Indiegogo, Kickstarter and E-bikes

[Ravi Kempaiah]

What does this mean?

I don’t think that anyone who gambles on a new company is expecting great customer service, and often…new products made by a start-up have some bugs to work out. That being said, it is clear that this year has been a turning point for electric bikes in North America.

If the large established businesses that are selling electric bikes are going to focus on the high-end E-bikes (with higher profit per unit), then…small businesses like these crowd-sourced examples will step in to fill the $1,000-$2,000 model demand in the market.

There is definitely a market for high-performance and high-quality E-bikes, to customers who will pay a little more to get good customer service. That means the prices for that segment of the market will always be higher, but there are millions of potential customers who don’t need a “Mercedes” E-bike.

Someone is going to step-up to the plate and at least try to serve the potential customers in this market segment. The next time gasoline prices in the US spike-up, there will be a flood of small E-bike retailers entering the market.

- Spinningmagnets

Full article here.

 

[George S.]

Motors are cheap, even mid-drives. Batteries are getting cheap. Take one motor, one battery, add a controller, find a decent bike. You've made an ebike. I'll defend and I'll ride simple ebikes till the day I die.

I know nothing about this company, but the price of the kit is interesting:

http://www.greenbikekit.com

If you can run a big CF campaign and get wholesale prices, great.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Motors are cheap, even mid-drives. Batteries are getting cheap. Take one motor, one battery, add a controller, find a decent bike. You've made an ebike. I'll defend and I'll ride simple ebikes till the day I die.
I know nothing about this company, but the price of the kit is interesting:
http://www.greenbikekit.com
If you can run a big CF campaign and get wholesale prices, great.

Established companies have the reach and resources make this E-bike revolution happen.
I am excited for this Interbike. Lenny is planning to place an order for 250 bikes from a single company. Largest order every received by a single company from a single dealer. Hopefully, we can put 100's of people on E-bikes in the mid-west area.

 

[PJungnitsch]

I have to say my experience with the crowd funded Biktrix has been great. Being an electric bike newbie, it seemed the best available option at the time for the price, and it has met all my expectations and then some. Can still see the crowdfunding supporting a lot of well priced and innovative stuff.

That being said, what might really fill the lower end is the Costco's and whatnot. Costco Canada seems to be far more aggressively selling electric bikes than Costco USA.

If something goes horribly wrong, you just take it back.

 

[JoePah]

The eBikes Costco has for sale in the USA are really fugly, cheap looking and out of date.. Other than that they're fine!

 

[George S.]

I have to say my experience with the crowd funded Biktrix has been great. Being an electric bike newbie, it seemed the best available option at the time for the price, and it has met all my expectations and then some. Can still see the crowdfunding supporting a lot of well priced and innovative stuff.

That being said, what might really fill the lower end is the Costco's and whatnot. Costco Canada seems to be far more aggressively selling electric bikes than Costco USA.

If something goes horribly wrong, you just take it back.

I notice there is a lull on Kickstarter and IGG, right now. A couple of campaigns missed funding. Biktrix has definitely talked about a 'cruiser' ebike with Bafang BBS. That's more interesting than what people have been doing, not so much "The cheapest ebike ever", more of an interesting bike with some good specs.

If Costco hired Sondors and sent him off to China with a good design, something mid-range, they'd be better off than what they've had. The battery prices are what would help Costco, right now. Of course, there is always Walmart.

 

[MLWilcox]

Ravi - what did Lenny order?

I ordered my Haibike from Lenny a year ago (no local dealers in North Carolina). Great price and great service.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Ravi - what did Lenny order?
I ordered my Haibike from Lenny a year ago (no local dealers in North Carolina). Great price and great service.

Hi @MLWilcox ,
We are yet to receive the confirmation but we ordered lots of Izip Zuma's, Metro's and the remaining inventory of Diamondback bikes .

 

[Bike_On]

What does this mean?

I don’t think that anyone who gambles on a new company is expecting great customer service, and often…new products made by a start-up have some bugs to work out. That being said, it is clear that this year has been a turning point for electric bikes in North America.

If the large established businesses that are selling electric bikes are going to focus on the high-end E-bikes (with higher profit per unit), then…small businesses like these crowd-sourced examples will step in to fill the $1,000-$2,000 model demand in the market.

There is definitely a market for high-performance and high-quality E-bikes, to customers who will pay a little more to get good customer service. That means the prices for that segment of the market will always be higher, but there are millions of potential customers who don’t need a “Mercedes” E-bike.

Someone is going to step-up to the plate and at least try to serve the potential customers in this market segment. The next time gasoline prices in the US spike-up, there will be a flood of small E-bike retailers entering the market.

- Spinningmagnets

Full article here.

Ravi,

How is was Interbike? I didn't know you went back AGAIN! Good fo ryou, fun!

About the above article from RS, who has advocated for DIY since day 1 as better value,... do you see a divergence between the big box retail OEMs and these new low cost, crowd funded options?

Dan