Purchased an Ebike on Alibaba, taking questions.

[tctjh0]

I purchased a fat tire ebike from Alibaba. I’ve learned a lot about the benefits (saving $$$) and drawbacks (time and frustration!) to ordering a bike directly from China. I’m happy to answer any questions people have.

The bike has a Bafang Ultra (with torque sensor) mid-drive. It cost about $1400 plus $500 for shipping to the US.

 

[AHicks]

OK, I'll bite. Are you happy with it? Could you post a link to it so we can see all the specs?

 

[tctjh0]

I am happy with it - now. The bike took about four months to arrive. The manufacturer sent it to the wrong address! Thankfully I was able to reroute the bike but the battery got delivered to the wrong person. I actually had to contact the person it was sent to and they graciously forwarded it to me (though I had to cover the additional shipping cost). Also, when it arrived in the US I had to fill out a customs form which caused some delay and confusion.

When it arrived the fork was broken -literally snapped in half. The box it was shipped in was in terrible shape. I didn’t want to wait another three months to ride the bike so I bought a fork in the US. I now have a trade assurance claim to cover the broken fork. I think I will get my money back on that.

On the first ride with the new fork the chain broke... disappointing to say the least! I ended up bringing the bike into a shop to have them put on the new chain and to give the bike a thorough look over. They said everything looks good.

I’ve since ridden it about 100 miles. Have thoroughly enjoyed it and have had no further problems. The one spec I would change is the battery. Mine is 14.5 ah and it starts to get a bit low after my 20 mile commute. I may purchase a 20 ah in the spring. We’ll see how much I actually ride it.

I’m on my phone and can’t copy the specs right now. It’s basically like the m2s Ultra. Tektro hydraulic brakes, stock suspension etc...

One thing I would recommend is to specify as much as you can. Any part that is not specified will generally be of the lowest quality possible (eg my chain). I got fenders too but they are cheap garbage and I am not using them.

 

[LewSchiller]

This first hand experience is so good to have and sobering for anybody thinking of doing this.
Not knowing where you live I have to ask..are you nowhere near a local eBike shop?
Why did you choose to go direct to China rather than order from a domestic vendor such as Rad..assuming you're in the U.S.?

 

[tctjh0]

This first hand experience is so good to have and sobering for anybody thinking of doing this.
Not knowing where you live I have to ask..are you nowhere near a local eBike shop?
Why did you choose to go direct to China rather than order from a domestic vendor such as Rad..assuming you're in the U.S.?

Good questions. I'm in the Midwest and there are eBike shops around. However, the local vendors generally had ebikes that were of low quality relative to their cost vs. what you could get online at places like Rad.

I almost bought a Rad but did some research and took more test rides and decided that I was interested in a mid-drive with a torque sensor that also had some decent power. I was not looking to go 40 mph but I wanted something that could be effective getting me up hills (I'm 6'3 and 225 lbs). The only option I found that fit my desired budget was a Bafang Ultra mid-drive.

That left a few domestic options such Biktrix (which I guess is Canadian but pretty much domestic). I had some communications with them. I definitely recommend them for anyone looking to go a relatively hassle free route. Very responsive. Ultimately, I read of a few people getting bikes directly from China for cheaper. China produces all the bikes that use bafang motors (other than maybe Luna) and places like Biktrix resell them.

There wasn't a ton of information out there about buying direct from China. A couple posts on this forum and others.

I got on Alibaba and did some research. I got a few quotes. The quotes were coming back about $1500 less than similar bikes sold domestically including shipping. I decided with that amount of savings the risk of buying direct was worth it (I figured even if the motor and battery conked out and I had to order new ones I'd still be ahead monetarily).

At this point, I would order direct again despite the problems I had. You just have to be prepared to wait a long time and know that there are likely going to be some bumps in the road. There are some Alibaba companies such as Frey that seem to cater more to US and European consumers than the company I ordered from. That may be a smoother process. The Frey AM 1000 looks great and has better specs than my bike but it looked like it would be around $2500-3000 before shipping.

 

[SirJonathan]

That's a really nice looking bike and I'm glad you're happy with it.

Your post would scare me off if I were thinking about doing that. The four month wait alone would be a deal breaker. A fork that was broken in half and you have to purchase and install a new one? No battery - and having to contact a random person directly and pay to have them ship that to you?

I have an early adopter mindset and thought I was taken a bit of a chance on purchasing a Juiced bike but you have me beat by yards!

Glad it worked out in the end for you and thanks for posting this so that it can help others make a decision based upon their needs.

 

[Stromer2work]

no thank you, i'd just as soon get on the phone with my "dealer" and negotiate the best deal possible. Midwest? one dealer comes to mind

 

[tctjh0]

Yes it's not for everyone, which is why I wanted to post my experience. But I now have an extra $1,300 or so in my pocket for maintenance and accessories or whatever else and that makes the wait and problems I had worth it to me.

 

[tctjh0]

Thank you for posting this!
Sorry to hear that it took so long.. and your fork and chain.

I've been looking at Alibaba / AliExpress as well.
Their bikes seem to have really good price for the spec.

