Hamlet on the Handlebars

 

                                      To buy (now)

                          or not to buy (now)-

                         That is the question 

For a score of years, I have contemplated doing bicycling in the Nation’s Capital.  When I moved here years ago, I brought a folding bike and remember riding it along the National Mall.  

 

A dozen years ago, a friend gave me a nice riding bike which got stolen during a tumultuous evening.  What vexed me about the loss was that the thief had time enough to smoke a cigarette and drink a crappy beer during his heist. It was bad enough to nick the bike, but to drink a non quality beer during the burglary was unforgivable.

 

 A couple of years ago, someone from my scripture study group gave me an ancient (but restored) Fuji road bike.  Sadly, these frames rusted and were unused.

 

My change in work circumstances inspired implementing other improvements in my life.  I want to improve my health, but I am not a gym rat.  Getting exercise while accomplishing other activities is more my speed.  My new workplace is a bit short of two miles away from home.  I can walk it, but biking could get me there quicker.    Currently, I am living in a one car household and that car is in need of repairs.   Having a bike that can carry cargo like groceries would make life so much easier.  And when a car is unavailable and public transportation is inconvenient, a bike would open up possibilities.

 

Hence, I am considering buying an e-bike.  I evaluated my needs: 1. Commuting 2. Cargo 3. Pedal Assist (exercise without exertion) 4. Step Thru frame (ease of mounting) 5. Light(er) weight (particularly for loading on public transit) 6. Short tail (easier to stow) 7. Front and Rear Rack 8) Step Thru frame. 

I did a significant amount of research online research.  I visited local independent bicycle shops and big box retailers.  I spoke to governmental bureaucrats and constituent service representatives to check the status of the city’s nascent e-bike incentive law.  I familiarized myself with e-bike types (hubs v. mid drives; class 1 v. class 3), learned how to evaluate batteries (more is good but isn’t always better) and discovered micro-mobility options.

 

I anticipate using this for daily commutes of between three to six miles round trip. I want to be able to load the bike with groceries (thought this will not be a primary function).  For weekend events when car and bus is not workable, I would like to use this for events less than five miles away.  Maybe when the weather is pleasant, I would consider doing group rides.  I am open to weekend jaunts using metro and riding on some of the suburban bike paths, but I don’t expect to become a gear head or spandax Superman.

 

When I research something, I am thorough and hone in on my desired features. Especially during the pandemic, I was impressed by videos for a Direct- to-Consumer e-bike by Lectric, based out of Phoenix, Arizona.  The have a long tail cargo electric bike which had a good MSRP but was even more enticing with Black Friday.  The end cost with accessories was probably 30% more than I had hoped to pay out of pocket.  The design of the bike is a long tail and it is heavy (73 lbs.).  This would require some modifications of where I would store the e-bike and might make it more burdensome to lift unto public transit bus racks.

There were two other niggling concerns which led me away from Lectric (for now).  The first is that as a DtC e-bike retailer, it might be difficult to get serviced.  I called the company and it was reticent against having a local Lectric authorized dealer (it seems their business model is DtC and ditching brick and mortar).  

While I’m sure that I will learn some about e-bike maintenance, my circumstances and skill set will not lend itself to being a natural bicycle mechanic.  The still pending e-bike incentive is designed to create relations between consumers and local bike shops, as the rebate can only be used for certified local retailers with a repair shop.   The other factor is that by buying a DtC bike, I would not be eligible for the DC e-bike incentive rebate, especially if purchased before the law goes into effect. 

There is no certainty concerning the start of the locale e-bike incentive.  The law passed in late September, and Congress did not veto it in October so it is left to local bureaucrats. It is unclear if the incentive will be in the form of a rebate or a voucher.  As for the start date, an educated guess is that it may take effect in late February.  Currently, the DDOT website says that program will start in “Spring 2024”. 

The legislative language is clear, while there are funds to finance purchases (particularly for prioritized purchasers), they will not pay for e-bikes purchased before the official starting date. The e-bike incentive is not a trivial amount, as it would finance most if not all of an e-bike purchase. 

