I ran into an offer to purchase a brand new Elby S1 9-Speed from the factory with 2 year warranty at $1000 off MSRP. Can pick it up tmrw here in Toronto. Am I crazy to consider this?? With BionX now vaporized not sure if Elby is mfg with stockpiled components or if there is a new supplier. What's the service future look like for the BionX battery motor controller? Would appreciate any insight to help make the right decision. There's not much 'new' news around Elby that I can find ... And I would hope to keep this bike for many years, not just until the warranty expires . Thanks!
Elby S1 Deal. Am I craZy to purchase?
- Thread starter DrRx
- Start date
rich c
Well-Known Member
What is a warranty on something with parts that are no longer being made? The only way I would get one is if they gave them away. Parts are hard enough to get right now on any bike, parts from a bankrupt company would be crazy hard in those years from now you are planning on.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
On the negative side you're buying an ebike that has a motor, controller, and battery that is no longer being made.
On the plus side the BionX products seem to be very well made and seem to last a long time. A number of riders in the seniors group I ride with have bikes with BionX kits and they've had their bikes for years without any issues.
Also, a company like Grin https://www.ebikes.ca/ can install a new controller in a BionX motor and supply a new battery.
A final negative is down the road the ebike will be worth almost nothing, if you decide to sell it, so if you buy it make sure you'll be riding it for a long, long time.
On the plus side the BionX products seem to be very well made and seem to last a long time. A number of riders in the seniors group I ride with have bikes with BionX kits and they've had their bikes for years without any issues.
Also, a company like Grin https://www.ebikes.ca/ can install a new controller in a BionX motor and supply a new battery.
A final negative is down the road the ebike will be worth almost nothing, if you decide to sell it, so if you buy it make sure you'll be riding it for a long, long time.
antboy
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing that you're buying it from Amego?
You could ask them about their BionX support. OHM Cycles out in Vancouver also stocked up on BionX for service reasons, but might be mainly for their own customers.
I know that Amego does carry the bike and it is one of the only dealers in the greater Toronto area. The offer I have for the Elby is directly from the manufacturer in Aurora and it is around $2500. That's about $1000 less than the Elby web site and about $800 less that Amego. 2-year warranty included. I know that Amego bought a lot of the BionX stock but not sure how much of that is applicable to the Elby vs the BionX kits they sell.
Thanks Deacon, good point about future resale value of Nil! I did research ebikes.ca and saw that they might be able to supply a new battery / controller. But the cost is very high and would amount to more than 50% of what I am paying for the bike! A current replacement battery (vs rebuild) for the Elby is running $1200?? That's 50% of what I would pay for the bike (all prices in CAD$).
Thanks for the insight! I guess my question is more around risk vs reward. Is the BionX system that good that it is worth the risk down the road of a bricked bike if I can't get parts at a resonable priced!!
For the same $2500 CAD price I could stick with the Surface 604 Rook which was (is?) my 1st choice, or the Rize City (less expensive, lesser bike, not available until October, no dealer support). I'm wanting to stick with torque sensor technology vs cadence and these seem to be the only real options in Canada at that price and in that style of bike.
So in other words, is the Elby / BionX system that much better than what is offered in the Surface 604 or Rize that it is wirth the risk down the road?? I'm not enough of an e-bike expert to have these answers!
antboy
Well-Known Member
I took a quick look at OHM's support page:
OHM Electric Bikes
Performance oriented E-Bikes for the everyday adventurer. Experience the ultimate Urban-SUV E-Bikes from Canada’s original E-Bike Manufacturer. Built for BC. Prepare to explore.
ca.ohmcycles.com
If the new owner still isn't reproducing system parts, I'd be hesitant. It's a good price, but there's definitely a risk if something does go wrong.
I took a quick look at OHM's support page:
OHM Electric Bikes
Performance oriented E-Bikes for the everyday adventurer. Experience the ultimate Urban-SUV E-Bikes from Canada’s original E-Bike Manufacturer. Built for BC. Prepare to explore.
If the new owner still isn't reproducing system parts, I'd be hesitant. It's a good price, but there's definitely a risk if something does go wrong.
Interesting and kind of incestuous as Leisger is the owner of DAS-Kit technology, the 'European' company with headquarters in China! The report says they are not yet mfg'ing any BionX components although they hold the IP for that.
I DID speak with the head of Head of Operations and Tech Support at Elby in Aurora, Toronto today. He indicated they just yesterday received a shipment of another 700 batteries from Taiwan, and that they are mfg'ing motors and batteries there to support their production. There are plans to release a 2nd Elby model in mid-2021 that will use the same drive train, so they are confident in supply. And they just signed a new exclusive distribution agreement in August with Keystone Automotive to support NA-wide sales. So THEY seem super confident that they will be around for a long time
Not quite sure how to correlate those two pieces of information ...
Just re-confirmed with Elby and the Head of Operations pretty much swore on his mothers grave that they are having motors and batteries manufactured for them in Taiwan. They apparently just placed a new order for another shipment of new bikes from Taiwan, but their current stock was built with parts already on hand. He also emphasized that all of the technical principals from BionX are now working for Elby, so the knowledge is there. Just not sure how that jives if the IP is owned by someone else ...
ruffruff
Well-Known Member
It's a "down the road" thing. With 0 problems out of the gate the bike will run great for X amount of time.
Depending on your riding style things will begin to wear out and break somewhere "down the road."
Say the bike is problem free for two years then things start to go. Will you be able to get parts in two years?
Willing to write it off in two years?
Only you can decide on your risk tolerance.
Me personally, life is too short to deal with a down bike I can't readily get fixed by me or LBS.
Depending on your riding style things will begin to wear out and break somewhere "down the road."
Say the bike is problem free for two years then things start to go. Will you be able to get parts in two years?
Willing to write it off in two years?
Only you can decide on your risk tolerance.
Me personally, life is too short to deal with a down bike I can't readily get fixed by me or LBS.
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
This is going to be the tipping point for purchase decisions for years to come with so many small unknown companies throwing ebikes together. Bigger, better, longer-lived bike companies will flex their price/availability/support muscles to kill off or buy off these smaller fry.
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