April 2010 Newsletter
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Thank you for subscribing to the E-BikeKit Newsletter.
We know most people sign up to see if they've won the Monthly Conversion Kit Giveaway but this is the first edition of a new kind of newsletter where we intend to bring you more. We hope you like this newsletter and the new look of E-BikeKit.com. Your feedback is crucial to our success so please let us know what you think.
Sincerely,
E-Bikekit
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And the April FREE Kit Giveaway Winner is...
William Caulway of
Charlton, Massachusetts!
Congratulations William!
If you didn't win this month don't worry, your entry is good for life.
BUT you must ENTER TO WIN!
Building Wheels by Hand Once Again - E-BikeKit is proud to announce that all of their wheels will be built by hand in their Lambertville New Jersey facility beginning this Spring.
It just so happens to be a cool story that they're doing it in a historic wagon wheel factory that is re-purposed and solar powered. Assembling conversion kits and building wheels in a converted spoke factory sets E-BikeKit apart from any of its competitors. Jason Kraft, Principal of E-BikeKit said, "We source some of the kit parts from overseas, some from Canada and some from US manufacturers, but the final assembly, testing and quality control is done right here in the USA. As far as I know, no other conversion kit can boast hand-built wheels".
The Spoke Works business was started in 1850 and operated building wagon wheels as long as it could. Pressure from railways and later motor vehicles would push them out of business forcing the property at various points to produce cans, luggage and leather products. E-BikeKit is revitalizing the building's namesake with every wheel built and every conversion kit shipped. "Our goal is to deliver the highest quality conversion system at the fairest price" said Jason. "Building the wheels by hand ensures a positive experience for e-bike newcomers".
E-BikeKit.com Gets a New Look!
E-BikeKit.com has a whole new look. We've cleaned things up and gotten more organized. There are also some great new sections like our Featured Dealers Page.
A Changing Nation - Tax Incentives for E-Bike Commuters!
The United States is a changing nation and you'll be happy to know I'm not talking about health care reform. For the first time in history the US government will be giving equal consideration to the needs of cyclists and pedestrians as those of motorists. Ray LaHood, the Secretary of Transportation, made a landmark announcement on his blog after attending the National Bike Summit in Washington this March. Mr. LaHood states "We are integrating the needs of bicyclists in federally-funded road projects. We are discouraging transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians. And we are encouraging investments that go beyond the minimum requirements and provide facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities." He further backs his statement with examples of the federal government funding major bicycle centric projects in Philadelphia and Indianapolis. This is big news for e-bikers or if you are thinking about a conversion. You can rest assured that your investments in e-biking are shared by the US government.
Hang on though; the good news only gets better...
The government, however much we bash them, has been smart about pushing the American public to adopt the use of LEVs (Light Electric Vehicles, e-bikes included) without ruffling Detroit's or big oil's feathers. Most of us are aware of the stimulus package but few of us know how it affects us e-bikers. There are two main provisions we should all be looking into.
First if you commute to work by bike (by law e-bikes are bicycles) at least three days a week The Bicycle Commuter Act provides a $20 a month tax provision through your employer to offset your almost nonexistent commuting expenses. That means you can make $240 a year just for riding your e-bike. Talk to your HR department, they should be able to get you the forms you need. If your company does not support the act please urge them to do so.
OK, so we have the federal governments support on bicycle-friendly infrastructure and they'll give us $240 a year. What more could we want? How about a new ride.
The second provision we should be aware of falls under the Energy Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The act states "The credit is equal to 10 percent of the cost of converting a vehicle to a qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle and placed in service after Feb. 17, 2009." That means if you purchase a full E-BikeKit electric bike conversion system (link to http://www.e-bikekit.com/shop/) your tax credit will be in the $100 range. That's a total of about $340 on top of all of the money you will save on gas and parking if you commute by e-bike.
Please check with your tax professional to verify the information and how it applies to you. Taxes are a tricky thing so contact the person you trust to do your taxes.
Now we have infrastructure and $340 from our friends at the federal government. What's next? How about help finding a bicycle friendly route to work? Thanks to another major bicycle-centric announcement; route finding is easier now than ever before. On March 10th Google Maps announced the addition of Bicycle routes to its online mapping service. This might sound like just a cool add on but for me it brings validity to the statement that the United States is a changing nation. Google is full of the smartest people this country has to offer and for them to make such an investment tells me that bicycling is becoming a viable means of transportation in the United States.
If we follow the signs we can be sure that e-bikes and cycling friendly communities are on the verge of becoming main stream.
This is fantastic news and its exactly what the government is pushing for but beware. As more and more people adopt cycling and LEVs government subsidies will begin to disappear. That $340 may eventually go away all together. Now is the time to act and to take advantage of the provisions provided to us. Become an e-biker or if an e-bike isn't for you then embrace the cycling lifestyle. Its sustainable, it will save you money and if you act on the provisions above it will actually make you money.
E-BikeKit Introduces Mark Mahoney as Marketing Manager
With over a decade of experience as an advertising executive, Mark is certain that the market will accept the electric bike and is here to make sure it happens. Mark has an impressive list of former clients in industries like pharmaceuticals, convenience stores, community banks, floor coverings, visitors’ bureaus, resorts and Location Based Services (LBS).
When he's not on Facebook, tweeting or learning how to leverage the latest viral marketing techniques, Mark can be found hiking, biking or paddling around the Lambertville area. He's recently discovered firsthand the pleasures and pains of adventure racing (or maybe it’s the pleasure in the pain) and plans on working his way from a novice sprint racer to a serious competitor.
Mark believes that individual consumers can make a difference in the world with the choices they make. Recycle, Reduce and Reuse are three words Mark uses to guide his own lifestyle decisions and is part of the reason he is excited to be a member of the E-BikeKit organization.
E-BikeKit Photo of the Month!
Submitted by Mike Phillips(last month's Free Kit Giveaway Winner)
Upload your electric bike pics via Facebook
or directly to the E-Bikekit Photo Gallery
Don't forget to register your E-BikeKit products!
We guarantee our 10ah LiFePO4 Prismatic packs for an unheard of 18 months and back out kits 100% but you have to register them first.We promise, it'll only take a minute.
Existing E-BikeKit Owners
Register Your
E-BikeKit Product HERE
Remember to Recycle Your Batteries!
RECYCLE OR DISPOSE OF PROPERLY CONTAINS DANGEROUS/TOXIC MATERIALS
Contact the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) 1-800-822-8837 or WWW.RBRC.ORG
