Buying a used bike: Local store has a Prodeco XRS for 1299$ and he is willing to take down price. Suggestions?

[venexiano]

Dear all,

I do not know much of bikes/ebikes although I ride bikes daily since I was 5 (now 38), I always brought my bike to the repair shop, always got cheap 100-300$ range bikes. I now want my first ebike, I recently read a bunch of stuff online. I just tried the Prodeco XRS, it is a 2015 or 2016 model, I like the feeling of it, it only has throttle but it seems very powerful and I do not mind. I like the price, I walked away saying that I was going to check a 1000$ bike on Craigslist since I plan to spend a little be less (not true, just seeing his reaction), and the guy said "do not get that one, come back I can work out the price for you if you buy today". What do you think it is a fair price? I hope I can take it down to 1000$. I attach some pictures. I am not an expert, what I really liked are the brakes, they felt very good on stopping the bike almost instantaneously without blocking the front wheel. Once my my older v-brakes bike I flipped over and got a arm broken by blocking the front wheel. The seller said the brakes are m355 shimano with rt56 rotors. The brakes say Shimano (see pictures) and it looks like an upgraded version, the specs I found here say SRAM DB5 brakes: https://gogo-e-bikes.ecrater.com/p/25739128/prodeco-phantom-xrs-e-bike-v5-600 . Strangly, the XRS does not exist in the Prodeco website. Do you think this is a good deal? They said a woman sold it to the store since she got a DUI and she does not ride anymore. It does have many scratches in the frame. Whats the value of this bike? I tried some other bikes with mechanical and v-brakes in the store and never got that good safe feeling I got with this prodeco. What do you guys think? Also, it was on ebay for 1499$, but it is sold out: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/prodec...tric-bike-gloss-white/6163992.p?skuId=6163992 . If you have other good option in the 800-1800$ range, feel free to say. I love the juiced CCS one, but it is more pricey and I read many people had problems, although Tora recently improved most of them.
Also: I need rain resistance since here in Florida it rains all the times. I cannot find a review for the XRS, but I see here that the XR battery is IP65 https://electricbikereport.com/prodecotech-phantom-xr-review-part-1-pictures-specs/

 

[ebikemom]

How can you be sure about the battery? Is there any warranty? Are parts for repairs available? Is there a return period if you are not satisfied?

 

[rich c]

According to this you can buy a brand new one for $1499. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/prodec...Vy7fACh0SWAoKEAQYAyABEgLF7_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Even at $1000 for the used one, you have to figure in a new battery pack with any used ebike purchase. Only on high end ebikes can you get a battery history when you run a diagnostic. Also based on the way that frame looks, it was not well cared for. Edit: looks like a new battery pack is $600.

 

[harryS]

If it was $1499 new, then $1000 is too much. It has no pedal assist and you will be missing one the best parts of an ebike, in my opinion

 

[John from Connecticut]

Dear all,

I do not know much of bikes/ebikes although I ride bikes daily since I was 5 (now 38), I always brought my bike to the repair shop, always got cheap 100-300$ range bikes. I now want my first ebike, I recently read a bunch of stuff online. I just tried the Prodeco XRS, it is a 2015 or 2016 model, I like the feeling of it, it only has throttle but it seems very powerful and I do not mind. I like the price, I walked away saying that I was going to check a 1000$ bike on Craigslist since I plan to spend a little be less (not true, just seeing his reaction), and the guy said "do not get that one, come back I can work out the price for you if you buy today". What do you think it is a fair price? I hope I can take it down to 1000$. I attach some pictures. I am not an expert, what I really liked are the brakes, they felt very good on stopping the bike almost instantaneously without blocking the front wheel. Once my my older v-brakes bike I flipped over and got a arm broken by blocking the front wheel. The seller said the brakes are m355 shimano with rt56 rotors. The brakes say Shimano (see pictures) and it looks like an upgraded version, the specs I found here say SRAM DB5 brakes: https://gogo-e-bikes.ecrater.com/p/25739128/prodeco-phantom-xrs-e-bike-v5-600 . Strangly, the XRS does not exist in the Prodeco website. Do you think this is a good deal? They said a woman sold it to the store since she got a DUI and she does not ride anymore. It does have many scratches in the frame. Whats the value of this bike? I tried some other bikes with mechanical and v-brakes in the store and never got that good safe feeling I got with this prodeco. What do you guys think? Also, it was on ebay for 1499$, but it is sold out: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/prodec...tric-bike-gloss-white/6163992.p?skuId=6163992 . If you have other good option in the 800-1800$ range, feel free to say. I love the juiced CCS one, but it is more pricey and I read many people had problems, although Tora recently improved most of them.
Also: I need rain resistance since here in Florida it rains all the times. I cannot find a review for the XRS, but I see here that the XR battery is IP65 https://electricbikereport.com/prodecotech-phantom-xr-review-part-1-pictures-specs/

In the picture all the bikes behind yours are falling down and leaning into each other. It's a mess. That's not a good sign. I've never seen a shop ever that looks so sloppy..
and this is the store sales floor ! Where is the controller ? Why are there two different tires on the bike ?

