What do you get when you take nature and e-bikes, add in some paddleboards if there is a lake nearby and put it all in a cool container? Electric Trails, an e-bike rental and sales company both on the North Shore of Minnesota and in the Minneapolis metro area. Ryan Lloyd and Jake Seltz are the masterminds behind this brilliant company that is using shipping containers to open up Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes to everyone. Their latest location opens up e-biking on Lake Minnetonka.
Ryan and Jake came to Super Cubes in 2022 to buy their first container for their North Shore location in Schoeder, MN. In the midst of the pandemic, they had discovered that getting on their electric bikes allowed them to go deeper into the trails in the Superior National Forest. The bikes are silent and carbon neutral, but with pedal assist, they let riders of varying abilities go on longer rides and tackle terrain they wouldn’t be able to on traditional bikes.
That location quickly grew into a building up in Schroeder, but they still use the container because of the additional storage due to the popularity of the site. They expanded into a Grand Marais rental location as well.
Electric Trails has expanded in Minneapolis now with 2 locations. They have a retail shop where you can buy e-bikes and their newest location – another Super Cubes container at Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park on Lake Minnetonka.
Electric Trails’ latest location has it all– e-bikes and paddle boards. It is located at Back Channel Brewing, so it is an easy and fun place to meet up with friends before and after a ride. The location is perfect for hopping on trails and enjoying the lake.
Check out this handy map that they have for customers to show places they may want to visit in the area.
Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail
Lake Independence Regional Trail
There are plenty of nearby parks as well:
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Naturally, at Super Cubes, we’re all about containers, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Modifications made to the shipping container gave the container two major features—a concession window and a door that opens both up and down, creating a ramp for entering the container and an awning over the ramp. This larger door opening was strategically placed at the end of the container, making for a very open area that is easy for bikes and people to enter for rentals.
Additionally, we added in electric into the container so all of those bikes can be charged easily as well as the team can run their business functions. We installed racks for helmets and a mount for their TV. The concession window has a counter that is mounted inside the container, keeping the exterior profile of the container minimal. The counter extends around inside to create a “behind the counter” area inside the container for the team while allowing space for the public to come into the container as well.
Once the container was in place, Electric Trails built a deck around two sides, including a single step on the approach up to the concession window. The paddle boards go along the short end of the container.
The container can be closed at night, with the bikes and paddleboards securely inside. At the end of the season, it can be moved to its permanent retail location.
Electric Trails is licensing its model to interested parties. If you would like to start up your own e-bike rental company in your market, including a Super Cubes container, please reach out to Ryan and Jake at twincities@electric-trails.com or our team today. At Super Cubes, we can provide modified containers throughout the US, so whether you want to open your own e-bike rental shop or another shipping container business, we can help you do just that.
Super Cubes is a family-owned business located in Minneapolis, MN, that provides containers anywhere in the continental US. We offer personalized service for individuals and businesses, providing high-quality containers at competitive prices. With nationwide facilities, we can modify and deliver containers close to you. Contact our experienced team for your next container project.