Official Coli Bike/Cycling thread
Climate change office has $400 to $1,200 vouchers to make car replacement a reality for bike fans, and thousands are signing up.
Michael Booth
4:08 AM MDT on May 13, 2022
FattE-Bikes’ models, ranging around 45 miles, can accelerate to 25 miles per hour. The Denver-based company has designed and built compact, hybrid and cargo bikes since 2017. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
- Credibility:
Lucrative discount voucher in hand, Emily Kleinfelter is ready to roll into formation in the battle against global warming.
Now she just needs the friendly folks at FattE-Bikes shop to finish putting her ride together.
Kleinfelter is among the thousands of Denver residents who accelerated online to land an electric bike rebate from Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, part of a $9 million round of subsidies announced on Earth Day. The grant and rebate programs are financed by a sales tax approved by city voters in 2020 estimated to raise more than $40 million a year for climate action.
TODAY’S UNDERWRITER
The climate office reported Thursday it had maxed out e-bike applications at 3,250, and the rebates will pause until Denver allocates more money periodically throughout the year. More than half the applicants sought the $400 e-bike rebates that don’t depend on income, and about 40% applied for rebates that go up to $1,200 for income-qualified candidates. Those buying e-cargo bikes, set up to carry kids to school or deliveries or equipment for work, can get an additional $500.
“It was not a cheap purchase. That’s still something I want to acknowledge,” said Kleinfelter, who is getting a cargo bike. “But I recognize that it’s an investment, and it’s also a replacement for a car for me.”
E-bikes use a battery pack and motor to make pedaling easier or extend coasting, with variable settings that can set the bikes cruising from 15 to 30 miles per hour. They can help take hundreds of pounds of cargo across town and up hills, and advocates say they make commuting safer by allowing bikers to surge at green lights and avoid accidents.
The $400 Denver rebate, and an extra $100 knocked off by the Sun Valley neighborhood’s FattE-Bikes to boost the program, put the $2,000 to $3,000 cost of a high-end e-bike in Kleinfelter’s range.
“I have been looking to get one for a while. But I felt like it wasn’t exactly the most feasible thing when it came down to money,” said Kleinfelter, who used to have access to a cargo e-bike for work and has ordered a similar, workhorse model. “And so with the rebate program becoming an option, I felt like it was too good to pass up on.”
The Denver office says it still has funds for rebates, and is processing vouchers as quickly as possible. The rebates are “instant,” so once a resident qualifies and takes the voucher with them, participating retailers take the amount off at the register.
“This thing got slammed with a lot of applications from Earth Day until now,” said Denver climate office spokeswoman Winna MacLaren.
State legislators passed a bill late in the session that includes funds for statewide e-bike rebates, welcome news to commuters jealous of the Denver plan. “I feel like I’m holding my breath for the state-level rebate to come to fruition. Like I want to already know what model I want,” one rider said, after mentioning the rebates on social media.
The current round of $9 million also provides up to 100% rebates for electrifying homes, with the subsidies making it cheaper to replace appliances that run on natural gas. The goal for local and state leaders is to move energy needs toward electricity that is increasingly generated by clean sources such as solar or wind power. Homeowners can use Denver and Xcel rebates to sharply lower the cost of electric heat pump alternatives to furnaces and water heaters, battery storage systems for solar panels, wiring for fast electric vehicle chargers, and the solar panels themselves.
Those subsidies are for existing homes and must be handled through an approved contractor, with a list provided by the city.
Denver’s happy to see interest in the rebates from a wide variety of residents, MacLaren said. For e-bikes, the goal is to replace car trips powered by dirtier gas with clean electric-powered bike trips, so all purchases help with that, she said. But providing equitable opportunity to communities already adversely impacted by pollution and climate change is also built into all climate office grants.
“We really do want to have a program that is open to all of Denver. We also want to make sure that those that are going to be cost burdened by this have the option to cover those costs,” she said.
Bike stores, of course, are thrilled. FattE-Bikes assembles its custom models at its Sun Valley shop, saying it is the only bike company to build theirs in the U.S., co-founder Kenny Fischer said.
The rebates have dropped the average age of the customer by 25 to 30 years, Fischer said. E-bikes were already popular with baby boomers and other older riders who like the electric power assist and have the disposable income to upgrade their rides.
