Have you been putting off servicing your bike? Something bugging you but haven't had the time to get it sorted? Maybe you had some upgrades planned for next season? Spring is a busy time in the bike industry - tens of thousands of fair-weather cyclists emerge to join the winter-worn veterans. On top of this, Spring is also the busiest time of the year for new bike sales which adds to the workload of workshops and so its normally the worst time to get a bike serviced. You can beat the rush by getting your bike serviced during the quieter season of the year, while taking advantage of lower prices* and be ready the moment the sun comes out. BOOK YOUR ELECTRIC BIKE SERVICE NOW Top 5 reasons to have your electric bike serviced Optimised Performance Regular servicing ensures the motor, battery, and drivetrain function efficiently for the longest period possible, extending their overall lifespan. Software updates (done as part of the service and at no extra cost) improve system performance, fix bugs, and may even include enhanced battery economy updates from the manufacturer. Extended Lifespan Routine and preventative maintenance prevents premature wear of expensive components like the motor, battery and suspension. Catching issues early (e.g. worn-out bearings or chains/cassettes) avoids costlier repairs or mid-ride breakdowns later on, leading to much better and long term rider enjoyment. Safety Assurance Regular checks on brakes, tyres, and frame integrity ensure your e-bike is safe to ride for both you and those around you. Electrical inspections help identify any loose connections, frayed wires, or water ingress issues which can be addressed immediately, again, extending long term performance and reliability. Battery Health Proper care (e.g., cleaning of contacts and other physical checks) ensures the battery maintains its range and efficiency for longer and most importantly, is safe to be in service. A well-maintained battery is less likely to degrade or fail unexpectedly and so this is a very important part of routine servicing which is best carried out by a manufacturer approved service and repair centre. Compliance and Warranty Servicing at recommended intervals often keeps your warranty valid, proving your own diligence and commitment in ensuring your bike is safe and its expected performance levels are maintained. Following manufacturer guidelines ensures you meet compliance standards for safety and performance, especially for road legality. E-Bikeshop Workshop Pricing *E-Bikeshop has always maintained workshop pricing lower than any of its competitors, often by as much as half. This has been made possible by only working on bikes we've sold to our own customers and not having a workshop filled with imported bikes for which there is next to no manufacturer support, leading to lengthy parts/repair times.E-Bikeshop last reviewed its workshop labour pricing in 2017 at £55 per hour for the first hour and £45 per hour thereafter and this has remained for the last 7 years, despite significantly higher costs of business. From 1st March 2025, our new pricing will be a flat £69 per hour for labour. This will apply to all types of work undertaken. We know that many of our competitors are charging as much as £100 per hour (sometimes more in London!), so we still feel this represents excellent value for work carried out by our highly qualified electric bike technicians. First services (inside 3 months from delivery) are unaffected and will remain free for our customers. Help us, to help you! While the weather isn't as inviting, there isn't a better time to get your bike serviced. Not only does it generally have less impact of peoples riding, its also the quietest time of the year for workshop bookings, giving us much more flexibility and time to work with and around you.Workshop labour prices will remain at £55 per hour until next year and 75% of services at E-Bikeshop are are currently completed with bills of less than £100 including parts. BOOK YOUR ELECTRIC BIKE SERVICE NOW Please note: E-Bikeshop only services, maintains and carries out warranty work and repairs on electric bikes it has sold to it's own customers in order to keep our workshop available and flexible for those who've invested in a bike with us, allowing us the time to invest back into them. You'll normally find a slot available within less than 48 hours and most jobs are completed "while you wait".
