Post-holidays ebike glut?

[Avg_Joe]

I check my local Craigslist and FB Marketplace almost daily for ebikes. In this area, I'll see many of the ebikes just sit there for weeks. I'm wondering whether ebikes will be a popular holiday gift to give, but the recipient finds - after a ride or 2 - they don't like it, and want the cash instead. Already seeing a few cases of this...

Think there'll be a glut of lightly used/unused ebikes listed for sale come January and February?

 

[fooferdoggie]

along with all the people that bought them during the pandemic and realized why they never rode bikes to begin with.

 

[harryS]

In the over 60 ebikers group on facebook, lots of senior buying bikes that don't fit, and a few people that keep falling down. They go on to trikes.

 

[fooferdoggie]

In the over 60 ebikers group on facebook, lots of senior buying bikes that don't fit, and a few people that keep falling down. They go on to trikes.

the problem of buying a bike sight unseen for sure.

 

[teskow]

I have no doubt e-bikes are a popular fad at this time and that there will be a glut of e-bikes for sale in the future after the newness wears off. Dealers will going out of business liquidating stocks etc. Like many fads in the past most small brands will go by the wayside. The market will all get shaken out and stabilized. Competition will wane and the prices may even rise due to less brand competition.
Hopefully in the not too distant future battery longevity and replacement costs will drop making the per mile cost lower as it would make an e-bike an even cheaper form of economy transportation. That would help to insure the electric bike stays popular.

 

[scottsdalecommuter]

I’m curious what a fair discount would be on a gently used ebike. I see a lot on Craigslist with 100 miles or so that are pretty new but the warranty doesn’t transfer which makes me nervous. Usually they are about 25 percent off which isn’t enough to get me interested without a one year warranty.

 

[Avg_Joe]

I’m curious what a fair discount would be on a gently used ebike. I see a lot on Craigslist with 100 miles or so that are pretty new but the warranty doesn’t transfer which makes me nervous. Usually they are about 25 percent off which isn’t enough to get me interested without a one year warranty.

25% off a bike w/ 100 mi would not entice me either. I'm seeing some for 30-40% off and ridden 2-3 times, w/ mileage under 25 mi. And there are those who are asking near retail - good luck with that.

 

[retiredNH]

I think you'll see a lot of the inexpensive internet ebikes being sold - folks who got them will figure out that no shop will service them, that the fit is not so great, and perhaps they don't ride well enough. I think the name brand ones sold through bike shops are much less likely to end up being sold on, at least the ones where the buyer had a chance to try out and be properly fitted. But we'll see, won't we?

 

[fooferdoggie]

Plus the longer they go unsold the more chance the battery becomes toast.

 

[kmccune]

Interesting, this area has always been a bit economically depressed, you almost have to give them away.

 

[Handlebars]

I check my local Craigslist and FB Marketplace almost daily for ebikes. In this area, I'll see many of the ebikes just sit there for weeks. I'm wondering whether ebikes will be a popular holiday gift to give, but the recipient finds - after a ride or 2 - they don't like it, and want the cash instead. Already seeing a few cases of this...

Think there'll be a glut of lightly used/unused ebikes listed for sale come January and February?

You might just be right! rize is giving $300 off on a few of their bikes

 

[voidedwarranty]

I read the title wrong. I came here to say I have a post holiday GUT.

Staying true to the topic, yes I would imagine that some lightly used bikes will be available in the secondhand market place. Now I am curious to see what's out there.