New e-bike rebate program begins soon

Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer

If you’ve been itching to purchase an electric bike but have been scared off by their high price, you’ll be pleased to learn that starting July 1 the State of Minnesota will offer a rebate program that covers 50-75% of the cost of qualifying electric bikes. People can apply for a rebate certificate by visiting state.mn.us and searching “electric bike.” The rebate will be available this year and next, although only 1,500 certificates or $2 million in funding will be granted each year. The amount applicants receive is based on their income and bike purchased. The maximum rebate is $1,500.

Capital Deals Bike Shop at 710 Smith Ave. S., which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is a participating dealer, and founder Alex Wong is an e-biker himself. In the past six months he’s put 2,000 miles on his new e-bike without any maintenance issues.

“We know the number one reason people want e-bikes is because they want to be active and outdoors, and the number one reason holding them back is price,” said Wong, who noted e-bikes are about half the price today compared to 10 years ago. “This a good time to take back your physical activity, save money while doing it, and have fun…. Once you test ride [an e-bike] there’s pretty much no going back.”

The lowest-cost qualifying e-bike at Capital Deals is $1,100. Premium models generally go for around $3,000 and top models $5,000 or more. Wong said most e-bikes can carry substantially more weight and have more storage space than a traditional bike – perfect for groceries, gym bag or miscellaneous equipment – and have a battery capable of running 50 miles. They typically go a maximum of 20 miles per hour and the small motor only assists when pedaling. Some models can reach 28 miles per hour and don’t require pedaling. Brands at Capital Deals include Velotric, Tenways, Benno, Flyer by Radio Flyer, Kona and Surly. The shop also has Woom kids’ bikes, some of which are electric and come decked out with accessories such as lights, fenders, cargo rack, gears, disc brakes and more. Helmets, accessories and traditional bikes are also available.

Wong encourages people to come into the store and test ride the e-bikes to find one that best fits their needs.

“Bicycles are like rideable moving art and each one of them is tuned for different individuals,” he said.

The City of St. Paul promotes biking as an environmentally friendly form of transportation and has extensive trail systems that connect business centers and points of interest, and they’re continually being improved. In fact, the city of St. Paul recently adopted a new bike plan, paving the way for up to 163 miles of new off-street bike lanes to be created in the city by 2040, bringing the bike network to a total of 335 bike lane miles. This work is part of the city’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, and reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Transportation accounts for approximately 30% of all the City’s carbon emissions, the largest amount compared to any other sector.

Capital Deals also offers daily and weekly bike rentals and tune-up services. Hours are noon-6 p.m., Mon.-Sat. For more information, call 651-222-8380 or visit capitaldealsonline.com or Instagram.com/capdbikeshop.

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