When Columbus native Kelly James and his wife began riding electric bicycles back in 2017, other cyclists would sometimes jeer at them in passing, yelling, “You’re cheating!” To which James began replying, “No, we’re winning.”
James and other e-bike enthusiasts still get the occasional side-eye from riders of standard bicycles, but the motor-assisted bikes, which have been popular for years in Europe, are catching on in the United States. According to the Light Electric Vehicle Association, the U.S. imported 880,000 e-bikes in 2021, outpacing sales of electric cars and trucks, and that number grew to more than 1 million last year.
In Columbus, riders have more opportunities than ever to rent or purchase e-bikes. The city’s CoGo Bike Share program, managed by Lyft, began offering e-bike rentals alongside its standard bicycles at docking stations in 2020. Joining CoGo is Trip Bikes, a rideshare company founded by James in 2018 (initially under the name Roam). Trip plans to launch 300 of its fat-tire e-bikes in June, with 200 more to follow in late summer. Pedego Electric Bikes, which opened in April 2022 at 170 W. Olentangy St. in Powell, also offers full- and half-day rentals, in addition to e-bikes for purchase.
https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/life...
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Friday, November 7th 2025 at 3:39PM
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