The internet ruins the specialist retailers. However, in many areas it brings more disadvantages with it, than you think. When buying an electric bicycle you should trust a specialist retailer. Electric bicycles are products that need a lot of consultation and which you should not thoughtlessly buy on the internet. Greenfinder explains why.
Barely anyone actually/really knows what is important when buying an e-bike. The market developed quickly and there are only few really good sources of information about electric bicycles. Many bicycles have been bought on the basis of wrong criteria. A specialist retailer of trust knows what matters. At an e-bike shop they ask the right questions and the realistic requirements of the e-bike usage are determined. Many people forget that e-bikes weigh more than regular bicycles and do not notice it untill the valuable item has to be carried down to the basement. Others focus more on a great range whereas they actually cycle only 5-6 kilometers per day. Save your time and ask your e-bike retailer.
On the basis of the determined requirements and years of experience, an e-bike retailer can estimate better which bike suits you best.
Professionals have an eye for the right frame size, wheel size, shape of the frame and they can recommend the right equipment as well. This advice will be difficult to find on the internet or it will cost a lot of time to acquire the necessary information. How high must the frame be, which material is suited for your usage profile, what kind of tires do you need and which sitting position is the most comfortable? Do not reconsider for too long - ask a professional.
Getting a fair impression of e-bikes is only possible when you do a test drive with several bike types. An e-mountain-bike rides totally different than a city bike. A trekking-bike with a mid-engine has different riding qualities than a racing bicycle with a rear wheel drive. You get a feel for it during a test drive at your retailer's. Many customers have an e-mountain-bike on their wish list when they enter an e-bike shop but they go home with a city bike because subjectively seen, it drives better. To arrange a test drive at a retailer in your area is very easy and possible with our retailer portal and it takes only 1 minute.
E-bikes are more expensive than regular bicycles, this is why they are often funded or leased - just like cars. Before you inform yourself on the internet for hours about currently offered products for funding or leasing and which ones are really reasonable - you should rather ask a locally professional. A retailer deals with that topic every day and normally he is familiar with financing products. That saves you from paying almost twice as much for your e-bike as with specific "flatrates", offered on the internet, that woo with cheap monthly installments.
Pedelecs and S-pedelecs are faster than regular bicycles. Inexperienced cyclists or e-bike beginners often miscalculate the speed and thereby unintentionally damage expensive components like the/such as display, battery or motor. In the worst case costs of more than 500 EUR can occur. Furthermore e-bikes are more expensive than regular bicycles. That is why they are extremely interesting for thieves. An e-bike costs about 2.600 EUR – for that a thief cracks an allegedly safe lock with pleasure. If you do not want to take any risk, you should extensively consult someone about that topic – at a stationary specialist retailer just around the corner. Because they have already dealt with many accidents and the corresponding repairs and they are also familiar with insurance issues and know what is important before singing an insurance contract.
If you have ever ordered a bike on the internet, you know that you cannot just jump on a bike and drive off. In most cases, handlebar, saddle, pedals and other components must be installed by yourself before you can go for the first spin. As a consequence, damages occur before you leave for the first trip because the right tool was not at hand or the technical know-how was missing. You can imagine what a specialist retailer thinks when a hobby mechanic with two left hands drops off his on the internet bought e-bike for repair because he did not know which pedal has a left-hand thread. At a locally specialist shop you get a valuable electric bicycle not only fully assembled and ready to start, it will even be adjusted to your needs and checked before the first trip.
Yes, everything is cheaper on the internet. And also equipment can be found in vast quantities. However, it also applies to the equipment: The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Why not just go to a specialist retailer of trust and convince yourself of the quality of the goods on the spot? One thing is for sure: In most cases, a specialist retailer nearby has a lot more experience with equipment and can tell you exactly which helmet suits your needs best. And if you look closely, you will see that the prices are not so wide apart. So why buy on the internet? Only to save a few bucks? Then you better pay more with good conscience and contribute so that the specialist retailer can still be on-site in 2 years to repair your e-bike.
E-bikes are not standard bikes. Battery, motor, gear shift, controller, display, cabling and equipment: Many new components, more than 50 different engines, hundreds of suppliers, thousands of different combinations. Therefore, as a general rule for e-bikes: hands off. Of course, some hobby tinkerers are offended in their pride and claim that they yet can patch a flat tire by themselves. Have you ever tried to do that at a rear wheel drive? The swearing will be heard even up to the garage. If you want to ensure the security and proper functionality of your e-bike you should leave maintenance and repair to the specialist retailers. There are no screws with damaged corners, just the right professional tools. There, they know how a gear shift must be set when a mid-engine is installed. Another argument for specialist retailers when it comes to maintenance and repair of e-bikes, is the “foreign-bike-scenario”. Many e-bike retailers refuse to fix bikes that were bought on the internet. Understandably, because who wants to ensure that the electric bicycle did not already have an undetected damage. Some retailers repair a foreign-bike grudgingly, but require an extra charge. That can be circumvented if you buy your bike at a specialist retailer of trust and get it fixed there as well. I was often greeted with a smile when I wanted to pick up my bike from repair and I did not have to pay the bill because the “intervention” on my bike took only few minutes.
The internet is full of cheap bikes, sale items and price war offers. Unfortunately more and more potential buyers fall for these promotions and accept all the risks mentioned above. If you examine the long-term costs for these supposedly cheap e-bikes carefully, you will notice that they are eventually much more expensive than expected. A locally specialist retailer also has special offers. Maybe it is a demonstration model, a one-day-permit bike or from last year? If you inform yourself you could make a great bargain at a car dealer. The same goes for an e-bike retailer. Our premium retailers regularly upload particularly favorable offers to Greenfinder. You could test them during a test drive on site and enjoy all the advantages mentioned above.
Let’s be honest: We think this new trend of „showrooming“ is completely wrong. How can you reconcile taking advice from a specialist retailer, doing test drives and in the end (when you are still at the shop) ordering an e-bike on the internet with your conscience?! For those who think it thereby makes them somehow clever: Shame on you! A bicycle retailer devotes his time to you, gives comprehensive advice to you and he tries to find the best suited bike for you and you thank him by buying it somewhere else “because it is cheaper there”? The so-called theft-of-consultation and showrooming are frequent reasons why small shops have to close. We do not think that it is morally acceptable and appeal to your reason. Saving is ok, when you do not carry it to extremes/too far. You should be willing to spend more money for a good advice and the 1-2 hours of the retailer’s time he makes for you.
If you do not know which e-bike suits you, you can get an idea of different bikes with the help of our advice.