Online E-Bikes - is it a scam?

PedalUma said:
LectricBikes.com was purchased from Google Domains by a company called TuCows. It is a brick wall on 96 Mowat Ave., Toronto, Ontario, CA. The owner is Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0154814025. In other words it is a shell front that will last as long as a desert bloom and will vanish without liability. No humans are associated with it. [email protected]
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Thats not correct. Tucows is a really, REALLY well-established internet company that has been around forever. They are a domain registrar among many other things. The reason you see Tucows info on the domain is simply because the owners have domain privacy set up. Thats very common these days - I do it on all of mine. You set up domain privacy to stop scammers from using the domain info to spam your mailing address. Its really common for example to get offers that look like official documents pertaining to the domain but are in fact just BS sales offers.

I have something like 200 domains related to my business and domain privacy is standard for a professional company.

Lectric is a company employing a slew of twentysomethings in the USA. Google them and interviews with their founder, a guy named Levi Conlow. They aren't bikes I would buy but for the person who wants a starter at a low price point I fell a hell of a lot better sending people their way than I would on any of the Amazon disasters in the making.

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com

www.forbes.com

Levi Conlow, 26, Cofounder & CEO, Lectric eBikes - 2021-11-30 - 2022 30 Under 30: The Standouts

In 2018, when Conlow was 22, he talked his father into investing $50,000 of his retirement savings in an affordable electric bicycle he was designing. Though his first iteration flopped because of factors like range and speed, and “potentially screwed up [Dad’s] retirement,” Conlow quickly...
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
 
indianajo said:
170 posts on known problems
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I wrote an honest review that my cycling brothers and sisters would find helpful on Amazon. The seller then offered a bribe for me to change it. I reported them and included the information on their bribe by editing the review, pasting what they proposed. We all need honest reviews. It is important. Last week I got an email saying '10 5-Star Google Reviews, $150. My reviews are hard won and all local, except for a woman I helped for free last year in VT without looking for a review.
 
m@Robertson said:
Thats not correct. Tucows is a really, REALLY well-established internet company that has been around forever. They are a domain registrar among many other things. The reason you see Tucows info on the domain is simply because the owners have domain privacy set up. Thats very common these days - I do it on all of mine. You set up domain privacy to stop scammers from using the domain info to spam your mailing address. Its really common for example to get offers that look like official documents pertaining to the domain but are in fact just BS sales offers.

I have something like 200 domains related to my business and domain privacy is standard for a professional company.

Lectric is a company employing a slew of twentysomethings in the USA. Google them and interviews with their founder, a guy named Levi Conlow. They aren't bikes I would buy but for the person who wants a starter at a low price point I fell a hell of a lot better sending people their way than I would on any of the Amazon disasters in the making.

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com

www.forbes.com

Levi Conlow, 26, Cofounder & CEO, Lectric eBikes - 2021-11-30 - 2022 30 Under 30: The Standouts

In 2018, when Conlow was 22, he talked his father into investing $50,000 of his retirement savings in an affordable electric bicycle he was designing. Though his first iteration flopped because of factors like range and speed, and “potentially screwed up [Dad’s] retirement,” Conlow quickly...
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
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I am self-correcting and stand corrected. That is why we have peer review. A good thing.
 
m@Robertson said:
Its not one manufacturer. It is several who in turn sell to hundreds of wholesalers who represent themselves as manufacturers. There are some American companies who do this as well and the secret message to figure this out is when they tell you in their advertising that it is "designed in the USA". Translation: They chose parts out of the Chinese manufacturer's available pick list and had a shipping container filled with them sent over on a boat to the States.

Calling the bottom of the line Amazon bikes "Huffys with motors" is an insult to Huffy, I'm afraid.

At the $1500 price point, go to some place like Lectric - not on Amazon, go to their direct web site.
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Good insight. Must be American as grammar is right on the websites.
 
McCorby said:
Are we not allowed to use the words “China” and “Chinese” or are you trying to make some sort of statement??? Just curious.
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You may attract the attention of anti-defamation bureau # 218 any way you please. They already have hacked my personal information from the US Government (employees database), also Anthem Insurance. I prefer to be invisible as much as possible.
 
