Company to help implement rental program for new electric bicycles

Commuters and tourists in San Francisco will soon have a chance to go electric on two wheels thanks to new powered bicycles that will be offered for rent by a locally based company.

Driving and especially parking in san franciso seems to be getting worse all the time.

"I always walk whenever I can," said Fairfield resident Jessica Beavers. "There's always traffic congestion. Doesn't matter what time of day it seems anymore."

Bicycles can park anywhere in the City, but there are those hills to contend with.

These folks pedaled up one of San Francisco's steeper grades and never broke a sweat. That’s because their bikes have electric assist.

"Your heart rate will come up a little bit, but you're not huffing and puffing at the top of a hill," said Karen Weiner, who works at the company behind the bikes, The New Wheel. "You just feel like you made it."

Electric bikes cost a couple thousand dollars, but residents and visitors can now just borrow one in the same way members can borrow the electric automobiles offered by City Carshare.

KTVU has learned the organizers who run City Carshare are getting a $750,000 federal grant operate 90 electric bikes as part of a pilot program designed to showcase ever-greener vehicles.

"I'm a big advocate of electric vehicles," said Chris Gilmor of Mill Valley. "I might use that if the need arose."

Brett Thurber with The New Wheel said thinks the electric assist will make cycling more appealing to the average person.

"It takes all the hesitancy out of riding a bike," said Thurber. "I think that's the key."

Thurber said the electric bikes, which are limited to 20 miles an hour in powered mode, need no license, can go 36 hilly miles on a charge and be fully recharged in two hours.

Some folks KTVU spoke with were still hesitant.

"It sounds dangerous though," said San Francisco resident Katherine Morris. "I don't trust the drivers in this city on a bike."

The electric bike program is set to launch in San Francisco this summer. UC Berkeley researchers are planning to study the program to see how the bikes might be used nationwide.