Because of my circumstances, I was able to get an annual membership to Capital Bikeshare for a fraction of the normal price.  Arguably, I could utilize the micro-mobility option for commuting until the e-bike incentive kicks in.   Alas,  the answer is not as simple as that.  My job requires me to take my work laptop on my daily commute.  Combine that with my lunch and whatever else that I am hauling risks filling up the narrow front metal rack.   So I would have to get a bigger and secure backpack.  This is a feasible option but might not be the best solution. 

I concluded that when I buy an e-bike, it will be from a local retailer who has a bike repair shop.  The independent stores I visited seemed geared to serious road cyclists and their retail price points were on the high end.   However, REI’s DC flagship is quite close to my place and has a bike repair feature.   What is really attractive about the retailer is that it has a one year satisfaction guarantee.  

So I could ride a REI Co Op e-bike for several months as a starter bike, figure out what I like and if I need to upgrade, and return it when the e-bike incentive kicks in– so long as I didn’t proverbially try to jump the Grand Canyon.  That way, I either get my money back or I can apply it to an upgraded e-bike.  Moreover, REI had a 10 day Get Up and Get Outside sale which my desired model was 40% off. 

After four visits and a test ride of the desired model, I was ready to make the purchase.  I had planned to join REI as a Co Op member for $30 which doubled the coverage for ordinary repairs and maintenance along with coupons, discounts and member rebates.  Co Op membership also entitled one to apply for a REI credit card, which had some additional incentives. 

Because the sale would be ending the next day and I had hoped to ride off with a bike, I was willing to take a floor model when they were willing to take an additional 10% off.  

 I intended to pay for the ebike using the REI credit card, but there was a kink in the process and application did not go through.  The manager was willing to honor the sales price for two weeks to straighten things out and decide if I wanted to go through with the purchase. 

Frankly, the delay worked to my benefit.  I had travel plans for Thanksgiving and would not be using it much until after the holiday.   Moreover, the timing with my pay schedule was better with a delay. Additionally, I wanted to structure the finances if I would be paying in full.  It is possible that REI will give me both the sales price AND the floor discount even if I get a new unit. 

Thus my “Hamlet on the Handlebars” moment.   I could forgo purchasing an e-bike now and use micro-mobility option until the e-bike incentive kicks in and then buy the bike. From a cost perspective, that seems prudent yet that course of action might be penny wise and pound foolish. 

 Firstly, the bikeshare bikes do not have back racks and have thin front racks.  Realistically, that means that I could use it for commuting, but it would require some accessories for equipment which may not be prudent (e.g. wearing a backpack at night in the winter covering my reflective vest).   

Secondly, there is no set time in which the DC e-bike incentive commences.  I have projected late February.  But as my work status changes, that may take me out of the Preferred Customer status, which would mean less markedly less money.  In that scenario, the outlay now would roughly be similar to a reduced e-bike incentive plus personal funds, so why wait? 

Thirdly, there is no guarantee that DC will implement this incentive in a timely manner.  So waiting might turn to never.   That combined with the challenges of micro-mobility might thwart the inspiration to bicycle to work and certainly would moot the car alternative for cargo. 

The counter argument to “Why wait?” points toward personal finances.  It would eat up all of my “mad money” which I saved from side hustles.  And for the short term I would need to watch my pennies. But Santa might bring some Christmas cheer to the pocketbook. And doing a spreadsheet analysis can further determine the optimal purchase time. 

I will take heart that I need not make a snap decision.   Doing further pricing research, I noticed that my desired e-bike had not changed price months after the big ten day sale ended. Either the website was slow to update or these e-bikes continue to be priced to sell to clear inventory.  Since my desired device is an REI house brand, it is likely that REI is clearing inventory in anticipated for an updated mode. Over the summer, REI introduced a new CTY model which was updated and seemed to have some price markup. 

[As it turned out,  I waited a couple of months before purchasing the e-bike as it made more personal economic sense.  But that does not preclude later participation in the DC e-bike incentive program]