About Rob's Radical Rides

Rob Masserini is about as outdoorsy at it gets—aside from being an avid cyclist, he also has a PhD in chemical oceanography and loves to go whitewater kayaking and alpine climbing. But as he attempted to become an urban cyclist upon moving to downtown St. Petersburg, he decided instead to design electric bikes to roam the urban jungle.

Not just traditional bikes, though; he wanted to design electric bikes. In fact, he started with technology he had used to build underwater sensors for submarines during his PhD research. He enjoyed designing the bikes so much that he custom-built an entire fleet for Rob's Radical Rides, a company for which he charters tours of downtown St. Petersburg. The e-choppers, as Rob calls them (they have ape hanger-style handlebars and flames painted on the bodies), have a range of up to 20 miles depending on whether riders choose to pedal or let the electricity power their ride. Each excursion begins with a safety orientation and test drive, after which groups embark on adventures. If by the end of their tour a customer has really fallen for their ride, they can commission Rob to build them a custom bike of their own.