Questions to ask yourself before buying an e-bike

E-Bikes revisited: questions to ask/answer before that big purchase

Thinking of buying an e-bike for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? Here are some things to think about before making that big decision.

1. Who’s going to/did build it? Bikes sold at your local bike shop will have been built by a qualified professional and will be tuned and ready to ride. Many online e-bikes say they come mostly constructed and claim that you only have to install the wheels and bars, but usually putting together a bike, regardless of whether it’s an e-bike or not, takes some experience and tools. The person they recruited to build bikes today at a big box store might be completely different than the one that built bikes yesterday and that employee might be hoping that a new personal shopper order comes in so that they can abandon the bike project and do something else. Tuning a rear derailleur takes experience and skill and tuning a front derailleur can be even more tricky. You sure you can adjust the brakes so that they aren’t rubbing and get the dropper to cooperate? We’ve had many partially built bikes come in for final assembly after many hours of struggle on the new owner’s part. We’ve also seen new owners who lost/threw away essential parts or stripped screws causing us to have to special order hard-to-obtain new parts at considerable extra expense.

2. How are you going to return it if there are problems and how is the warranty going to be handled? Talk to your local bike shop about how they handle warranty issues. Your reputable local dealer will handle all warranty paperwork and returns. Many online dealers will do whatever they can to avoid getting a return on the bike and will send out parts they expect you to install yourself. Will the online company pay the shipping to have it returned if necessary? How long do you have before returning the bike? What is covered under warranty? How will you box up the built bike to return it? Who will handle/pay for warranted repair work? Most shops will not be willing/able to deconstruct a complex online bike, pack it into a custom box and ship it as a return, and if they are able to do this, the cost will be prohibitive unless the online company is willing to pay for this to be done.

3. Who’s going to maintain it? Local bike shops take responsibility for their products and offer free or discounted maintenance for the first year. Many bike shops will not service online-bought e-bikes because often the parts are non-standard, the firmware used to run the bike is proprietary and the costs to purchase the licenses are prohibitively expensive. At our shop, we can help with standard maintenance on non-shop e-bikes as long as whatever needs repair is not connected to the motor/computer. Hub drive e-bikes take a lot of time and effort to change tires in the rear and you may end up paying $50-75 each time a rear tube or tire needs changing. In our experience, many big box and online e-bikes appear to be built to work until something goes wrong and then they are expected to be discarded and replaced. This seems a waste of both financial and natural resources, and something to consider.

4. Is the battery UL rated and does it have a battery management system installed? Mainstream bicycle companies like Trek, Pivot, Specialized, Canyon, Giant etc generally will only sell e-bikes with battery management systems. Battery management systems are computers that are attached to the battery and which monitor the battery 24/7. If the battery goes out of specified parameters, the BMS “bricks” the battery to stop any impending Lithium-ion fires. Many less expensive e-bikes do not have battery management systems and will be considered a fire hazard to your homeowners insurance agent. Many bike shops will not allow non BMS batteries to come into the shop for insurance reasons.

5. What class of e-bike are you considering? Where are you planning to ride your e-bike? Regulations vary from area to area, but in general, the only e-bikes allowed on developed single-track trails are class one e-bikes. Class one e-bikes are pedal-assist only (no throttle) and have a maximum assisted speed of 20mph. Many online and big-box e-bikes are considered class 2 bikes because they have a throttle and can attain maximum speeds of 20mph or higher. Class 2 bikes are fine on ATV roads and other more developed roads but not allowed on multiple use singletrack trails shared with hikers, bikers and equestrians. Class 3 e-bikes are generally more urban or commuter bikes and are pedal assist only with max speeds of 28mph. These bikes are restricted to paved bike paths and roads.

6. How heavy will your e-bike be and how will you get it from place to place? E-bikes can range from 30+ to 80+ pounds. In general, you will pay more for a lighter bike with better components and less for a heavier bike with lower quality components. If you are getting an e-bike to help with declining strength in older age, you might want to take the weight of the bike into serious consideration. A large heavy bike can be dangerous in an accident and hard to handle when moving from place to place. Very few bike racks are rated to handle bikes above 60 pounds and a 60+ lb bike is hard to lift onto a rack and secure safely. If you are purchasing your bike from a big-box store, how will you get it home? If you are purchasing online, how will you handle the large heavy box that arrives on your doorstep and how will you get the bike to the area you would like to ride?

7. Who will fit you to your new e-bike and give you personalized instruction on how to use and maintain it? I recently saw a big-box e-bike advertised for riders from 5’1’ to 6’1” and one popular online bike that claims to fit 5’2-6’4’! How can any bike possibly fit the entire range of riders from 5-6 feet? This is like saying one pair of pants will fit anyone perfectly. When researching some online-bikes, it found it to be very common that most of them are one-size-fits-all. A bike frame needs to be fitted to the rider length-wise and the seat tube fitted pedal stroke-wise or a rider can inflict serious injury onto their joints by repetitive movement on an ill-fitted bike. Your local bike shop will have bikes available in a range of sizes and will get you the bike fitted best to your body. The experts in your local bike shop will make sure that your bike is adjusted properly for your riding and that you know how to care for your new bike.

8. How can you test a bike to know if it will work for you? Visiting your local bike shop for information is the best way to gain knowledge about your purchase. You will get a chance to try out various bikes before purchase and you will feel confident about the decision you are making. Ads look great on-line with happy riders barreling down mountain trails and bikes posed on icy glaciers, but getting to try out the bike you are purchasing is the best way to make a decision. Big-box bikes are stacked on shelves and an associate will get one down for you to purchase, but trying it out first is not possible in a crowded store!

Overall, congratulations on considering purchasing an e-bike to add to your fitness regime. Whether or not you are going to purchase an e-bike from your local shop, take the time to visit with the professionals there and ask whatever questions you may have. They will be happy to help you make your decision and only want you to have the best possible experience with your new e-bike so that you will enjoy riding for many years to come.