when will prices come down out of the stratosphere?

D

DDBB

Well-Known Member
I'm embarrassed to tell people who ask how much I paid for my Haibike. Even though I got a good deal on a leftover model ( I think ), most guess the bike would cost around a thousand dollars. Of course there are some affordable e-bikes under 2k that can be had online but for e-bikes to really catch on, I think the prices are going to have to come WAY down.. A buddy of mine wanted one but balked at the prices so he's building a kit bike with a little 66cc two stroke engine.. $300 for the engine kit, throttle, clutch, sprocket, chain, coil etc. and then it gets bolted onto a $200 big box store bike frame. He's into it for $500 total.. Of course he can't ride it on bike paths or even on the shoulder of public roads w/o risking a ticket. He really wanted an e-bike but lets face it, most can't or won't justify the steep entry fee. I was hoping prices might come down some for 2019 but if anything, they've gone UP.. Some of that is the tariffs but come on, how many people are going to spend 3k + on a bike that goes 20mph tops with replacement batteries running close to a grand.. Those of us who have ridden them know how fun they are and think they are "worth it" but the average guy on the street thinks we're suckers for spending that much.. My 92' suzuki katana 1100 street bike in mint condition is worth maybe 2k and cost 5k when new. I can cross the county on it in comfort and get 50mpg doing it. The suspension components on it are great quality and the engine alone should be worth more than any e-bike... rant over
 
No doubt. My point is for e-bikes to become mainstream, the prices will need to come down. The average person will not spend way more than 3k or even 2k for a bike with a little electric motor
 
I believe mike has pointed out how hard it is to make a profit with a e-bike store with only 30% markup. Real estate, sales and service people aren't cheap.
As far as component prices, I built my first e-bike for <$700. I never went over 13 miles with it, but such is the risk of DIY. **** batteries, one free, one $310 down the rathole. The $330 motor might be okay.
For $3000 I could have had a pedigo that actually worked. But it wouldn't carry 60 lb cargo, and I wouldn't be safe on it due to lack of front trail and front weight. the pedegos are built just like the bikes that have thrown me on my chin 5 times in 5 years.
My 2nd e-bike is $3090, $2150 for a cargo yubabike with panniers and center stand, $190 for a motor/controller, $650 for a battery that actually works. That includes 7% sales tax. The cargo type frame means my front tire has 100 lb on it and may not buck me off on my chin the way the mountain bikes and cruisers have done. ***-**** quick steering forks! I rode the yuba today down to Yum Center to buy Lynyrd Skynyrd tickets, used the electric up the bridge ramps since I have bronchitis.
 
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DDBB said:
No doubt. My point is for e-bikes to become mainstream, the prices will need to come down. The average person will not spend way more than 3k or even 2k for a bike with a little electric motor
Click to expand...

I agree with both"DDBB" and "rich c".... DDBB when you refer to the "average person" I'm assuming you are referring to someone who buys a bike ( any type ) rides it 3- 4
when the weather is nice and stores it in the garage until ??? That's my definition of the average person ( cyclist ) ...eBike prices need to come way down for these folks.

For folks that ride with any regularity and or truly look forward to the wonderful experience we enjoy, pricing is much less important. For me ride quality, handling ,
braking, knowing that my bike will not leave me stranded and product support are all very important and I'm willing to 'pay' for it.
 
DDBB said:
I'm embarrassed to tell people who ask how much I paid for my Haibike. Even though I got a good deal on a leftover model ( I think ), most guess the bike would cost around a thousand dollars. Of course there are some affordable e-bikes under 2k that can be had online but for e-bikes to really catch on, I think the prices are going to have to come WAY down.. A buddy of mine wanted one but balked at the prices so he's building a kit bike with a little 66cc two stroke engine.. $300 for the engine kit, throttle, clutch, sprocket, chain, coil etc. and then it gets bolted onto a $200 big box store bike frame. He's into it for $500 total.. Of course he can't ride it on bike paths or even on the shoulder of public roads w/o risking a ticket. He really wanted an e-bike but lets face it, most can't or won't justify the steep entry fee. I was hoping prices might come down some for 2019 but if anything, they've gone UP.. Some of that is the tariffs but come on, how many people are going to spend 3k + on a bike that goes 20mph tops with replacement batteries running close to a grand.. Those of us who have ridden them know how fun they are and think they are "worth it" but the average guy on the street thinks we're suckers for spending that much.. My 92' suzuki katana 1100 street bike in mint condition is worth maybe 2k and cost 5k when new. I can cross the county on it in comfort and get 50mpg doing it. The suspension components on it are great quality and the engine alone should be worth more than any e-bike... rant over
Click to expand...

Great point. Everytime I see a new model come on EBR, and its at crazy prices like $13,000, I absolutely cringe. It does nothing for market acceptance, and keeps driving people away, or delaying their decision. If you go through the reviews here, it looks like 80% of what shows up, is priced $3000 and up.

