Imagine being able to run errands at lunch and go to meetings quickly and efficiently without stepping into a car or waiting for a bus. Bicycles are a great way to get around town, especially in Portland. Many people are interested in trying this alternative form of transportation, but don’t want to break a sweat before a meeting.

This conundrum comes with a solution: the electric bike, or e-bike! This summer, Lloyd EcoDistrict and GenZe challenge you to try a new form of transportation. Our E-bike Challenge will be an exciting way to test out how office life can be transformed with the presence of an electric bicycle—and we’re giving you a chance to win one!

From June 22-26, GenZe will loan an e-bike to each participating Lloyd District business. Employees will use the bike to replace car trips. The goal is to give people the opportunity to try taking active transport to out-of-office meetings and errands, patronize local vendors, and make deliveries.

These zero-emission bikes go up to 16 mph with a variety of settings that offer different levels of pedal assistance. This may sound intimidating to some, but the e-bike was designed to be easy to control for beginners. In our office, some staff were initially hesitant to try the e-bike, but everyone wound up loving it!

In exchange for a week with the e-bike, we’re asking that each participating workplace share their experience on social media and tell a short story through photos, smartphone video, or blog post about how they used the bike. The best submission will win an e-bike for their office!

What if the future of the Lloyd District included having e-bikes in every office? If you’re interested in joining us in this challenge, contact Masayo Simon at masayo@ecolloyd.org for more information about how to sign up.

Masayo Simon is the Communications & Outreach Intern for Lloyd EcoDistrict. You can contact her at masayo@ecolloyd.org