My day started by waking up a bit earlier than usual so I could see as many bike to work locations as possible from 6:30 am to 9:30 am….and who doesn’t love a FREE breakfast. I strategically mapped out my breakfast locations as I prepared to leave for the day. My 1st stop of the day was at Whole Foods started where I had delicious blueberry lemon pancakes with maple syrup. I ended with my 4th stop of the day at Natural Grocers Vitamin Cottage, where I had excellent Chai tea and granola.

There were lots and lots of people on bikes, around 30,000 cyclists participated. It was fun seeing so many people of all ages on regular road bikes, mountain bikes, recumbents and electric bikes. So awesome to see more people open and willing even if it’s just one day to leave the car keys at home and jump on their bike to commute to and from work. There was even a few locations that had music playing, which made it fun to jam out a bit while eating breakfast at each stop along the way.

I really enjoy commuting to and from work whether it’s Bike To Work Day or any other day because it provides me a solid foundation to start my day with a good work out, high energy and sharp focus for a productive work day. I arrive to work energized, de-stressed and refreshed. At the same time, it is meaningful to me to reduce my carbon footprint and leave the car keys at home. I would rather stay fit, get some good exercise than sit in a car with traffic delays any day of the week. See my blog post about the benefits of owning an electric bicycle for transportation to see what I’m talking about.

Bike To Work Day is everyday for me at Optibike. Just too bad not everyday I can get FREE breakfast along the way. LOL! It’s all good!

Stay tuned to get more updates from the Optibike Electric Bike team and how owning an e-bike is the best investment in your transportation that you could make. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see why.

I have had the Optibike R11 for three years & I feel the time is right to relay my consumer experience so that potential buyers can make informed decisions. I have never made any purchase in my lifetime where all claims by the manufacturer may be easily & readily validated as being factually correct. Until that is, I purchased the Optibike R11.

Whenever I make a consumer purchase, I always validate the claims of the vendor against my expectations of purchase. When I received the Optibike R11, I tested & have validated every claim that you have made on your website; 33(MPH), 40 Mile Range, FAST Mode, ECO Mode, SAFE Mode etc. Much to my great satisfaction, all your claims have been verified.

Ricc with his Optibike R11 Long range electric bike

Again, I have been very impressed by the fact that “what is claimed is actually delivered”. My advice to prospective purchasers is that they can buy an Optibike R11 with complete confidence that what is claimed is factual & real.

My R11 has now traveled 25,000(km) (showing the R11 to be the best long range electric bike) (90% in FAST Mode).

A recent mechanical issue with my Rohloff was repaired without question or dispute by Rohloff in Germany. This has been my experience with Optibike R11 components so far:

Frame = no problem
Chris King components = no problem
FOX components = no problem
DT Swiss components = no problem, not even a broken spoke; no truing of wheel, nothing needed at all
Avid Brake components = no problem; typical consumption of brake pads
Rohloff =  mechanical issue significantly outside the warranty period {occurred @ 25,000(km)}, was fixed under warranty. Rohloff completely replaced all internals; effectively giving me a new Rohloff (only the outer casing was preserved as it is laced into the wheel)

To see Ricc in action on his R11 watch his Video below.

To learn more about Optibike’s electric bike line, click here, or contact us at 303-443-0932. You’ll find the largest selection of e-bikes that will match your needs and budget. Don’t wait, order yours today

Today we compare  electric bikes vs. the bus. Many people use public buses for their daily commute to and from work. Electric bikes have many advantages over the bus. Electric bikes save time, provide exercise and  save money over a bus.  Electric bikes also provide personal freedom to go where you want, when you want.  A bus can never do this.

No Waiting Unless the bus stop is right across the street from you, you need to walk a bit  to get to the bus stop. You need to leave your home early enough to arrive at your bus stop at least 5 minutes early in case the bus gets there early and takes off without you. Don’t be that person running down the street chasing the bus. If the bus does take off without you, you will need to wait anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour for the next bus to arrive. Even if you arrive on time, you still need to wait for the bus. With an electric bike, you control your time and leave when you are ready.

No Crowds You see the bus arriving and you notice how crowded it is. Sometimes, you may not be able to even get on the bus because all seats are taken and too many people standing. So, the bus driver is usually kind enough to let you know the next bus is right behind him or wait for the next one. This can be so frustrating, annoying and gets your day off to a bad start. Even if you are able to get on a crowded bus, if you bus ride is over 15 minutes how much fun is it standing there on the bus shoulder to shoulder handing on to the strap or bar above you. Not so comfortable. Then, when someone hits the stop request button, have a lot of fun being pushed, squeezed and bumped into as that person gets off the bus. Once again, you feel angry, annoyed, and frustrated which only increases your stress levels. With an electric bike, your are out in the fresh air, taking a route you enjoy. There is seldom any waiting on bike paths.

