Aventon Retailer Spotlight: Mike's Electric Bikes

This week we want to turn the spotlight onto one of your local ebike shops, give you their story and how their business is fairing after the tumultuous year we’ve all just experienced. The ebike shop that we’re going to showcase today is Mike’s Ebikes, located in Naperville, IL, about thirty miles west of Chicago. Unsurprisingly, Mike’s Ebikes is owned by an easy-going, friendly gentleman who goes by the name of Mike.

The Birth and Growth of Mike’s Ebikes

Mike, a longtime professional in the energy technology sector -think solar systems, batteries, and the like-, started Mike’s Ebikes out of his garage in 2015. Mike’s Ebikes actually began life as an ebike rental company because, whilst Mike believed that ebikes could and would change people’s lives for the better, he was tentative about the current level of demand for ebikes in his local area.

Mike really wanted to be in the business of ebike sales, and as demand for his rentals increased he quickly moved into the business of ebike sales, still operating out of his garage. That first year he sold 26 ebikes, mainly running on word of mouth advertising. This initial success prompted him to tempt fate, take out a year long lease on a local retail property and jump full time into the ebike business.

Before Mike’s Ebikes opened there was no one in the area who focused solely on ebikes. There were some bike shops that had a couple of ebikes in the corner, but they weren’t entirely knowledgeable about the product and were more interested in selling regular old, human powered bicycles. Mike’s biggest competition was a picture frame store that had decided to venture into selling ebikes.

Mike wanted to become the area expert on ebikes and, with his mechanical background and entrepreneurial attitude, he went all in on his ebike vision.

Fast forward to December 2019 and we find Mike moving into his current location in Naperville, IL. By this point the business had outgrown two different locations in the area, Mike is selling an impressive 500 bikes per year, and he has staked his claim as the foremost expert on ebikes in the greater Chicago area.

When Mike Met Aventon

Mike’s Ebikes existed before Aventon, but it was love at first sight when we met at a bike show where we were showcasing some of our sister company’s ebikes. Aventon ebikes were in the pipeline because we had realized that there weren’t enough reasonably priced, high quality ebikes on the market that looked and played the part of a high end product.

Mike agreed wholeheartedly with our viewpoint on the market and, after we showed him the designs and specs of the soon to be released Pace 500 ebike, he told us that he would be our first dealer and that he would sell our ebikes “like hot cakes!”. Mike’s words were true and ever since their release Aventon ebikes have outsold all the other brands he stocks. He personally loves the Pace 350 and Pace 500 and these are some of his best sellers.

Mike has told us that there’s really nothing he doesn’t like about Aventon and our ebikes. He loves the build quality of our products and their functionality. He finds our marketing outstanding and he also gets good margins from the sales. This relationship really blossomed into something that works great from everyone from us as the manufactures to the customers who receive Mike’s epic customer service on our quality ebikes.

People Come From Far and Wide to See Mike

Just as when he started in his garage half a decade ago, Mike’s biggest advertising pull is still word of mouth. He finds that many of the new customers that enter his shop have had their curiosity in ebikes roused by their neighbors or friends who are already ebike riders and owners. Upon questioning, these ebike owners have not only sold their friends and neighbors on how great ebikes are but also that they should go to Mike’s Ebikes to learn more and purchase their first ebike because of the high quality product he stocks and the exceptional and continued service he offers to all his customers.

Many of Mike’s customers come from the Chicago metro area but a considerable amount come from the surrounding states: Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri. These people then go home and sing Mike’s praises to friends, family, and those that they meet on the trail who question them about their ebikes.

There has even been one woman who drove all the way out from Pittsburgh, PA, to pick up a limited edition, small frame and specially colored model of the Pace 500 that just wasn’t available in her area. It was a phase orange maroon color that she fell in love with, and she wanted the mens version which fitted her the most comfortably. Mike had one in stock and after a phone call with a very excited woman he put it together and reserved it especially for her to come and pick up!

Mike’s Ebikes’ High Quality Customer Service

Mike isn’t just a knowledgeable shop owner with a passion for Aventon’s ebikes, he also offers top of the line customer service. If you go to Mike’s spacious shop he offers complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, and bottle water, to everyone. More importantly, once you’ve chosen an ebike you like you can test ride it before making your decision to purchase.

But Mike’s customer centric care doesn’t stop there! Mike will assemble and deliver your ebike to your door. At the height of the pandemic, when demand for ebikes skyrocketed, Mike would take deposits for out of stock ebikes then, as soon as they arrived, he would construct them and deliver them to the doorstep of the delighted customer.

Mike also offers exceptional aftercare services for his customer’s ebikes. In his shop he services ebikes in any and all manners of speaking. Mike’s provides regular services and tune ups for ebikes, as well as doing pretty much everything that a customer might need or want: replacing handlebars, changing and adding lights, racks, and pretty much every available accessory.

Mike is soon going to be looking for high quality, energetic, reinforcements for his shop. So if you or anyone you would like to get more intimate with ebikes on a day-to-day basis then head over to the Contact Page on Mike’s website.

Mike’s Special Services

In the early days of Mike’s Ebikes, back when he was working out of his garage, Mike would order Ebike conversion kits and fit them to peoples bikes. Back then ebikes were very expensive and conversions were a much cheaper option. With his mechanical expertise and knowhow Mike built his business out of building ebikes!

Now ebikes are available in more affordable price brackets there is a much smaller calling for Mike’s custom ebikes. He does, however, still do trike conversions, mainly focusing on conversions during the winter months when business is quieter. Mike has a few examples to show interested parties, and really enjoys these projects because, besides the fun of building them, he gets to customize battery size and motor size to a customer’s exact needs. He takes a 50% deposit in order to start the project and it usually takes 2-3 weeks to deliver the final product. If you’re interested, get in touch with Mike on his Contact Page or pop down to his shop to say hello.

After over half a decade in the fast evolving world of ebikes Mike is still the go to guy for ebikes in his local area -and many would say the surrounding states too- providing top notch ebike sales and services. Mike is soon to turn 60 but he loves his work and doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon. If you’re in, or live around, the Chicago area and are interested in experiencing some of Mike’s exceptional customer service for yourself, or are interested in talking to him about his trike and bike conversions, then stop by Mike’s Ebikes in Naperville, IL and say hello!