Bike business set to charge up the area

  • 2015-02-19
Myrtle Beach is about to become home to a new business, the first of its type in the Carolinas: electric bicycles.

Electric bikes are common on the West Coast, but have yet to reach many other parts of the country. An electric bike is exactly what it sounds like: a regular bicycle equipped with a battery and motor.

Aaron Maynard, who owns the new company Pedego Myrtle Beach, says that riders can use the bikes without turning on the motor if they want to ride for exercise. If they prefer, they can simply start the motor and go. The feature lets riders cruise at speeds up to 20 mph without having to pedal.

There are a number of different models available, including bikes for riding on the beach or dirt biking. Maynard says putting these bikes on the roads will help make the Myrtle Beach area more accessible to pedestrians and riders, and he hopes it will increase interest in this form of transportation. He also notes that bicycles like this have become very popular in urban areas.

Pedego will rent bikes for about $20 an hour, but the rate goes down when riders opt to rent for longer periods of time. Pedego is slated to open in March.

Maynard might consider working with a banner printing company to create a piece to celebrate the opening.