Bardo said:
I am a newbie looking for an e-bike for my my wife and myself to cruise around the our beach town in New Jersey. Looking for something entry-level in the under $1500 range. I find our options are some really inexpensive ones on Amazon (Jasion, Oraimo) and a number of online sellers which I am hesitant of as their websites all look the same. I am wondering if there is one manufacture in China behind all these. My facebook feed is flooded with them. Names include; KBO, Ride1uo, Aventon, Rattan, Urtopia, Story, Intheair, Jaison, Cityscape, Murf, Mod, Vtuvie, Back to Modern, Mihogo, Max-Foot, Jetson, MacFoxBike, JackRabbit, Sole and the list goes on daily. I like KBO and Urtopia but wondering if all the bikes on this list are just Huffy's with motors.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
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Same answer as for everything you can buy online - there is good and bad out there, and it pays to do your research.

I’ve had great “luck” with reasonably priced direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, that actually have turned out to be great, reliable bikes. But I’m also comfortable with doing some minor maintenance and adjustments.

One of my first DTC e-bikes (Juiced) went about 10,000 miles, with only minor maintenance, until a controller needed to be replaced. Now at 12,000 miles +

Current DTC ebike has about 7000 miles on it, with a new carbon belt needed at 5000 miles (cost me $50), and nothing else except minor maintenance. And I blame myself for possibly overstressing the belt.

Ever heard of Canyon for traditional bikes? They’re also direct to consumer.

Bikes from LBS’s aren’t all necessarily perfect and without issues either. Sometimes depends on your specific bike shop, and no shortage of stories with nightmares from major brands, and costly or slow fixes/warranty issues. Some experiences great, and others bad. No guarantee in either case.

But brands with little history, reviews and user experience, especially the super cheap Amazon e-bikes … I wouldn’t touch those with your money!
 
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PSm said:
Ever heard of Canyon for traditional bikes? They’re also direct to consumer.
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Canyon is also a big e-bike manufacturer. It is a German manufacturer based in Koblenz, Germany. Canyon frames are manufactured in Taiwan, same as all the big brands do. The motors used in Canyon are made in Europe. Big, big difference.

Still, Canyon is a DTC brand. If I hadn't a LBS capable of servicing Canyon e-bikes and handling warranty claims around, I would have never gone for Canyon. And I haven't.

All is nice when your e-bike is new and shiny. The trouble begins after a couple of years of riding that e-bike.
 
I bought a Ride1Up Prodigy last Thanksgiving. I am quite happy with it. Having previously owned a BH Atom Diamond Wave Pro, and having tried out a lot of ebikes, I had a good idea what I was looking for. The BH I bought from a LBS, and the BH had the best warranty in the business. Until they left the North American market and left all BH owners high and dry, not only for warranty work but also for replacement parts. When my battery got fried, I could not get it fixed or replaced. Since we are moving to Europe in 2024, my plan is to take the BH with me and get a battery there for it.

Meanwhile I need a bike here until then. I knew I wanted a Brose motor, and in the US, that means Specialized or Bulls, pretty much. Both of which are quite pricey, though they both have good reputations regarding support. But I got burned by BH and I am not going to forget that lesson.

Along comes Ride1Up, and it has pretty much everything I wanted in an ebike, except the battery is only 500wh, whereas the BH was 605. I figured I could swap out various parts from my BH if I didn't like the Prodigy's components. I did swap out the adjustable stem, handlebars and grips (the Prodigy handlebars and grips were OK, but the BH's were better.) The stock seat is remarkably comfortable for me. The geometry is also very comfortable. Also the Prodigy is a Class 3, while the BH a Class 1.

Thanks to getting Covid and then winter setting in, I have only put on about 200 miles, so I feel I haven't given it that much of a trial, but I can say that so far it is everything I need. It is responsive and fun to ride, and has great torque, which is the most important aspect to an ebike for me. Everything seems solidly made. (No, not as well made as my husband's Vado 6, but at $2200 or so, it is half the price of the Vado.) Only time will tell if parts start crumbling or malfunctioning, so at 200mi I can't really judge.

Having experience with quite a few ebikes, I was comfortable ordering from Ride1Up in Arizona (or is is New Mexico?..) because I knew what I wanted and should expect. I would not be comfortable ordering from Amazon or Alibaba, but from a US company, yes. (Yes, I know 98% of ebikes are composed of parts from China, but being on the same page about how business and customer service are conducted is still important.) Also, if it is your first ebike, I would still recommend buying from an LBS if an LBS has a bike you like. But my experience with Ride1Up is all positive.
 
