Palatine, IL gets new e-bike store to meet increasing demand

Two brothers in Palatine, Illinois, Matt and Tom Sammons, are opening an e-bike store in the Eurofresh Plaza at Smith Street and Northwest Highway. Their new shop will be called SamCycle Electric Bikes and their storefront is right by the trails at Deer Grove Forest Preserve.

The e-bike trend is booming across the United States, as they are less taxing to ride than a standard bicycle. An electric motor provides bikers with varying levels of assistance as they ride. The motor has a battery that takes roughly two hours to charge. Bikers still have to pedal, but e-bikes typically have electric-boost levels from one to five to propel them along.

According to Tom Sammons, who lives in the village of Palatine and works as an attorney, their store is the first one to sell and rent only e-bikes in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. The majority of the shop’s bikes have a range of 30 to 40 miles on a single battery charge, with a top speed of about 20 mph. There will be six models of e-bikes at SamCycle that range in price from $1,300 to $3,000. A rental for a full day will cost about $80.

People who commute by bike are certainly seeing the benefits of electric bikes. Since 2005, states across the country have seen a 46% increase in the number of people who commute by bike. While these commuters reduced their carbon footprints and saved on gas money, they faced the challenge of getting overly sweaty just before arriving at their place of work.

According to a recent study by Shimano, commuters who use e-bikes sweat three times less than those who use standard bikes. E-bike commuters also have an average heart rate that is 63 beats per minute less than commuters on regular bikes. This lowered physical exertion results in little or no sweat patches on commuters’ nice work clothes, allowing them to commute to work in an eco-friendly manner while still remaining presentable.

Tom Sammons says that e-bikes are also perfect for those who want to ride bikes recreationally, but may not be confident riding long-distance on regular bikes. For those who haven’t cycled in a while, traditional biking poses obstacles.

“Electric bikes level out the hills for people and make riding fun again. A lot of people love riding bikes, but they’re challenged by the hills,” says Sammons.

Danielle L.

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