Purchasing over internet (vs local bike shop) - tax savings

...then don't forget the recalls of Stromer, here's one:

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/BMC-Recalls-Stromer-Electric-Bicycles/

Re: the Bosch thread you posted, you had a couple people who were pretty much abusing their bikes and one problematic part of the derailleur system that has since been corrected.

Stromer has had problems as well. I ride a Haibike/Bosch that retails for 3000 dollars less than the Stromer ST 2. I wouldn't take the Stromer in trade straight up.

Cogging, rough ride, recall issues. Looks good though!

Oh so the derailers have been "corrected" or recalled, or did they even bother? Enlighten us all please.
 
your vote is counted -1 for Stromer

I have actually have stated my opinion that Stromer makes a quality bike. Nowhere near worth its price, but quality nonetheless.

All things considered, my humble opinion is that the OP will do better with, and get the range he needs, with another, not so overpriced bike. Also, one that is better supported in the US. Also, one without a gearless rear-hub motor. Nothing against this fine Swiss company, just not the ideal choice, in my opinion, all things considered.

His decision. Like you, I am just trying to help!
 
Slow night on the LGBT forum?

What Galaxy are you living in for your make believe Stromer trade to make any sense? Nobody in their right mind would trade you straight up for a bike that's worth twice as much, goes twice the distance per charge and is faster.

You do know your posting in a Stromer forum right? Do you think everybody in the Stromer forum is gonna be talking whatever bike (I don't even know) you have up? No, cause they don't care. The OP sent me a private message asking for my input on STROMER based on a wright up I did when I got the bike. Everybody here now knows your opinion and your vote is counted -1 for Stromer.

The ST2 is a fantastic bike, however, I would totally understand why some might prefer a Haibike to an ST2 or why they might be willing to trade in an ST2 for a Haibike. For instance, some Haibikes weigh ~20lbs less than the ST2, and many Haibike models offer front suspension and/or full suspension as standard, whereas many ST2 owners opt for no suspension at all, which can result in quite a jarring ride. Also, Currie products (Haibike is distributed by Currie in the US) seem to have a more established dealer and service network, whereas Stromer's network is less established and some members of this forum have had hit-or-miss experiences getting warranty work or service for their Stromers, and that is certainly an important detail when it comes to choosing which bike or bike brand is right for you. The ST2, on the other hand, does have superior range, and a battery that is better integrated into the frame, and GPS tracking built-in, so there are some advantages for the ST2 over Haibike products as well.

You really ought to be more respectful of others' opinions and bike preferences. You run the risk of alienating ebike owners and making them think that ST2 owners don't have any respect for people who own any other brand. There is no one bike that is the best for every rider. Preferences are all personal and subjective. Also, please keep the gay-bashing off this forum. It's not acceptable behavior anywhere, least of all in a forum that is about ebikes and hence completely unrelated to sexual orientation.
 
Last edited:
Folks, @Cameron Newland is correct; please remember that this forum is for all to enjoy expressing their thoughts, feelings, joy, like/dislike about any particular ebike. The beauty of the amazing selection of ebikes now means there is something for every flavor of rider and that choice isn't going to be the same for each person. A customer of my shop is an 89 year old woman who absolutely doesn't need an ST2, but is great on a sleepy low powered step-thru. One of the 'ideals' that has kept me drawn into the ebike business for so many years is how it brings people together, so there is absolutely no space here for personal bashing.
 
As I am researching details for my future purchase, at the top of my list is the ST2 because of battery life. If I purchase from a vendor over the internet (in a different state), I would save a very considerable amount on tax. If the price-point of an ST2 is around $6k, the tax I would be charged on a local purchase here in Taxifornia would come to around $600. A purchase from an out-of-state vendor would save me that $600, and even though I'd have to pay for shipping, the savings would still be considerable.

Thoughts/opinions?

I lean heavily towards a local shop, for their service and expertise in helping me adjust my new bike and so forth, but not being rich and price being very significant with these ebikes, I'm looking to save money.
Always buy local esp on an expensive ebike. Negotiate your best price!
 
Your local E bike shop is also going to give you sweet deals on accessories and service which adds value to the purchase and the long term relationship. There's an ongoing debate at the National Bike Dealers' Assoc. over whether all internet or out of state sales should be charged tax and on top of that, the federal gov't has been leaning on the side to force collection of state sales tax. The real downside is that the feds would require each retail establishment to file the sales tax in the state that the sale came from. A total expensive nightmare.
 
National Bike Dealers' Assoc.

@Ann M. that's pure politics, if I'm a local shop I want state/local tax collected everywhere! If I sell over the internet I don't want it collected at all. Both sides are just worried about their own bottom line, and don't really care about taxes at all.
 
Of course, it's politics! The bike dealers feel that if everyone, internet & brick + mortar collected the tax it would level the playing field. I personally don't think it will work and have had customers threaten to take their business elsewhere if we didn't give them some kind of break on already thin margins of operation. The out of state/internet buyers do they same thing, they're just more aggressive on the phone.
 
I know that running a local shop has to be very rough. You are on your own to generate the funds to pay the bills and maybe, if you work smart enough and hard enough ... maybe make some money.

But, the "leveling the playing field" you're talking about, is taking money out of my pocket and giving it to the government. It doesn't sound like the NBDA is my friend. Selfish? Of course I am, but no different than they are. They want to make money, I want to save money. The eternal battle between consumer and business.

