New Orleans E-Bike Rebate Applicant?
If you have been selected to receive a City of New Orleans instant e-bike rebate voucher, a Discovery Ride can help you make the most of your one-time opportunity.
Many rebate recipients may have only a limited time to choose a qualifying e-bike. Rather than rushing into a decision, a Discovery Ride gives you meaningful time on the bike you are seriously considering so you can decide with confidence.
Learn how Discovery Rides fit into the New Orleans E-Bike Rebate Program
Take the Time to Make the Right Decision
It continues to surprise us how many people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on an e-bike they've never actually seen or ridden in person.
Others visit a bike shop, ride a bike briefly around a parking lot or down the street, then make a decision that could affect how they ride for years to come.
A five-minute test ride may be enough to learn where the brakes are, how the motor engages, and whether the bike generally fits. But if you want enough saddle time to know whether you'll enjoy riding that particular bike for an hour or more, whether the riding position remains comfortable, and whether it's truly the right bike for your lifestyle, you simply need more time on the bike.
It also helps to have someone who knows that bike riding alongside you, someone who can answer your questions as they come up and help you understand its features in real-world situations.
That's why we created the E-Bike Discovery Ride.
Instead of making a decision after just a few minutes, you'll spend meaningful time on the one bike you're seriously considering. You'll ride real streets and paths with an experienced guide, ask questions as they come up, and return with a much better understanding of whether that bike is the right one for you.
Our goal isn't to convince you to buy an e-bike.
Our goal is to help you become confident that, if you decide to buy one, you're choosing the bike that's right for you.
Who This Is For
The E-Bike Discovery Ride is for people who are serious enough to be considering an e-bike, but thoughtful enough to want more than a quick spin before spending real money.
It may be a good fit if you are considering your first e-bike. Many people are curious about e-bikes but still unsure how natural they feel once you are actually riding.
It may be a good fit if you have not ridden in years. The goal is not to test your fitness or judge your riding. The goal is to help you get comfortable.
It may be a good fit if you are deciding whether a particular bike fits your real life. Specifications can tell you what a bike claims to do. Riding tells you how it feels.
It may be a good fit if you want to avoid buying mostly on price or online specifications. Price matters. Specifications matter. But neither matters much if the bike is a poor fit for you and the kind of riding you actually want to do.
Some of the Most Important Questions Never Get Asked
When people first ride an e-bike, they often have questions they do not say out loud.
They may wonder whether they are using the controls correctly, whether they look awkward, whether the bike is too heavy, whether they should use more or less pedal assist, or whether the riding position can be made more comfortable.
Those are not silly questions. They are normal.
One of the advantages of riding with an experienced guide is that you do not have to figure everything out by yourself. As you settle into the ride, questions naturally come up. Sometimes you will ask them. Sometimes your guide may notice something and suggest a seat adjustment, handlebar adjustment, lower pedal assist setting, or different way to use the bike.
The goal is not to judge your riding. The goal is to help you become comfortable enough to discover whether this bike truly fits you.
How It Works
Your Discovery Ride begins at our French Quarter showroom. Before heading out, we make sure your helmet is fitted, the bike is adjusted, and you understand the basic controls.
Then you ride the one e-bike you are seriously considering with a trained guide riding alongside you. The route typically uses the Lafitte Greenway because it is a paved, off-street bike path. That means fewer distractions, more room to see ahead, and less worry about cars coming up from behind you.
That calmer setting lets you focus on the bike itself: comfort, handling, pedal assist, throttle use when available, braking, fit, and how the bike feels after more than just a few minutes.
You may ride for up to one hour. If you know sooner that the bike is right for you, or not right for you, you can return sooner.
Why One Bike?
Some people expect to compare several bikes during one appointment. That is not what this ride is designed to do.
The E-Bike Discovery Ride is built around one bike because a few minutes on several bikes often creates more confusion, not more clarity.
If one bike already appeals to you, the better question is usually not, "Can I try five more?" The better question is, "Do I still like this bike after I have actually ridden it for a while?"
That is what this experience is designed to help you answer.
What You May Discover During the Ride
Many riders begin a little cautious. That is normal. As they relax, they begin to experiment more. They change pedal assist levels. They try riding with the motor off. They learn what the throttle does, when available. They notice whether the seat or handlebars need adjustment. They begin to understand the bike as a bicycle, not as a confusing piece of equipment.
That is often when the decision becomes clearer.
Sometimes the answer is, "Yes, this feels right." Sometimes the answer is, "I like e-bikes, but not this model." Sometimes the answer is, "I need more time before buying." Those are all useful outcomes.
An E-Bike Is Still a Bicycle
An e-bike has two wheels and pedals, just like other bicycles. You can pedal it and get exercise. You can use pedal assist when you want help. On some models, you can use a throttle when you need it.
What an e-bike offers is versatility.
The question is not only whether an e-bike works. The question is whether this particular e-bike works for you, your comfort level, your routes, your storage, your budget, and the kind of riding you expect to do.
Pricing and Purchase Credit
Private Discovery Ride, one rider: $159
Couples Discovery Ride, two riders: $198
Purchase credit: If you purchase a new e-bike within 30 days of your Discovery Ride, you may receive one $99 purchase credit per purchasing rider.
For a couples ride, if one rider buys one new e-bike, one $99 credit may apply. If both riders each buy a new e-bike, up to $198 total may apply.
Credits apply only to new e-bike purchases, are limited to one credit per rider, and are not transferable.
What This Ride Is Not
This is not a bachelor party ride, sightseeing tour, or casual group outing. We offer other rides for people who simply want to enjoy New Orleans by bike.
The E-Bike Discovery Ride is for people who are seriously considering an e-bike and want enough saddle time to make a more confident decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. Discovery Rides are best scheduled by appointment so we can reserve the right bike and make sure a trained guide is available. If a guide and bike are available, we may occasionally be able to accommodate a same-day request.
Are helmets included?
Yes. Helmet use is included and required.
Can I change bikes during the ride?
No. Each Discovery Ride focuses on one bike. If two people book a couples ride, each rider may choose a different bike, subject to availability.
Can I ride with the motor off?
Yes. In fact, that can be helpful. Some riders have range anxiety, and riding in assist level zero helps them understand what the bike feels like under their own power.
What if the bike is not comfortable at first?
Tell your guide. Sometimes a seat, handlebar, or pedal assist adjustment makes a meaningful difference.
What if it rains?
If rain or severe weather makes the ride unsuitable, we reschedule.
Can visitors book this?
Yes, though some bikes may not be available for shipping. We will discuss that before confirming the ride if you are visiting from outside the area.
Can kids participate?
Riders must be 18 or older unless accompanied by a parent. With a parent present, riders age 15 or older may participate.
Are there weight limits?
Weight limits depend on the carrying capacity of the specific bike being ridden.
Can I buy afterward?
Yes. If you decide the bike is right for you, you may purchase from available inventory or we may be able to order the model or color you prefer.
Request Your E-Bike Discovery Ride
Use this form to request a Discovery Ride. We will review your request, check bike and guide availability, and contact you to confirm the appointment.
Prefer to talk first? Text or call (504) 533-9688. Open daily 9:30-4:30.