Buying a used e-bike: The e-bike market is growing and growing - with it the selection of used bikes is getting bigger and bigger. Especially this year, when the availability of new bikes is not all that rosy, more and more people are looking at the used market. But what should you pay attention to? Where are the traps lurking? We answer the most important questions and also have a handy checklist to tick off.
The e-bike market is booming, thanks to Corona; But the other side of the coin: If you are looking for a modern e-bike, you will often only get a shake of the head at the local specialist dealer. The waiting lists are long and the year 2021 can be ticked off for many popular models.
The result: the chances on the used market increase - sellers find it easier to sell an old bike - regardless of whether with or without e-support and for prospective buyers the offer is relatively large. (Click here for the used market on Velomotion.de, where buyers can find what they are looking for and sellers can offer their (e)bikes for free.)
But caution is advised. Even if the temptation to find a bargain lurks behind many clicks on various portals, such as ebay classifieds, healthy mistrust is appropriate. The e-bike market has developed enormously in recent years, both technically and in terms of design. An e-bike that was state-of-the-art six or seven years ago may be difficult to sell today.
The Velomotion editorial team has witnessed the development of the e-bike for more than 15 years and tested more than 1.000 different models. We know the tricks of the sales people and the weaknesses of the individual models and components. So if you go to the used market to find a suitable e-bike, you have to follow a few basic rules.
Current e-bikes in the Velomotion test
Three tips for buying an e-bike in advance
NO SPONTANEOUS PURCHASES
Stay calm - no hasty impulse purchases!
HEALTHY DISTRUST
Nobody has anything to give away - supposed bargains could become top-up business!
CHECKLIST
Make a checklist in advance and tick it off
If an e-bike shows weaknesses that make a visit to the workshop necessary, please consider that the waiting times for an appointment are currently several weeks and that many spare parts are in short supply - you may have to wait weeks for simple basic parts such as chains or brake discs.
So how do you proceed when an interesting e-bike is offered on the internet? We have a few tips to ensure that buying used does not turn into a flop.
Checklist: select a used e-bike
- A potential offer should not too far away be. How far are you willing to ride for your new dream bike? A personal visit should be mandatory. Never buy a pig in a poke. In addition, it is expensive and time-consuming to ship an e-bike (dangerous goods due to the battery!) and that the new bike could be damaged during transport.
- The viewing appointment only when the weather is nice make. Many flaws can only be discovered in daylight and you don't want to do the test drive in the pouring rain.
- Size: Does the bike fit? Don't buy a bike that's too big or too small out of desperation. Slight adjustments to the seat height or the handlebars can be made. But if the wheel is clearly too big or too small, hands off!
- Where is the e-bike stored? Is there a garage? stood it dry and frost-proof? A bike that has been parked outside for a long time and often suffers.
- Does the previous owner "knowledge of bicycles"? It's easy to spot a passionate cyclist by the way he (or she) talks about their bike and its gear. Assumes that a bike nerd takes better care of his bike than someone who only sees the e-bike as a means of transport, i.e. as a means to an end, or who may not have ridden it often at all.
- Is there proof of service in the specialist workshop? There is usually no official service booklet for e-bikes like for cars; but a conscientious previous owner goes at least once a year to the Service in a quality workshop and keeps the documentation.
- Also a Proof of purchase of the bike should be available. E-bikes are stolen and offered for sale - this can end badly if money and bike are gone. It is also possible that the previous owner bought the bike used and this should be verifiable.
- Is it a former leasing bike? This can possibly be a great advantage. Leasing bikes are very well serviced, since service and wear and tear are included in the insurance benefits for leasing.
- Which price is fair? The scarcity of beautiful e-bikes on the market is also causing the prices of used bikes to rise. As a rule of thumb, we would estimate an annual loss in value of around 20 percent for the first three years. If an e-bike cost 3.000 euros (RRP) three years ago, with good care and professional service, 2.400 euros are realistic after one year, 1.800 euros after two years and 1.200 euros after three years. But this only as a rough guide.
- Stay away from cheap bikes! Stick to specialty brands. This applies to the bike brands themselves as well as to the motor and battery: Bosch, Shimano, Brose, Yamaha - here a good spare parts stock is guaranteed for the years to come.
Cheap bikes from the internet (e.g. direct Asian imports, such as those found on Amazon or ebay) should not be bought new and certainly not used.
Once you have decided on an e-bike, however, things only get really exciting: because there are also a few things to consider when visiting.
Checklist: e-bike inspection & purchase
- First overall impression: Is the bike well maintained and clean? If you don't even bother to clean the bike properly for the sale, you certainly haven't done so before.
- Check original condition: Were modifications made? Pictures of the original equipment status of each model can be found on the Internet. Please compare: Has the saddle been changed, have mudguards or luggage racks been removed, what about the lighting system?
- Optical condition: Does the e-bike show signs of a fall? Scratches on the brake handles, pedals or the rear derailleur are the first indications, as they always come into contact with the ground first.
