portable & energized rides

As the weather warms, the birds start singing, and the sky gets bluer–our Saturdaysstart getting a little crazy. In the best way possible! Anyone who has been in the store the last couple of weeks can attest to the throngs of you wonderful people coming through our doors to go on test rides, tour Central Park by Brompton (for free!), strain for a glimpse of the sexy new Stromer ST1, or even just to pet Bailey the CockerSpaniel.

Infectious enthusiasm

Every now and again, we will have a customer come through who is so overwhelmingly stoked with their purchase that it is completely infectious–I can’t help but smile along with these folks. Others are simply so intrigued by the ingenious engineering of a Brompton, or the compelling simplicity of a Kickped, that I find my own curiosity piqued as if I were learning about these vehicles for the first time too. Whenever I have the pleasure of coming across such a person, and if the store isn’t to busy, and if I remember where I put the camera, I’ll ask if they wouldn’t mind if I took their picture with their scooter, folding bike, or electric bike of choice to post on our social media pages.

Each time we have posted such a picture, the reaction from our online following has been massive! I’m talking “shares” and “likes” galore, plus a plethora of comments lauding the customer’s taste in transportation devices, or choice of color…there have even been comments in languages that Google can’t figure out how to translate!

Becoming something better

The thing is, I completely understand their enthusiasm. Selling someone the scooter they have been longing for, or a bike that lets them get rid of their car forever–these things honestly are the highlights of my day, because in those moments we transcend the bike store/customer relationship. We become something better: just people who love bikes and scooters, hanging out on a beautiful Spring day in one of the greatest cities in the world.

So to all our customers in New York and around the globe–thank you. You make my day.

About the Author

Miles Schneider is a folding and electric bike specialist and blogger at NYCeWheels in New York City. He is also a 6-string electric violinist and loves dogs.

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One of the most attention-grabbing bikes in our shop is the Stromer Sport. A handsome bike with its black matte paint job, grey and red highlights, and burly suspension fork, many people are drawn to it even before they learn about its 500-watt motor. Needless to say, it is an extremely popular electric model, and is ridiculously fun to ride. Well, Stromer has just released a new model, and they have pulled out all the stops.

Heavily Upgraded

The brand-new Stromer ST1 boasts improvements over its predecessor in almost every department. Hydraulic brakes, a 45-mile range in “power assist” mode, and a carbon fork all come as standard features. Stromer has also smoothed out their design a little. Many people appreciated the Sport’s black and white color schemes, lauding them for not being too ostentatious to ride around town. The black color option on the ST1 takes that idea to a whole new level–this is like some kind of gorgeous ninja stealth bike. But if ostentatious is what your going for after all, there is even the option of a flame-red paint job that is sure to get noticed.

The ST1 Hits 30mph

As I mentioned, the ST1 has replaced the Sport’s suspension fork with a carbon unit. This keeps the weight down and improves power efficiency as you pedal. However, many customers really loved the suspension setup, as it gives the bike an off-road, ready-for-anything sort of feel. Worry not! Stromer realized this, which is why the ST1 Platinum model offers the option of a Suntour Raidon hydraulic suspension fork to keep you catching air and taking names. Though the basic layout of the bike has remained similar, the ST1′s geometry feels slightly more lithe and speedy to me than that of the Sport. With less upturn in the handlebars, the bike puts you in an aerodynamic position that lets you cut through headwinds with ease. Which brings me to the most amazing feature of the ST1–the Platinum model can hit 30mph! That’s right: an electric bike that can do 30mph down a back road in style. In case you had any doubts on how cool this bike was before, that ought to convince you.

Bicycling Magazine was especially enamored of the Platinum’s speed, saying, “The effortlessness of maintaining 30 mph while riding with the biggest boost was intoxicating.” Reviews from Electrickbike.com and Tempo Magazine were also magnanimous, calling the bike “a pleasure to ride” and lauding its “incredible torque for fast acceleration.”

Stromer ST1 Elite giveaway

I am sure that at this point many of you are thinking, “Wow, this sounds like an amazing bike! I really wish someone would just give me one!” Well, there is a very slight chance that this could happen. On May 17th, Stromer is giving away a brand new ST1 Elite to one exceedingly lucky winner to promote the release of these incredible bikes. You can register for the giveaway at www.stromer.ch/giveaway. For a 100% chance of receiving a Stromer St1 in the mail, you can order one from: http://www.nycewheels.com/stromer-electric-bike.html

About the Author Miles Schneider is a folding and electric bike specialist at NYCeWheels in New York City, an electric violinist, and a dog lover.

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