“But we’re in this for impact, getting cars off the road, and the rebate has proven there’s demand among younger riders,” he said. So far, Fischer said, Denver’s rebate system has proved “user-friendly.”
The program will advertise itself, he added. “More people are going to see them, and more people are going to want them,” Fischer said.
Climate change office has $400 to $1,200 vouchers to make car replacement a reality for bike fans, and thousands are signing up.
Michael Booth
4:08 AM MDT on May 13, 2022
FattE-Bikes’ models, ranging around 45 miles, can accelerate to 25 miles per hour. The Denver-based company has designed and built compact, hybrid and cargo bikes since 2017. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
- Credibility:
Lucrative discount voucher in hand, Emily Kleinfelter is ready to roll into formation in the battle against global warming.
Now she just needs the friendly folks at FattE-Bikes shop to finish putting her ride together.
Kleinfelter is among the thousands of Denver residents who accelerated online to land an electric bike rebate from Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, part of a $9 million round of subsidies announced on Earth Day. The grant and rebate programs are financed by a sales tax approved by city voters in 2020 estimated to raise more than $40 million a year for climate action.
TODAY’S UNDERWRITER
The climate office reported Thursday it had maxed out e-bike applications at 3,250, and the rebates will pause until Denver allocates more money periodically throughout the year. More than half the applicants sought the $400 e-bike rebates that don’t depend on income, and about 40% applied for rebates that go up to $1,200 for income-qualified candidates. Those buying e-cargo bikes, set up to carry kids to school or deliveries or equipment for work, can get an additional $500.
Funded by a sales tax for climate action, Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency offers electric bike rebates depending on income. The climate office reported Thursday that e-bike applications were maxed-out at 3,250. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
“It was not a cheap purchase. That’s still something I want to acknowledge,” said Kleinfelter, who is getting a cargo bike. “But I recognize that it’s an investment, and it’s also a replacement for a car for me.”
E-bikes use a battery pack and motor to make pedaling easier or extend coasting, with variable settings that can set the bikes cruising from 15 to 30 miles per hour. They can help take hundreds of pounds of cargo across town and up hills, and advocates say they make commuting safer by allowing bikers to surge at green lights and avoid accidents.
The $400 Denver rebate, and an extra $100 knocked off by the Sun Valley neighborhood’s FattE-Bikes to boost the program, put the $2,000 to $3,000 cost of a high-end e-bike in Kleinfelter’s range.
“I have been looking to get one for a while. But I felt like it wasn’t exactly the most feasible thing when it came down to money,” said Kleinfelter, who used to have access to a cargo e-bike for work and has ordered a similar, workhorse model. “And so with the rebate program becoming an option, I felt like it was too good to pass up on.”
The Denver office says it still has funds for rebates, and is processing vouchers as quickly as possible. The rebates are “instant,” so once a resident qualifies and takes the voucher with them, participating retailers take the amount off at the register.
“This thing got slammed with a lot of applications from Earth Day until now,” said Denver climate office spokeswoman Winna MacLaren.
State legislators passed a bill late in the session that includes funds for statewide e-bike rebates, welcome news to commuters jealous of the Denver plan. “I feel like I’m holding my breath for the state-level rebate to come to fruition. Like I want to already know what model I want,” one rider said, after mentioning the rebates on social media.
The current round of $9 million also provides up to 100% rebates for electrifying homes, with the subsidies making it cheaper to replace appliances that run on natural gas. The goal for local and state leaders is to move energy needs toward electricity that is increasingly generated by clean sources such as solar or wind power. Homeowners can use Denver and Xcel rebates to sharply lower the cost of electric heat pump alternatives to furnaces and water heaters, battery storage systems for solar panels, wiring for fast electric vehicle chargers, and the solar panels themselves.
FattE-Bikes’ models, ranging around 45 miles, can accelerate to 25 miles per hour. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
The Denver-based company has designed and built compact, hybrid, and cargo bikes since 2017.
Those subsidies are for existing homes and must be handled through an approved contractor, with a list provided by the city.
Denver’s happy to see interest in the rebates from a wide variety of residents, MacLaren said. For e-bikes, the goal is to replace car trips powered by dirtier gas with clean electric-powered bike trips, so all purchases help with that, she said. But providing equitable opportunity to communities already adversely impacted by pollution and climate change is also built into all climate office grants.