On 12th December 2024, the UK Government provided statutory guidelines to the electric bike industry on battery safety. This is not technically new information. "Statutory guidance" is a set of instructions which explains how to interpret and implement specific pieces of legislation. This piece of legislation (The General Product Safety Regulations 2005) is quite long winded, so we'll break it down into more easily absorbed chunks. Quick jump to the best bits:- - Who is this guidance aimed at?- Scope/reach of the guidelines- Purpose of the guidance- The "GSPR"- UK Government position on safe electric bike batteries under the GSPR- What powers do the government have for non-compliance with regulatory requirements?- What does E-Bikeshop think about the new Government guidance on electric bike battery safety? Who is this guidance aimed at? The statutory guidance from the UK Government is aimed at businesses who "produce, import or distribute lithium-ion batteries for use with e-bikes", and this includes those intended for use in conversion kits (whether DIY or a "ready made" product to attach to an ordinary bicycle". Put simply, this means this guidance is designed to simplify the law on the subject and in way which doesn't require a lawyer to understand. It's relevant and should be adhered to by manufacturers of bikes, their distributors and the end retailer (us!). Scope/reach of the guidelines The scope of these new guidelines has been left (almost certainly on purpose) quite wide - designed to encompass all sales of electric bicycles (including conversion kits) in the UK, along with all batteries designed for use in them, through all parts of the chain (import, distribution, end user sale by a retailer). Purpose of the guidance The purpose of the newly provided statutory guidance is as you might expect - safety related. Over the last several years (likely on the back of the Covid induced cycling boom), there has been a worrying increase in the number of electric bike fires, some of which has . These have almost exclusively been the lower end of the market - cheap far Eastern imports or DIY conversions. By providing the statutory guidance, the UK Government hopes to make clear the legislation on electric bike safety standards while seeking to raise the minimum standards of product supplied throughout the supply chain - the aim being a better standard of product which is less likely to pose a fire hazard. The "GSPR" The GSPR or "General Product Safety Regulations 2005" is a piece of legislation in the UK which lays out the standard(s) of product put on the market, specifically relating to safety on which this new piece of statutory guidance is based. Under this legislation there exists a "catchall" piece - "Section 5". It reads as follows; General safety requirement 5. (1) No producer shall place a product on the market unless the product is a safe product (2) No producer shall offer or agree to place a product on the market or expose or possess a product for placing on the market unless the product is a safe product. (3) No producer shall offer or agree to supply a product or expose or possess a product for supply unless the product is a safe product (4) No producer shall supply a product unless the product is a safe product. In short, no manufacturer, distributor or retailer should place on the market a product they know or suspect to be unsafe for sale. This includes/means us. The onus is on the person selling the product to ensure its a "safe" product and the UK Government will assume its safe (by virtue of retailers selling it) until proven otherwise. UK Government position on safe electric bike batteries under the GSPR To be considered a safe product under the GSPR, a battery intended for use with electric bikes or conversion kits must include built in safety mechanisms. Below are the minimum standards Battery protection The battery protective system should; Include a BMS or "Battery Management System" or other equivalent safety system. Be able to protect the battery from electrical damage. Be able to detect the voltage of individual cells, total battery pack current and its temperature during charging and discharging. Be able to detect and prevent the cells from entering thermal runaway as a result of using an incorrect charger. Battery design and construction The design of the battery should be able to resist damage from external sources. This means that the battery should be able to deal with a reasonable amount of foreseeable impact and vibration from normal wear and tear (impact from accidental drops, vibration from riding). It should be able to protect the battery from high and low temperatures, as well as liquids (water ingress). It should also be supplied with relevant information to enable consumers to be able to source a suitable charger. Finally, there should be sufficient information for consumers to learn how to properly use (charge and discharge) their battery, along with any relevant warnings. What powers do the government have for non-compliance with regulatory requirements? The Office for Product Safety and Standards along with local authorities have the power to enforce the requirements of the GPSR. If investigations into non-compliance produce evidence to support, authorities can take action against producers, distributors and retailers by suspending sale of the products, enforce warnings about them to consumers or force their withdrawal from sale. Failure to bring products inline with compliance and/or to ignore advice, warnings or instructions given could see the person(s) guilty of an offence punishable with financial penalties and/or a custodial sentence -there really is no excuse for selling poor quality electric bikes! What does E-Bikeshop think about the new Government guidance on electric bike battery safety? We fully welcome the guidance. Anything which works to increase the quality of products on the market with the aim of better protection of consumers from the worrying number of fires caused by them should be embraced and supported by all good retailers. We hope it also serves as a warning to those still selling products which don't meet the minimum safety criteria that the Government is actively watching the market and taking steps to remove the products and those who sell them from the field. This is a subject I covered back in February 2023, where I discussed electric bike battery fires and who might be at risk. Thankfully, despite having been an electric bike specialist in the industry for more than 12 years and having sold over 30,000 electric bikes globally in that time, we have never had a battery fire. We can proudly say that this is a direct result of only working with the very top European manufacturers of electric bikes who only use safe and reliable drive systems and batteries from the likes of Bosch, Yamaha, Shimano, Mahle, Fazua and others. If you're looking for a safe and reliable electric bike, you can take a look at all of our fully compliant electric bikes now.