The derailleur has taken a few hits. One of the derailleur adjustments screws is all the way out, Why ? Is it to compensate for a bent derailleur ?
Is the bike stolen ? And as ebikemom asked "What about the battery " Who knows ? I doubt the shop has a clue. I'd run from this 'deal'

 

[Ian Moone]

Just a tip, Check the Battery for a Date of Manufacturing, and the Bike too ! At least you'll have Some clue how old it is .

 

[Ian Moone]

Yeah true, Sorry didn't catch that post, Since I'm at work. ?

 

[linklemming]

FWIW, the first ebike I ever tried was a prodecotech phantom like the one your asking about in Fall 2017.

Being the first ebike I had ever tried, it seemed powerful. I wasnt a fan of throttle only, too much work trying to match throttle with what I was trying to do. It also seemed pretty lame going up hills. I did like the price though. I then tried a stromer (with torque based assist) and figured that was what I wanted although the stromer was too much $$ at the time.

I lost interest in ebikes till the fall of 2018 when I started trying more high end mid-drive bikes (bosch, brose, shimano). What a nice difference. Not saying thats the answer for you(mid-drive) as there are many nice hub drive systems as well.

The LeBS I originally went to for the Phantom test drive doesnt carry prodecotech anymore, I asked why and I was told some pretty horrible stories about their customer support (one call where the prodecotech representative started yelling over the phone over an issue with a customer which turned out to be the wrong bike shop). The LeBS also mentioned that prodecotech didnt return their calls anymore.

IMHO, too many red flags with this bike and prodecotech in general. So many better options.

 

[indianajo]

See this thread about a lemon that kept stranding the owner: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/keeping-the-saddle-changing-everything-under-it.27471/
Bet they sell that bike to somebody else without fixing it, too.
I hate cheap PAS, level 1 is too fast and accelerates too fast to that speed. I ride the 2nd controller throttle only but am going to build a twist grip for mine so my thumb doesn't get so tired.
Neither of my controllers would go more than 12 miles before stopping power, but in the $200 category I got what I paid for. At least hub motors I can pedal on to the destination.

 

[venexiano]

Thank you. So they offer 1 year warranty. I dont think it is stolen, it is a big store and mainly carries new, but only 2-3 ebikes. Questilns:

1) could you comment on the brakes?sre they un upgrade or downgrade? How are thsy compared wigh juiced ccs?

2) Which could be a fair price if I d like to buy it to start off with the world of electric bikes?

3)You guys say there are better options out there, which one for example? Speaking of the range $800-1800?

 

[indianajo]

Those appear to be disk brakes. I find cable pulled 160 mm disk brakes waaaay better than any rim brake I've ever owned. Mine are tektros, I'm going to have to replace the calipers with something I can buy replacement pads for, but oh well. I go down 15% grades sometimes at gross weight 330 lb. My mechanical disk brakes will stop fine in the rain.

 

[rich c]

See this thread about a lemon that kept stranding the owner: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/keeping-the-saddle-changing-everything-under-it.27471/
Bet they sell that bike to somebody else without fixing it, too.
I hate cheap PAS, level 1 is too fast and accelerates too fast to that speed. I ride the 2nd controller throttle only but am going to build a twist grip for mine so my thumb doesn't get so tired.
Neither of my controllers would go more than 12 miles before stopping power, but in the $200 category I got what I paid for. At least hub motors I can pedal on to the destination.

Hardly a direct comparison. If you’re going to sight any ebike issue to not buying any used ebike, then we might as well send every single used eBike to the crusher. Every manufacturer has issues at one time or another.

 

[rich c]

Thank you. So they offer 1 year warranty. I dont think it is stolen, it is a big store and mainly carries new, but only 2-3 ebikes. Questilns:

1) could you comment on the brakes?sre they un upgrade or downgrade? How are thsy compared wigh juiced ccs?

2) Which could be a fair price if I d like to buy it to start off with the world of electric bikes?

3)You guys say there are better options out there, which one for example? Speaking of the range $800-1800?

Rad Power has a lot of satisfied customers, and every model they sell is in your price range.

 

[venexiano]

So you guys would buy a rad city rather than a juiced CCS? I see juiced brakes are hydraulic while rad city are mechanical disk. Which ones are better more safe? I know there are high and low quality mechanical, and same for hydraulic, that is why I am asking. The shimano hydraulic brakes on the Prodeco I tried yesterday were working wonders

 

[ebikemom]

I have great mechanical disc brakes. I live in a very wet place, that is also very hilly, and they work like a charm!

 

[venexiano]

Ok at the end I bought it. He went down to 850 with (cheap) fenders and 1 year warranty which includes the battery. Maybe not the best deal, but I wont be broke either. Just rode it 3 miles seems to go strong. I dont bike more than 2-3 miles in a row...i dont mind the throttle but i see how it could hurt ones thumb for longet rides. I might use it for 1 year and sell it. My main concern is: what about the rain? Website says IP65, not clear if battery or motor. Here in florida it rains a lot!

 

[venexiano]

My main concern: the rubber which is supposed to cover the battery and usb outlets does not stay down, it stays like in the picture... any suggestion? A water proof cover for the battery?