It doesn’t take long to hear the hum in downtown Walnut Creek: the gentle purr of an electric bike. In the 90 degree June heat, riders zip past diners on Locust Street, dart across crosswalks two-to-a-bike, and cruise in the shade of the Contra Costa Canal Trail.
Some of the e-bikes are sleek multi-thousand-dollar models. Others are amateur builds, with motors and wiring attached to the bike’s frame with duct tape. But this afternoon’s crop of riders all have one thing in common: not one looks over 18, and some far younger.
E-bikes are the fastest expanding sector in the bike market — responsible for 63% of the growth in dollar sales of all bicycles, according to one recent study. They’ve become a mainstay in city bike lanes for commuters and a car alternative for families with young children…