That alone, makes people question ebikes selling at $1500, with high prices making them wonder if the quality is not there, or what anyone is really getting at prices over $3K ?

I wonder how many brands and models are out there, that don't even show up here, because they won't pay the fees to be reviewed ?

EV (car) sales are tracking about 268,000 units YTD. https://insideevs.com/october-2018-plug-in-electric-vehicle-sales-report-card/ (funny that - didn't Tesla say last year they had deposits for 400,000 Model 3's. And yet they've only delivered 95,000 ytd, not all Model 3's of course)

I would be surprised if annual US ebike sales are even that high. They haven't been close to that in prior years. And you can't just count all the units sent to dealers, bc those aren't sold to the consumer yet, and I have anecdotal evidence of a LOT of e-bike inventory building up at many dealers. That said, there are probably at least 3 to 5 times that number of conversion kits being sold here every year, and as these prices go ever higher, more people are going to investigate that option. 200,000 to 300,000 ebikes sold here per year in the US, is just not a lot of ebikes, especially given there are more than 300 brands. Many OEM's themselves aren't doing a consistent job of tracking their own sales 'out the door' of the LBD either. I've already seen 4 or 5 ebike dealers go belly up this year. Who knows how many OEM's will be taking the same course ?

So yes, when are the sky high prices going to come down, or when are they going to wise up and produce more models that are below $2500 or even lower ?
 
One thing is that I don't think you should be concerned what other people think. It is your hard-earned money and you have the right to spend it as you see fit.

Another thing is that there are a lot of great non-electric bikes out there where the frameset is $3000 or so and after you put spiffy but not extravagant components on the bike you will be pushing $6000-$7000. If you go crazy you can easily get well north of $12k. Once again it is your money and if having a great and beautifully made bike that is a joy to ride is important to you than it certainly is "worth it" if you have the money to spend.
 
I agree with DDBB. Most of my friends without ebikes thinks $3-$5k is a lot of money for an ebike. The comment I hear frequently is you can buy a motorcycle for that!

Ebikes are still very new on the scene and very few people know what they are about. Those same folks don't realize that peddle bikes can exceed $5K.
 
I don't care what people think. Actually I think it's rude when they ask me how much my ebike cost but I answer honestly and then watch them look at me like I'm a lunatic for spending that much. These are people who buy their acoustic bikes from walmart and have no idea what a quality bike cost or WHY it costs what it does.
 
Maybe they are on e couches?

BB26C4F3-2824-4CC9-A385-11A653563C19.jpeg
 
DDBB said:
how many people are going to spend 3k + on a bike that goes 20mph tops with replacement batteries running close to a grand
Click to expand...

For those that don't want to pay IBD prices, there is the internet for Juiced/RAD, etc., and for those that cannot conceive of paying those prices, there are even cheaper e-bikes on Amazon.
 
Yeah, I feel like saying "none of your business!" when people ask. It's rude to ask someone what something cost IMO. Now if they had a genuine interest in the bike and were considering getting one, that's different.
 
I don't know, maybe it is where I live in a valley populated by super-athletes, but there are a lot of spiffy bikes around here., and a lot of bike geeks that appreciate a great bike. There is one guy with a Sklar with Chris King wheels that has to cost more than any car I bought before I turned 35. I see more than a few bike tourists on spiffy Co-Motion bikes passing through town.

While on tour last spring on a ferry in one of the Gulf Islands I encountered a couple riding on a Co-Motion tandem that easily cost more than my e-bike. We spent most of the ferry ride admiring each other's bikes.
 
My 2006 road bike was about $2200. My Magnum was $1700 out the door of my LBS in 2018. To me My Magnum is worth so much more. I’ve put over 2300 miles on it since June, and it’s riding better then when I brought it home.

The people that ride a few miles in the Summer shouldn’t buy a $2000+ bike. They do not need the durability or quality. They need a sub $1000 off Amazon.

One of the main things that push the eBike prices up is the battery. When that technology changes, prices can go down. I think most ebikes being sold today are at a fair price. If you want and can afford top of the line, pay the price. If you want a good value in the $2000 range, there out there. If you want one to roll around on a few hundred miles in the summer, plenty of options in the $1000 range. No different than cars really. A Kia Rio will get you to the mall, and so will a Mercedes.
 
I agree that it is quite rude to ask a person what something of theirs cost. Nine times out of ten when they ask what your bike cost it is not that they are thinking of buying one but rather seeking a quick rationale for not even considering it. My normal answer is, a lot and worth every penny.

I have little patience with those who's first question is what does it cost. In my business, we offer a quality experience with great attention to detail. If that is the first question, It is clear that this is not a potential customer.

I get that, for many, times are tight and price has to be a consideration. That is still no excuse to be abrupt and rude.
 
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A kit and bike would have cost me +- $1200. My Magnum was $1900 out the door.. purpose built and well sorted.
Now I haven't so much as owned a bike for 50 years and that is a heck of a lot of money for a guy like me..but I think it was well spent.
In general I doubt bike prices will come down until batteries become less expensive.
 
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