I shop on AliExpress all the time, never had a problem.
That said, I've never bought an ebike from them so this information was very interesting / valuable.

It certainly could go a lot smoother for other people. Not sure if my experience was just an outlier.

 

[bugnut]

I purchased a fat tire ebike from Alibaba. I’ve learned a lot about the benefits (saving $$$) and drawbacks (time and frustration!) to ordering a bike directly from China. I’m happy to answer any questions people have.

The bike has a Bafang Ultra (with torque sensor) mid-drive. It cost about $1400 plus $500 for shipping to the US.

Hi, I was interested in the Frey AM1000 also but at $2500 to $3000 plus shipping and Tariff I feel better deals can be had. With similar specs the Biktrix was even more. Can you list the specs of the bike that you bought and also give a link to the Alibaba source that you had purchased from? I want to pull the trigger on buying a bike but now was wondering if the tariff was about to end. Thanks

 

[AZOldTech]

It certainly could go a lot smoother for other people. Not sure if my experience was just an outlier.

Thanks for the info. BTW, what happened with the China ebike tariff? Did you have to pay the US customs directly or was that covered in the price?

 

[tomjasz]

Not worth the non existent savings. Period. It’s like gambling in Las Vegas and expecting to win.

 

[bugnut]

Not worth the non existent savings. Period. It’s like gambling in Las Vegas and expecting to win.

So, are you saying that buying direct from China has no costs benefits? If the original poster lists the specs on his bike we could then compare. But comparing the Frey to the Bikrix or the M2S you can clearly see a difference.

 

[tomjasz]

So, are you saying that buying direct from China has no costs benefits? If the original poster lists the specs on his bike we could then compare. But comparing the Frey to the Bikrix or the M2S you can clearly see a difference.

I'm saying, chances are better than not the bike will get damaged in shipping. The hassle and cost of repair on an item that would be HUGELY expensive to return could drive the price well beyond the value. I've seen it happen to many times. I've only seen one company actually advertise a nearly bombproof shipping box. (BTN)

 

[AZOldTech]

If you are DIY and can tackle anything on a bike, then China makes sense and will save you money, no question. If you can't even change a crank arm or a fork, then forget it. But my question about tariffs still stand and remains unanswered.

 

[LewSchiller]

If you are DIY and can tackle anything on a bike, then China makes sense and will save you money, no question. If you can't even change a crank arm or a fork, then forget it. But my question about tariffs still stand and remains unanswered.

As would my question about parts availability (see broken fork..missing battery). Yes - it seems the landed price can be less than working with a domestic supplier but that savings comes at its own cost.

 

[Chancelucky2]

I purchased a fat tire ebike from Alibaba. I’ve learned a lot about the benefits (saving $$$) and drawbacks (time and frustration!) to ordering a bike directly from China. I’m happy to answer any questions people have.

The bike has a Bafang Ultra (with torque sensor) mid-drive. It cost about $1400 plus $500 for shipping to the US.

Thanks for your very honest take on your experience! The bike looks very nice. Like some others here, I'm kind of glad that I didn't deal with the tradeoffs. I wouldn't consider any of those things to be minor issues.

 

[harryS]

If I had to have a torque sensor equipped Bafang Ultra, maybe that's how I'd do it, given that it's at least $3K from other sellers.

Your probably would have replaced that fork on your own . .. how good can a fork be on $1400 bike when half the cost is for the drive train ,, so getting a credit for it is probably a bonus. I put $100 forks on my bikes and know I'm just getting a pogo stick good for softening up a curb and that's all,

 

[tomjasz]

If you are DIY and can tackle anything on a bike, then China makes sense and will save you money, no question. If you can't even change a crank arm or a fork, then forget it. But my question about tariffs still stand and remains unanswered.

You do realize how long it may take to get those parts? Remember there is no BBB or AG to complain to!
I've seen where UPS has all but ruined an entire pallet of air-shipped motors. Again, unless they pack like BTN expect problems. Do you have a tool to set bearing races or remove the original? If you get a new fork it will probably come without the race. Perhaps even needing to be cut down. DIY WITH a good set of specialty tools. Been there done that and helped several who also fought the good fight to make things right a world away!

BTN double boxes with heavyweight cardboard. If they shipped more like American carbo bike builders with a base wood pallet and wood reinforcing I'd not hesitate again.

Or maybe your Chinese is good enough to phone the China seller?

 

[tomjasz]

I think that's YOUR opinion though. You might be willing to pay more money for a peace of mind. That's exactly why people are willing to pay more for Pedego because of their customer service. But if you know how to work on your bike, and willing to do DIY work, Alibaba ebikes are good option.

I've had several personal experiences and have assisted at least a half dozen direct buyers this year. To me that's more experience than just a random opinion, it's direct knowledge and experience. Luna labels their boxes as 55" LED TV's.

BTW My bearing headset press, sells for $125-$150. Add the cost of tools or LBS charges to the total. In the end it was an OK purchase as I've taken on jobs I previously sent away. Most of which were shipped bikes.

My USA, Texas to Minnesota bike was damaged severely by UPS. I had to accept and do all the repairs there too!