eBikes
Yes, we sell and service e-bikes. If you're in the mood for a whole ton of our thoughts on them, stop by the shop any time.
If you're shopping for an ebike you already know how great they are - no more worrying about getting up that last hill on your commute and arriving at the office sweaty and gross.
Need an extra kick to get you out the door and get the exercise you need? E-Bikes are great for mental health AND physical health. Electric bikes are perfect for anyone of all shapes, sizes, abilities, ages, and any other metric you can think of.
We sell ebikes ranging from about $1,500 to $12,000 (not a typo). You can expect to pay about $1,500 - $2,000 MSRP for a good quality ebike that will last for years (sometimes brands have sales that take these prices lower; note we do not control brand pricing).
There are less expensive bikes on the market - $500 to $1000 - and most of them will have significant mechanical or electrical issues within the first 12-24 months. Battery safety as well as low quality components on those cheap bikes make them unsafe, unreliable, and more expensive in the long run as you pay to fix or replace components that fail prematurely -- or worse.
We are often asked if we will work on bikes and ebikes that we did not sell. Yes we do! However, the following requirements are in place for ebikes:
- Bike must be manufactured as ebikes, we cannot work on regular bikes which have had aftermarket motors added
- Bike must not have had modifications performed on motor, battery, or any electrical components
- Bikes must conform to and comply with current Class 1, 2, or 3 standards (we cannot work on so-called "class 4" bikes which go faster than 28mph)
- Bikes must have pedals; a bike without pedals is a scooter / motorcycle, not a bicycle.
These are insurance requirements and as such there will not be any exceptions made.
Scroll down the page a bit to read more of our thoughts about ebikes, including the top five things we think you should know before you make a purchase.
Top 5 things to know when shopping for an ebike
If you're just starting the search for an e-bike you might be feeling overwhelmed. Everyone and their brother has launched an ebike company in the last few years, and they all want your money. Let us help you spend that money wisely! These are our thoughts and feelings based on our combined 85+ years of experience riding and fixing bikes.
First, the classes:
The three classes are defined as follows:
- Class 1: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph.
- Class 2: eBikes that also have a maximum speed of 20 mph, but are throttle-assisted.
- Class 3: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph.
All classes limit the motor’s power to 1 horsepower (750W).
There are many types of ebikes - here are the common differentiating factors.
- You probably don't need a throttle. They're fun to test ride, but the reality is that most people don't use them in real life. If you don't want to ever have to pedal, get a scooter! They're great (we don't sell them though).
- Hub drive ebikes have motors built in to the rear hub. Mid drive ebikes have their motor mounted where the pedals are. Mid drive bikes are nearly always better quality, better power, better weight distribution, and as a result generally costs more.
Any mid drive ebike is going to be better than any hub drive ebike, period.
The very highest quality, highest priced hub drive e-bike will still be lower quality, have more mechanical issues, and not last as long as the lowest quality mid-drive ebike. Mid drive bikes that use high quality motors like Bosch, Yamaha, and Shimano will allow technicians to diagnose electrical problems via computer or smartphone interface, making repairs quick and easy. Lower quality motors, and nearly all hub-drive bikes, do not have this feature. If there's a problem you'll get an error code, the bike won't turn on or operate, and we won't really know why til we dig through manuals and try to get the manufacturer's customer support staff on the phone... if they even exist.
Price -- NOT brand -- is the most important indicator of battery life, range, and overall quality.
Any $1,000 ebike is going to be mediocre, regardless of what brand or shop is selling it. Any $5,000 e-bike is going to be great, regardless of whether it's a Trek, Giant, Specialized, or other brand. In order to achieve low price points, low quality components are used, quality control goes out the window, batteries may fail or have fire risk, brakes may fail, etc. Not a situation one wants to find themselves in.
Ebikes with torque sensors will provide a smoother, more predictable ride experience than those without torque sensors.
eBikes that don't have torque sensors rely on cadence sensors to turn on the motor when the bike is being pedaled, and off when you stop pedaling. With cadence sensors there is always a lag, and the motor is either fully on or fully off; the ride is jerky and the motor will keep running for a second after you stop pedaling, which can make the bike difficult to handle.
Everyone wants to know how far an ebike can go. Answer: It depends.
All companies want to give the impression that their bike is going to have the best range possible. The reality is that a bike that has a higher voltage, higher wattage, and a larger battery (amp-hours) is going to have a longer range.
If you're riding your bike uphill fully loaded with a headwind in turbo mode, your range isn't going to be as good as if you're riding on flat terrain at a lower power setting without any extra cargo. We do not have any method at the shop to accurately predict how many miles your bike is going to go before its battery dies, but we will do our best to help you make the most educated decision possible.
Brands of ebike we try to keep on hand for demo rides:
Momentum (owned by Giant)
Brands of ebike that are available for order through us, but we generally don't have on hand in the shop due to space:
Liv (sister brand to Giant)
Brands for whom we are fulfillment and/or service partners; you can order through these brands directly and have the bike sent directly to the shop for assembly (the system that connects us is called Beeline if you're curious):
