I’m getting closer to joining the many folks in the area with an e-bike to complement my vintage 1978 three-speed Schwinn Collegiate, which he has no intention of giving up. In a stroke of fortuitous timing, I recently had a Coast News employee mention Doug Lord at Pedego Solana Beach, combining e-bikes with coastal culinary adventures.
This piqued my personal and professional interest, so I reached out to Doug to learn more about his innovative coastal e-bike food tours. I will also collaborate with Doug as he further develops his app, suggesting stops based on his extensive culinary knowledge of the area.
Lick the Plate: First, give me a recap of your background, where you grew up, and your professional journey to opening Pedego.
Doug Lord: I’m a native Southern Californian raised in Riverside. After high school, I moved to Los Angeles and attended Woodbury College, where I earned a degree in business. I also became a professional pilot, flying corporate planes and working in sales.
Eventually, I ended up living on Catalina Island. One day, while sitting outside one of my businesses, I saw a guy zooming past on a bike without pedaling. I was instantly fascinated and wanted to learn more. He told me it was an electric bike with a throttle.
He asked if I wanted to take it for a spin, and I instantly said yes. After that first ride on a Pedego electric bike, I was hooked. I contacted Pedego, made an appointment to meet with them in Irvine, and eventually started a Pedego electric bike rental business in Avalon, Catalina Island.
LTP: Let’s discuss the Pedego brand a bit. What sets it apart, and what are its differentiators?
DL: When I first met Pedego, they were America’s only electric bike brand. They introduced the U.S. to electric bikes with lithium-ion batteries. Back then, eBikes only had throttles as “pedal assist” hadn’t been invented yet.
I’ve been with Pedego for the past 17 years, and it’s a quality brand with exclusive dealerships that only sell Pedego bikes. I liked that because I could offer my customers local sales, test rides, service, rentals, and tours. After deciding to leave Catalina, I moved to San Diego and purchased the Pedego dealership in Solana Beach, which I’ve owned for the past 11 years.
LTP: I’ve been thinking about an e-bike. What should I look for in a manufacturer?
DL: Look for a local dealer that offers service and test rides and has a fully stocked service department. Internet brands may be cheaper but provide minimal customer service and lack a local place for repairs, parts, and problem diagnosis. Internet bike sellers come and go, and when they disappear, so do the parts needed to fix your bike.
Multi-brand dealers may charge more, but you get much more in return — test rides, proper fit, local repair, warranty service, and a relationship with your local dealer. Exclusive dealerships, like Pedego Solana Beach, sell only one brand and stock almost all the necessary parts at each location. Pedego has a network of over 200 dealers nationwide, offering the best warranty in the industry and a five-year anti-theft warranty. Our new bikes and batteries are UL-certified.
LTP: Where did the idea for the e-bike food tour come from, and how did you launch it?
DL: I wanted to develop a group of phone-based apps for people to explore the area like a local. Many rental customers visiting from other areas wanted to ride but didn’t know the area well. I would try to explain a route, but it wasn’t the same as a tour.
Some rental places offer guided tours, but you’re limited to following the guide and dealing with other people’s issues. Our rental bikes have phone holders on the handlebars and a USB plug so you can power your phone while you ride.
So, I settled on a self-guided tour that people could take on their own, at their own pace. As part of that, I developed a food tour to explore the area and enjoy local restaurants. This tour is great fun for groups, too.
The phone app can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple Store. It displays a route on a map so you won’t get lost. Stops are geo-fenced, so when you get close, I come on your audio and explain what you’re looking at. At restaurant stops you can view the menu on the app before deciding to stop or move on to another restaurant along the route.
Anyone can download the tour and use their own bike. The tours range from $12.99 to $19.99; we even have a free tour to try before purchasing.
LTP: What restaurants are currently on your suggested list of stops, and why?
DL: I like to keep the stops changing to keep the app fresh and fun. That’s why I’m collaborating with you, David, to guide me on some new and exciting food stops. The food tour travels from Solana Beach to Encinitas, then back to Del Mar, ending in Solana Beach.
The specific restaurants are a surprise since they change, but I assure you, you won’t be hungry at the end of the tour. Our tours are great for showing visitors around, for team-building days, or for locals wanting to try something different! My tour business, Dynamite Electric Bike Tours, offers them.
Learn more, book a tour, and download the app at www.pedegosolanabeach.com.
