Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company

Infobox company
name = Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company

type = Private company
foundation = 2005 [ Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company Official Website [http://www.sbebc.com] ]
Headquarters = Santa Barbara, California
location =Santa Barbara, California
key_people = Scott Shaw, CEO
homepage =http://www.sbebc.com
products = Electric Bicycles
industry = Sports Equipment, Bicycles

Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company is a manufacturer and online retailer of electric bicycles. The company was founded in 2005 by Scott Shaw in Santa Barbara, California and is headquartered there. [ History [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/history.html] ]

Products

The company manufactures and sells several models of both folding and rigid frame electric bicycles, each powered by a rechargeable battery [ Enjoy the Ride [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/enjoytheride.html] ] weighing 16 pounds. [ Rachel Wagner, “New Bike Shop Offers Eco-Friendly Choices,” "Daily Nexus", University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA. Oct. 10, 2005 [http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=10113] Retrieved on April 6, 2008. ] The bicycles' battery design enables three modes of power usage: “Exercise Mode,” in which the battery is not in use and the bicycle is pedaled like a conventional bicycle, “ Power-on-Demand,” in which the battery fully powers the bicycle, and “Power/Pedal Assist,” in which the battery’s power augments the rider’s pedaling effort. [ Index [http://www.sbebc.com/index.html] ] The bicycles use sealed lead acid batteries and high-speed brushed-gear motors, and the rigid frame models have a maximum carrying capacity of 250 pounds. [ Santa Rosa [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/SantaRosa.html] ] [ San Clemente [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/SanClemente.html] ]

Business model

The company positions its brand as an ecologically sound alternative to both mass transit and cars. [ Jane Wyche, “Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company: Hitting the Streets in Style,” "Montecito Journal", Montecito, CA. May 3, 2007. [http://www.montecitojournal.net/archive/13/18/998/] Retrieved on April 6, 2008. ] In addition, the bicycles are promoted as being suitable transportation for persons physically unable, or unwilling, to ride conventional bicycles. [ Hannah Tennant-Moore, “There Are Many Ways to Ride Two Wheels to Work,” "Santa Barbara Independent", Santa Barbara, CA. June 14, 2007. [http://www.independent.com/news/2007/jun/14/be-bike-commuter/?print] Retrieved on April 6, 2008. ] The company designs the bicycles in the United States and contracts for their manufacture in Asia. Final assembly is performed in the US. [ History [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/history.html] ] The bicycles are then sold by the company via its website and through American resellers. [ Resellers [http://www.sbebc.com/pages/resellers.html] ]

References

External links

*Gary Gardner, "Electric bicycles offer a new option," "World Watch" 14, p. 10. Retrieved April 6, 2008 [http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=4393777&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live]