jezhumphrey75
Member
do you buy an ebike to keep for a long time? or sell on before warranty runs out? just seems like there not long time owning purchases.
do you buy an ebike to keep for a long time? or sell on before warranty runs out?
- Thread starter jezhumphrey75
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jezhumphrey75
Member
- Thread starter
- #3
even with motors going out of warranty? or become hard to get/overpriced?
Andy__C
Active member
No hard and fast rules. But with a couple of choice upgrades I can't see anything 'new' in the market tempting me away from the '19 levo just yet.
I do love the looks, shininess, marketing etc of the new releases every year but with the prices the way that they are for current, good spec models..... sense prevails.
I do love the looks, shininess, marketing etc of the new releases every year but with the prices the way that they are for current, good spec models..... sense prevails.
If you plan on selling an emtb close to the end of its warranty, you are not going to get very much for it, especially with the product dumping going on these days. My 2020 Levo SL and 2022 Kenevo SL are the same bikes today they were when I bought them and spent another $5000 modifying them to the way I like them. What is out there right now that is better for what I ride? My only regret is that I didnt buy an aluminum bike as I am not sold on carbon fiber.
Our alloy 2022 Trek Rails with Bosch CX Gen4 motors are out of warranty, but if they fail in any way they'll go directly to @Bearing Man who is based about 1 hour from us. If anything else fails I'll replace it. Selling our bikes in order to buy new bikes with warranty would be plain stupid.
Don't think I would fork out 6 grand again for a Ebike. Original levo expert with new frame on warranty 18 months ago plus umpteen motors. I think I could theoretically say its a 22 or 23 bike eh. Hope wheels 18 months ago as well plus new seat . Dreading the battery going 
that will be a sore one . Latest motor about 1800 miles so it's on borrowed time. I wonder if I will get number 5 on warranty mmmmm . Looking at a Cairns adventure rival gravel ebike should know soon if I can wangle that one .
that will be a sore one . Latest motor about 1800 miles so it's on borrowed time. I wonder if I will get number 5 on warranty mmmmm . Looking at a Cairns adventure rival gravel ebike should know soon if I can wangle that one .
RebornRider
Well-known member
I planned to keep my full fat Levo for the long term when I bought it in 2019, and I still plan to keep it in 2024. I had BearingMan's US affiliate refurbish my motor with their uprated parts and added seals last year. That plus my totally revised bike wash method gives me some confidence that the refurb'ed motor will last many years. My battery health is about 95%, so that should survive for many years as well.
And most critically, I'm still completely satisfied with how the bike works. So yeah, I expect my kid will inherit the bike.
Edit to say that my motor died because of crank shaft corrosion due to water ingress. The corrosion caused the sprag clutch to fail.
And most critically, I'm still completely satisfied with how the bike works. So yeah, I expect my kid will inherit the bike.
Edit to say that my motor died because of crank shaft corrosion due to water ingress. The corrosion caused the sprag clutch to fail.
My Rail is over 4 years old and has been demoted to commuter bike status and occasional loaner, the KSL is over 2 years old and is my shredder. There's nothing currently on the market in the UK that comes even close to tempting me.
I'm still amazed how well my battery has lasted. June 19 still as good as new I think. 9500 miles
The Rail has had a motor rebuild by BearingMan. I bought the KSL when the Rail was 23 months old and was working perfectly when I parked it in there garage. 7 months later I decided to sell and the bloody thing didn't work! 
Off it went to be repaired and came back as good as new.
Off it went to be repaired and came back as good as new.
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We've got bikes that are well suited to the riding we do so there's no need to waste money on a new bike, though I might be tempted if a killer deal comes along (at least 40% off).
The Rise is light and nimble, great for general trail riding.
The Stereo 120 is great for slugging up very steep mountainsides with its 490mm chainstay and CX motor.
The Rise is light and nimble, great for general trail riding.
The Stereo 120 is great for slugging up very steep mountainsides with its 490mm chainstay and CX motor.
But did you sell it while it was working and still worth a decent amount or are you keeping as a back up?The Rail has had a motor rebuild by BearingMan. I bought the KSL when the Rail was 23 months old and was working perfectly when I parked it in there garage. 7 months later I decided to sell and the bloody thing didn't work!
Off it went to be repaired and came back as good as new.
Cars / vans I usually keep until they are worn out. Motorbikes I keep, even when becoming obsolete.
