We were in the market for an electric cargo bike that could serve as a second family vehicle and ferry our 3rd grader to and from her school, which is two miles away via bike path. As it stands now, even though it's only 2 miles away, in a car we have to allot 20 minutes one-way because of traffic. Electric cargo bikes are becoming more prominent as families are realizing they can safely get their kids to and from school, while also avoiding the headache of LA traffic.
I have a Riese and Müller Tinker Vario that I bought during the height of the pandemic, so I'm no stranger to electric bikes. I was unfamiliar with electric cargo bikes, though, and embarked on an online fact-finding expedition before landing on wanting a Tern--both because of their reputation in the electric cargo space and because of their feature-heavy rides. After landing on a model I thought I wanted, I then set off to find a local (Los Angeles) dealer that would have one in stock that I could test ride.
And this is where the difference is made.
If the bike is a known brand with quality components, it's going to sell itself. But a great bike that's good for one person, may not work for another. The right bike shop with salespeople who actually listen and don't just try and sell you on things you don't need will make sure they make the right fit for who you are as a customer.
From the moment I called, Hector answered all my questions easily and patiently. I didn't feel a whiff of pressure or that I was in any way being spoken down to for having a million questions. I drove out to the shop the day after speaking with him on the phone.
After test-riding the model I thought I wanted, Hector even offered to hold it for me until 2 days later when I could get my wife and kid in the store so they could see it and test ride it. As I said, it was an absolutely chill and zero pressure situation. I also learned more about the bike from their mechanic, Martin, who immediately made me feel welcome, and, moreover, valid in all of my questions. He, too, didn't speak down to me or have any airs of arrogance whatsoever. You know those bike shops and you know those guys, the ones who make you feel stupid for not knowing what a derailleur is? From their sales staff to their mechanic, Kruse is NOT that store.
When I brought my family in two days later, the shop owner, Andrew was there. I appreciated that he was present but never hovered. I didn't even realize he was the store owner because the few times we spoke, he just politely answered my questions. He clearly trusted Hector to do exactly everything Hector was doing.
Hector helped us try several bikes out. He brought my wife on a guided test ride. He patiently swapped accessory after accessory so we could make sure the kid was going to be comfortable on the bike. And then finally, after many hours (much to the dismay of our kid), we landed on an entirely different bike than I had originally wanted!
We added accessories, chose to have it delivered after the accessories were to come in (they will deliver within a certain distance for a reasonable fee), and paid what was surprisingly less than I thought we would, considering the amount of bike we were getting.
Andrew, the shop owner, delivered the bike to our house himself. I had added an accessory at the 11th hour (truly a half hour before he was due to leave to come to us), and he brought it with him so we could see it before choosing to buy or not. We wound up not getting it because it would've been too low, but we so appreciated that he brought it so we could see it. He walked us through everything on the bike with deliberation and care, and most importantly, NO rush whatsoever. He also test rode it before handing it over, just to make certain one last time that everything was up to par.
End to end, every step of this process was easy and convivial. This shop is unparalleled in every single way--much like the Tern we are already immensely enjoying! read more
