WATSONVILLE - Gardner Martin, renowned for his pursuit of human-powered speed, turned his prize-winning designs into a respected line of recumbent bicycles more than 30 years ago.
The current owner of Watsonville-based Easy Racers is rolling down a different path, aiming to energize sales and riders with battery power.
"Electrifying them seemed to me to be an obvious evolution," said Denton Coetzee, who bought Easy Racers after Martin's death in 2004.
Given Martin's accomplishments - his human-powered Gold Rush earned a spot in the Smithsonian after hitting a record-setting 65.48 mph in 1986 - the founder would not likely approve of his innovation, Coetzee said. But the aerodynamic and ergonomic design of Easy Racers makes then an "ideal platform" for a new generation of electric bicycles designed to appeal to commuters facing increasing prices at the pump and aging customers needing a little assist now and then to continue riding.
Advances in lithium ion battery technology made it possible to motorize the bicycles, Coetzee said. The battery pack, which sits on a rack behind the seat, weighs 10 pounds and powers a 10-pound 1,000-watt motor attached to the frame.
The electric bike has a top speed of 40 mph and a range of about 40 miles on a one-hour charge, he said.
The electric components are available as a kit to retrofit older bikes.
Baby boomers are Easy Racer's predominant customers, Coetzee said. Typically, they've ridden traditional bicycles for years, but have tired of the upright position as they've aged. Recumbents, or bent bikes as they are also known, allow for a more laid-back position while maximizing efficiency. The motorized version may enable aging riders to extend their cycling lives, he said, mentioning the hill he lives on in Santa Cruz.
"There's going to come a time when I still want to ride, but I need that little extra to get up that hill," said Coetzee, 53.
That's not to say Coetzee thinks younger riders shouldn't consider recumbents. He stands a conventional cycle next to the Gold Rush he rides and compares it to a penny farthing, the 19th century cycle with the giant front wheel.
The Hangar Way plant turns out about 250 cycles a year, one at a time, for sale directly to the consumer via the Internet or at the Watsonville shop.
A separate EZ/Sun line is designed by Easy Racer but produced by Sun Bicycles in Taiwan and sold at bike shops around the country.
Coetzee said he can turn out five bikes a day in Watsonville, and could ramp up production if the market improved. But sales took a dive along with the economy in 2008, and though business picked up in January hinting at a hoped-for recovery, it's slowed again, he said.
Economic volatility is hard on small businesses, he said. But the single father of four has kept the company afloat by cutting expenses at the plant and at home. He had to lay off one employee, but he's been able to keep five others at work.
Coetzee, who grew up in apartheid-era South Africa and immigrated to the United States as an "idealistic" 20-something looking at the promise of equal opportunity, said despite the challenges, the business is rewarding.
"My customers are fanatical," Coetzee said. "It helps keep me wanting to do it."
Follow Sentinel reporter Donna Jones on Twitter @DonnaJonesSCS
At a Glance
Electric easy racer
WHAT: Recumbent bicycle powered by a lithium ion battery and 1,000-watt motor
TOP SPEED: 40 mph
RANGE: 40 miles on 1 hour charge
COST: $4,500 and up
INFORMATION: www.easyracers.com or 10 Hangar Way, Watsonville
