2nd hand ebikes

Would you buy a 2nd hand ebike?

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 29.2%
  • Yes. But not more than 1 year old

    Votes: 8 33.3%
  • Yes. But not more than 2 years old

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Probably not unless a good price

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • Not for me

    Votes: 3 12.5%

  • Total voters
    24
  • Poll closed .

TommyBall

Member
Feb 12, 2019
69
63
Edinburgh
Thanks for doing the poll.

The reason I had asked for this was down to the perception of some folks with 2nd hand bikes. I don't get the problems with it as you wouldn't turn your nose up with someone buying a 2nd hand car. With more ebike being bought the market must be growing and bikes in general aren't cheap these days!

There seems to be a big market for 2nd hand downhill bikes particularly 26ers as some folks love em!

For me I was lucky enough to buy new. I love how the levo feels but if there was a motor upgrade later I might keep the bike beyond 3-4 years but if not that'll be my time frame. Who know tho a lot can happen in that time and that 1 person can snap it up.

Sorry if it's a bit rambling I am traveling back to work and my head is a bit minced...
 

Swissrob

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2018
327
298
Switzerland
I was talking to my Specialized LBS yesterday about this, he won't trade 2nd hand bikes as he then must guarantee for 12 months, now this could be a Swiss consumer law thing (which only applies to business). The big gamble is with the battery (2018 about Chf1000) can show good health but still have a faulty cell, the motor you can test ride but a replacement is only a few hundred and no real way of testing the battery. I guess (with Levos anyway) if you have good knowledge then looking at "My Rides" in mission control maybe one way to see what the bike has done regarding distance and terrain.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,021
9,465
Lincolnshire, UK
I have only heard about them, but I'd want to see a full printout of the battery health and a report on the motor on headed paper from a proper e-bike shop. The rest of the bike I can assess for myself.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
There seems to be a big market for 2nd hand downhill bikes particularly 26ers as some folks love em!
Where?
Seriously. I have 2 high end 26" DH bikes and a 26" Slopestyle bike and wouldn't mind getting shot of a couple. Not for pennies though.
 

TommyBall

Member
Feb 12, 2019
69
63
Edinburgh
I know folk that want them as they want the 26ers.

Get it listed gary! Also next time I'm home I'll get a pedal with you a gt. Pinky promise!
 

Kingfisher

Member
Jun 3, 2019
90
76
Belgium
Every single one of my bikes, including 5 ebikes so far, have been second hand. I don’t see the point of losing 20% of the value simply by riding out of the shop. Let someone else take the hit.

No issues whatsoever. Just don’t buy them from a guy in a parking lot.

2 were bought at a bike shop, so I had the diagnostics, 3 were bought from random people. Honestly, the bike with the most issues to resolve was the first one I bought at a shop (it was a rental, so had had a pretty hard life. Was 900€ so still had change to replace worn parts)
 

mark1a

Active member
Mar 11, 2019
98
124
Dorset, UK
Also to add to above if you’re fortunate(??) enough to be a higher rate taxpayer in the UK, then purchasing new via bike scheme such as GCI means effectively 42% off.
 

TommyBall

Member
Feb 12, 2019
69
63
Edinburgh
cool.

listed where I meant though?

Sorry buddy. There are bikes listed but yeah price wise it's a buyer's market.

The only way it would strengthen would be if bike shops started to sell 2nd hand bikes with a warranty. Similar to a car dealers approved sales idea. Tbh I imagine with the cost of ebikes some people would be happy to go down that road especially if you got a warranty with it. I suppose it depends what the manufacturer it telling the bike shops to do.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,021
9,465
Lincolnshire, UK
Sorry buddy. There are bikes listed but yeah price wise it's a buyer's market.

The only way it would strengthen would be if bike shops started to sell 2nd hand bikes with a warranty. Similar to a car dealers approved sales idea. Tbh I imagine with the cost of ebikes some people would be happy to go down that road especially if you got a warranty with it. I suppose it depends what the manufacturer it telling the bike shops to do.

The car manufacturers identified that the used car market needed to be well in order to justify the new prices the were charging. It will also help the manufacturer to increase their brand loyalty. If Speccy were the only one guaranteeing to buy back your old Speccy, then I'm pretty sure they'd sell more new ones. Then because Speccy sold the bike as new, serviced it and bought back the used one and are now selling it again, they should get a premium price for the used bike. For the used bike buyer, they will get increased assurance that they are not buying a lemon.

But then, if Speccy do it, probably some others will follow. Which is maybe why Speccy won't do it. But not all bike makers are large enough to do this well, so for Speccy it would be a market advantage that their competitors may not be able to follow.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
Ah... thanks

Gumtree is pointless round here IMO

unless you want a plethora of tyre kickers time wasters and chancers

Ebay will ensure a sale. but probably a bottom dollar one (with fees to pay) for anything less than current
 

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