Featured Underwriter: Seacoast E-Bikes

By Meghan Hirsch

Seacoast E-Bikes, a bike shop located in Newington, NH, opened during the COVID-19 Pandemic when Seacoast residents were searching for ways to stay active and get outside. Besides selling and educating the public on E-bikes, the shop also supports several nonprofits and finds various ways to be involved in the community.

 

One of these ways is by being an underwriter for WSCA. With support from the shop, WSCA is able to keep producing diverse local programming to serve the community. 

 

Anne Poubeau is the Digital Marketing Manager and Head of Customer Relations at Seacoast E-Bikes. She explained that an e-bike is essentially just a bike with a motor and a battery that can assist a rider when they pedal. 

 

Poubeau said that e-Bikes are great for those who may not be comfortable on an old-fashioned bike, and have been helping all sorts of people of all ages get active. She also stressed the importance of e-Bikes’ positive impacts on the environment, since they do not release greenhouse gasses like cars. 

 

Pobeau practices what she preaches by riding to the store on her e-bike most days. She even sold her car. 

 

“To me, it’s a way of giving people access to transportation when otherwise they only have two feet,” said Pobeau.

 

In terms of community involvement, the shop supports several nonprofits, such as The United Sports Foundation and the Portland Wheelers. Pobeau and Steve Gerhartz, the CEO of Seacoast E-Bikes, are also members of the board of the Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders (SABR). 

 

SABR strives to “Improve the safety, accessibility, and enjoyment of biking in the area.”

 

The store has donated bike lights to SABR for bikers in the area who may not have access to them and is also working together with other bike shops on a program that would collect unwanted bikes, fix them, and distribute them, according to Pobeau.

 

The store has even made waves politically. A bill was introduced at the state level that would restrict e-bike use on roads. The store sent out an email to customers, letting them know, and around five hundred people wrote to State Representatives opposing the bill. Pobeau said that there’s no way to know if those people were influenced by the email, but it still shows the community present in the Seacoast E-bike realm. 

 

In terms of smaller-scale community impact, Poubeau said a big part of what they do is just answering questions, providing test rides, and educating people on the safety and features of e-Bikes. 

 

Poubeau also noted that lots of customers will share their personal success stories on how the e-Bikes have completely changed their way of life and led to healthier habits.

 

Gerhartz is launching a nonprofit that will be primarily based in Kittery and will focus on electric bikes and trikes for those who cannot pedal themselves. This would provide an avenue for people in retirement homes or with various disabilities who still want to bike. 

 

In the four years since its opening, the store has immersed itself in the community, not only through sales and customer relations but also with its involvement in various nonprofits, like WSCA, and the work it does to promote safety and accessibility for all riders.