How to Buy A Used Electric Bike

If you are considering investing in an electric bike, but don’t want to break the bank for a new model, purchasing it used could be your cost-effective solution. 

Before taking on this option though, there are some key points to consider since secondhand buying has its own unique set of risks and challenges.

Here are 5 tips that will help guide you along the way towards getting yourself a great preowned e-bike without costly missteps!

Inspect the Overall Condition of the Bike

If you’ve decided to acquire a used electric bike, the first thing you want to do is ensure it’s still usable. This will entail examining the different components of the e-bike to get a feel of how they’ll perform on the road. The state of the bike also gives you an idea of how it was cared for by the owner. 

A simple way to gauge the bike’s overall care is to check whether it’s clean or dirty. If it’s dirty, then this is your cue to even further investigate the state of the bike more carefully for  wear and tear of the bike’s components. 

For one, you want to look at the frame of the bike. Are there any deep dents or rough scratches that point to the possibility of an accident?

What about any rusty spots? These are all signs that the stability of the frame has been compromised. 

Move on to the chain and check for corrosion, grit, and dirt. A dirty and rusty chain is indicative of improper maintenance and prolonged exposure to the elements. This may not be a deal-breaker, but it may come into play with the final negotiated price. When inspecting a used bike, don't overlook the chain. If it's covered in dirt and rust, this likely means that proper maintenance has been neglected - which may affect how much you end up paying for the purchase. 

The wheels and tires are possibly the second most expensive parts on a bike, so you want to verify that they are in good shape. Are the wheels wobbly when you spin them? Are all the spokes intact? How does the treading on the tires look like?

Do the same for other parts like the nuts and bolts to establish the level of neglect on the bike, if any. A beat-down bike may lead to additional repair costs, which you should factor into the buying price. 

Read more: How to buy new electric bike?

Check the Capacity of the Battery

Confirm the age and capacity of the battery from the owner of the bike. This information is crucial because batteries gradually and continually deteriorate over time. You should be able to estimate how many charge cycles it has undergone. 

Even the best battery technologies usually become obsolete after five to six years of use, and electric bike batteries are no exception. 

Approximately 700 full charge cycles - where a 0-100% fill is counted as one cycle - will cause an e-bike battery's efficiency and performance to decline significantly, indicating that you should be wary when purchasing secondhand e-bikes with older batteries.

Remember that the battery is the most expensive electrical component on an e-bike. If you have to buy a new one after just a few cycles of use, it will significantly drive up the cost of the used electric bike.

To ensure this is not the case, be sure to check the current market rates for the particular bike’s battery as you’ll be using it during the final price negotiations. 

Check the Mileage of the Bike

Some used bike vendors might prove to be sketchy with the truth and mislead you into cutting a deal that favors them over you. This is possible when it comes to disclosing the age of the bike. As such, you need to know how to access such information without necessarily asking the owner. 

Usually, electric bikes come with a built-in speedometer that will provide you with data about the number of kilometers or miles the bike has traveled.

Before buying an electric bike, be sure to pay careful attention to the mileage. By doing so you can determine if it is a good acquisition or not - as frequent cycling over time will have taken its toll on the machine. 

Additionally, remember that age and mileage needn't always go hand in hand; make note of previous owners who may have kept their bicycle dormant for extended periods of time during ownership - meaning those few kilometers logged could still mean great value!

Ask for a Test Ride

Before loosening the purse strings for a second-hand electric bicycle, take it out on the road to determine its true condition. This is essential for any potential cyclist as you’ll be able to ascertain if the bike's size and geometry fit well with yours; plus, whether or not it can support your weight comfortably during rides! 

A test ride will ensure that what meets the eye isn't deceiving – giving an informed decision of how best this purchase could serve you down trail.

It also shows you how the different components on the bike function and interact with one another. Do you hear any clattering, clanking, or dragging when you ride the bike? How stable does the bike’s frame feel under your weight and how does it handle? How do the suspensions work on bumps and potholes? 

All these questions will need to be answered and the only way to do this is to take the bike for a test ride. If it’s an electric MTB, remember to conduct the test on off-road surfaces and not on the tarmac alone. The same applies to different gradients of the road. 

Eventually, you want to take as much time as possible on the test ride. By the time you’re done, there should be no doubt about the condition of the electric bike. This information is what you’ll use during the price negotiation process. 

Remember to bring up every defect or fault you find during the test ride to get the best deal! 

Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate/ Bargain

Shopping for a used e-bike is an exciting experience and can be made even more rewarding with a bit of mindful negotiation.

Remember that sellers usually have some flexibility when it comes to pricing, so don’t hesitate to make your own offer - in many cases you may find the seller willing to accept something lower than their initial proposal. While this process involves leveraging defects found during testing as part of negotiations, try not to take any bargaining too far or get dragged into long debates – keep focused on making sure you hit upon the best deal available!

If the seller is not budging at a price that's within your budget, then you are free to close the deal. But if you feel like you can explore more e-bikes from other sellers and get a better deal, then by all means do! 

At the end of the day, the goal is to buy a used bike at a price that fairly matches its overall condition. 

Conclusion

Buying an used e-bike is the best way to enter the electric biking experience, especially  for those who have a limited budget. But doing it blindly without proper due diligence will likely end up in disappointments and frustrations. 

While there are numerous things you’d want to find out about a used e-bike, the five tips discussed above should be at the top of your list. So, be sure to consider them if you hope to walk home with the right second-hand cheap e-bike!