How I started my illegal eBike shop

All the feels. It’s been 10 years since I started this electric bike business, and I figured it’s about time we tell the full story. Did you know Propel initially started as a scooter business? From the launch in 2011 to today with three locations and a growing community, Propel continues its mission to not only sell electric bikes, but to become something bigger. Despite many challenges along the way, we’ve made it to 10 years. A huge thank you to our viewers and everyone that’s helped throughout this journey. What do you think, should we make a full-on documentary?

Timecodes:
0:00 Fun clips from 2021
01:00 How I started this electric bike business
01:20 Propel was founded in 2011
02:00 But not as an eBike business, it was a scooter business
02:15 Decided to just focus on electric bikes
02:20 Changed the name to Long Island Electric Bikes, where we started
02:20 Our first location
02:50 Always wanted the business to be something bigger
03:10 At the time I was 30 years old
03:27 In 2012 my brother Kyle came on board
03:40 My friend Jack, master mechanic, helped out
03:55 In 2014 we made our first million
04:05 Just graduated, had to decide whether to get a “real job” or continue with eBikes
04:25 Electric bikes were technically illegal in New York
05:00 How my experiences in the army shifted my perspective
05:47 How I found our Brooklyn location, took the risk even though legality of eBikes was murky
06:50 Introduced ourselves during Five Boro Bike Tour
06:58 Changed our name from Long Island Electric Bikes to Propel
07:30 The infamous $25K fine
07:58 I had this vision of what Propel could be, of what eBikes could become
08:38 Despite all the challenges, I never quit
08:50 Sometimes the best you can do is to show up
08:53 I started visiting Europe, and saw the future of eBikes
09:20 The mission and vision behind Propel
09:40 Around 2014 is when Bosch came to the U.S.
09:52 I was looking for the best electric bikes in the world
010:30 In 2016, Riese & Muller came to the U.S.
11:20 Opened second shop in California in 2018
12:20 Not long after that we started the YouTube channel
11:30 Reflecting back on 10 years in business
12:30 I’d just like to say thank you to everyone that’s supported

#ebike #nycebikes #ebikelaws


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