Biking in Santa Ana

Pacific Pedal Cruiser's 14-person cruiser bikes help passengers work up an appetite as they power the pedal-equipped vehicle toward Hermosa Beach restaurants and bars under the guidance of an experienced driver. As tunes lilt from the bike’s iPod-equipped sound system, passengers work their way toward pit stops at bars, such as Patrick Molloys, Underground Pub & Grill, Barnacles Bar and Grill, and other area establishments, refueling with dining and drink specials before resuming their breezy cruise. Bikes welcome the collected members of a bachelorette party or birthday fete for camaraderie-filled private tours or forge new friendships between couples and people tired of waiting at the impound lot during public tours.

At Pedego Electric Bikes, stylish cruisers augment manpower with 500-watt motors strong enough to propel them up steep hills. Riders control the bikes with handlebar throttles that can direct motors to completely take over, or fall silent and let feet or pet pack mules do the heavy lifting. Fueled by lightweight but mighty lithium-ion batteries, the retro cruisers come in a rainbow of colors and with different embellishments, from Schwalbe Fat Frank tires that fend off flats to the Interceptor bike's 48-volt electric drive system, which was originally designed to propel police officers up to 20 miles per hour for 20 miles per charge. The motors are latched to rear axles, where the weight of most of the riders falls, and disk brakes on the front wheels provide smooth control, allowing bikers to easily transition from speeding to cruising to hastily braking at tumbleweed crossings.

US designers and manufacturers specifically fashion the cycles to be powered electrically, with motors that draw their juice from magnets. Also free of plastic gears, which erode rapidly, the motors enjoy longer life spans that their conventional counterparts.

Located two blocks from Venice Beach’s iconic boardwalk, Venice Beach Station assembles a fleet of rental bicycles and skateboards with which to cruise along the shore in style. Once equipped with a mount and protective equipment, customers can explore the 2.5-mile pedestrian-only promenade, where scores of artists and performers entice riders to stop and take in the vibrant culture mixed with solemn remembrance of fellow mimes crushed by invisible pianos.