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Congratulations! You’re in the market for an electric bicycle and on board with the full range of health, environmental, and economic benefits that riding an eBike provide. You’ve thoroughly researched the variety of electric bikes available to suit your personal needs, and are up to speed on the latest advancements in electric motorized bike technology. Your final purchasing decision now comes down to choosing between the numerous manufacturers and brand names of today’s eBikes. Many are surprised at the variety of options available to them, with each touting a unique set of specifications and performance features. At Optibike’s design and manufacturing center in Boulder, Colorado, we want to further assist you in perhaps the most important buying decision. In this, our last blog installment based upon Optibike founder Jim Turner’s “Electric Bike Book”, we provide a brief overview of electric bike brands found in dealerships, online, and through big box stores.
Throughout the US, electric bicycle sales are at an all-time high, and the distribution chain has kept pace with start up companies leading the charge in this “green transportation” revolution. One would naturally assume that the large brands of traditional bicycle makers have evolved to become market leaders among manufacturers of eBikes, but that isn’t the case. There has actually been some resistance among these companies to enter the motorized bicycle arena. Schwinn, Trek, and Specialized are an exception however, with each offering rear hub, electric drive models. Overseas, where electric bicycles have garnered more popularity, big brands such as Derby and others sell eBikes, but they are often designed and manufactured to Asian and European specifications. In China for example, there are hundreds of companies churning out about 20 million units a year for export to European, Asian, and US markets. As the old adage goes, “you get what you pay for”, and these models make up a large portion of online and big-box retailing.
Instead, a select number of startup companies are your best bet in terms of quality, selection and customer service. Today, there are boutique manufacturers, such as Optibike, offering a wide variety of the best electric bikes to be found. The majority of electric bicyclebrands follow the same production process. They typically manufacture their own frame, then outfit it with the necessary components: electric drives, batteries, brakes, derailers, cranks, wheels, etc. The Optibike advantage relies instead on the incorporation of exclusive, patented technology. Our mid-drive motor, the Motorized Bottom Bracket, is capable of 1,000 watts of power. We design and build design our own Lithium-Ion batteries, power control systems, custom frames, and more, all in the USA.
Among electric bicycle brands, the choices are numerous. Optibike proudly manufactures the longestrange electric bike, and the fastest electric bicycle on the market. Want to learn even more about the basics of eBike technology their full potential? Download our free eBook, or Contact Optibike today.
