Who spent a lot on their E-bike? Was it worth it?

[The duke]

Edited so as not to be offensive:

I see ebikes going for well over $7000, sometimes over $12,000, and I occassionally myself, who buys this stuff? That's getting into motorcycle territory or at least electric scooter territory. Who here has spent a lot of bread on their ebike? What was your process in justifying your buying decision, and in the end, was it worth the cost?

 

[Ian Moone]

I see ebikes going for over $7000, and I have to ask, who buys this stuff? That's getting into motorcycle territory or at least electric scooter territory. Who here has spent a lot of bread on their ebike? How do you justify it and was it worth the cost?

Only $500 but it was from a Co-worker. I guess it boils down to what you Want versus Need. ?

 

[RabH]

I spent £3500 (around $4500) and it was money very well spent just for the smile it puts on my face everytime I ride it

 

[6zfshdb]

I researched ebikes for almost 2 years before buying. I wanted a US brand (imported parts but assembled in the US) with a nationwide network of dealers and a great warranty with excellent customer service. The bike had to be well built for someone my size and have the features I needed. The bike I chose cost $4700 and I don't regret paying that much for a product that works well for me.

 

[Alaskan]

I have spent way more than I ever imagined on my ebikes. I have also ridden way further and far more often than I ever imagined. After having a massive heart attack and going through cardiac rehab, I needed a form of exercise that I would stick with, something I had never done for very long before. In my first year of riding I went 6,200 miles. I lost 30 lbs. My cardio vascular health has improved dramatically. I have more energy, spring in my step and overall vitality than I have felt since I was in my 30s...priceless stuff from my perspective. Has it been worth the cost? Without a doubt. Would I have had the same outcome with a lesser bike? Perhaps, but who knows? Do I have any regrets for spending so much? None whatsoever.

 

[rich c]

First eBike was a $500 Sondors off Craigslist, 6th one is a $4,700 Ruffian. Each one worth every penny. I really dislike the comparison to a motorcycle. I ride for health and recreation. I find riding at 15-20mph on a nearly silent ride to be a real joy of life. I enjoy the sights and sounds of nature on rail and multi-use trails and the sights and smells of restaurants in urban riding. Hard to ride around the back of The Museum of Science and Industry, or onto Daily Plaza to get next to the Picasso on a motorcycle or scooter in Chicago. Just not a direct comparison for me. Justify it? For me at 66 years old, I intend to use it to maintain quality in my body and brain. My Mom sat down the last 20 years of her life and she died a horrible death wracked with Alzheimer's in a nursing home. Hell, it's just spending the kid's inheritance at this point.

 

[Jaxx]

Latest Ebike, Obrea Gain M20i with Carbon Wheels (special build) £5350.00 with discount from LBS. Still much cheaper than my Storck road bike (£12000.00) now lying unloved under my snooker table, along with a Basso.

 

[ebikemom]

Our Pedegos were spendy at 3500 each. They are quiet, comfortable, pretty, and we love the dealer model for customer service.

 

[Alaskan]

As Jaxx notes, there are pedal bikes that cost more than scooters and motorcycles. Does that require justification? If you spend more on a Pinarello than a Moto Guzzi, does that mean you should have bought the motorcycle? People buy what makes them happy. If you want a bicycle you’re not going to be happy with a scooter. That is a false equivalence. Quality costs in any goods category. Ebikes are no different than guitars, cameras, watches, or wine in that respect—none of them are scooters. Buy what you want, and buy what makes you happy.

Well said.

However, in this pseudu-egalitarian world, reverse snobbery is alive and well.

For some, economizing is a practice made necessary by circumstances. For others opting for cheap is a choice. On hobby forums, those whose means permit purchase of the best, frequently come under fire from the less fortunate and the envious.

I used to smoke a pipe and was an active participant on a pipe forum. People who spent hundreds on hand made, original, artisan pipes were frequently mocked by some of those who only smoked $5 corn cob pipes.

When you have a taste for and can afford the best, be prepared for some snark from those who don't or can't.