I feel myself headed towards a soliloquy about the responsibilities of citizens to pay taxes, the need to support small business so that they don't all go under and then monopolies all take over...

...but philosophizing aside, what the local bike shops have to offer is long-term, quality support. That is their argument for charging a few dollars more.

The shop that really does provide what they promise is probably giving me the value I need to justify paying those few dollars extra.

But, if they don't have a proven track record, their service is not good, then hiding behind an organization trying to tax me more is not going to help them stay in business.

So, what you need to ask yourself as a consumer, before purchasing locally, is: "Do I believe this ebike shop, over the long term, will provide quality service and support for me?"
 
Hi Ann,

I completely agree with you on "internet seller vs brick and mortar". When purchasing electronics such as an HDTV, I feel compelled to buy from Best Buy (and I do), because I appreciate them having a store where I can go and see everything in person, and try it all out. Having said that, with buying an ebike, at least in my case, it isn't internet seller vs store, it's simply store in one state versus another. If my local shop is losing a local sale due to taxes, then can just the same gain a sale for the same reason, to a buyer in another state.

As a noob here, I definitely want to shy away from saying anything political, but Steve echoes a lot of my sentiments about tax. I am a patriot, and believe in being honest; however, if you are playing honest and everyone else is cheating, at some point you have to adjust to survive. The biggest proponents of the "pay your fair share" spiel cheat on their own taxes. The very same politicians who rage about "unfair alliances" are the very same people who reward friends and supporters themselves. So as someone working very hard, who is not rich, and who feels I am already WAY overtaxed, I am quite eager to be able to escape some taxes.

And as Steve already stated, tax is a HINDRANCE to sales, not an assist. When I consider my purchase of a $4K or $5K ebike (or more), the extra $500 I am going to have to pay (out of money I earned which was already taxed when I earned it, but don't get me started) makes me much LESS likely to make the purchase. Just some feedback as a buyer here.

And one other thing about internet seller versus bike shop... even though I want to save money and resent paying extra taxes, I'd shy away from a strictly internet seller. A bike shop knows a lot more about the bikes, how to set them up, how to adjust them, etc... For ebikes, that seems a MUST to me. So I don't see the big deal about internet vs shop in this industry. Maybe I am naiive, or maybe there are aggressive internet sellers attempting to assert themselves into the marketplace? I thought that ebikes were kind of like cars though, in that one had to have a dealer license/approval, in order to sell the bikes? Like with the Stromer I am considering, I believe only official Stromer dealers can sell their bikes. And if someone wasn't an official Stromer dealer, well maybe it's just me, but I'd be leery about the product in that case.
 
Last edited:
Hi Ann,

I completely agree with you on "internet seller vs brick and mortar". When purchasing electronics such as an HDTV, I feel compelled to buy from Best Buy (and I do), because I appreciate them having a store where I can go and see everything in person, and try it all out. Having said that, with buying an ebike, at least in my case, it isn't internet seller vs store, it's simply store in one state versus another. If my local shop is losing a local sale due to taxes, then can just the same gain a sale for the same reason, to a buyer in another state.

As a noob here, I definitely want to shy away from saying anything political, but Steve echoes a lot of my sentiments about tax. I am a patriot, and believe in being honest; however, if you are playing honest and everyone else is cheating, at some point you have to adjust to survive. The biggest proponents of the "pay your fair share" spiel cheat on their own taxes. The very same politicians who rage about "unfair alliances" are the very same people who reward friends and supporters themselves. So as someone working very hard, who is not rich, and who feels I am already WAY overtaxed, I am quite eager to be able to escape some taxes.

And as Steve already stated, tax is a HINDRANCE to sales, not an assist. When I consider my purchase of a $4K or $5K ebike (or more), the extra $500 I am going to have to pay (out of money I earned which was already taxed when I earned it, but don't get me started) makes me much LESS likely to make the purchase. Just some feedback as a buyer here.

And one other thing about internet seller versus bike shop... even though I want to save money and resent paying extra taxes, I'd shy away from a strictly internet seller. A bike shop knows a lot more about the bikes, how to set them up, how to adjust them, etc... For ebikes, that seems a MUST to me. So I don't see the big deal about internet vs shop in this industry. Maybe I am naiive, or maybe there are aggressive internet sellers attempting to assert themselves into the marketplace? I thought that ebikes were kind of like cars though, in that one had to have a dealer license/approval, in order to sell the bikes? Like with the Stromer I am considering, I believe only official Stromer dealers can sell their bikes. And if someone wasn't an official Stromer dealer, well maybe it's just me, but I'd be leery about the product in that case.

If you're going for an ST2, go with Stromer premium partner stores or concept stores. http://www.stromerbike.com
Inventory in these kind of shops will be up to date and parts availability is not an issue at all.
Stromer dealers on the other hand, do carry few bikes in stock but may need some lead time for parts or other warranty issues.
 
Slow night on the LGBT forum?
Hi @Cory151, personal attacks and discrimination like this are completely unwelcome here. I would like to offer you a chance to apologize and remove the statement. If behavior like this are reported from you again, all of your contributions will be purged and you will be banned.

Please focus on constructive dialog, bring objective feedback about electric bikes or express appreciation for those individuals who are. EBR is meant to be a welcoming space.
 
Back