The confidence of the bike industry in electric bikes continues to grow. Last year, The e-Bike Store became Portland's first shop exclusively carrying electric bicycles. Recently the e-bike manufacturer Kalkhoff opened a Pearl District location.

When I met with a CEO of a Dutch bike company this summer, he spoke enthusiastically about e-bikes ability to increase the number of trips taken by bike and to introduce new people to biking for transportation.

Even in Holland, the most bike-friendly country in the world, e-bikes are seen as transformational.

While they expand the market of cyclists and look cool, e-bikes still need to overcome some resistance from within the bike community. When I had the flu last spring, I borrowed an e-bike to help me return to bike commuting.

While I receive a couple of sneers from fully human-powered cyclists, the e-bike was great. In my weakend immune state, I could still surmount the steep N Interstate hill on my way home to Kenton.

Without it, it would have taken an additional two weeks before I could have commuted by bike.

Visit The E Bike Store at 201 N Alberta.

Stop by Kalkhoff at 528 NW 11th Avenue.

Electric bike photo courtesy of Kalkhoff.