HOOD RIVER — In the face of rising personal transportation costs, Hood River’s Bikes Buddies and Sol Rides are teaming up to pilot residents’ comfort level with alternative means. Their new e-bike library and rebate program grants eligible participants a free, two-week test drive for daily transit, pre-curated to match their lifestyle.
Once the trial is up, if riders decide e-biking is a viable car replacement and meshes with their daily patterns, they can purchase the model they borrowed with a $500 discount, or $2,000 for qualifying low-income residents.
“Right now, vehicle ownership takes up around a third of one’s cost of living…it’s too much,” said Bike Buddies co-director and ardent soft mobility advocate Megan Ramey. “The library gives people a chance to try [e-biking] out before they make the plunge.”
Funded by a Pacific Power grant, the program is exclusively designed for individuals seeking a new transportation method rather than a recreational outlet. Only Pacific Power customers who are 16 and over are eligible and must fill out an intake form at buddies.bike beforehand, pledging to use the bike for everyday transportation.
Ramey will get back to them with an effective “coupon code” to book through local e-bike store Sol Rides, located downtown, where they’ll receive a fully outfitted model (lights, bags, helmet, lock, etc.) handpicked based on their lifestyle. For example, a rider who has kids or needs to carry multiple items in transit will be matched with a cargo bike.
Ramey has been working with Sol Rides owner Charlie Crocker since the store initially opened, helping to promote its e-bike tours and rentals, which are a “no-brainer for local tourists,” she said, considering the Gorge’s wealth of stunning rides, such as the Mosier Twin Tunnels trail.
Their continued partnership with the e-bike library is a perfect marriage. For one, it aligns with Bike Buddies’ mission to give free bikes to kids and adults who need them, and two, e-bike libraries require an established business to operate through to obtain liability insurance. With six years under its belt, Sol Rides has factors like maintenance dialed, which helped the program secure grant funding.
For some, hilly, car-dependent Hood River is not an immediately enticing place to bike in traffic with other vehicles. Thus, before and during their two weeks, Ramey will additionally act as participants’ “Bike Sensei,” curating routes for them based on where they live and work to ensure comfort and safety. “People tend to think it’s more scary than it actually is,” she said. “E-bikes make hills go away; they make the town much smaller. Sometimes, people have to try something out before they can see themselves doing it long term.”
The program’s debut this summer is a soft launch, with hopes for more inventory next summer so more folks can give it a shot.
Visit buddies.bike to sign up and for more information.
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