Electric bikes are starting to become more visible in Rhode Island, and Providence now has a shop devoted to them.
Begun in June by spouses Tyler Justin and Emily Serotta, Mission Electric sells a variety of designs in electric bicycles, along with accessories. The shop at 198 Ives St. is in the Fox Point neighborhood.
Part of the mission of the store is educational, said Justin, because although most major bicycle brands now have an electric model, most people have yet to ride one or understand how they differ from traditional bikes.
In short, the small motor allows the rider to travel farther and faster, but also allows the bike to function as a traditional bicycle when desired.
“It goes as fast as you want to go … based on your pedaling,” Justin said.
The models in the shop start at $999 and reach up to several thousands of dollars. The lowest-priced model is compact and can travel 30 miles without a recharge.
Since June, Mission Electric has sold bikes to a wide variety of users, including teenagers who don’t want a car and a 75-year-old woman who wanted to bike up College Hill again.
“It really opens things up,” Justin said.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.
