Largest e-bike company in the US, Rad Power Bikes, says it has to raise prices. Here’s why

[Solarcabin]

Largest e-bike company in the US, Rad Power Bikes, says it has to raise prices. Here's why

Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes has just sent an email out to its customers and followers announcing that prices will increase...

electrek.co

There are over 400 ebike companies now and so much competition that I don't think Rad Power is making a wise decision.

There is another option, take a smaller profit margin on each bike but sell more bikes.

 

[ActionJackson]

There is another option, take a smaller profit margin on each bike but sell more bikes.

Eh?! It’s better to take a larger profit selling fewer bikes. That’s how capitalism works. They’re just getting ahead of the demand for premium bikes that’ll be generated once Uncle Joe subsidizes the inequitables to clear out Walmart of the cheap E-clunkers.

 

[Solarcabin]

Or maybe 'gyna' raised the price they charge for building Rad Power ebikes?

Seattle e-bike company says tariffs could puncture growth of its $50M business

Rad Power Bikes, which designs bikes here but has them built in China, says it will soften the impending tariff’s impact by absorbing nearly half the cost itself. But it says the import tax makes no sense because there are...

www.seattletimes.com

 

[AHicks]

I think it's a safe bet they'll continue to do well. My thought is that if ANYONE has a good sense of the pulse of the e-bike industry, it's RAD. These guys are on top of their game

 

[DaveMatthews]

The price is up for everybody. No reason Rad should be an exception.

 

[fooferdoggie]

so many are using the fear of inflation to raise their price to make more profit.

 

[ian fisher]

e bikes seem to becoming more expensive and there is no doubt that the quality of the bikes is also very impressive. The cost of a brand new e bike can sometimes be equal to, or more than the cost of a used car, but of course the used car will have much higher ongoing operating costs.
The good news for potential e bike buyers is that with so many bikes on the market now of good quality, lighter weight, more efficient motor and drive systems, better technology year after year will mean that soon enough there will be a huge used e bike market much the same as there is a used car market.
In my own experience it's a small risk to take on buying a used e bike and for less than half the cost of buying the same bike brand new, after all it's not rocket science, there is no engineering mystery involved, it is quite simply a bicycle with and electric motor and a battery.

 

[AHicks]

e bikes seem to becoming more expensive and there is no doubt that the quality of the bikes is also very impressive. The cost of a brand new e bike can sometimes be equal to, or more than the cost of a used car, but of course the used car will have much higher ongoing operating costs.
The good news for potential e bike buyers is that with so many bikes on the market now of good quality, lighter weight, more efficient motor and drive systems, better technology year after year will mean that soon enough there will be a huge used e bike market much the same as there is a used car market.
In my own experience it's a small risk to take on buying a used e bike and for less than half the cost of buying the same bike brand new, after all it's not rocket science, there is no engineering mystery involved, it is quite simply a bicycle with and electric motor and a battery.

"Battery" being the key word. That's where the biggest roll of the dice is involved when considering a used bike. The older the used bike, the bigger that gamble is....

 

[ian fisher]

There's always someone who wants to split hairs, a battery in an e bike is no more or less of a gamble than an engine and mileage on a used car. The e bike battery is easily rebuildable or replaceable, more so that a combustion engine, and of course there is a cost involved. Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) always applies as a rule of purchasing any used goods.

 

[AHicks]

There's always someone who wants to split hairs, a battery in an e bike is no more or less of a gamble than an engine and mileage on a used car. The e bike battery is easily rebuildable or replaceable, more so that a combustion engine, and of course there is a cost involved. Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) always applies as a rule of purchasing any used goods.

No intent to split hairs here sir. A battery is very easily damaged by somebody that doesn't care, doesn't know any better, or is abusive. The cost to rebuild or replace that battery in many cases is excessive (based on what the bike cost new), which in many cases can have quite an effect on the value of the bike. Because there is no way to establish a solid opinion on how a battery has been treated, many are a little shy of them - for good reason in my mind.

If you don't see it that way, rather than drag this topic way off into the weeds, let's just agree to disagree and move on.

 

[mclewis1]

I agree that this isn't the place for a battery specific discussion but I have a feeling (no proof, call it a semi educated hunch) that part of why RAD is raising prices are increased liability costs. These aren't specifically because of batteries but they're part of it. I suspect that many ebike companies are looking for increased protection from lawsuits as a much wider range of folks are using their products these days.

 

[AHicks]

Liability costs due to e-bike battery usage? If the potential for battery issues using OEM battery packs and the chargers designed to be used with them really is of ANY concern to you, suggest you look beyond the handful of horror stories you see on occasion. Look at the failure rate as compared to the number in use for instance. Kinda like cell phones, dangerous e-bike battery incidents extremely low. The ones you do see are most often hacks that have "assembled" thier own packs using cell from God knows where, and have managed to either screw that up, or the charging process they use. Beyond that, regarding battery liability, accidents can happen I'm sure, but it's nothing to loose sleep over. If you read and follow the directions, I'd say your chances of a dangerous battery situation developing are pretty remote....