Pedego Irvine Opens its Doors!

IRVINE, Calif. - Jan. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- Five-year-old Pedego Electric Bikes has gained a lot of momentum in the past year and is now celebrating the grand opening of its 30^th branded store. What’s more, the store is opening in the factory’s home town of Irvine, California. With each Pedego-branded store that opens, there’s a special story of discovery, love and generosity. People find Pedego electric bikes and then love them enough to want to share them with their communities. So it’s no surprise that the owner of Pedego Irvine, longtime Irvine resident Bob Bibee, has a similar story to share.

A year ago, Bibee was asked by a friend to join him on a 32-mile guided bike tour in Los Angeles. The friend had recently opened a bike tour business and wanted to show him what it was about. Bibee found the ride amazing — and a life-changing experience.

“That ride had a huge impact on me,” he says. “I wanted to do the same thing, but in Orange County.” He spent a day visiting Orange County hotels to research their recommendations for any local bike rentals or tours. Then, as often happens with Pedego stories, serendipity rolled in. When he stopped for lunch, he caught a flash of something out of the corner of his eye. It was a bike with a banner attached. The bike was moving so fast, he couldn’t read it all. “I could only catch one word,” he says. That word was: electric. He quickly learned that it was a Pedego electric bike manufactured locally, in Irvine.

The following day, he contacted the management at Pedego corporate and arranged a meeting. Of course, they went for a bike ride. “We rode to Woodbridge Village Center, stopped, and I said, ‘Here — right here — is where we need to be.’” Bibee has lived in Irvine for 17 years and has been a passionate bike rider his entire life. To him, Irvine is, without a doubt, one of the finest cities in the world for biking. At that point, a lot of loose ends in his life seemed to come together. “After 50 years, I finally know what I want to do when I grow up (and I'm doing it!),” he notes. And Bibee explains that Irvine is a great location with its well-developed network of bike paths weaving through the city. Irvine is so bike-friendly that the Irvine Train Station offers numerous bike lockers for commuters.

What has now blossomed is a love story. The day he saw that fast-moving bike was the first time he'd heard the Pedego name. “Now it's all over my shirts, jackets, watches, computer and, of course, my store,” laughs Bibee. “All it took was one test ride and I was hooked.” In the last year, he's logged more than 5,000 miles on a Pedego electric bike.

When Bibee shared information on these bikes with his friend, Peter Pae, the love story grew into a news story. Pae, a business editor at the Los Angeles Times happened to be sharing some woes with him one day. Bibee says, “He was telling me about his commute — that he drove to the train station, rode the train into LA, then took the subway, then walked the rest of the way. I told him to forget all that.” That’s when Bibee gave him a Pedego City Commuter and instructed him to ride this to the train, put it on the train, then ride it from the train to work. “After the first day he was crazy excited about this,” says Bibee. “He went from dreading his commute to actually looking forward to it.” Pae bought one of the bikes and later wrote about his experience (http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/01/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-electric-bicycle-20130601). This encouraged Bibee all the more to work through the process of opening Pedego Irvine as promptly as possible.

The store opened quietly and is already attracting local business. A grand opening celebration is slated for President’s Day weekend. Festivities will include free test rides for visitors. Those interested may follow Pedego Irvine on Facebook or visit their website for further information on this event. Meanwhile, they can also visit the store and become acquainted with the full line of Pedego electric bikes, from Comfort Cruisers to off-road Trail Trackers.  Pedego Irvine offers the right Pedego for everyone.

With Pedego’s momentum leading to such amazing dealership success stories, the electric bicycle company is really on a roll. CEO and co-founder Don DiCostanzo is excited about Irvine’s new dealership and the promise of further locations currently in development. “Our goal is to open another 30 Pedego-branded stores in the next year,” he says. That’s a challenge the company can meet. Everywhere these bikes go, a new love story begins.

About Pedego Irvine
Pedego Irvine is the premier outlet for Pedego Electric Bikes where customers can choose from purchasing, renting or enjoying a customizable tour to meet your needs. Located in the hub of Irvine's beautiful bike trails, visitors can take a relaxing ride around the lakes or venture off on one of several available "destination rides"  where singles or groups can ride for miles on paved bike trails, stop for lunch or a beverage and enjoy an electric-assisted ride back. Pedego Irvine is not another bike shop; they are here to bring a whole new experience and adventure to Irvine and surrounding cities. Open seven days a week, from 10:00 to 6:00. The shop is located in the Woodbridge Village Center, at 4624 Barranca Parkway (behind Ruby's — next to the dollar theater). Pedego Irvine offers hourly and daily rentals (kid trailers/carriers and tandems are available). Call 949-274-7944 for reservations, or simply walk in for a free test ride. For more information, visit http://www.pedegoirvine.com/.

About Pedego®
Pedego, the world’s most renowned electric bicycle, built its reputation by creating chic bikes outfitted with the latest in electric bike technology. Pedego’s commitment to innovation has led to worldwide acclaim for their leading-edge design. Their many stylish electric bike models, such as the Pedego® City Commuter, offer a cost-effective and green alternative for transportation, exercise, recreation and fun … without worrying about hills or headwinds! Hailing from Orange County, California, Pedego Electric Bikes is one of the fastest growing electric bicycle companies in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/