Electric Star was founded in 1997 for the simple purpose of sharing a device which we think is awesome. The electric bicycle ties together so many positives for life improvement: health, freedom, peace, the environment, and the enrichment of spirit. Everyone who tries one has an immediate and unmistakable grin on their face. We call it the eGrin.

So we sort and sift through this complex marketplace to assist you with only he finest products and values in Alternative Transportation.

I have a long history with bicycles, starting with a backyard bike shop when I was 12. I worked my way through college repairing, restoring and building bikes. In the 70’s, I set my bike tools up in an abandoned gas station and started Planet Repair, which turned into a free and by-donation bicycle shop. We would dismantle the bikes that students threw away at the end of the school quarter, separate the parts from which people could build bikes, carts and other contraptions. Eventhough I had raced and toured bicycles, I became fascinated by the marriage of the bicycle with electric power. It seemed like the perfect synergy, combining two of humankind’s quantum inventions -- the wheel with the brilliance of electricity. Here was a solution to pollution, a joyful way of freely moving around, and a method to promote wellness -- all in one! As the electric bike evolved, I have become involved with its development and promotion in a variety of ways.

We are not an emporium for every electric vehicle out there. Instead, we vigorously evaluate the marketplace and deal only with the "all-stars." We specialize in friendly, knowledgeable, personalized assistance you can trust.

It’s Complicated!

Buyer beware: there is a lot of "garbage" in this marketplace, as well as much poor information. This is a young and emerging technology which has undergone many growing pains. Many of the products in the past were not ready for prime time. And some of the big box and other stores carry cheap products of inferior quality which are, in a word, junk. The best of these may serve the purpose of introduction. Unfortunately, most of the cheap electric bikes do not perform properly, break down frequently, and have poor support. There are also a lot of inflated claims for range and speed, so it is difficult, if not impossible to understand this industry by surfing the internet. There are also many poorly designed and underpowered bikes on the market designed for the much larger (120 million electric bikes) European and Asian marketplace -- which regulate for lower power and speeds than in the US. In addition, many manufacturer’s think that just because it is electric, it doesn’t need to have quality bicycle components, or be in the balance --  the very core of a bicycle. This contributes to the reason why many conventional bicycle shops have a bias against electric bikes. We only deal with real-world information and quality products which have proven themselves to us.

The Good News

The good news is that there are also some outstanding products entering the marketplace, which we are very excited about supporting and promoting. The electric bike is truly a joy; an environmentally friendly device that will uplift your energy every time you ride. It is virtually silent. And, it is the ONLY powered vehicle which has no restrictions or regulations: No license, registration, or insurance is required. You can ride on the street, the bike path, a trail, an alley -- practically everywhere -- and you can also park just about anywhere. And the cost of electricity is around a dime every 25 miles! The Auto Club estimates actual driving expense at about $1-a-mile when gas, depreciation, insurance, repairs, maintenance and ancillary costs are calculated. So riding an electric bike pays for itself in short order.  Every time you ride you are contributing to your wellness and reducing your carbon footprint. And the best part is the smile on your face each and every time you ride. Wishing you miles of electric smiles!

Our Mission: For Fun, health, economy, peace, freedom, and our planet.

Happy Customer Policy: We believe in Happy Customers. So, we will give you your best deal on an electric bike. We are available to answer your questions. If you’ve bought a bike from us, we will give you additional batteries at cost, not retail.

The Sun in Your Hands: eBikes by Electric Star
Interview with Ken Kalb by Willi Paul


An Electric Bicycle Experience

I've worked most of the day and feel like airing out my body/mind/spirit out and getting some exercise. So I take off from the Montecito YMCA parking lot for a sunset ride, press the thumb throttle and... whooosh -- I'm accelerating away into the breeze. At about 12 mph, I start pedaling and it's sooo easy because I've already got my momentum. At Schoolhouse Road, I start pulling up a mild hill, so I press the trusty throttle and pull the hill without losing any speed. As I top the hill and begin to descend, I pick up more speed, twist the grip shift into a higher gear -- spinning the pedals a bit until I am going about 25 mph. I'm flying freely, freewheeling down the hill like I will never stop. I cruise about a mile down to the stop sign at Coast Village Road, where I stop, pulling up to a pack of about 20 hard- core cyclists clad in colorful lycra jerseys mounted on expensive road bikes. I'm admiring some beauties: an Eddy Mercx, a Colnago Super, and a thick aluminum framed Cannondale -- they're really works of art. I accelerate ahead, resisting the temptation to turn my head and gleam at the slow starting hardcore cyclists. So I had a little help from my Electric motor, so what! I've worked all day and I don't need to prove anything. Yes, I'm into this for the exercise, but the bottom line is simply about pure fun. One rider pulls up to me to check out my hi-tech machinery, as we keep stride at 18 mph -- except I'm not doing any pedaling!

I ride past the Coral Casino smelling the salty ocean air and looking up at the magnificently landscaped Biltmore hotel on my right, Santa Ynez mountains rising in the background. I dismount my bike, pop the kickstand down and ascend the seawall where I watch the sun begin its colorful descent into the underworld. I don't have to wait long before a pair of dolphins dance through the surf-line, ain't it good just to be alive! Those joyous dolphins use the momentum of their slinky bodies to propel effortlessly. It's starting to cool off, so I get back on my bike and accelerate up the lane, loving that torquey feeling which never fails to bring a smile to my face. At Butterfly lane, I make a right and ascend up the hill, pedaling about 50% and powering about 50%. I'm still getting plenty of exercise, but there's no pain in my legs at all. I love mixing up the modes, it adds tremendous dimension to the cycling experience. I get to the top of the grade, upshift and pedal to gain a bit more speed and then, like those dolphins -- let the terrain do the work, taking me up to 25 mph or so. Working with the road, we are partners, and between my pedaling, shifting, electric power, and my freewheeling, I've got a full array of power sources from which to choose. I make a right and get into a nice pedaling rhythm, spinning about a dozen pumps, then coasting while my legs recover -- repeating this formula for about a mile, mile and a half. I start pulling into the bigger hills going back up Olive Mill Road, and I start feeling my legs getting heavy. I'm just plain tired, so I press my thumb throttle and enjoy the delightful sights and scents of spring flowers as I pull the grade back up to Schoolhouse Road. By the time I get to Schoolhouse, the blood is back in my legs and I've got the juice to pump the easy hills and dales back to the YMCA. Man, this is fun! I've just modulated the perfect balance of fun and exercise for my short scoot into the sunset. I reflect on how if I had of taken this same short ride in my car, it would have been no where near the exhilarating experience I just enjoyed.

Life is an adventure... enjoy the ride!