Is it a bad idea to order an E-bike from another country?

[nabs]

First off, sorry if there are dumb questions, as I am quite ignorant.

I am about to get an e-bike. I badly need one as I am getting fed up with the commute. There are some nice ones that come from countries outside of the UK. Obviously I can just get one from a dealer in the UK, and get customer service from them.

I am keen to get one from abroad as there are some to be cheaper, and more powerful. Also slightly faster, which I am not too fussed about, but being a heavy person, I would like a more powerful motor. And some of them are far cheaper than what we can get. The foldable Stark e-bike has caught my eye. Amazing price at launch. Mate X also looks like a fab bike.

I am just wondering is this a bad idea for customer service? If I get it form a dealer in the UK I can let them deal with any potential issues? Having access to good customer service is probably important.

Or are there electric bike mechanics who can fix issues for any bikes here?

 

[soundwave]

when you add up the postage for it and then the import tax i doubt you will save very much and as it will have a usa speed setting no uk dealer would touch it imo

but any mid drive bike with a dongle would be way faster anyway

 

[flecc]

The foldable Stark e-bike has caught my eye. Amazing price at launch. Mate X also looks like a fab bike.

Bear in mind that only the Stark City 250 watt, 15.5 mph model is legal as a pedelec here in the UK. The more powerful and faster models have to be registered, number plated, insured and ridden with a Moped driving licence to be legal.

Don't fall for the advertising hype, when things sound too good to be true, they usually aren't true.

I am just wondering is this a bad idea for customer service? If I get it form a dealer in the UK I can let them deal with any potential issues? Having access to good customer service is probably important.

Or are there electric bike mechanics who can fix issues for any bikes here?

Getting one of these often crowd-funded e-bikes or any e-bike from abroad is generally a bad idea. Few dealers are any good at e-bike service and most will only touch what they sell.

There aren't any independent e-bike mechanics, the only help is what you can get from forums like this one, which means you have to have the skills to carry out repairs under guidance.

The best advice overall is to buy here at home from a known reputable source. Also buy a legal pedelec unless you are prepared to risk riding illegally.
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[nabs]

Okay guys, thanks a lot for the advice. I guess I will aim to get one from the UK.

Been thinking about this for a long time. Now that I am almost out of probation period at my new job I can get them to get me the bike on the green commute initiative.

I'm a terribly indecisive person. But I think a foldable E-Bike like GoCycle or Brompton Electric will be a good idea, as I can take into the office. A bit pricey but the green commute initiatve will bring the price down.

I guess the main thing I was worried about is, some youtube reviews say 250w motors are a bit underpowered. Unfortunately, I'm overweight. It was mentioned or heavier people a more powerful motor is better. Spent pretty much the whole day looking at ebikes and ebike reviews.

I'm not too concerned about the legality of getting a more powerful motor. Electric scooters are illegal but the police lets it go, I can't imagine a slightly more powerful motor, that they would never know about would pose any kind of risk. More concerened about service and customer support. Guess I will stick to the UK.

I have tried some bikes out at shops and found some underpowered and some quite good. The GOCYLE had some good acceleration for sure.

 

[soundwave]

 

[anotherkiwi]

Here on the continent, as you quaintly say, the notion of country within the Eurozone is non existant when it comes to buying stuff. One of my mates bought a pedelec in a Spanish Decathlon and it is actually easier to get there than to go to the French one. Sale prices are not the same, he got a +200€ discount. As he has a shop and wasn't able to get away I rode it back to Decathlon for the free first service... VAT varies by 1-2% and customer protection is pan EU.

I am going to get a 3D printer and it will cost me 10€ less to be delivered from Czech Republic than it would from France!

A couple of examples of the advantage of not being "overseas".

 

[Andy-Mat]

First off, sorry if there are dumb questions, as I am quite ignorant.

I am about to get an e-bike. I badly need one as I am getting fed up with the commute. There are some nice ones that come from countries outside of the UK. Obviously I can just get one from a dealer in the UK, and get customer service from them.

I am keen to get one from abroad as there are some to be cheaper, and more powerful. Also slightly faster, which I am not too fussed about, but being a heavy person, I would like a more powerful motor. And some of them are far cheaper than what we can get. The foldable Stark e-bike has caught my eye. Amazing price at launch. Mate X also looks like a fab bike.

I am just wondering is this a bad idea for customer service? If I get it form a dealer in the UK I can let them deal with any potential issues? Having access to good customer service is probably important.

Or are there electric bike mechanics who can fix issues for any bikes here?

Lots of really good advice already, which I will not add to, except to say that any bike, "E" or not, needs to have an owner who is willing to get his hands dirty, as some parts are not in most guarantees, like brake parts for example...
There is a lady here somewhere on Pedelec, who after 1500 miles and 8 months from purchase has a huge list of "problems" not apparently covered by the guarantee, after buying by Post in the UK!
I myself am one of the first "crowd Funded" Stark Bike owners ever (Number 167), but I saved a huge amount of money with my purchase, and I have a totally EU legal bike, but do just about everything myself, and I have still not given out £1,000 in nearly 3 years for everything! Plus I have two batteries as well in that price!
But I have been maintaining bikes since I was a kid (over 60 years ), and I was both an electronic and electrical Engineer while working, over a great many years!
But I am not saying maintaining any bike is difficult! Its mostly "common sense!"
Even for someone with far less knowledge, an e-bike is not a problem to keep in a good, safe working order.
But for someone with NO DIY knowledge, it can be fraught, to say the least!
You do need a good local Bike shop if you cannot do it yourself, to buy the bike from, and to maintain it in a safe condition!
Best wishes
Andy

 

[nigelbb]

I wouldn't order a bicycle from abroad for the same reason that I wouldn't order a TV or washing machine. After-sales service with a bulky item would be a pain if it ever needed to be returned. I would however buy (& indeed have) a camera or other smaller item that can be reasonably easily & cost effectively returned to the supplier if there are any issues.

