Jeb Bouchard
"Larry came to rescue me when I called with a flat tire in East Montpelier. He picked me and my Aurora bike up, brought me home, fixed the tire, and delivered it the same afternoon. Thanks for the AAA service! I've been using the bike to commute to work and the Kellogg-Hubbard library, riding cool as a cat with little effort. It is truly a game-changer."
Alice Dworkin, East Montpelier
"We live at the top of Main Street in Montpelier (Big hill!!)We were not riding our bikes much because it always involved putting them on the car and taking them elsewhere on flatter terrain.
Since purchasing our Evelo bikes - Luna for Carol and Aurora for me - we travel regularly from our home to town and back and on some of the back roads nearby. We still get plenty of exercise, but the hills are not dreaded and the bikes ride nicely. You can use as little or as much assist as you want.
Larry at Zoombikes was very accommodating. He let us try out bikes before we decided to buy. He even went on a ride with us so that he could answer any questions we might have as we went.
Very happy with our new electric assist bikes!"
Jim Bellino & Carol Rose
Montpelier, VT
"When we lived in the Burlington area we biked all the time and had no need for e-bikes since it’s flat over there. However, it does make a lot of sense to market e-bikes in central Vermont to us hill people, as a way to circumvent some of the grunt work, so that we can focus on fun, fitness and ecological transportation. We currently live in the middle of a three mile long hill that took the fun out of biking from our house. We no longer biked to the store or used bikes for errands. We hassled with putting the bikes on a bike rack so we could drive to a better location. This usually required planning as well as a good chunk of time. With e-bikes, you can add hassle free spontaneity to the list of fun, fitness and ecological transportation.
By the way, we found out the other day that our e-bikes will do East Hill Road, top to bottom and back up again with several hours of regular hilly riding in between, and with battery power to spare! Now we can confidently go biking out the back door on a sunny afternoon without the hills being a deterrent. That’s a big deal for us, as it opens up almost unlimited possibilities."
Shawn and Ann Lester, Plainfield, VT, Evelo Aurora owners.
"Matt and I had the best time with you and Zoombikes! I liked how it was a normal bike ride, but also gave some help when needed. It made the ride more enjoyable as I wasn't so tired out! We will sure be back!!"
Shelby, Essex, VT
"I just did a 31 miles ride on low assist over hilly terrain. The bike seemed to have used little battery power - the indicator was down only one bar from High when done. If performed very well. I have been passing on the virtues of the bike."
Jo-Anne Unruh, Aires owner, Hartford, VT
"The bike is great. Electric assist works very well for the hills, but also makes start up from stops at intersections feel like less of a hassle for vehicles waiting while I have right of way. NuVinci drivetrain is definitely worth the cost and makes stop and start in Montpelier "traffic" much less of a hassle."
Sheila Kearns, Luna owner, Montpelier, VT
"Thanks to Larry Gilbert’s patience, I now have a nearly perfect electric-assist bike. Zoombike’s inventory contains nearly perfect bikes, including the Solexity x350, which is a better fit for me than other equally good bikes. Thank goodness that I did not have to experiment with online sources. It is worth the effort by far to physically experience and compare bikes by trying them out, and Larry gave me plenty of opportunity to do so. This is my first (and probably only one at the age of 70) electric-assist bike, and it has worked perfectly for my daily commuter trip into Montpelier, including the 500’ climb back to my house. Still a bit of a workout getting back home. but that is pleasant and good exercise compared to the increasingly dreaded slog back uphill on my previous geared bike. The Solex bike’s quality is elegant, almost seemingly designed by Apple Computer - including truly excellent design choices, of which I discover and appreciate a new one almost every day. So thanks again to Zoombikes for their judgment, honesty and intelligent helpfulness."
Fred Emigh, Solexity 350 owner, East Montpelier, VT
“GMP bought a couple ebikes from Zoombikes for our offices in Rutland. The employees use them to go between our campuses, to off site meetings and for running errands during the day. They love them! Not only do they reduce the carbon footprint but it also takes them less time to travel to and from their meetings.”
Jenn Cortez, Innovation Champion, Green Mountain Power
"I wanted to let you know how much having the bike has helped me get back to that so important active lifestyle. COPD and back surgeries have restricted my range of activities. The powered bicycle has helped me 'get back out there.' The cost initially had me hesitate, but after making the decision I now think of it as an investment (with a good return.)"
Saul Schoenberg, Montpelier
"I've been meaning to write this brief review for quite some time, but the truth is, every time I had the time to sit down to write, I decided to go for a bike ride instead!
After a lot of frustration with Vermont's let-us-say "imperfect" roads and hills, the Evelo Luna I bought from Zoombikes has brought the joy I used to find in biking back into my life. I am by no means a biking marathoner or in tip-top shape, but I find myself getting more exercise than ever now I have my Luna--and all without too much sweating even on the hottest days (the built-in air-conditioning helps with that). I am currently riding more miles and hours than I have since I was in college--and enjoying every minute of it. Electric bikes should be the law of the land in places like Vermont (everywhere else, too), and I have found my Luna up to even the worst Class 4 roads around here (though it admittedly isn't a mountain bike, and I suggest staying on pavement or at least gravel when you can). Yes, it can do hills!
Larry Gilbert was extremely helpful when I bought my bike from him--most importantly, he was very patient with all my dumb questions and a couple small follow-up issues I had after purchasing the Luna. I couldn't more highly recommend a better dealer (or a better bike); I've been telling anyone who inquires about my bike to go to him. If I ever upgrade my Luna to an even fancier model, I'm going back to Zoombikes!
This review would be longer--but I'm aching to get back on the saddle and enjoy the world as I see it from my Evelo Luna.
Scott Elledge, West Corinth, Vermont
"The Luna bike was the best purchase I have made in a long time. No regrets at all, just wish I had discovered them years ago. Now we are down to one car and it is so easy to get around Burlington quickly for little errands to grocery store or taking Lola to the dog park. I no longer worry about going to far on my bike and running out of energy to get home, either. And getting up the giant hill from the waterfront to our home is a breeze, I can't believe it. I have to say, I may never ride my manual bike again and I really loved that bike, too! Maybe there is a way to outfit it with fat tires for the winter?"
Cynthia Jane Evans, Burlington