- Functional test: Does the bike turn on without a murmur? Especially bikes with an on button on the battery can sometimes be bitchy.
- Check display: An older display can have pixel errors or be difficult or impossible to read due to external impacts, although it does not show any damage.
- Key: Are all keys present? This allows the battery to be removed cleanly and easily and then locked again securely. For e-bikes with a frame lock, this should be keyed alike with the battery lock.
Is there a code card for reordering keys (e.g. Abus)? - Circuit: Does the gear shifter run smoothly through all gears? With derailleur gears, the derailleur hanger (the small eyelet to which the rear derailleur is bolted) is a predetermined breaking point. This derailleur hanger bends easily. Especially if a bike fell on this side (signs of a fall) or was transported in the car lying on this side. A derailleur hanger can be easily replaced by a specialist; but if it is bent, this has a negative effect on the circuit and it is no longer possible to switch through all the gears cleanly.
- brakes: A modern e-bike usually has hydraulic disc brakes - these are not a must, but are actually standard on more expensive e-bikes. Please check several factors.
- Can the brake levers be pushed down to the handlebar grip? Then the braking power is limited and the hydraulic lines will probably have to be bled.
- Do the brakes make an unpleasant metallic grinding noise? Then the pads are worn out and need to be replaced. If the brake disc also shows wear and circular grinding marks, the brake pads have been “off” for a long time and the discs must also be replaced.
- Do the brakes squeak loudly? This can be very uncomfortable and very loud to deafening. Either the brake discs are worn or the brake caliper is not quite parallel to the brake disc. If no mechanical fault can be identified, a “brake silencer” spray from SwissStop, for example, can work wonders.
- Light: Does the lighting system work properly? Front lights and rear lights on e-bikes are usually powered by the battery - so they should work without problems, otherwise troubleshooting can be complicated.
- Battery pack: Has the battery been stored and charged properly? It should be stored indoors for longer periods of time (especially in winter) - ideally with a charge level of around 75%.
Remove the battery and check the contacts. Are they clean, free of dirt and water and showing no signs of corrosion?
The battery case must not show any traces of manipulation. This must be immaculate. The batteries from which the scary fire stories are heard are almost always batteries that have been dropped beforehand or that have been opened and tinkered with. A flawless branded battery will not catch fire by itself. - Engine: Were the engine software updated during the service (receipts)? Has the motor housing been tampered with? Has the engine been tuned? Stay away from bikes with engine tuning - regardless of whether this tuning is still active or ever was. The motor, like the entire bike, suffers from the significantly higher speeds that an e-bike is not designed for.
- Mileage: A modern e-bike doesn't mind mileage of several thousand kilometers as long as it is well cared for and wearing parts are replaced. A bike that was used as a commuter vehicle and has a mileage in the five-digit range must be examined particularly critically. The display shows the total mileage of an e-bike. Bikes without a display that are controlled via a smartphone app show even more information about use in the app.
- Tire: Tires on e-bikes wear out, but they can also be changed quickly and usually inexpensively and easily by yourself. Accordingly, a bike for a test ride should not attract negative attention with completely worn or even flat tires.
- Suspension fork and damper: City and trekking bikes are almost always equipped with suspension forks these days; full-suspension mountain bikes with an additional rear shock absorber. The air-sprung components also have to be serviced regularly. Please make sure that the fork and damper fork tubes are clean and scratch-free. There should be no traces of spilled oil. Of course, both the fork and the shock must function properly and be adjustable to the rider's weight.
- Stem/headset: These must be tight and must not show any play. To test, it is best to pull the front wheel brake and wiggle the handlebars forwards and backwards with both hands. If you can feel rattling or bearing play in the area of the handlebar stem (steerer tube), analyze where the play is coming from and fix it in any case. This does not have to be a serious defect, but it can become one and, in the worst case, cause a fall.
- Chain and sprocket: Because of the higher forces, the chain on an e-bike must be changed every 1.500 to 2.000 km at the latest. Otherwise the sprockets (pinions) will also suffer, especially at the back of the rear wheel. Changing them is much more complex and expensive. A new chain only costs around 20 to 30 euros and frequent drivers can change it themselves with a little practice.
If you don't feel confident enough to complete the extensive checklist above, you should take a friend with cycling experience with you for a test ride. Anyone who has ridden an e-bike before will notice shortcomings much quicker than a newcomer.
To ensure that you don't forget anything during the viewing appointment, you can also download the above checklist in short form, print it out and check it off on site:
And if you want to be on the safe side or want to buy a particularly expensive bike, you can insist on a quality check by a specialist workshop that can examine the e-bike in detail using special analysis tools. For example, the status of the battery (number of charging cycles, capacity) can be read out. Although this check in a specialist company costs a little time and money, it should be carried out by a conscientious seller anyway, as it increases the chances of selling and thus also the achievable sales price.
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