"It's the perfect urban transport vehicle," says Freeman, who was bored with retirement and set up a workshop where he builds the bicycles in his garage on Davis Islands.


He believes Free-Man Electric Bikes will mesh with Tampa's new downtown denizens. They also could work for people who have lost their driving privileges.

"You just plug them into a 110 outlet and charge them up,'' he said of the bikes, which cost $500 to $1,000. "They save gas, parking fees and the environment."