With the growing popularity of eBikes, there will inevitably be companies offering cheap models that are tempting to consider. They generally lure you in with an incredible price for a bike that, at first glance, may appear to have features found on much more expensive models.
It can certainly seem like a real deal on the surface, but to get to the amazing price and features, the company usually sacrifices the eBike's quality. Furthermore, there may be non-existent customer support.
It's important to remember that value and price aren't the same thing. Focusing on good value (reliability, support) rather than the lowest price will reduce your chances of experiencing buyer's remorse.
In this article, we will look at the pitfalls of buying a cheap eBike, as well as how you can afford a quality eBike that is reliable and durable.
Yes, it IS too good to be true.
As the old saying goes, “it seems too good to be true” can apply to very inexpensive eBikes.
What may seem like a great deal at the start can turn into disappointment, real frustration, and, eventually, a dislike of electric bikes. And that is not the experience we want anyone to have!
With a low-quality electric bike, you can run into issues with both the electrical system and regular bike components.
Low-quality electrical system components can have issues such as:
- Not working at all
- Working intermittently
- Battery failure
- Problems with charging
- A loud motor
- Jerky or harsh addition of pedal assist or throttle
In addition to those possible problems, there can be issues with low-quality bike components such as:
- Misaligned frame
- Suspension that doesn’t really work
- Weak braking
- Misaligned shifting
- Bent wheels
- Frequent flat tires
Even just a few of these issues can add up to a bad ride experience. If your electric bike won’t provide assistance due to a connection issue, a faulty battery, or a broken motor, the ride can become a real headache.
And some low-quality component issues can give you a less-than-ideal journey, with unintended shifts, frequent flats, and possibly a noisy ride.
Repairing and maintaining a lower-quality electric bike can add up quickly, given the higher frequency of repairs that may be required.
Some bike shops charge a higher price for lower-quality bikes, especially if they have to spend time tracking down unique electric system parts that they don’t normally carry. That can actually be a good scenario, because some bike shops will plainly refuse to work on low-quality electric bikes due to the headaches they can cause. It simply isn’t worth their time when they (and the customer) can have a better experience working on higher quality bikes.
Poor support (or non-existent support) for warranty claims or service parts
And that leads to another issue: customer support from the electric bike company, which may not be available at all. Internet forums and social media groups for electric bikes usually have horror stories about riders who tried to get support for their cheap electric bikes, only to find that the company either completely ignored them or had gone out of business. Plenty of brands don't even publish a customer support phone number at all!
In some cases, a customer can find a replacement part from a specialty electric bike parts dealer. Still, they have to pay for the part instead of the original eBike company covering it under warranty.
In the truly unfortunate situation, there may be no replacement parts available for unique electrical components sometimes found on low-quality eBikes.That can lead to a junked electric bike because of one part - no fun! Before buying, it makes sense to check whether service and warranty parts are in stock for the model you're considering.
As you can imagine, the cost of repairing and maintaining a cheap electric bike can add up to the cost of the bike itself. In the long run, it would be better to buy a high-quality electric bike and eliminate the headache and hassle.
As with many important things in life, it is a good idea to spend more on a quality product, especially when you are looking for dependable transportation!
Minimum recommended price for eBikes
For most traditional electric bikes with standard features, the $1,500 price point is a good starting point. As you go up in price, you will usually get higher-quality components, more features, smoother, quieter bikes, and sometimes a lighter frame.
There are electric bikes in the $1,000 to $1,500 range that can still be from reputable companies and be decent quality. These eBikes usually sacrifice features like a single-speed drivetrain, a smaller battery, no suspension, and no accessories. The cheap electric bikes we are considering are below these price range categories.
Another important feature to look for in electric bikes is batteries with cells from reputable brands like Panasonic, Samsung, or LG, and batteries certified to UL testing standards. The battery is the most expensive component on an electric bike, and this is not something to skimp on quality.
Do your eBike research before you buy
And that leads into the next part of your electric bike shopping adventure: do your background research on the company you are considering buying an eBike from.
Here are some checklist questions to answer:
- How long have they been in business?
- What kind of reviews do they have, and how many reviews are there?
- Search forums and social media groups to get the “average” review of a company.
If you contact the company (or dealer), does someone answer or get back to you quickly? - Do they publish a phone number? Can you reach a human being?
That research should give you good insight into the kind of company you are dealing with and help you determine whether you will get long-term support for your electric bike.
Keep Junk Out of the Landfill
As we covered earlier, there is a chance you may end up with a junked electric bike if a part can't be replaced because the company doesn’t provide support or is out of business.
This can mean the electric bike ends up in the landfill, and that is a sad end for any bicycle. Like other cheap products that fail and end up at the dump, this is not a very sustainable way of life.
Buying a higher-quality electric bike will give you a much better riding experience and have a better environmental impact.
By the way, electric bike batteries do eventually run out of useful life. There is a recycling program through Call2Recycle, and many bicycle dealers participate and will recycle your battery.
Afford a Good-Quality eBike with Financing or Pay-Over-Time Options.
If the price of an electric bike is difficult to afford all at once, there are some options to consider. There are payment plan options like Affirm, Klarna, PayPal, etc. that let you buy now and pay them back over a few months, with 0% interest in some cases.
For example, affording a $1,500 electric bike could become more feasible at $500 per month for 3 months.
Also, watch out for sales on electric bikes during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other holiday times. Combining a sale with 3 monthly payments could be the ticket to affording a nicer eBike.
Another consideration is that if you use your electric bike a lot for commuting and errands, you will save money on vehicle expenses. It is worth having a good quality electric bike for your daily transportation.
Enjoy the Good Ride
At the end of each ride, you will be happy you chose a high-quality electric bike you can depend on. It is better to spend a little more up front than to spend a lot of money and stress on a cheap electric bike in the long run.
Electric bikes are a lot of fun; make sure you pick a good-quality one.
Enjoy your rides!
-Pete