A Little Bit About Propel

Thanks for checking us out and taking the time to find out what we’re about. We’re not in this to make a quick buck – we’re here for the long haul, to transform transportation as we know it.

Key Facts

Founded Founded

In 2011 by Chris Nolte

Locations Locations

Brooklyn NY & Long Beach CA

Why We Exist Why We Exist

E-bikes can transform transportation as we know it, and enrich a lot of lives

What We Sell What We Sell

Pedal-assist electric bikes, only if they meet our standards

Who We Serve Who We Serve

People of all ages, literally all over the world (but mostly in the US)

Our Story

To understand Propel, you need to know our founder, Chris Nolte.

At only 18 years old, Chris saved up to purchase 55 used bicycles from a police auction. His plan: to restore & resell each one, putting the money towards a college degree. To cover the rest of his tuition, Chris enlisted in the US Army Reserves. Following the 9/11 attacks, Chris was shipped out to Iraq to transport fuel.

After suffering a back injury and returning home as a disabled combat veteran, Chris found himself unable to live an active lifestyle. Riding a bike, something he couldn’t imagine not doing, was suddenly out of reach. Rather than dwell on his misfortune, he searched for alternatives. It wasn’t long before he purchased his first pedal-assist electric bike.

The E-bike turned his life around.

Chris recognized that this technology could transform transportation as we know it. After his experience in Iraq, Chris felt compelled to do what he could to lessen the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. In 2011, Propel was born (then known as Long Island Electric Bikes).

Propel became one of the nation’s leading e-bike dealers.

Beginning with only six bikes in an office building, Chris gambled that the US was ready for an e-bike boom. Sure enough, he was able to quickly expand to a warehouse with an ever-growing selection. Propel soon became one of the nation’s leading dealers of electric-assisted bicycles. Today we have a storefront & warehouse in Brooklyn, and we recently opened a second location in Long Beach, CA.

We're contributing to a better future.

Although we’re best known for selling high-quality e-bikes, we’re also working to educate our local legislators to ensure e-bike riders are treated fairly under the law, and making sure that e-bikes are represented responsibly in the media. E-bikes can enrich a lot of lives and transform our transportation economy – we’re doing everything we can to make that future more likely.

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In The News

In the media, we are ambassadors of electric bikes above all else.

We’re grateful for all the press we receive, and mindful of the responsibility that comes along with it: making sure the very new relationship between the US and e-bikes starts off on the right foot.

E-Bikes, Congestion Pricing and New York’s Need to Fix the Subway

Dec. 4, 2017

“This is a transportation solution, a key part of the puzzle,’ explains Nolte. In the transit desert around the Brooklyn Navy Yard for example, many of Propel’s customers find e-bikes a clean, healthy way to get around New York without getting on a train, bus or into a ride-hailing service like Lyft or Via.” Read More

A Tesla Too Pricey? E-Bikes Offer Entry-Level Electric Transportation

Nov. 23, 2017

“E-bikes are beginning to acquire a certain cachet, Mr. Nolte said, with more aesthetically appealing models that are difficult to distinguish from regular bicycles. Proponents say the best argument for e-bikes, however, is the experience of riding one.” Read More

Life After Service: Veteran Finds New Mission In Electric Bikes

Nov. 2, 2017

Fox News covered us as part of their promotion for the film “Last Flag Flying”. Watch Video

City Vows Crackdown On (Throttle) E-Bikes

Oct. 19, 2017

“Smaller and lighter pedal-assisted e-bikes will continue to be legal. That’s good with Chris Nolte, owner of Propel Electric Bikes, a shop in Brooklyn that sells pedal-assisted bikes.” Read More

Veteran-Turned-Entrepreneur Navigates Young And Evolving Electric Bike Industry

Oct. 4, 2017

“We’re working with the city and other partners on ways to utilize the benefits of electric bikes while avoiding many of the safety hazards which can result from poor planning and a lack of guidelines. I feel that taking the more sustainable approach of selling bikes that are safe and legal will help us to build a business that has the power to help improve our city rather than capitalize on its weaknesses.” Read More…

Ready Technology to Cut Traffic and Smog: Electric Cargo Bikes

Apr. 18, 2017

“According to Chris Nolte of Propel Electric Bikes, an e-bike shop in Brooklyn, delivery businesses have favored another bike from the company a bit more, the Packster. It is available with 60 or 80 cm loading area, with various customizations available to specialize for particular kinds of cargo.” Read More…

Five Lessons This Longtime Cyclist Learned As A First-Time Business Owner

Apr. 11, 2017

“As CEO and founder of the Brooklyn-based Propel Bikes, Nolte now looks back and says his experience as a new entrepreneur was actually pretty similar to learning to ride a bike. Both are tricky balancing acts that take patience, practice, and constant on-the-fly recalibration.” Read More…

Locally Owned Shops Where New Yorkers Should Spend Their Money In 2017

Jan. 11, 2017

“With only a $20,000 loan, Brooklyn army vet Chris Nolte turned a storefront on the edge of Vinegar Hill into an amazing business that sells electric-assisted bicycles.” Read More…

This Injured Veteran Regained His Passion Building an Electric Bike Business

Jan. 12, 2017

“Chris Nolte was an avid cyclist before a debilitating back injury suffered in Iraq. He got back on the road and is helping others, too.” Read More…

Injured Iraq War Veteran Becomes Electric Bike Entrepreneur

Mar. 20, 2016

“Then in 2011 he opened Propel Bikes, a bike shop in Brooklyn, to share his love of electric bikes with others. Watch the video above to hear his triumphant story.”
Watch Video

For Our Friends In The Media

Press Contact

Asia Morris

press@propelbikes.com

Assets

Logo & Graphics

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Photos

Images For Press

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