PedalUma said:
Part of the scam is closing up shop, leaving customers high and dry, when they start to have problems, and opening a new 'brand' selling the same fat folder. These brands will not show a location on google maps. Reviews will only show on their web site. You can do a 'Who Is' on their IP. A guy contacted me today with electrical problems and being left high and dry by the MFG. It also looks like he messed up his bike with plumbing and carpentry tools. I think I will refer him elsewhere. I don't want to be left holding that bag of shite when it catches fire when the front wheel falls off and he goes through a rusted barbed wire fence on a decent.
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Exactly this. If you are servicing ebikes, there are some that you simply should not touch . They are strictly disposable, like Bic pens or shoes today.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
So that's the same cr*p as the other but with an online support by English speakers :)
Were I know it was so easy to make business in the U.S, I would be a rich American by now :)
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Remember there are already a big group of rich Americans totally devoted to making sure that noone else can do what they ( or their grandparents) did to get there. It's not an easy trip.
 
Bardo said:
I am a newbie looking for an e-bike for my my wife and myself to cruise around the our beach town in New Jersey. Looking for something entry-level in the under $1500 range. I find our options are some really inexpensive ones on Amazon (Jasion, Oraimo) and a number of online sellers which I am hesitant of as their websites all look the same. I am wondering if there is one manufacture in China behind all these. My facebook feed is flooded with them. Names include; KBO, Ride1uo, Aventon, Rattan, Urtopia, Story, Intheair, Jaison, Cityscape, Murf, Mod, Vtuvie, Back to Modern, Mihogo, Max-Foot, Jetson, MacFoxBike, JackRabbit, Sole and the list goes on daily. I like KBO and Urtopia but wondering if all the bikes on this list are just Huffy's with motors.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
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Yes every bike you named is made in China because thats where most Ebikes are made, a US made E-bike would be very pricey or very basic thats why they are rare, you have a better chance of spotting Bigfoot than a a 100% US made E-Bike! That said the performance varies greatly with the bikes you just listed, they are not created equal and i would not recommend any of these brands to a first buyer. I would check out as many of Court's Youtube videos as possible and go with a reputable brand that has been around, Rad Power is a company that have a solid reputation. I have had some very positive experiences with Ariel Rider and Rize both were great in working with me until the bikes were fully repaired! Electric Bike Company is another brand i would look into but dont buy a first bike off Amazon, do that after you have some experience and you know what your really getting for your money, there is a ton of BS on Amazon!
 
Mr. Coffee said:
I've been recently noting advertisements for e-bikes at outrageously low prices, sometimes as low as $19.95. It seems these are no-name builds from companies that have since gone out of business (lots of e-bike companies have in the past couple of years, and many of them have the lifespan of adult mayflies). I know all of the downsides of a totally unsupported no-name bike, but for $19.95? Really?

Will post a link when I see one again.
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I've seen many of those ads; lately I'm seeing ads with (from? Doubt it) the retailer Macy's in the heading. The price? $37.99! Must be twice the scam bike as the $19.99 bike.

My biggest concern with ebikes under $2k is safety, most notably the battery and charger. Lithium ion fires are more and more frequent these days.
 
J.R. said:
I've seen many of those ads; lately I'm seeing ads with (from? Doubt it) the retailer Macy's in the heading. The price? $37.99! Must be twice the scam bike as the $19.99 bike.

My biggest concern with ebikes under $2k is safety, most notably the battery and charger. Lithium ion fires are more and more frequent these days.
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That’s why I went with established companies with a longer history of operation. Nothing off Amazon, and nothing little known or little reviewed without a large user base. Actually, this is true for all purchases online, e-bike or otherwise.

My three e-bikes from different companies were all online, and were $1000-1500 before upgrades. All have been great and reliable. Now 6 years after getting the first one, and pushing 18,000 miles total accumulated.

Only other thing I highly recommend is to have the chargers on timers, and disconnect the batteries from the charger when done (when convenient to do so).
 
A long time ago I had a job where among other things I would assemble farm equipment, all from China. Something such as a log splitter or UTE would come with are red, white & blue sticker that said, Built In The USA. That is because unboxed and I assembled it!
 
Mr. Coffee said:
fun to just buy one
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I have run across this before. They enter 2990 and the decimal floats. I tried to buy five carbon triathlon time trial bikes like that for $55 each. They never arrived and I had to fight to get the refund. I monitored tracking closely. None of them went to me.
 
PedalUma said:
I have run across this before. They enter 2990 and the decimal floats. I tried to buy five carbon triathlon time trial bikes like that for $55 each. They never arrived and I had to fight to get the refund. I monitored tracking closely. None of them went to me.
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Not a clue what you are talking about 😵‍💫🫤
 
PedalUma said:
A long time ago I had a job where among other things I would assemble farm equipment, all from China. Something such as a log splitter or UTE would come with are red, white & blue sticker that said, Built In The USA. That is because unboxed and I assembled it!
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I bet your assembly process added actual value to the final product, though. In terms of function and safety.
 
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