Rivian spinout Also lands in Seattle, with REI vet leading micromobility startup’s new office and retail hub

The TM-B e-bike from Also, atop the hill at Gas Works Park in Seattle and just down the road from the startup’s new offices. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser) I pulled a classic Seattle move while test riding an e-bike from Rivian spinout Also last week. It was straight out of the sketch comedy series “Almost Live” and the Ballard Driving Academy: I left my turn signal on.

A turn signal is about the lowest tech feature on the TM-B e-bike (Transcendent Mobility Bike), a Class 3 software-defined machine built around what Also calls its “Dream Ride” system. The bike feels more like an EV than any two-wheeled commuter I’ve ever ridden. From the digital control portal to the immediate acceleration and regenerative braking, the TM-B is designed to treat hardware as software — relying on a pedal-by-wire powertrain.

Related Rivian spinout Also lands in Seattle, with REI vet leading micromobility startup’s new office and retail hub @media (max-width: 600px) { aside.callout { float:none !important; max-width:100% !important; margin-left:0 !important; margin-right:0 !important; } aside.callout .callout-img { display:none !important; } } While an enclosed belt drive delivers power from the central electric motor to the rear wheel, there is no mechanical chain or physical link connecting your pedals to the drivetrain. Instead, your pedaling acts as a digital controller, telling the motor software how much power to send to the back wheel while generating synthetic gear resistance under your feet. Also is running a pop-up station at outdoor retailer Evo’s flagship store in Wallingford, where riders can book test spins through the end of the year.

Seattle is one of 10 initial launch markets nationwide, giving commuters a chance to put the bike through its paces. The local pop-up isn’t just a coincidence; it sits directly across from Also’s new office location on Northlake Way. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company, spun out of EV maker Rivian with a $1 billion valuation, is tapping into Seattle tech and retail talent with a commercial outpost and future retail hub run by REI vet Ben Steele.

Amy Hattemer, Also’s Seattle market manager, walked me through how the TM-B works and what powers it before I set off on a ride through the neighborhood and along the Burke-Gilman Trail. Here’s a quick look at the core specs for the high-tech bike: Starting price: $3,500 for the standard … Ben Steele, chief commercial officer for Also, poses with the company’s TM-B e-bike on the deck of Also’s new offices in Seattle.

(GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser) Also, a fast-growing electric micromobility startup born out of Rivian in Silicon Valley, has quietly pulled into Seattle and planted a flag at the epicenter of the city’s bike culture with an office on the north end of Lake Union. The 17,459-square-foot space at 1300 N. Northlake Way — which previously housed military-grade autonomous vehicle startup Overland AI — is situated directly along the Burke-Gilman Trail at the busy intersection of the Fremont and Wallingford neighborhoods.