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Electric
scooters roll onto the roads
Tyler Hopson
thopson@nsnews.com
Give him the
chance, and Colin Mastin will energetically
explain at length the benefits of riding an electric scooter.
Out on 15th Street
near Lonsdale Avenue
one morning, he fields questions from passersby and chats up anyone who
seems curious.
The only problem?
People just don't
seem to be listening all that much - yet.
The West Vancouver resident can be found riding to and
from his workplace in Vancouver
on one such bike. Most other drivers on the road probably think he's
riding a motorbike.
But there's no
engine and no fuel in Mastin's bike. All
that's needed are two charged-up batteries.
The bikes are
made in China
and then modified (by Mastin) at E-ride, a
store in Kitsilano, so that they can better
handle the hilly terrain of the Lower Mainland.
The bikes can
reach a top speed of about 30 km/h and have a range of 80 kilometres. When the batteries are drained, it
takes just three hours to fully recharge them again using regular
voltage.
If you don't feel
like using the batteries or if they die on you mid-trip, you can always
pedal the scooter just like a regular bike.
Despite the
benefits, Mastin often gets a cool response
from potential clients.
"I feel kind
of like 'Sam I am,' " says Mastin, a
reference to the character in Dr. Seuss' famous Green Eggs and Ham book. "Would you? Could you try one?"
Some buyers are
enticed by the fact that e-scooters are classified the same as regular
bicycles.
There's no need
to purchase insurance for their use. You don't even need a driver's licence. Just a helmet is all that's required.
Mastin even throws in a rain
cape for new buyers so they can better face the chilly winter weather.
E-scooters are a
whole lot cheaper than buying a Vespa, the
famous Italian bike to which e-scooters bear some resemblance.
Several different
models are available, the cheapest of them
starting at $1,349, with a higher-end model only about $100 more.
The scooters come
in several colours and are available for test
rides at E-ride, located at 1703
West Fourth Ave. in Vancouver.
Call 604-331-0555
or 604-782-8567 for more information.
published on
11/04/2005
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