SAVE $$ Think about the money savings too. A one way bus ride in most cities is $2.25. Yes, indeed transfers are available but usually have a time limit of 3 hours. So, if you are working full time you have to pay another $2.25 to get home or you can save some money by purchasing a weekly or monthly bus pass. Monthly bus passes can be anywhere from $125 to $200 a month. Your electric bike commute can save you over $2000 per year.

Save Time You also save so much time on an electric bike compared to a bus. How many bus stops do you have to wait for until you reach your final destination? It can be so annoying when you have to stop at 12 different bus stops until you reach your final destination. Even when you reach your final bus stop, you may have to spend 5-10 minutes walking to your final destination.

Get Exhilarated Ditch the bus and ride your electric bike. You will feel energized and refreshed when you arrive. Leave the frustration behind – enjoy life more. Why not get there faster on your own time and put a little extra spending money in your pocket each month with an electric bike.

Stay tuned next week as we discuss the electric bike vs. the train or subway. You’ll be amazed at how much time and money an e-bike will save you. If you have questions about any of the electric bikes we offer or want to learn more about the benefits of using electric bikes, contact us today at 303-443-0932.

Balance and Performance based design

Award winning electric bike designer and former National Motocross champion Jim Turner designed the patented Optibike monocoque frame from scratch to include 4 key elements:balance, style, performance, and safety.

Balance

The Optibike frame houses the battery inside and keeps the weight of the battery low and centered on the bike.A low center of gravity makes the Optibike is the best handling electric bike in the world.

Style

The aluminum monocoque frame houses all of the electronics inside to protect them from the elements, impact, and your eyes. The Optibike is waterproof. WARNING: The clean lines on the Optibike will have people stopping you on the street to ask about it.

Performance

The Optibike frame is made entirely in the USA from aircraft grade 60/61 aluminum. Each frame is welded by hand by the most accurate welders in the country and heat treated to ensure maximum strength. Just before the frames are shipped to Optibike, critical points such as the swingarm pivot, head tube cups, and shock mounts are re-machined to ensure dead on accuracy.

Safety

Each frame is inspected for defects at the time of manufacture, once again just before shipment to Optibike and then 2 more times after they arrive in Colorado. We warranty the Optibike frame for life from manufacturing defects. The warranty does not cover paint or shipping costs.

The Optibike 850Xli is the invention of award winning electric bike designer Jim Turner who claims his latest bike is the worlds fastest production electric bicycle, “I designed the 850Xli to fit the needs of the American market- it is very fast, made with the highest quality racing components, and is powered by the largest, lightest, and most powerful battery offered in an electric bike- the 850Xli is the ultimate electric bike for the serious commuter or backcountry enthusiast.”

So far, Mr. Turners assessment of the market has proved right on- sales of his $9995.00 Optibike 850Xli have driven unit sales volume of his company up 44% so far in 2009. This, after a solid 230% volume increase in 2008.

“This year we have seen a dramatic shift in the demographics of our customers. Electric bikes are no longer only a niche market for enthusiasts- we sell Optibikes to people ranging from 22 to 80 years old, the biggest thing our customers have in common is the desire to have fun and get out and enjoy life,” says Optibike Marketing Director Craig Weakley.

One Optibike customer, Arnie Singal, sums up his experience: “With the Optibike, I can now do in my 70’s as much or more as I could do in my mid 30’s.”

Optibike LLC is a privately held Colorado based manufacturer of High Performance Electric Bikes that has been in business since 1997. Optibike proudly sources more than 95% of their custom made parts in the United States and distributes Worldwide. For more information visit:  https://optibike.com

For more information:

Craig Weakley

Marketing Director

Optibike LLC

Craig at Optibike.com

303.443.0932 x201

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“The specs indicate there are two “riding modes” = Fast and Economy.  When clicked into either of these, is the motor outputing a ‘constant’ speed or is the throttle dynamic like a motorcycle would be?  (i.e. the more you throttle, the more you go – up to the motor’s max).  I’m trying to understand the exact mechanics of throttling.  The videos make it seems like the motor is driving the Bottom Bracket at one speed -which you then can ‘add onto’ via your pedaling.  (which also raises the question; if you’re trying to stop, can you throttle down the motor while braking or how does that work?)
> Thanks in advance for the info!
> -Jim“

Jim- Thanks for your question.  You are correct (on several fronts), all Optibike models have 2 riding modes, Fast and Economy- these modes govern the upper limit on output power with the throttle  continuously variable within that range.  For example: The Optibike 850XLi has an upper limit in fast mode of 850 watts of power, but you are welcome to use as much of that as you would like by depressing the throttle, just like a motorcycle throttle or your car’s gas pedal for that matter.  The economy mode in all Optibikes is the same, set at ~300w of output power with the throttle fully depressed.  This “economy mode” has more power than most other electric bikes peak power and with the Optibike’s 20ah Lithium ion battery you can ride for over 2.25 hours in economy mode with the throttle fully depressed. No other electric bike has this kind of range, guaranteed.

