La Jolla is not known its flat and gravel/pothole-free roads. Due to the heavy amount of tourist traffic during the warmer months, construction crews are typically working to not only replace existing water structures, but also maintain a street safe for everyone. Obviously, this can make biking difficult in the area, despite the fact that there are well-designated and frequently-groomed bike routes. Say one wishes to bike around La Jolla at a leisurely pace without skipping the most promising vistas (often up a steep gradient). This is where village-based San Diego Fly Rides, an electronically-powered bike specialty retailer and tour company, comes into play. Founded by Ike and Megan Fazzio in 2011, initially located in the Gaslamp, San Diego Fly Rides provide the perfect solution to combat parking issues and over-fatigue while taking in the many sights San Diego has to offer. San Diego Fly Rides expanded to their La Jolla location in 2013, and have been growing ever since.
In regards to the growth of the ebike industry, Fazzio said that there’s “lots of new demand each year. There’s an ebike for everyone and we have customers who have decided to ditch the car and commute with an ebike to customers with knee issues and need some assistance with climbing our hilly terrain.”
Though seemingly unnatural at first, anyone with basic cycling skills is suited to try out what can arguably be seen as the “future” of bicycling. The bikes offered (both for rent and sale) are built with sturdy aluminum frames complete with an electronic motor. Depending on an individual’s weight and height, the ebikes can travel between two to seven miles per hour. Once a rider begins pedaling, the motor is triggered, creating an unfamiliar “boost,” which propels the rider up hills and on straightaways at a greater speed. Simply cruising around the block from Prospect Street down to the Cove and back would usually cause one to perspire quite a bit. On one of San Diego Fly Rides ebikes, however, cruising up the steep hills in the area seems like a piece of cake. Fazzio says that all ebikes plug into a wall-based outlet, typically taking about three to four hours to reach a full charge. San Diego Fly Rides offer group tours, which include such staple locations as the Cove, the Shores, down to Bird Rock and much more. Prior to (or during) the adventure, riders set the speed level of their electronic engine. “Our most popular tour is definitely our SoCal Riviera Tour, which guests love, as we really get to utilize the electric power on our climb up to check out the gorgeous views from Mt. Soledad.” said Fazzio. While their primary residence is in LA, the Fazzios spend most weekends at their La Jolla shop. Thankfully for them, they have assembled a crack team of marketing representatives, engineers and tour guides, ensuring that all clients are in good hands. This seems to play a major role in their success.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have a great team working with us,” Fazzio extolled. “Jerit is currently overseeing operations in San Diego as our operations manager and is just a fantastic guy. Cameron Hurley heads up our service shop, and he came on board last spring and has been an equally great addition. Colby Munson is our lead guide and knows how to keep our guests entertained and safe while out on tour. We also have three more part-time employees who round out our team as tour guides.”
San Diego Fly Rides has found a way for even the lackadaisical to conquer the hills of La Jolla. These ebikes ultimately allow riders to travel nearly twice the distance in any given measure of time, and that makes all the difference.