Regarding eMTBs, I do not yet know for sure, as this is my first e-bike and I have had it for just a few months. But it has a Bosch motor and I presume replacements / repairs will be available in the forseeable future. It might need another type of e-bike or do a big upgrade in the future, I don't know yet. In that case, I guess I would sell the one I have.
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motors are not cheap, but they're far from ridiculous, especially when you think of the price of other components.
A EP8RS motor is the same price as a set of Fox 38 for example, you wouldn't sell your bike because your forks broke, you'd buy new forks. A decent 12 speed chain, cassette, twice during the life of the bike is about the same as a motor...
People have to think of the motor in the same way as the other components in terms of repair/replace. Rather than just scrapping a bike because a motor may fail.
A EP8RS motor is the same price as a set of Fox 38 for example, you wouldn't sell your bike because your forks broke, you'd buy new forks. A decent 12 speed chain, cassette, twice during the life of the bike is about the same as a motor...
People have to think of the motor in the same way as the other components in terms of repair/replace. Rather than just scrapping a bike because a motor may fail.
I left it too late to catch the wave of high prices caused by Covid and haven’t had so much as a scammer at £2k so I’ve decided to just keep it as a backup.
This ^^^
I’m happy to keep my ‘22 bosch powered cube all the while the tech is still current. If I were to switch it would only be for something different. Maybe an SL or something with an internal gearbox. Would be great if I had the money/space to have all 3!
Ark
Active member
Keeping my 2023 Bosch Smart System Bike until tech moves on.
The only thing a new bike would do for me is, ABS brakes or electronic shifting.
I could add them anyway and don't really want them.
I'll probably keep this bike until gear boxes or something comes around, or at least some new full fat motors
The only thing a new bike would do for me is, ABS brakes or electronic shifting.
I could add them anyway and don't really want them.
I'll probably keep this bike until gear boxes or something comes around, or at least some new full fat motors
steve_sordy
Wedding Crasher
Every bike I have bought was for "the foreseeable future". I never had a length of ownership in mind. In fact, the first mtb I ever bought I had for seven years. I'd still have it if a mate of mine hadn't said he wanted it for his teenage son's birthday.
All the others went within 3.5 years, most a lot less. It just became time to change. Early on, it wasn't boredom that led to disposal, I was progressing as a rider and just wanted "more". I had two mtbs when I decided that I needed an emtb. One was sold before purchase and one shortly afterwards. My previous emtb was sold during the pandemic when I got an amazing price for it. I was then left with the challenge of buying my current ebike and it took a while. I've had it since Jul'21 and I can't see any other bike on the market that I would prefer.
If the motor or battery fail, the bike would be pretty much worthless, so I'd have to replace the failed item. In which case I might as well keep it!
All the others went within 3.5 years, most a lot less. It just became time to change. Early on, it wasn't boredom that led to disposal, I was progressing as a rider and just wanted "more". I had two mtbs when I decided that I needed an emtb. One was sold before purchase and one shortly afterwards. My previous emtb was sold during the pandemic when I got an amazing price for it. I was then left with the challenge of buying my current ebike and it took a while. I've had it since Jul'21 and I can't see any other bike on the market that I would prefer.
If the motor or battery fail, the bike would be pretty much worthless, so I'd have to replace the failed item. In which case I might as well keep it!
Bontee
Member
My full sus (real bike ,I just can’t call them anologue) had that from 1999 till 2022,My softail Ti I’ve had for 14 years,And plan to keep it till I drop.The new Ducati TK01-rr ,I can’t see any reason to see why the bike (not the motor ) should last less than these.So ,if I have to buy or repair the motor along the way it’s still going to cost a shed load less than a new e mountain bike.
My Alves custom hard tail still going 24 years later. It will be left in my will to Joe from Elgin
Remember that one well a pal of mine had one maybe still up his loft
Still got my 95 GT Team RTS, one of the first full suspension frames.
If I do the math, I buy a new bike an average of every 3.5 years. I just sold my first eMTB after 2.5 years. I expect to keep it a few years, but who knows what they'll come out with in 2025?
I plan to keep my 2020 Levo SL for quite some time. It's now out of warranty so unless there's some amazing leap in technology, I can't see me replacing it with any new model anytime soon.
It's such a versatile bike. I commute to work on it, raced XC, Gravel and Enduro on it and normal trail riding. I does just what I want it to do.
It's such a versatile bike. I commute to work on it, raced XC, Gravel and Enduro on it and normal trail riding. I does just what I want it to do.
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