“We really do want to have a program that is open to all of Denver. We also want to make sure that those that are going to be cost burdened by this have the option to cover those costs,” she said.
Bike stores, of course, are thrilled. FattE-Bikes assembles its custom models at its Sun Valley shop, saying it is the only bike company to build theirs in the U.S., co-founder Kenny Fischer said.
The rebates have dropped the average age of the customer by 25 to 30 years, Fischer said. E-bikes were already popular with baby boomers and other older riders who like the electric power assist and have the disposable income to upgrade their rides.
“But we’re in this for impact, getting cars off the road, and the rebate has proven there’s demand among younger riders,” he said. So far, Fischer said, Denver’s rebate system has proved “user-friendly.”
The program will advertise itself, he added. “More people are going to see them, and more people are going to want them,” Fischer said.
I would LOVE this. Incentivize people to ride bikes. The investment in that seems to pay off like 8:1 from what I’ve heard.
theres a promising e-bike rebate bill that might get passed in NYC.
checkout what your local government and transportation activists got going on.
I’m close to buying my own bike. I hope it really grows across the country. The more I learn about cycling the more I see its benefits.
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BunchePark
Coli N Calisthenics
Coli Gang what is a good entry point for someone looking to get a real bike for the first time
I want some fly shyt my nikka
My current bike is a Walmart $99 basic ass bike
maybe 7-8 yrs old
My normal cardio is I run a lil 5k then I hop on the bike for a cool down ride between 5-7 miles
I run directly out from my garage and the when I return from the run I grab the bike and leave back out so I never transport the bike in my car to a trail/track or anything like that
On my bike my avg speed is between 16-18 mph and the fastest I am capable of riding is about 21mph and I can't maintain that for long because it's all the bike can handle
This my lil hoe....she in bad shape but she ride like a dream
I really like this frame/style but I'm just looking for the real deal a bike that will last with proper care maintenance
Any feedback is welcome
I want some fly shyt my nikka
My current bike is a Walmart $99 basic ass bike
maybe 7-8 yrs oldMy normal cardio is I run a lil 5k then I hop on the bike for a cool down ride between 5-7 miles
I run directly out from my garage and the when I return from the run I grab the bike and leave back out so I never transport the bike in my car to a trail/track or anything like that
On my bike my avg speed is between 16-18 mph and the fastest I am capable of riding is about 21mph and I can't maintain that for long because it's all the bike can handle
This my lil hoe....she in bad shape but she ride like a dream
I really like this frame/style but I'm just looking for the real deal a bike that will last with proper care maintenance
Any feedback is welcome
Miles Davis
Prince of Darkness
You already know what we gonna tell you here
Soon as I started riding, any infrastructure my city started making for us made me happy. Hearing people complain about the new lane they put on the bridge but I’m like, that’ll do just fine for us cyclists
Don’t knock her breh, she get you out and about. People would’ve killed for a bike last year during the shortage. In regards to your other question, check the last few pages. A few of us answered someone else asking about a bike as well. But, look into a road bike as that sounds like what you’re looking for. Only thing is it’ll be drop bars, they’re weird at first but you’ll love em for the maneuverability. In terms of brands, I love trek because they have a machine that tell you the bike size you’ll need with them and they have stores all over. Your local bike shop will be a boon to you and your bike. Good luck breh!Coli Gang what is a good entry point for someone looking to get a real bike for the first time
I want some fly shyt my nikka
My current bike is a Walmart $99 basic ass bike
My normal cardio is I run a lil 5k then I hop on the bike for a cool down ride between 5-7 miles
I run directly out from my garage and the when I return from the run I grab the bike and leave back out so I never transport the bike in my car to a trail/track or anything like that
On my bike my avg speed is between 16-18 mph and the fastest I am capable of riding is about 21mph and I can't maintain that for long because it's all the bike can handle
This my lil hoe....she in bad shape but she ride like a dream
I really like this frame/style but I'm just looking for the real deal a bike that will last with proper care maintenance
Any feedback is welcome
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do it, breh. so little downsides to cycling
Miles Davis
Prince of Darkness
Word, main downsides for me are people in cars and not having dedicated bike lanesdo it, breh. so little downsides to cycling
Miles Davis
Prince of Darkness
Congrats breh! What color?I bought a Trek FX 2
I’ve started down a rabbit hole of another expensive habit.
