give you a full report! 

For those of you looking for super prices, we still have 2011 OHM Sport and Urban models in most colors and sizes. 

Come on by for a test ride today!

For all you serious commuters, shoppers, and those of you in love with bicycle touring, we have a radical new solution to carrying your cargo, based on centuries’ worth of great product development:

Seattle Electric Bike / The OHM Factory Store now carries the Burley Travoy. Burley has been making cargo, pet and child trailers for years and the Travoy, introduced in 2010, is the newest member of the Burley line. Its innovative design even earned a a 2010 Eurobike Gold Award! (See the specs and video below.)

Electric Bike Guy has never hesitated to haul a lot of extra stuff with him because his powerful OHM with BionX electric bike could compensate for the extra weight at pedal-assistance level #2. But now we've found the Travoy is so much more stable than the heavy panniers we used to carry. We love its maneuverability on and off the hitch!

Now OHM Cycles has made it easy for OHM electric bike owners to use the Travoy. First, with a special package price when you purchase an OHM bicycle (and Travoy accessories), and second, with a custom hitch that installs easily on the Topeak rear rack that comes standard with your OHM. It's the ideal solution for transporting cargo with your OHM electric bike--take it from Electric Bike Guy--he uses it full-time in any weather!

Put simply: it is better to pull than to carry, and better to roll than to pull. 

The "Travoy" is not a new idea—history buffs will recognize the word "Travoy" has its roots in the French word "travois" which the interlopers used to describe the mode of cargo they observed among the Plains Indians in North America. The travois enabled a person to transport more weight along two poles behind than could be carried on one's back, and was also harnessed it to horses and dogs to efficiently carry loads.

Time has delivered and now, so has Seattle Electric Bike: the Burley Travoy is available in our shop to make your commute, shopping trip, or bicycle tour a breeze. And the OHM Electric Bike, with its long range and all-weather ride, will make a great accessory for your Burley Travoy trailer.

With a secure quick-release attachment to the custom OHM hitch (or your seat post if you are not riding an OHM), the Travoy is easy to simply clip on and roll away. Its lightweight and sturdy construction (see the specs below) provides up to 60 lbs. of carrying capacity without compromising the overall weight of your bike. Its intelligent design distributes the weight efficiently behind you, keeping your ride light and nimble, even with a full load. 

A weather-proof system, the Travoy comes complete with a basic cargo bag--which also stores the entire folded Travoy at 10 lbs and its quick-release wheels!--and tie-down straps for bulky cargo. Your Travoy may be accessorized with a variety of quick-release bags, including water-proof styles, perfect for whatever cargo you are looking to haul.

Here's a review of the bike we have loved all year (after eagerly anticipating it in 2010): the 2011 OHM Urban XU700. Why? We love the larger 700c wheels for making time on the commute, and we're pleased to offer it at the excellent Factory Store price. (The 2010 model had the 26" mountain bike style wheels.) 

This model is still available in the Factory Store in silver and blue in the 18.5" frame size (all sold out of blue 19.5" and only one silver 19.5" left).

We think this reviewer has it right--this is an elegant bike, in terms of its aesthetics, engineering, and its technology. And it's simply un-matched in the industry for quality and value. Read on...

From Mark at http://electricbikesnscooters.com

There are many new electric bicycle manufacturers on the market today and rarely do you find a company that produces a high quality product as this! This is the OHM 700 [XU] electric bike from OHM Cycles.  Just one look at this beautiful bicycle and you could tell that not only does it have a lot of craftsmanship, but also a lot of thought has been put into the design. OHM Cycles have been around since about the year 2005, and it is based in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. The purpose of this company, focus of its product, as well as marketing, is to create a high-quality electric power assist bicycle that will stand the test of time.  Utilizing the best components on the market, the [XU] 700 is one of the top-of-the-line electric bicycles on the market today.

This electric bike has a BionX electric motor that sports about 350 Watts of power which will help you in the assisted mode or generative mode. This bike should whiz right along, maximizing its energy that is stored up in its lithium batteries, because not only are the batteries lighter but they are lithium. Another reason why the bike should be faster and lighter is because the frame is made of aluminum which is a lighter material.  Most of the other components that are on the bike are of the highest quality and it would probably be very hard to find a higher quality electric bicycle that is on the market today.

You can find a dealer selling the OHM [XU] 700 electric bike in 14 different states in the US and in five different provinces in Canada plus Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. This is a great electric bicycle and made of such high quality, it would last you for very long time. 

[Mark mistakenly calls this bike the "XS 700" but he pictures the XU700--the XS750 is OHM's Sport model]

On the same blog, another article about why to ride an electric bicycle http://electricbikesnscooters.com/