What is the maximum price you would spend on an electric bike?

[Kudoscycles]

The importers of electric bikes seem to be divergent between the prestige brands such as Kalkhoff,Koga,Storck,Haibike etc which seem to average about £1800 to £3000....there is a mid range price point such as Batribike,Juicy,Kudos which seem to average about £700 to £1000 and the cheaper internet based sellers based about £400 to £600. I am very interested what most customers would feel is a reasonable sum to spend on an electric bike?. Also whether customers feel it is worth paying a premium to have the support of a local dealer?
Dave
KudosCycles

 

[Cyclezee]

I am very interested what most customers would feel is a reasonable sum to spend on an electric bike?.
Dave
KudosCycles

£750 for one of these? Bikes & Conversion Kits - Cyclezee Ltd

 

[12xu22]

Well, I have spent £950 on a my current machine which is about my limit, having said that, interest free credit cushions the financial blow enormously, so I would potentially spend a little more if someone gets their act together and makes the perfect folding electric bike, i.e. one that weighs <14kg and has a range of 50 miles ... surely only a matter of time.

 

[danfoto]

In our case, £2500. Bear in mind though that we're looking at the electric bikes as replacements for our motor car, which we intend finally getting shut of this year and which should net us £3500 to £4000.

It had better, seeing as how The Lady Wife's already bought her new Agattu and I've spent £800 on a secondhand one ...

 

[flecc]

A difficult question this. In part it's like most of the car market, depending on the depth of one's pocket with pride of ownership counting for much.

But there's a fair size segment of the population who seek value for money and take pride in spending the minimum to achieve what they want. We have many of both types in the forum.

I think it's safe to say that few stay with a choice from the bottom band ebay purchases though. They mostly either abandon their use or go upmarket.

 

[Jimod]

There is no simple answer to the question. I can only speak for myself. When I was looking at E-bikes there is no way I'd have spent £2000 on my 1st one. I could afford to spend it but I wouldn't. E-bikes for the 1st time buyer are an unknown entity, we all think we want one but we're not sure we'll use it. So, for me the Kudos tourer I bought was the best option, it had everything I needed and the price wasn't so high that I'd have worried if I'd hated the bike and never used it.
Now though, I've used my bike and enjoyed it so if I were to buy another I might consider a higher price for a different bike.
I wouldn't have bought the cheapies from Ebay and places like that. I think most people would consider a bike for less than £999 for their 1st bike.

As to a premium for buying from a local dealer; There are a couple near me. The small one is great and adjusted my front brake for no charge. The larger one in the town claims to have been there for over 100 years. When I looked at E-bikes there before I bought my Kudos I have to say, if he was the only bike seller in the world I'd be walking everywhere. Nothing could get me to buy a bike from such a place. So I guess I'd pay the premium to get it from the smaller shop and not have a bike if it meant coming from the other.

 

[Alan B]

Up to £1,000

Has to have lbs support.

 

[flecc]

Up to £1,000

Has to have lbs support.

That's a tough call. From £1000 deduct the VAT and the import duty. Then deduct the 30% or so the retailer needs to stock/support the bike, then deduct the proportion the importer needs to survive year round, hold spares stocks and batteries, support dealers, appear at e-bike shows and the like, provide other publicity.

It's likely that's what's left is enough for an e-bike few would want to own.

 

[JuicyBike]

That's a tough call. From £1000 deduct the VAT and the import duty. Then deduct the 30% or so the retailer needs to stock/support the bike, then deduct the proportion the importer needs to survive year round, hold spares stocks and batteries, support dealers, appear at e-bike shows and the like, provide other publicity.

It's likely that's what's left is enough for an e-bike few would want to own.

I'd love you to try a Juicy Bike Tony...

 

[eddieo]

I think about £2000'ish is a realistic figure. but the same bike can be £1500 by end of season with next years models arriving (good that)

personally much prefer a pair of decent bikes and an average car, then a high spec car and shite bikes!

