A Little 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.

Founded

In 2011
by Chris Nolte

Locations

Brooklyn NY, Long Beach CA & Wilmington DE

Why We Exist

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

What We Sell

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

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.

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.

Hell on Two Wheels, Until the E-Bike’s Battery Runs Out

Dec. 26, 2022

“One of the oldest purveyors of electric bicycles in the city is Propel, situated at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. This pedal-assist-only business was started by Chris Nolte, who returned from military duty in 2003, disabled with a back injury. ” Read More

E-bike batteries raise safety concerns amid rise in fires: ‘Very hard to examine’

Dec. 31, 2022

“Chris Nolte, founder of New York retailer Propel Electric Bikes, which only sells UL-certified Bosch batteries, said the issue has been mainly centralized in New York City in recent years, which is why the federal government has been slow to crackdown on the problem.” Read More

Don’t Blame the E-Bike

Nov. 17, 2022

“As Nora McCauley, who works at the Propel electric-bike store in Brooklyn, testified at the hearing, a brand-new bike from their store starts at $3,000 and comes with a certified Bosch-brand battery covered under warranty that costs anywhere from $800 to $1,000 to replace. Those batteries have never started a fire in the city, according to McCauley. But that price is out of reach for low-wage workers. ” Read More

E-rehab market growing along with e-bike popularity

May 05, 2022

“Chris Nolte, the founder of Propel Electric Bikes, knows this well. As a U.S. Army Reservist, Nolte returned from the Iraq war a disabled veteran. Discovering the benefits of the e-bike helped him regain his active lifestyle — and later in 2011 — emerge as a successful e-bike dealer.Read More

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