 

[Jaxx]

I also this week, purchased a John Parris snooker cue. £1900 plain ash with ebony butt. Nothing fancy, a lot of cash for a stick of wood. Like Rincon writes, it's about quality and craftmanship. It's gonna be a player.

 

[The duke]

Only $500 but it was from a Co-worker. I guess it boils down to what you Want versus Need. ?

Nobody cares about your 500 bucks. Hahahaha ?

 

[LockHughes]

Hehe... and I usually reply How Much do you want to SAVE? Locally, car insurance rated are exceeding $2K per annum... Since giving up car ownership decades ago, unfortunately wasted the savings on extended vacations, good food and drinks, lots of gifts for friends... etc... etc... Currently, local bike stores selling electrics on credit, loan payments are about HALF of a monthly pass for pubic transit... (sp?). So. Again... How much do you wish to save? Hehe

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Who here has spent a lot of bread on their ebike? How do you justify it and was it worth the cost?

There are people who spent $125,000 on a car (Tesla Model S or X).
For that kind of money, you could very luxurious and reliable Lexus or two Mercedes E class and that too 2 of them

Does it mean people who drive Corolla or a Civic are no good?
But, it all depends on the priorities and needs.

There was couple of threads about financial and health benefits of e-bikes. If you search for it, you may find them.

The lions share of the market is <$2000 and you could get a decent bike for that.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

It is my money I'm spending, not yours. It isn't any business of anyone else how I choose to spend the money I earned. I'll do what makes me happy.

So yes, my $7500 e-bike definitely made me happy.

 

[DaveMatthews]

I have guitars that are double the 3k I spent on my Giant.
Doesn't matter much. Maybe my next ebike will be higher end as well.

 

[Bicyclista]

My first ebike was a Magnum Ui5 which cost less than $2,000 if I remember correctly. I liked the power assist, of course, but I disliked its harsh ride, its lack of agility due to its hub motor, and the chain kept falling off. Within six months I sold it and spent over $4,000 on a Haibike Sduro AllMtn Plus. It's now been over 2 ½ years and over 6,000 miles on the Haibike. It's been worth every penny.

As others have noted, it's worth spending on what you value. My Leica Monochrom (a camera that shoots only in black and white) cost even more than my Haibike, and that's only for the body, no lens. But I love the pictures it produces and, to me, it is worth the cost.

 

[Jaxx]

It's surely not possible, to place a value on something that gives you immense satisfaction?

 

[Jaxx]

Hehe... and I usually reply How Much do you want to SAVE? Locally, car insurance rated are exceeding $2K per annum... Since giving up car ownership decades ago, unfortunately wasted the savings on extended vacations, good food and drinks, lots of gifts for friends... etc... etc... Currently, local bike stores selling electrics on credit, loan payments are about HALF of a monthly pass for pubic transit... (sp?). So. Again... How much do you wish to save? Hehe

€2000 for car insurance? Hell, renewed mine recently for BMW 330 Coupe. £168 for another year, maximum 70% no claims bonus.

 

[Ian Moone]

Nobody cares about your 500 bucks. Hahahaha ?

Yeah, well if You came across the Same Deal I'd be a little jealous too lol !! ??

 

[AZOldTech]

I see ebikes going for over $7000, and I have to ask, who buys this stuff? That's getting into motorcycle territory or at least electric scooter territory. Who here has spent a lot of bread on their ebike? How do you justify it and was it worth the cost?

That's kind of a loaded question. Cause IMO, I very much doubt that you will find anyone paying any price for an ebike, that was not a lemon to begin with or had nothing but mechanical/electrical troubles, to admit that it was not worth it. "Worth" is all in the eye of the beholder no matter the cost. For example a BMW/MB owner may pay 3x more than a Honda/Toyota owner even though both cars, within the same posted speed limit, take you from point A to point B at the same time and last just as long even though the maintenance and insurance of the BTW/MB over the life of the car would cost much more. Yet I very much doubt that any of the BMW/MB owners will say the purchase was not worth it. Cause it was worth it to them in order to make the purchase in the first place.