Saving money is a good thing.  Making your commute fun and less stressful is also a good thing. Putting them together provides an exceptional opportunity to enjoy the benefits of an e-bike.

The University of California has discount pricing with several e-bike vendors, including Dirwin Bike, Lectric Bike, and Velotric, that is available for Lab staff, UC faculty, and UC students.  Depending on the vendor, discounts range from 15 percent to 60 percent. 

Log into Velotric and Dirwin using your lbl.gov email address. Lectric Bike has two paths to follow on its website: one for students and one for faculty and staff. Select the University of California Office of the President in the drop-down menu for the name of your institution. Fill out your name and Lab email address. Click on “Verify My Teacher Status.”  Ignore the next screen that pops up and wait for an email from Lectric Bike. It may take up to 15 minutes to receive it. Click on the link in the email, and it will open a new screen that asks you to verify your employment.  You can download employment verification from UC Path by clicking on Income and Taxes>Verification of Employment>Generate Summary Report>Download Attachment.  

When shopping for an e-bike, look at the size of the motor for the best performance on the Lab’s hill site.  You can park the bike in any space near a building as long as the bike does not block doors, egress paths, and stairs. Charging the e-bike battery is allowed at the Lab, but you must get approval from the Lab’s Fire Marshal, Mike Torkelson at fire@lbl.gov. 

You can compare options in a buyer’s guide prepared by UC.