Buying a e-bike online, risky?

[Coopz]

I've spent the last few weeks researching a decent entry level dualie. My budget is under 6k, 5k ideal, I can spend more (if it was a bargin) but I just can't warrant the costs of the higher end stuff. I'm always going to have the mindset 'it's a fricken push bike with a battery and motor'.

Anyway I've looked at a few Merida dualies, for 5k they have mediocre components, 500w batteries and Shimano EP6 motors. A few local bike shops start steering me towards the mid ranged stuff with the
'you're big, you need a big motor and battery' sales talk. But I don't want to spend $8000+ on something I just ride for fun 4 or 5 times a month.

I looked at a few models on bikes online and for around $1000 less than the local stuff you get a decent entry level bike with a 600w battery.

Just buying an e-bike online has me a bit worried. Two mates bought e bikes locally and they've both had to go back multiple times for warranty work (one even had to have the entire Shimano motor replaced). That was 2+ years ago and technology has improved but is it worth the gamble?

I've bought bikes online before with only minor issues but anything that goes wrong with a generic mtb is usually easy to fix.

 

[Halo1]

Same here. I have been looking at different bikes and seen some good bargains of late. I have no idea where the value for money point is with e bikes.
I just want reliability these days over the latest tech.
I would prefer a decent priced frame and motor only option from one of the bigger brands to build up a bike from there. The e bike frames are huge as well. I am normally an XL but think I can for a large e bike. It is a lot of coin to drop on the wrong bike.

 

[cammas]

The Giant store offered me a trance x e1 for around $6k and you could get X E3 with a 750w battery for mid $5k but you could get it lower again with cash. Have a look at bike exchange.com and use that as a base for your price range and talk to them from there, Trek Rail was the other option I was looking at and they were happy to do a deal on the 7 but might be out of your range.
Here’s the Giant which may suit your budget

Trance X E+ 3 (Cordovan) 2023 | Dual Suspension E-Mountain Bike for sale in Sunbury

FASTER UP THE CLIMBS, LONGER LOOPS, MORE SINGLETRACK FUN ON ANY GIVEN DAY. FREE YOURSELF TO PUSH YOUR TRAIL RIDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THIS POWERFUL, FUN AND SMOOTH-RIDING E-BIKE.

www.bikeexchange.com.au

 

[Coopz]

The Giant store offered me a trance x e1 for around $6k and you could get X E3 with a 750w battery for mid $5k but you could get it lower again with cash. Have a look at bike exchange.com and use that as a base for your price range and talk to them from there, Trek Rail was the other option I was looking at and they were happy to do a deal on the 7 but might be out of your range.
Here’s the Giant which may suit your budget

Trance X E+ 3 (Cordovan) 2023 | Dual Suspension E-Mountain Bike for sale in Sunbury

FASTER UP THE CLIMBS, LONGER LOOPS, MORE SINGLETRACK FUN ON ANY GIVEN DAY. FREE YOURSELF TO PUSH YOUR TRAIL RIDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THIS POWERFUL, FUN AND SMOOTH-RIDING E-BIKE.

www.bikeexchange.com.au

That's a good deal, I just need a XL size as I'm Big n boofy.

 

[cammas]

That's a good deal, I just need a XL size as I'm Big n boofy.

If you’re in Victoria Ivanhoe cycles or Giant Melbourne usually do good deals or if you’re in another state check bike exchange especially in XL you should be able to get a deal especially if you wave some cash at them.

 

[Jabubu]

Loads of good deals on Norco e-bikes too - have a chat with your local dealer if you have one.

 

[mas2]

Best bang for buck I think is the Merida eon sixty 700. Can get in 3 colourways.

Merida eOne-Sixty 700 Electric Mountain Bike Metallic Teal/Dark Silver

Shop for Merida eOne-Sixty 700 Electric Mountain Bike Metallic Teal/Dark Silver (SKU: 22MeridaeOne-Sixty700MetallicTeal/DarkSilver) and other Merida Bikes amongst Australia's best range of Bikes

www.99bikes.com.au

 

[Coopz]

Best bang for buck I think is the Merida eon sixty 700. Can get in 3 colourways.

Merida eOne-Sixty 700 Electric Mountain Bike Metallic Teal/Dark Silver

Shop for Merida eOne-Sixty 700 Electric Mountain Bike Metallic Teal/Dark Silver (SKU: 22MeridaeOne-Sixty700MetallicTeal/DarkSilver) and other Merida Bikes amongst Australia's best range of Bikes

www.99bikes.com.au

I'm still peeved I missed out on buying one a few months ago when they were $4900....

 

[mas2]

I'm still peeved I missed out on buying one a few months ago when they were $4900....

Are you sure they were that low? Super good buy if they were. Still even for the current price I doubt you can find a better bike with similar spec.

 

[cammas]

Aren’t all the Merida's on special old stock?
Most of the ones I’ve seen are ‘22 or older which means they would be running the EP8 and not the revised EP801, so lower power 500w vs 600w.

 

[rowdyflat]

on something I just ride for fun 4 or 5 times a month.

Yes ebikes are the new frontier and they can have costly repairs so check the warrantee.
If its just once a week you prolly dont need a huge battery.
A few locals have Meridas I think they are OK.

 

[Stredda]

If buying new, I'd recommend buying locally as then you have a physical store to go to if you have any issues. The risk with Ebikes is that you now have two fairly expensive components (motor and battery) that are difficult to service yourself. There are now options to service certain motors, but you would only do that if out of warrantee.