 

[flecc]

some youtube reviews say 250w motors are a bit underpowered.

The quote above is a nonsense, all it says is the one they were trying was underpowered.

The regulations on maximum power are so tolerant that there's huge differences between "250" watt rated motors. Some pedelecs are only capable of delivering a maximum of less than 400 watts, while others can deliver around 600 watts.

And even that is not the whole story since ther are other factors in how the power is delivered which make a big difference.

For example, if you were to ride a Powacycle Salisbury and a Woosh Big Bear you'd be amazed at the huge difference in performance. Both are 250 watt rated pedelecs, but on the first hill the Big Bear would instantly show the difference.

As we all say here, always try before you buy. Visit some dealerships or importer outlets and try a few. You'll quickly discover what you like and what you don't and that is what counts since we all have our different needs and personal preferences.

And please try not to be so stuck on having a folder, since that will greatly restrict what you can get and also the weight that can be reliably carried, since you say you are heavy.
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[anotherkiwi]

I wouldn't order a bicycle from abroad for the same reason that I wouldn't order a TV or washing machine. After-sales service with a bulky item would be a pain if it ever needed to be returned. I would however buy (& indeed have) a camera or other smaller item that can be reasonably easily & cost effectively returned to the supplier if there are any issues.

You have a repair company in the UK for out of guarantee pedelecs, he has spoken of his services on these pages. If I had a Bosch bike I wouldn't hesitate to send him the motor for bearing exchange from here. I don't do bearings myself because of lack of tooling (no vise for example).

Batteries are a little more complicated by the logistics of shipping them across the channel otherwise I would have given Jimmy a shot for a bespoke battery build instead of buying a welder. Interesting factoid: my shipment from the NL of the cells was delayed until the end of the G7 in Biarritz. All bulky items and boxes with dangerous goods labels were put on hold - a conspiracy theorist would say by government orders but I am not going there...

 

[wheeliepete]

All bulky items and boxes with dangerous goods labels were put on hold

Perhaps it was done so that no correctly labelled explosive devices reached their destination.

 

[UrbanPuma]

Go for the Gocycle as it is much sturdier than the Brompton.

 

[nigelbb]

Go for the Gocycle as it is much sturdier than the Brompton.

My goodness. How heavy is the Gocycle if it’s sturdier than the Brompton? I’ve not ridden an electric Brompton but have hired a regular one for the weekend on a few occasions. I found it very sturdy but a bit too heavy as a portable folding bike. I wouldn’t want to be lugging one around on the train or tube or up the stairs at the office.

 

[Nealh]

The Gocycle GX is nearly 18kg.

 

[vfr400]

My goodness. How heavy is the Gocycle if it’s sturdier than the Brompton? I’ve not ridden an electric Brompton but have hired a regular one for the weekend on a few occasions. I found it very sturdy but a bit too heavy as a portable folding bike. I wouldn’t want to be lugging one around on the train or tube or up the stairs at the office.

The Gocycle was designed from the ground upwards by highly reputed and experienced British designers. Not a single bicycle part was used except maybe the tyres, seat and brake levers. The result is a masterpiece of engineering. You should try one.

If you buy one, before handing over cash, make sure that you get the password to fully configure the software. These bikes have amazing performance if you can release it.

 

[flecc]

The Gocycle was designed from the ground upwards by highly reputed and experienced British designers. Not a single bicycle part was used except maybe the tyres, seat and brake levers. The result is a masterpiece of engineering. You should try one.

If you buy one, before handing over cash, make sure that you get the password to fully configure the software. These bikes have amazing performance if you can release it.

But it's not a folder and the OP wants a folder for commuting on trains etc.

The Gocycle breaks down onto several separate parts which go into a large rigid case which you can't take with you on the bike. Fine for roomy car boot use, but useless for hopping on and off trains and buses on a crowded commute.
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[vfr400]

But it's not a folder and the OP wants a folder for commuting on trains etc.

The Gocycle breaks down onto several separate parts which go into a large rigid case which you can't take with you on the bike. Fine for roomy car boot use, but useless for hopping on and off trains and buses on a crowded commute.
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The GX version is indeed a folder. It came into production about 2 years ago.

 

[flecc]

The GX version is indeed a folder. It came into production about 2 years ago.

Thanks for the information vfr400, that accounts for the extra weight which surprised me.
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[vfr400]

Thanks for the information vfr400, that accounts for the extra weight which surprised me.
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The other change that affected weight was the cheaper aluminium frames for the lower cost GS and GX versions. Magnesium was used for the previous G2 and G3 versions and still is used on the latest G3C, but the main frame spine has been changed to carbon composite. The whole bike weighs 14.9kg. I guess that's with the smaller 300wh battery and 15.5kg with the bigger one.

An average Brompton is about 12kg. A 30 cell lightweight ebike kit (Q70 motor)will add about 4.5kg to it. It's surprising what a difference that 4.5kg makes when you have to carry the bike!

 

[flecc]

It's surprising what a difference that 4.5kg makes when you have to carry the bike!

Indeed, weight has long been a problem with e-folders and every kilo to be carried is well worth taking off. Trouble is most designers take it off by making the bike too stunted and the wheels too small. The Gocycle has both easily large enough and now as a true folder makes it a real winner.

I was baffled that they didn't make it a true folder in the first place, it must have cost them many early sales in the high end market.
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