Our Mission

West Linn eBike Adventure | Carlos & Paige's Real Story

From Research to Reality

How two 50+ researchers became obsessed with eBikes and decided to document their authentic first-time journey. 32 years married. Zero eBike experience. Complete commitment to honesty.

Our Story

We're not eBike experts. We're researchers who became obsessed.

And that obsession is about to become a real adventure.

How It Started: One YouTube Video

I'm Carlos. A few months ago, I watched a YouTube video of someone riding a newer-style eBike. Something about it caught my attention.

I've always been interested in electric motors and accelerated propulsion. The engineering fascinates me—how systems work, what powers them, what makes them reliable. So naturally, I started looking into eBikes with that same curiosity.

One search led to another. Then another.

Before I knew it, nine months had passed. What started as research became something bigger—actual business building.

The Rabbit Hole

I started studying:

The Engineering - Different motor types (hub drive vs. mid-drive, their tradeoffs) - Battery chemistry (lithium-ion specs, real-world degradation) - Controller systems and how they manage power delivery - Suspension technology and what actually matters

The Market - Which brands have real U.S. presence and customer support - Which manufacturers care about their reputation - Where quality actually lives vs. where it's just marketing - What "tested" actually means in online reviews

The Terrain - West Linn's specific challenges (20% grades, wet weather, mixed surfaces) - Which eBikes could theoretically handle our hills - How performance changes with real-world conditions

The Community - Honest reviewers (like TailHappy and others who actually test things) - Customer feedback patterns (what do real owners actually report?) - The gap between specs and real-world experience

The Realization

After nine months of research and building, a clear pattern emerged—and a real opportunity took shape:

Only a handful of eBike models can truly handle West Linn's terrain.

And most people don't know which ones.

More importantly: almost nobody is making honest content about eBikes for people like us.

Most eBike reviewers are young, healthy, athletic, and unburdened by the physical realities that shape our decisions. Their challenges aren't our challenges. They don't ask the questions we ask.

That's when the idea took root.

West Linn: The Unique Opportunity

While researching eBikes, I discovered something about our town:

West Linn is uniquely positioned for authentic eBike adventure.

25+ historic sites that tell the region's story
200+ miles of pathways and bike-friendly roads ready for exploration
Challenging terrain (20% grades at Sunset Park, Hidden Springs, Tanner Creek) that separates capable eBikes from marketing hype
Rich infrastructure growth with a rapid connection coming to Portland
A completely underserved demographic: 50+ riders looking for content made for them, not at them

But here's what I noticed: the business opportunity and the community need were the same thing.

If we could be honest about testing eBikes on real terrain, with real people asking real questions, we could build something authentic. Not a brand. Not a sales funnel. A resource.

600 Pages Later

That idea turned into obsession. I mapped out:

A complete business plan (market analysis, positioning, monetization)
A detailed marketing strategy (YouTube, blog, social, partnerships)
A launch timeline (6-week content series, long-term testing protocols)
A full website architecture (navigation, content pillars, SEO strategy)
Partnership pathways (how manufacturers could work with us authentically)

Nine months of research and business building. What started as curiosity transformed into infrastructure—a complete strategy for authentically testing eBikes and building community with people like us.

My wife Paige watched this unfold with amusement. "Are you actually going to do this?" she finally asked.

And I realized: We both already knew the answer.

Meet Paige

Paige is my partner in all of this—literally and figuratively. We've been married for 32 years.

Here's what matters: Paige asks different questions than I do.

When I'm thinking about motor performance and technical specs, Paige is thinking about comfort, accessibility, and whether something is actually pleasant to use.

When I'm analyzing range and climbing ability, Paige is analyzing ease of mounting, handlebar reach, and whether this will hurt her joints on a long ride.

Same eBike. Completely different perspectives.

And we both knew that if we were going to do this honestly, we needed both perspectives in everything we tested.

Our Real Life

We're not mysterious. We're not polished. Here's what's actually true about us:

We raised our family in Portland. We did the full parenting thing—carpools, soccer games, all of it. We know what real life feels like.

We moved to West Linn four years ago. It wasn't a cycling pilgrimage. It was a place we fell in love with. The hills. The history. The community.

We're total video rookies. We've never made YouTube videos. We've never hosted a podcast. We don't have a broadcasting background. We're learning as we go.

We're 50+. Not 60s or 70s yet, but we're in that demographic where the body tells you things it didn't used to. That's not a weakness—it's actually useful information.

We've been together a long time. 32 years means we've built something. We know each other's style. We can argue and laugh in the same conversation. That becomes the chemistry of the content.

Why We're Doing This

Paige finally asked me: "If you've researched all this, why not actually do it?"

She was right.

We could spend another six months planning, or we could start.

So here's what we're doing:

We're getting our first eBikes. Real bikes. Real riders who have never owned one before. Starting now.

We're documenting the entire journey. No scripts. No acting. Just two people discovering what's possible, what's surprising, and what actually works.

We're being honest. If an eBike is disappointing, you'll hear about it. If we're amazed, you'll see it. If we're wrong about something, we'll correct it.

We're building community as we go. This isn't a broadcast. It's a conversation with people like us—50+, curious, looking for authentic guidance.

What We're Actually Committing To

This isn't a get-rich scheme. This isn't trying to be influencers. This is two people who are curious, who did their homework, and who want to show what's actually possible.

Our commitments:

Radical Honesty No embellishment. No fake testimonials. No fabricated data. If we haven't tested something, we won't claim we have.

Dual Perspectives Always Every assessment includes Carlos's take (performance/reliability) and Paige's take (comfort/accessibility). Both always. No exceptions.

Real Testing When we test eBikes, we actually ride them. For weeks. Not 30 minutes. We'll document real challenges, real discoveries, real durability.

Transparent Process We'll show you how we test. GPS data. Timing. Measurements. The thinking behind our assessments. You'll understand where we're coming from.

Community First We're building this with other people like us. Your questions shape our testing. Your stories matter. We're learning together.

Long-Term Commitment We're not testing for views. We're testing because we actually want to know. 6-week reviews. 9-month follow-ups. 12-month durability assessments.

Our Values

Extreme Value Information that actually helps you decide. Not information that helps us sell something.

Authenticity No scripts. No acting. Just real people figuring things out together.

Accessibility This is for 50+ riders. For people with real health conditions. For people intimidated by online reviews. For people who just want honest guidance.

Community Over Commerce We're building something with people, not for them.

Growth Through Learning We're not experts. We're experienced learners. There's a difference.

The Real Question We're Answering

Here's what this is actually about:

Can people like us (50+, researched-based, real physical considerations) have authentic eBike adventures in a place like West Linn?

And if so: What does that actually look like?

We're about to find out.

What Happens Next

This month: Our first eBikes arrive. We'll document the unboxing (nervously). We'll take our first rides (probably carefully).

Weeks 2-6: We'll ride on terrain we know. Tanner Creek. The heritage routes. We'll test how these bikes handle real West Linn roads.

Week 4+: We'll hit the real tests. Sunset Park. Hidden Springs. The climbs that matter.

Ongoing: We'll keep riding, keep learning, keep sharing what we discover.

An Invitation

This story is brand new.

We don't have all the answers. We're about to have a lot of questions. Some of what we expect to happen will surprise us. Some of what we discover will change our minds.

That's the actual story.

If you want to see real people discovering something new, with complete honesty and genuine partnership, you're invited.

This is our story. It's just beginning.

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