 

[ozzybmx]

Find out if your motor of choice can be dealt with at any bike shop.

I know with Bosch, it doesn't matter where you buy one, you just take it to a Bosch Service Centre, which is nearly every bike shop that sell bikes with a Bosch motor.

The website doesn't list them all as I asked if mine could be taken back where I bought it instead of a local city bike shop, they said yes as OTE were a service centre, but most are not listed as they need to 'opt in' and that nearly all ebike vendors of bikes with Bosch systems are service centres.

Problems with the electrical system would probably be your biggest issue, the rest its just like a normal bike online.

Bosch supply motors and batteries for a lot of bikes.

eBike brands: all bike manufacturers with Bosch drives

Whether eMTB, city and trekking bike, speed pedelec, Cargo eBike. These brands offer eBikes with Bosch eBike systems: KTM, Canyon, Riese&Müller, EBIKE, Trek, and many more.

www.bosch-ebike.com

 

[mas2]

Aren’t all the Merida's on special old stock?
Most of the ones I’ve seen are ‘22 or older which means they would be running the EP8 and not the revised EP801, so lower power 500w vs 600w.

Merida EP8's have the 630w.

 

[cammas]

Merida EP8's have the 630w.

I’m talking motor power not the battery, the EP8 motor only produces 500 watts of peak power vs 600 of the Ep801, as per my Hambo screenshot, and the bike you shared is a 22 model with an EP8 motor.

My local offered me one too at a heavily reduced cost, as Merida seems to be stuck with a boatload of pre ‘23 models which are running the EP8, from the upgrade to the EP801 plus all the complaints about the EP8 online which you can take with a grain of salt, I think it scared a lot of potential buyers off.

 

[Asininedrivel]

Aren’t all the Merida's on special old stock?
Most of the ones I’ve seen are ‘22 or older which means they would be running the EP8 and not the revised EP801, so lower power 500w vs 600w.

Given they're specced with DPX2s I reckon that is correct. Still looks like good buying though.

 

[Smiker]

If you live remote then warranty from buying online could be a concern. But most direct to consumer brands have partner stores for warranty issues or they'll sort out pick up. If you're remote, this could still be a long way away. Either way - it may involve boxing the bike to send back. Buying direct may fast track major issues in a way, as your local bike shop are unlikely to be calling the shots on any big issues - that's at HQ. And if Canyon/BikesOnline etc have the bike right in front of them, it does just take on step out. Of course, you don't haveyour LBS owner going in to bat for you either, following up and generally making it an easier process.

And on the above about battery sizes, power etc. Higher peak power is the business for sure. More important than massive batteries I think. 630Wh or a bit more and a 550/600W peak would be a great benchmark. The power isn't continual higher power, it's peak at very high cadences - so punchy climbs, singletrack technical climbing, accelerating out of corners etc. If you want a self shuttle plodder, the updated peak power probably isn't a big deal. Just my take anyway!

 

[rextheute]

My only tip is go to a physical store .
I know trek , giant and Norco actual dealers will offer ‘ deals ‘ esp now it is 2024 , and 2023 was like last year .
where are you located as the stores in Albury also do good deals .
trek sent me an email - probs same as @cammas ? Offering shit hot pricing - I have purchased from the hoppers crossing store and the port melb one .
ooh and don’t discount specialised - the port melb store is a dead set ‘ out the door , buy now heaven ‘
have bought a couple of bikes from there in last . 5 yrs

sorry to clarify - these were all in last 5 yrs , emails are in last weeks - but I’m not special I feel everyone is fair game for these offers

 

[cammas]

My only tip is go to a physical store .
I know trek , giant and Norco actual dealers will offer ‘ deals ‘ esp now it is 2024 , and 2023 was like last year .
where are you located as the stores in Albury also do good deals .
trek sent me an email - probs same as @cammas ? Offering shit hot pricing - I have purchased from the hoppers crossing store and the port melb one .
ooh and don’t discount specialised - the port melb store is a dead set ‘ out the door , buy now heaven ‘
have bought a couple of bikes from there in last . 5 yrs

sorry to clarify - these were all in last 5 yrs , emails are in last weeks - but I’m not special I feel everyone is fair game for these offers

Yep get emails all the time but bike shops were happy to do the deal even if the special was over, “We’re happy to do that price in a couple of weeks time if you want”
When I spoke to the Giant dealer and the deal they offered me which was around 30% off, I asked if it was to clear out 2023 stock but nope they were just happy to do a deal. It was Trance alloy 1 down from $9,499 to just over $6K which was fantastic deal for XT kit, Fox 36 and 800w battery but my problem was I needed to sell my Salsa to get the extra funds up.

 

[PiE]

I've spent the last few weeks researching a decent entry level dualie. My budget is under 6k, 5k ideal, I can spend more (if it was a bargin) but I just can't warrant the costs of the higher end stuff. I'm always going to have the mindset 'it's a fricken push bike with a battery and motor'.

Literally my same position. I've been researching and comparing prices for the past month or so with that same general budget. The only non Polygon/Marin/odd brand bikes I've seen sub-6000 are Merida and Norco. I almost went for a 2022 Orbea Wild H30 for $6000 but in the end the 500wh battery put me off.

I would recommend Googling your local, small stores and checking out their own sites as a lot of them don't list on Bike Exchange etc and have piss poor marketing.

Holding off worked out in the end for me as I was able to snare a 2023 Norco Range VLT A2 with 900wh battery for $5220 earlier today (shout out to Jonny Sprockets Toowoomba!) which I'm pretty happy with.