Electric Bikes
Northwest

 

The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest continues as the U.S. region with the strongest interest shown in electric bikes, at least as measured by Google clicks.

About Electric & Folding Bikes Northwest, Inc.

Our store is located in Seattle's Ballard area

Our Company, established 1996

Electric & Folding Bikes Northwest handles bicycles only:

• Human power augmented, a.k.a. electric, bicycles.
• Folding bicycles, pedal only and human power augmented.

We strive to provide an unhurried, informative and enjoyable sales environment devoid of in-your-face marketing, cheesy promotions, overly friendly sales staff, canned sales talk, yo yo-ing pricing, confounding specials, and free trinkets.

We are signed with 350.org as one business for whom the rather anti-environment and anti-labor U.S. Chamber of Commerce absolutely does not speak.

The strongest U.S. regional interest in electric bikes continues to be found in the Pacific Northwest (at least according to Google).

Brands

Since 1996 we have evaluated numerous brands and carried two dozen. As 2011 is coming to an end we offer 5 electric bike and 3 kit brands plus 3 non-electric folding brands.

Product Support, Service and Parts

Electric and folding bikes are recently evolved industries in the U.S. Concerned about finding competent, experienced and committed service for your bike or power kit? Our full service department was established in 1996. It is staffed to preferentially support the owners of the bikes they bought from us—and to do so expertly, promptly and flexibly.

Test Rides

Our shop is located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. For the initial supervised test spin our private parking lot is adequate and safe with passable side streets just around the corner. If you prefer we shall also be glad to ride with you. The steep hills up Phinney Ridge are only a short ride away as is e.g. the Burke Gilman trail (and if heading Westward its new addition from the Chittenden Locks to Shilshole). Crisp, stylish loaner helmets provided or bring your own of course. Come in, test ride and compare!

Shipping

Select models may be shipped. Please inquire.

Pricing

Prices are listed on the page of each brand. Visitors to our Seattle store may find in store specials as well. All new bikes are sold expertly assembled, tuned and adjusted, including specifically what is required to activate the manufacturer's warranty. A free new bike service within 60 days is included.

Seattle Store Crew

David 'DJ' Johnson is our new Seattle store manager, to which job he brings great enthusiasm, a pleasant ease with customers and considerable technical skills.

How DJ gets to work: Most days riding the thirteen miles from West Seattle on his electric bike.

David Hawkins is our highly skilled lead mechanic. He also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge about bicycles.

How he gets to work: Riding five miles from the University district, usually on his performance electric bike.

Gary Colson assures that each and every bike assembled is optimized for safety, riding enjoyment and durability.

How he gets to work: Riding fourteen miles from Edmonds alternating between his regular, electric and motor bikes.

Cara Keenan, our splendid accountant, is displaying prudent reserve about being mentioned on this page. Photo is omitted as she does not want to run the risk of being recognized as someone affiliated with a business hawking vehicles without a tail pipe and less than four wheels.

How Cara gets to work: Driving her SUV (albeit neither huge or gleaming). Diversity is Strength, we hope.

Victor Munoz is fortunately our web master. As Victor—a philosopher, writer, and electric vehicle hobbyist as well—sets high standards, he wants it to be known that he has nothing at all to do with our web content, which Eric writes and takes full responsibility ('The bike stops here!') for.

Eric Sundin founded Electric Bikes Northwest in 1996 and Folding Bikes West in 2004.

In case you wonder why anyone would spend fifteen years of his life in the quaint pursuit of hawking human power augmented (a.k.a. electric) and folding bicycles you may read—while better uses can of course be found of your time—Erics' articles, such as 'The Mystical Bicycling Experience Revealed' and 'Where the Rubber Meets the Road'.

Eric is retiring this Winter with the assurance that our current and new customers shall be taken well care of. The Seattle store is expanding its offerings for 2012.

 

Copyright © 2011 EbikesNW

Our Store

⊕ Click images to enlarge.

Giant Twist: Truly a fourth generation bike.

The iZip Ultra: Superbly torque sensing like the benchmark Giant Twist but lighter, sportier, quicker, faster, twice the power and more gears. Here shown in our Seattle store.

The iZip E3 Metro: The comfort and utility of a small motor scooter but at a mere 55 lb, with dual mode control and 'pavement wrinkling' take-off torque. Step-thru and slope models shown here in our Seattle store.

The iZip Express: Nothing short of the most accomplished, powerful, interactive performance electric bike to reach our shores. You may still be able to get a 'like new' demo from our Seattle store. Or wait for the 2012 model at $5,000 (still superb value).

Shown here Stromer 18 and 20" slope frame models in our Seattle shop. Also available in 16 and 18" step-thru models. Available in matte black or white.

We offer three accomplished folding electric bikes: the Fast4Forward Edge (shown here), the iZip Urbano and the eZee Kinetics Quando.

Iconic Bromptons occupying the center stage. eZees to the right.

Giant folders (non-electric): Innovating, elegant models which ride superbly: The Halfway (background), Clip and ExpressWay 1 (foreground).

This is how our store (then in Seattle's Fremont district) looked a decade ago.

All above photos by Gary Colson.