 

[Kudoscycles]

Flecc>understanding as usual. It is difficult to offer a good quality bike through dealers at a price which competes with the internet sellers,either the bike shop does not have sufficient profit to conduct a comprehensive PDI or the importer does not have sufficient profit to stock,promote and carry support spares-in the short term many of the importers are supported by sugar daddies. Moving into the 'prestige' brand area overcomes the profit problem but the sales volume at this level is tiny. Many of the so called prestige brands are really only well marketed 'mid value' bikes but the public are not fools and can easily compare specifications. Going by the foregoing postings £1000 seems to be an important threshold value.
Considering the foregoing it is surprising that the internet type sellers never seem to sell a good specification bike, with their low margins and not needing to allow a dealer profit they could for a minimal increase in cost up the quality considerably but they all seem to have a mindset that cheap is their nirvana.
Dave
KudosCycles

 

[flecc]

I'd love you to try a Juicy Bike Tony...

That's direct Bob, I was speaking of through dealers as Alan B specified. with dealer margins for stock and support etc.

That makes it much tougher as I've detailed.

 

[JuicyBike]

That's direct Bob, I was speaking of through dealers as Alan B specified. with dealer margins for stock and support etc.

That makes it much tougher as I've detailed.

True, it's tough, but possible, I think. Would you like to try one?

 

[flecc]

Going by the foregoing postings £1000 seems to be an important threshold value.

Dave
KudosCycles

Yes, the decade steps are usually the most important, likewise the £100 barrier for consumer items in that region and £10,000 in cars.

£99 and £999 have to be among the most common prices appearing on items for sale.

 

[danfoto]

I've just realised that I omitted to say in my reply whether I'd pay a premium for support from an LBS.

In an ideal world, yes, but in reality not on your life chum. Unfortunately, my relatively recent experience of local bike shops has not been good. The staff of two of them treat anyone not wearing lycra as scarcely worthy of their attention, another ripped us off on a repair job which I ended up finishing properly, and before it went bust, the fourth was only interested in flogging kids' bikes and cheapo MTB's.

I know that there are decent bike shops out there. It's just that I've never been in one for over 20 years.

 

[flecc]

True, it's tough, but possible, I think. Would you like to try one?

I'd want the frame changed Bob. Very much a personal preference of course, but I've ridden that frame when it was used on a rival's Cadence model and couldn't live with it.

Others love it of course, I remember one member pleading for a Cadence after it was discontinued and the agents specially importing one for him to his delight. A solicitor, he still has it I believe.

 

[JuicyBike]

I'd want the frame changed Bob. Very much a personal preference of course, but I've ridden that frame when it was used on a rival's Cadence model and couldn't live with it.

Others love it of course, I remember one member pleading for a Cadence after it was discontinued and the agents specially importing one for him to his delight. A solicitor, he still has it I believe.

Just as a way of assessing quality at a price point as discussed above, though, would you like me to bring you one?

 

[flecc]

No, don't worry Bob, I know from the forum members who have one that they are excellent value and measure up to everything they need.

There are some great bikes appearing at very affordable prices now, from yourself, Kudos and even eZee, the latter being very much in the premium bracket previously. I think a shift in the overall market may be happening now, but not one that suits LBS stocks, support and sales.

 

[Scottyf]

£1000, that way you can still get it in the cycle to work scheme!

 

[Oxygen Bicycles]

Considering the foregoing it is surprising that the internet type sellers never seem to sell a good specification bike, with their low margins and not needing to allow a dealer profit they could for a minimal increase in cost up the quality considerably but they all seem to have a mindset that cheap is their nirvana.
Dave

Yes Dave I agree with you on this one but it's not surprising that the internet sellers very often end up their business after few months of trading. In the cheapest bikes so many things starts to go wrong that they are simply unable to back up their customers with spares. Chinese suppliers usually put their hands up and stop honor the warranties. It's just sad that the business models of being cheap as chips just bring the harm to the industry by leaving the users with such a unpleasant experience of e-biking

all the best

Andrew