I had the good fortune to test ride a Giant Twist Freedom ebike for a couple of weeks. After that experience, it’s easy to understand why I had so many eager ebikers ready and willing to talk to me for my upcoming article in Momentum Magazine.

Look for both a general article on the phenomenon and a review of the Giant bike in the March/April issue of Momentum. You can also read about Justin Lemire-Elmore’s cross-country ebike expedition last summer. Coast to coast on less than $10 of electricity!

If you’re thinking of purchasing an ebike, I’d heartily recommend JV Bikes in Vancouver for their selection and knowledgeable staff. If a conversion kit to turn your current bike into an ebike is more your thing, Renaissance Bicycles/ebikes.ca should definitely be on your radar. Both stores have been local leaders for the ebike community and can definitely help you figure out the right solution for your particular requirements. How fervently do I believe ebikes hold great promise to open up cycling to new markets and provide a viable transportation alternative to many people who currently don’t cycle? Well, I bought the domain name ebikermagazine.com! Stay tuned for its launch soon.

I was also invited by Giant Canada marketing manager Randy Pye to attend a dealer orientation session regarding maintenance and troubleshooting of their Twist Freedom bike. Giant technical ambassador Luke Kitzanuk walked the dealers in attendance through the various electronics of the bike and delivered a thorough trouble-shooting demonstration, so bike shops will know how to deal with this new addition to the bike species. This is a new frontier in the cycling industry and bike shops have to know how to service the electric aspect of these bikes if they are going to sell them.

Giant is making sure their dealers will have that knowledge, not only providing training, but also supplying service manuals and the necessary tools to troubleshoot and repair the Twist Freedom.