by Mark Smiley
Electric bikes have grown in popularity over the last couple of years. To meet the demand and to try to reduce the amount of vehicles on the road, the city of Denver launched a rebate program in April 2022. It has issued over 7,000 vouchers totaling $6.5 million since then and more on the way.
According to a survey conducted by the city of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency, cyclists are replacing 3.4 vehicle trips every week with electric bike trips, which according to the office, totals 150,000 vehicle miles per week.
The vouchers are good for 60 days and can be presented at participating ebike dealers for an immediate rebate at the register. Most are good for $300 toward the purchase for a regular ebike, and $500 toward the purchase of a cargo ebike. Lower income qualified candidates may be eligible for as much as $1,200.
There are many options to consider and most good options are all over $1,000. The Heybike City Run is one to consider as it fits the bill for what most people are looking for. It retails for $1,299 at the time of press and can be purchased using a voucher at Boost Ebikes at 2344 S. Broadway in Denver.
The Heybike City Run takes some time to assemble as most ebikes do, approximately 30-45 minutes. Once assembled, the learning curve is minimal. Most riders can easily fit comfortably as it has a load capacity of 350 pounds. The technology syncs with both android and IOS users with its own app. The smartphone app lets you customize and update the bike, control whether it’s locked, and track your rides. It is not meant to be anti-theft, but it does make it more difficult to steal if it turns off if the Bluetooth is not connected.
The 500W motor and 48V 15Ah battery make it more than suitable for long rides. In fact, you should be able to travel between 55 and 65 miles on a charge. This bike has the capability of going 21 mph depending on weight and throttle.
Heybike just launched a new commuter bike, called the Horizon. The Horizon is very similar to the City Run with a few differences. The Cityrun cannot be folded, while Horizon can be folded. Compared with battery installation, Cityrun’s battery is installed at the bottom of the frame, while Horizon’s battery is installed at the top of the frame. The minimum height of Horizon riders is higher than that of Cityrun, and the motor on Horizon is more powerful than Cityrun, Horizon is 750W and Cityrun is 500W.
The Cityrun is a bike that gets good reviews from trusted sources and as mentioned before, should fit what most people are looking for in an ebike. It’s an affordable, comfortable, and powerful ride that gets going quickly when stopped and can handle long distance travel on a charge. It also has turn signals and a brake light along with other safety features including hydraulic-disc brakes, a loud horn, an LED headlight, and hands free access.
For more information on the City of Denver’s ebike voucher program, visit energyoffice.colorado.gov/ebike-rebates. To learn more about the City Run, visit www.heybike.com/products/heybike-cityrun-electric-bike.