When you’re short on time, exploring Norfolk via the Elizabeth River Trail is an efficient and scenic way to get the lay of the land. Add in an Ebike and you can explore the best parts of it in under three hours, regardless of your experience on two wheels, says E-Bike Alley owner Amy Oliver.
Oliver’s expansive City Hall Ave. storefront is packed with a variety of electric bikes – both for sale and rental – and it’s the perfect starting point for a day of getting up close and personal with Norfolk’s nautical charms (without getting wet).
Since 2019, Oliver has operated the store, which was originally called Pedego Bikes Norfolk, and has expanded to include models from Urtopia, Segway, Jack Rabbit and includes scooters, one wheels, electric trikes and much more.
It all started with a trip to California, where Oliver and her family rented e-bikes to explore Angel Island.
“I thought, ‘wow, this is really cool,’” she says. “I said, ‘this might work here in Hampton Roads.”
Six years later, she has expanded beyond Norfolk into a new location in Williamsburg, offering scenic tours of wine country and the historic city. Both locations offer half- and full-day rentals, sales and full service, even for those who purchased their e-bikes elsewhere.
Sales and Service
In that time, the industry has seen up and down cycles, but Oliver has stayed true to her principle of offering quality service and helpful, hands-on tutorials for riders with no experience up to the most discerning e-bike shoppers.
While the typical e-bike consumer has trended toward those over 50 with disposable income and lots of time to travel, this is changing, Oliver says.
“The demographic is shifting. I recently went to a Segway conference and I saw lots of kids who are getting into it.”
E-bikes come in three classes, Oliver explains. Class One includes bikes with pedal assist only (think of it like having the wind at your back). Class two includes pedal assist plus a throttle and can take you up to 20 mph. With class three, the bike comes with pedal assist, throttle and can clock up to 28 mph.
Whatever your experience level, Oliver’s team can help you get up to speed in no time. Her rentals come with a quick session on how to operate the bike, along with tips on using the built-in GPS and two-way bluetooth communicator helmets. She provides handy maps of the ERT so visitors short on time can hit the city’s highlights.
Half-day rentals for e-bikes costs $50 per person; full-day (up to seven hours) costs $75 per person. The store will extend its operating hours until 6 p.m. starting in early March, 2025.
