E-bikes increasing in popularity for outdoor recreation, transportation
Steve Smolenski Jr. poses with an electric bicycle in the JoltBike shop near Smock in Fayette County. His son, Steve Smolenski III, owns the store on Bolden Road in Franklin Township that specializes in selling a wide variety of e-bikes and accessories. (Photo by Mike Jones)
Mike Jones
Photos: Mike Jones
Harry Knopp, 80, of West Newton, takes a break in Whitsett while riding on his electric bicycle recently along the Great Allegheny Passage trail.
Mike Jones
Photos: Mike Jones
A line of electric bicycles are displayed in the JoltBike shop near Smock in Fayette County.
E-bikes come in a variety of sizes and have numerous different uses. This camouflage model sold at JoltBike in Fayette County caters to hunters who want a quieter vehicle to ride to their tree stands, and it also can be purchased with a trailer to carry back game after the hunt. (Photos by Mike Jones)
Mike Jones
Mike Jones
Steve Smolenski Sr. holds a battery pack for an e-bike at the JoltBike shop in Fayette County.
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As an electrical engineer who loved mountain biking, Steve Smolenski III decided to meld his two passions into one hobby when he began building a few customized e-bikes for people about seven years ago.
At the time, electric motorized bikes were just beginning to get a foothold on the bicycle market, so Smolenski decided in early 2020 to jump headfirst into industry.
“Never thought I would merge these two things in my life together,” Smolenski said of his profession and enjoyment of biking.
But just as he was about to open, the COVID-19 pandemic swept through, forcing many businesses to temporarily close. When his new company, JoltBike, finally opened in late spring of 2020, they had 15 electric bicycles on the rack to sell. They quickly sold out as people – especially older adults – looked to reconnect with the outdoors while riding on trails.
“Bike sales went through the roof,” he said. “It was their escape from a lot of unknowns with the pandemic and COVID.”
Since that time, the demand for e-bikes has exploded with more and more appearing not only on local trails, but also in cities where workers use them to commute. They even are appearing on farms for workers to get around, along with in the woods as hunters are starting to ride them since they’re quieter than typical all-terrain vehicles.
The spike in sales helped Smolenski to move into a larger building off Route 51 near Smock, although he’s already outgrown that facility and is planning to move his operations over to the former Springdale Golf Course near Uniontown, which he purchased last year with the vision of opening an overall e-bike riding experience for customers on the 400-acre property.
“There will be a lot more outlets for people to enjoy on the tourism side,” Smolenski said.
None of this is particularly surprising to his business role model Adam Rossi, who has been at the leading edge of the e-bike market since 2012. Rossi and his father originally launched a solar panel company near Bridgeville called Adam Solar Resources, and soon expanded into selling e-bikes under the name Adam Solar Rides.
Rossi, of Peters Township, also began pushing legislation that culminated in Act 154 of 2014 that set the rules for electric bikes as a mode of transportation in Pennsylvania. As part of the regulations, electric bikes cannot weigh more than 100 pounds or travel faster than 20 miles per hour.
Early on, when bikes shops had customers ask about e-bikes, they would send them to Rossi. Since that time, Rossi has seen major growth in the market and “went all-in on e-bikes” in 2019. Now, many shops sell them as part of their inventory and the bikes make up a solid portion of their sales.
According to the National Bicycle Dealers Association, e-bikes sales in the country increased by 33% last year compared to 2021 with more than $1.3 billion in revenue. The trade association anticipates that sales figure will climb to $1.6 billion this year.
With increased mileage range on battery charges and more reliable motors, the market has taken off, Rossi said.
“In the early days, stuff definitely wasn’t as reliable. It didn’t go as far and didn’t work as well,” Rossi said. “Now there’s really a high-end market that has developed. … The perception of e-bikes has changed so much since I started.”
He said the common misconception of e-bikes is that they are “cheating” when it comes to exercise. But Rossi explained that they merely assist riders as they pedal, and the e-bike has reintroduced bicycling to older adults who want the comfort and peace of mind of not getting tired while out on the trail.
“You can just cover more distance and go more often,” he said. “It’s safer and going up hills are easier, especially for older folks. They couldn’t ride before, but now they can. It makes biking more available to the general population.”
That’s what attracted Harry Knopp to his e-bike about five years ago. The 80-year-old West Newton resident wanted to go for longer rides, but didn’t have the energy until he bought an e-bike. Now he can go for a 40-mile round trip ride on one battery charge.
“I’m in pretty good shape, but I don’t have the stamina to go up 10 miles on this trail on a regular bike,” Knopp said while taking a break in Whitsett during a recent ride on the Great Allegheny Passage. “You can pedal as much as you want. The more you pedal, the farther you can go without using your battery.”
He has a second e-bike that he keeps at his vacation home in the Florida Keys, which helps him get around the island. Knopp recommends buying a bike with “fat tires” to help with rough or uneven surfaces. But he also suggested bringing a battery backup just in case a rider runs out of juice like he did one time and had to pedal harder to get back to his starting point.
Knopp said it keeps him active at his age and would recommend an e-bike to anyone who is interested.
“Go for it,” Knopp said. “They’ll have a good time.”
Of course, not everyone is sold on e-bikes. Ken and Rosemary Marks of Whitehall were also spotted resting on the GAP in Whitsett, but both said they prefer to keep riding their regular bikes. Ken Marks admitted that e-bikes sound like “fun,” although he racked up 14,000 miles on his current bike since 2011 when he had a heart attack.
“I’m trying to stay healthy. That’s my biggest goal. Just from an exercise perspective, we’re trying to stay healthy,” he said.
“I don’t think you get the benefit (on an e-bike),” Rosemary Marks added. “I’m challenging myself on the bike. I’m not trying to compete with anybody.”
The cost may be prohibitive for some, with the least expensive e-bikes selling for about $1,500 and the high-end models topping out at nearly $8,000. Rossi said the “sweet spot” for sales is between $2,000 and $4,000 for most of his models. However, both Smolenski and Rossi cautioned customers about purchasing e-bikes from mega online retailers since they aren’t the same quality as “trusted brands” and can’t be fixed as easily when they break.
“The price point has kind of stayed similar, but you’re getting a lot more quality for that,” Rossi said of the price point over the years since he began selling them.
Both said the available uses for e-bikes has expanded far beyond bicycle trails. Rossi recently sold a “cargo bike” to a family in Pittsburgh that allows the parents to transport their children around the city while beating traffic.
“The e-bike often is the fastest mode of transportation in town,” Rossi said. “Everyone on an e-bike has a smile on their face.”
“It took away the scare factor of biking,” Smolenski added. “There are some people who wouldn’t be on that bike without that motor.”
The two shops – and many others – also offer rental options if people want to test ride e-bikes on the GAP or Montour Trail without making a major financial commitment. And now they’re selling other electric motorized vehicles, such as scooters, skateboards, one-wheelers and even foil boards used on the water.
“It’s called JoltBikes, but it’s more about electric transportation that feeds our area,” Smolenski added. “There is a lot going on locally, so we think it can be a mode of transportation rather than just fun.”
Smolenski hopes to move into his new facility this fall and convert the former golf course that straddles South Union and Menallen townships along Route 21 into a sprawling attraction with trails and events. With a tourism mecca just over the summit in Ohiopyle, he thinks more outdoor options near Uniontown will be a boon for the area.
“I want to have stuff that kids and parents can have fun together. Races or training sessions,” Smolenski said. “We hope it’s a destination location.”