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Hundreds of e-bike test rides at our e-bike event with Ava Community Energy

Author: Bike East Bay

Published: November 20, 2025

An outdoor community event showcasing e-bikes and cargo bikes. A large crowd is gathered among display tents. In the foreground, a woman wearing a red helmet sits on a bright yellow cargo bike with a child passenger seat, while a man in a green helmet stands next to a similar yellow e-bike. Many other people are visible inspecting the bikes and walking around on the paved ground, shaded by trees.

What do you get when you combine Bike East Bay, Ava Community Energy, a bunch of e-bikes, local bike shops, and a few hundred curious neighbors?

A pretty incredible E-bike Test & Ride Event!

At Oakland Coliseum BART, we created an accessible, fun, and welcoming space for people to try e-bikes. For many people, it was their first time ever on an e-bike. With Ava’s e-bike rebate program, riders had access to real discounts. Some people even left ready to bring home their first e-bike that same day.

An outdoor community event showcasing e-bikes and cargo bikes. A large crowd is gathered among display tents. In the foreground, a woman wearing a red helmet sits on a bright yellow cargo bike with a child passenger seat, while a man in a green helmet stands next to a similar yellow e-bike. Many other people are visible inspecting the bikes and walking around on the paved ground, shaded by trees.

Lots of e-bikes to test, and lots of experts from local bike shops

Our local bike shops (see the full list below) brought a wide selection of bikes for people to try. They brought bikes from Rad, Pedego, Velotric, Brompton, Yuba, BMC, Aventon, Specialized, Tern, Riese and Muller, and Marin.

The bikes spanned many different types and price-points. The Brompton folding bike might have packed the smallest, and was small enough to fit in the bucket of one of the larger cargo bikes.

The cargo bikes could carry multiple passengers, but there were plenty of “standard” electric bikes also. There was also a Velotric e-tricycle for those who prefer to cycle on three wheels.

Leo from the BORP Adaptive Cycling Center hosted a table with information about their adaptive cycles (including hand-cycles, side-by-side tandems, and recumbents) that make it possible everyone, regardless of ability, to enjoy the benefits of riding a bike. Ava’s incentive program includes rebates for these types of adaptive bikes, which can be a great option for those with mobility limitations or disabilities.

Our bike education instructors helped get people situated on their bikes, and provide any cycling guidance for anyone who needed it. After a short test run, riders could proceed to the test track and ride a few loops with the bicycle of their choice.

We set up a kids zone for kids to create with pipe cleaners, stickers, or draw. And our community partners at the Oakland library brought their bike-powered bookmobile with free books for young readers.

What did riders and shops say about the e-bike test track event?

It’s clear that we need to have more of these types of events, because there was a ton of interest. Kansas at The New Wheel was surprised by the turnout and would have sent more staff if they had known.

Kyle at Castro Valley Cyclery was surprised in a different way. When they got back to their bike shop, three people had already stopped by after attending the e-bike test track event.

Participants enjoyed the selection of bikes and were happy to have an opportunity to see and test so many bikes in one place. A new Velotric owner wrote ,“Just express[ing] my gratitude. I ordered a Velotric ebike in the afternoon. Had I not test-rode it, I wouldn’t have known about it.”

Another rider summed up the entire event really well. “I loved the enthusiasm and energy. The people there. How Ava is so invested in e-bikes for the people. How local shops are supporting that.”

Thanks for the e-community event!

A huge thanks to our volunteers, Ava Community Energy, and our instructors and staff. And thank you Gu Energy and Boichik Bagels for helping keep us fueled with chews, stroopwafels and bagels!

Two event volunteers, a man and a woman, both wearing bright neon yellow safety vests, are standing behind a vendor table covered in snacks under a tent. The man on the left is wearing a San Francisco Giants cap and a green shirt, smiling at the camera. The woman on the right is also smiling and holds up two small bottles of liquid. The table displays large bags of bagels, individual packages of cookies, small cups of dips, and red bags of snacks next to a large orange Igloo water cooler. The event takes place outdoors in a paved lot on a sunny day with trees and buildings in the background.

And also a huge thanks to our local bike shops who came out and brought the bikes for the demo:

If you’re curious about rolling by e-bike, check out Ava’s rebate program to see how far local power can take you. Visit AvaEnergy.org/bike-electric.

Want to feel more comfortable and confident on your bike? Bike East Bay offers free education classes to help you do just that. We are a member-supported organization, and your contribution helps us put on more events like these and continue to advocate for stronger communities and better mobility through biking.

We hope to host another one of these events in partnership with Ava Community Energy soon and can’t wait to see even more bike shops, e-bikes, and participants join us.

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