A Las Vegas man didn’t know his spur-of-the-moment resolution to ride a motorcycle eight years in the past would change his life.
But Jordan Clark is certain glad he began pedaling.
A 30-mile electrical bike ride in Huntington Beach, California, set him on a path that may lead him to proudly owning all three Pedego stores within the Las Vegas Valley. Now, Clark desires others to discover pleasure atop a Pedego the best way he did.
Clark was visiting the seaside metropolis on a enterprise journey and located himself with a uncommon free afternoon. He stumbled upon a Pedego e-bike rental station in his resort. It appeared enjoyable, however Clark informed the store supervisor he was involved his weight of 330 kilos can be an impediment. It turned out weight was no drawback, Clark stated, and the following e-bike ride was exhilarating.
“I just could not stop thinking about this bike like nothing else in my life, and just every single day,” Clark, now 52 years outdated and 245 kilos, stated at his Lake Las Vegas store Wednesday.
Eight months after his fortuitous ride, he purchased his personal neon-green bike, which he nonetheless makes use of. Clark grinned as he talked about Pedego e-bikes, which he credit for his weight reduction.
Pedego stores promote their very own model of e-bikes, or bikes fitted with battery-powered pedal help, and likewise supply leases. Pedego has three places in Southern Nevada — one in Summerlin, one other in Henderson and a 3rd that opened March 6 in Lake Las Vegas — and greater than 200 regionally owned stores throughout North America.
Clark, who additionally runs a conferences enterprise, grew shut with the previous proprietor of the Summerlin and Henderson Pedego stores and acquired an invite to take over the Summerlin store at first of the pandemic. Six months later, he additionally owned the Henderson retailer. Within 9 months of Clark taking on the Summerlin retailer, it offered 3 times the quantity of bikes it will usually promote in a yr.
Clark attributes the success to native occasions, carrying extra stock and being current within the retailer, in addition to a common increase in e-bike recognition through the early months of the pandemic.
The model is upscale within the e-bike commerce, with costs starting from $1,895 to $5,795 relying on the mannequin. Clark stated the product’s high quality, five-year guarantee and tailor-made customer support make Pedego definitely worth the value.
Larry and Clare Laidlaw agree. The North Las Vegas couple purchased a pair of Pedegos in early September 2020 and credit score the bikes for serving to them to keep energetic. Larry Laidlaw, 64, stated he hadn’t been on a motorcycle since school and his spouse, 61, hadn’t hopped on one since she was a toddler.
He had knee surgical procedure simply earlier than the pandemic, and the couple’s athletic membership shut down as soon as the pandemic arrived. They grew weary of sitting on the sofa and watching TV all day. A pal of Clare Laidlaw’s talked up her personal e-bike, prompting the Laidlaws to store round for their very own.
A Pedego e-bike “is not a small investment,” Larry Laidlaw stated, however the couple determined that in the event that they have been going to spend the cash, they could as properly purchase what they thought of a greater high quality product.
The pedal help helps with steep hills and hard distances, he stated. He credit using Pedegos for a 20-pound weight reduction and enhancing the couple’s relationship; it provides him and his spouse one thing to expertise collectively, Larry Laidlaw stated.
“To get up on a summer morning and go pedaling up there at sunrise and you smell the freshly mowed grass and you see little bunny rabbits running around, it’s a lot of fun,” he stated.
The Laidlaws now ride the paths throughout Southern Nevada, together with these at Mount Charleston, Valley of Fire State Park, the 215 Beltway path loop and the 34-mile trek close to Lake Las Vegas and Boulder City referred to as the River Mountain Loop. They’ve additionally taken journeys to Monterey, Pismo Beach and Newport Beach in California and Bryce Canyon and Zion nationwide parks in Utah.
Larry Laidlaw’s bike died at Bryce Canyon, so he discovered a spot with cell service and referred to as a Pedego retailer. Clark got here on the road and walked him by a listing of frequent issues. Sure sufficient, a wire had come free. It was a fast repair and an instance of Clark’s and Pedego’s customer support, Larry Laidlaw stated.
Riding conventional bikes — Clark calls them “acoustic” bikes — requires planning and forethought. How a lot vitality do I’ve? Which routes can I deal with? Will there be hills?
E-bikes make it simpler to simply hop on and go for a ride, Clark stated.
He tells a narrative a few spontaneous Pedego ride early within the pandemic when he rode from his dwelling close to Summerlin Hospital Medical Center to the empty Las Vegas Strip. He retains an image of himself posing with the neon-green bike in entrance of the Welcome to Las Vegas signal.
“I had no intention of doing that when I left the house,” Clark stated. “It’s just so fun to ride.”
Clark nonetheless has his outdated acoustic bike however he doesn’t ride it. On Wednesday, he smiled whereas pedaling a Pedego in circles outdoors of his Lake Las Vegas store.
The man who provides his mobile phone quantity to each buyer who buys a Pedego got here to a cease and resumed an enthusiastic description of the shop’s bikes.
An worker at a close-by retailer waved to Clark with a cheery, “How’s it going?”
A man in sun shades, a darkish baseball hat and cargo shorts walked his silver Pedego bike previous the store. Clark pointed to the small mild affixed to the entrance of the bike, noting the form meant the bike was an older mannequin.
Older mannequin or not, the man didn’t thoughts.
“Still awesome, dude,” he replied.
Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow (*3*) on Twitter.