The throttle on the Optibike is exactly like a throttle on a motorcycle, in that by pressing it (or twisting it) you control the power output to the motor.  The throttle does not automatically cut off when you squeeze the brake. When stopping, simply let off the throttle and hit the brakes.  All Optibikes with the exception of the USV come with hydraulic disk brakes for your safety and equal performance in wet or dry conditions.

When you pedal the Optibike at a cadence of 85-90, your pedaling efforts are in perfect harmony with the motors’ speed (at full throttle) so you can still get plenty of good exercise while you are zipping along at 25+ mph.

The Optibike’s patented MBB (motorized bottom bracket) is the only electric bike drive system that works in perfect harmony with the rider by seemlessly integrating the motors power with human power- this makes for the only true Human Electric Hybrid™.

According to the Earth Day Network’s web site, it took us (collectively as a human race) about 125 years to use our first trillion barrels of oil. We’re going to use up the next trillion barrels in only 30 years.

It stands to reason our increased oil usage has an impact on our environment, our health and our lives.

So this year as we celebrate Earth Day let’s remember there are simple yet effective steps we can take to help preserve our world. Here are 5 things you can do right now to honor Earth Day this year.

1.) Replace your light bulbs with energy star bulbs. This simple step can reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds per year. And all you need to do is by energy efficient light bulbs and use them! There’s more information here at the official Energy Star web site: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=lighting.pr_lighting

2.) Plant a tree. Trees are Mother Nature’s all-in-one air conditioner and heater. It’s estimated that three properly-planted trees can reduce energy bills by as much as 30% – that’s both heating and cooling. Help out by planting a tree this year on Earth Day.

You can plant one in your yard or donate one to someone. If neither of those options work for you then consider donating a tree to one of our national parks. Find more at the Arbor Day Foundation’s web site: https://www.arborday.org/trees/

3.) Celebrate Earth Day locally. There are lots of events being held on Earth Day so find one and join in!

Whether you’re a student on campus, live in the suburbs or are an urban dweller you’ll find various events going on in your area. Pitch in, lend a hand and promote saving our Earth. Go to Earth Day’s web site to find what’s happening in your town: https://earthday.net/

4.) Buy local, organic food. By some estimates our US-grown produce travels up to 1500 miles before it reaches our neighborhood supermarket. When you calculate one gallon of gas creates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide you can see how much damage produce can do – and that’s for US-grown food.

Buying organic saves the Earth because you aren’t adding harmful chemicals into our eco-system (not to mention they aren’t going into your body).

Check out Local Harvest’s web site for more information: https://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp

5.) Ride an Optibike. According to the Earth Day web site, by the year 2030 the world will consume 47% more oil than it did in 2003.

And almost all of us contribute to that statistic – especially if we drive a car.

So choosing to ride the electric bicycle Optibike versus driving a car means you aren’t using oil to run the bike and you aren’t polluting the air when you do.

In fact your carbon footprint from riding an Optibike is very small – Optibike gets the equivalent of 2,000 miles per gallon. No hybrid can offer you that kind of gas mileage!

Start with these and you’re bound to find many more ways you can go green this year for Earth Day – and every day after that.

Jim Turner designed the Optibike to work as real transportation for people.  He wanted to overcome the limitations found in other electric bikes such as limited range (often caused by small batteries), limited speed, limited hill climbing ability, poor styling, and poor handling becuase of poor design.  The Optibike was designed to be different- to actually work for people who want to ride 20, 30, 50 miles through varying terrain in sometimes inclement weather.  In other words, Optibikes are designed for the real world.

Each part of the Optibike is the best that is available, from reputable manucaturers that are trusted suppliers to the cycling community.  Fox Suspension systems are used by more professional mountain bikers than any other brand.  Optibike does not just use the best equipment to raise the price, we use the best components because our riders demand it.  Optibike riders are not the type of people who compromise performance, and they demand the most from their equipment.  If you want to talk to a group of truly amazing riders who are pushing the limits of their bikes almost daily, check out the Optibike Owners Group here:

https://groups.google.com/group/optibike-owners-group

So the answer to the question, in short, is: If you want a cheaper electric bike- there are plenty out there.   You will not find them at Optibike,     Someone had to take the lead and build a real bike for people that demand the best- and for those people there is Optibike.

Did you know that over 25% of Optibike riders have owned other electric bikes before they purchased an Optibike?  If you currently own another electric bike and you are not happy with the range, power, quality, or styling- you are not alone.  For you, we have a $500 trade in credit that you can use towards the purchase of any new Optibike- give us a call at 303.443.0932 x202.