Van Nuys Firm Gets Order for 130 Bikes

Van Nuys-based Currie Technologies Inc., which designs and distributes electric bikes, has received an order to supply more than 130 modified mountain bikes to more than 100 Chicago-area police departments, a company official said Monday.

The police bike order was described as the largest ever for the company and one of the largest in the industry. The value to the company, which had $1 million in sales last year, was not released.

The order was received from ComEd, the electric energy provider for northern Illinois, which will donate the bikes to communities in the Chicago area and northwestern Illinois.

Currie’s “Law Enforcement Special” can be pedaled normally, or powered by Currie’s patented “electro-drive” propulsion system. The company also installs a special police lighting and siren system on the Fuji-built bikes.

“We’re obviously very pleased with the order and we’re very happy to be working with the Chicago area police departments,” said Ken Justice, executive vice president of the 4-year-old company, which also has supplied bikes to the Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County sheriff’s departments. “It’s a good opportunity for both of us.”