Pedego electric bike shop opens in Naperville
A year after opening an electric bicycle shop in Wheaton, the owners are already expanding.
Jeff Alvis and Bill Budicin recently opened their second Pedego e-bike store in Naperville, hoping to take advantage of the rapidly growing industry and eager customer base.
Located at 513 87th St., the south Naperville location opened in early April. While the weather hasn't cooperated in terms of trying out the e-bikes, foot traffic should pick up as temperatures rise and people stop by for test rides on the nearby trails.
"Traffic's been good, but people haven't been able to get out and ride because of the weather," Budicin said. "But I think it's going to turn out well. The location is nice and close to the DuPage River and trails."
The Wheaton location, which opened in March 2021, was Pedego's first in the western suburbs, and Naperville is the fourth in the Chicago area. The company started in 2008 and opened its first store in 2010.
Alvis and Budicin, retired former co-workers, were intrigued by the concept of e-bikes that can ride like normal bikes or take advantage of a battery for extra power. Budicin hadn't even heard of e-bikes when Alvis approached him about the idea of opening a Pedego store, but he quickly understood the draw.
"Pedego really saw the benefit of having brick and mortar locations so customers have that personal touch and they can actually try out the bikes," Alvis said. "It's a great area to open a store like this."
The Naperville location offers sales, service and rentals of the many styles of Pedego e-bikes. Purchase points range from $2,000 to $4,500, while rental fees are $25 an hour and $100 for an entire day. If you choose to purchase after renting, the rental price is applied to the cost of the e-bike.
Budicin said about 80% of their sales are to people 55-years-old and up, but the demographics are skewing younger because of the many applications. In addition to taking the e-bikes on trails and paths, they're perfect for city dwellers who don't want to drive a car to work or elsewhere.
As more people in Naperville and the surrounding area discover their store, Alvis and Budicin are confident the success they've seen in Wheaton will carry over.
"It feels like we're real early in the adoption period here," Budicin said. "We figured it was the right place and right time. Everything's pointed in the right direction for e-bikes to do well here."