THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 6, 1996 TAG: 9607040056
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Maddry
LENGTH: 85 lines
ON A SUNNY MORNING this week I avoided the office and took a mini-break at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, beginning with a stop at the electric bike rental place on the corner of 23rd and Pacific.
I'd read articles about the bikes - a cross between electric scooters and multispeed, geared bikes.
Don Wheeler who owns the shop - it's in a corner of Game Masters USA - let me pick out my own electric bike.
I chose a silver one, an E.V. Warrior, made by Electric Bicycle Co. of Burbank, Calif.
No ordinary bike that un.
The standard features include an on-off power switch, electronic throttle with thumb control, LED taillight, steel oval-tube mainframe, six-speed Shimano derailleur, grip-shift rotary shifter with soft grips, cantilever front and rear brakes, and a command center.
I had never ridden a bike with a command center before. It contained a headlight switch for the halogen headlight, an energy-use gauge, a battery-charge gauge, an onboard computer with speedomenter-odometer-clock functions, a hazard light switch and a horn.
Don, who keeps 17 of the E.V. Warriors in his shop, said he has more electric bikes for rent than any place in the nation, he believes.
``They started out in California and became very popular because they are extremely quiet and pollution-free,'' he said. ``But they are new on the East Coast.''
A throttle mounted on the handlebar controls the current from the two batteries in a power pod - resembling a plastic basket - over the rear tire.
The motor can whisk you along at speeds of up to 20 mph. But if you like, you can merely pedal a bike the normal way, using a goose from the batteries occasionally. On batteries alone the bike's range is about 20 miles.
The rental cost is $15 an hour. Business has been slow, Don said, because people don't know what an electric bike is.
``They tell me `Gee that's a cute picnic basket you've got on the back of that thing,' '' he explained, rolling his eyes.
Outfitted with a helmet and protective glasses, I juiced the bike and rolled away under electrical power. It was a nice, quiet ride. And it was comforting to have a power surge so that I could keep up with car traffic.
Pretty soon I got the hang of it and was admiring the many patches of yellow lilies that had been planted all along the beachfront. They seem to trumpet the arrival of summer for the tourists, and their delicate softness is a nice contrast to the tall, angular hotels, rising like sugar cubes beside the beach.
I made a point of sounding the electric horn when cruising through an intersection at 10 mph. I simply liked the beep. It sounded like a honker on a Mac truck, only a little quieter.
Breezing past the Tropical Sno stand on Atlantic Avenue I was astounded to learn there are 25 flavors of shaved ice for sale there. And the flavors range from cantaloupe to papaya. Is this a great country or what?
The best toy I saw on the sidewalk was a colorful, wriggling lizard that comes with a wire leash. It's sold in Sunsations on Atlantic Avenue. Looked like it would keep the cat or a child occupied for half a day. It only costs $2.99.
After about 20 minutes riding in the hot sun, I parked and stopped in at Baguette & Pasta Express at 2310 Atlantic Ave. - which had delicious sweet rolls on display in the window - for a drink.
There were too many choices in the cooler. I asked a coed behind the counter what she'd pick.
``Did you know that this is Strawberry Passion Month?'' she replied.
I told her I did not, but that I was getting old and finding it more and more difficult to keep up.
After a strawberry passion, I turned in the bike and walked up the street to Beach Bazaar, at 222 Atlantic Ave., for a look at the T-shirts and caps.
There must have been 100 ball caps for sale at under $5. Each had something sexy or booze-related printed on it. ``Smile If You're Not Wearing Panties,'' one said. ``I'm An Alcoholic. In Case of Emergency Buy Me A Beer.'' ``I May Be Drunk But You're Ugly and Tomorrow I'll Be Sober,'' read another.
I figured the proprietor would be wearing a suggestive hat, too. That was Jerry Hallal, who wore a red cap with A*P in silver letters on it. Hanging over his head was a Grateful Dead T-shirt with a skull on it.
I had to ask him what the ``A*P'' on his cap stood for.
``It's an Aragona and Pembroke little league all-star cap,'' Jerry explained. Jerry coaches a team of 12-year-olds. His son is on the team.
You just can't tell about people. They'll fool you every time you try. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by CANDICE C. CUSIC, The Virginian-Pilot
Tara Temak, 18, of Pittsburgh, tried out an E.V. Warrior at Don
Wheeler's bike rental shop... by CNB