There's no better way to celebrate the arrival of your new Orbea Rise or Wild than with the opportunity to ride Orbea's top machines in their spiritual home, paid for by Orbea themselves. Based just 40 minutes from Alicante airport in the sunny South East of Spain, Boom Adventures is owned and run by Ben Moore (Orbea Factory Pro rider) and his wife Suzi, right at the base of the 1,408m Puig Campana. The area boasts some of the best MTB trails in the world. How to win the MTB holiday of a lifetime with Orbea and Boom Adventures To be entered into the draw, you only need to purchase and take delivery of a Orbea Rise or Orbea Wild between 4th September 2024 and 5th March 2025* and enter the code HOLIDAY at the checkout. Not only will you be entered into the prize draw for the MTB holiday of a lifetime but there's a chance to win an exclusive Orbea HIRU x E-Bikeshop MTB jersey**. This competition is exclusive to E-Bikeshop customers and not available via other retailers or when purchasing from Orbea directly. Orbea Rise The 2025 Orbea Rise range is already live on our website and physical stock is available for immediate delivery. With its newly unleashed 85Nm Shimano RS motor, bigger 630Wh battery and brand new frame offering a full power, long travel bike at sub-20Kg, the Rise returns to trails having barely had its crown tipped for the last couple of years. The 2024 version was a showstopper... Orbea Wild THE most awarded bike at launch for its technology in design, the previous generation Orbea Wild is still setting new standards in power to weight ratio and performance in its "all mountain" class. Unfortunately, that's all we can tell you at the moment. The 2025 Orbea Wild is due to be launched very soon. In the meantime, here's the multi-award winner... How will the winner be notified? All eligible Orbea Rise and Orbea Wild orders will be assigned a number and on Friday 6th December, a random number generator will choose 26 riders from all orders placed between the competition start and end dates. The winner of the competition will be chosen in the same way from these 26. Orbea HIRU jerseys will be sent to winners the following day***. 25x The Orbea HIRU X E-Bikeshop Jersey Designed by Orbea for this competition, if you receive one of these limited edition exclusive jerseys, you'll be the proud owner of a piece of super comfortable, high performance cycling clothing worn by many of Orbea's top athletes (and some of our store staff!). 1x The ORBEA HIRU "Golden Jersey" If you receive this Orbea HIRU Golden Jersey, signed by the Orbea Pro Rider Ben Moore himself - CONGRATULATIONS! You're off to Spain with Orbea and Boom Adventures for the MTB Holiday of a lifetime! Who are Boom Adventures? Boom Adventures is owned and run by Ben Moore (Orbea Factory Rider, Urban Downhill Specialist and E-Maxivalanche champion) and his wife Suzi. Based just outside Alicante, Boom Adventures specialise in small-group, fully led MTB riding and tuition around the Puig Campana area, where riders can choose the type and level of riding best suited to them from a vast range of trail types. With an impressive racing record spanning over a decade, Ben knows a thing or two about how to get the best from a bike and in no better place than on his own doorstep. What will you be doing? Orbea will be funding your whole trip. All you need to do is get yourself to your closest international airport and Orbea and Boom Adventures will take care of the rest. When you arrive in Alicante, your transport to Boom HQ will be arranged and you'll be taken to your accommodation. From here, your bed and board will be covered for the duration of your stay and you'll meet the team looking after you. Prior to departing, you'll have the chance to let the team know what kind of riding you want to do and for the next 4 days, you'll be the master of your own riding destiny with bikes provided straight from the Orbea factory media stock to match your preferred riding. Where you'll be riding In case you missed it, you can check out a sneak peak of the trails in Ben's back yard in the promo video on Youtube Ready to win? Every order of an Orbea Rise or Orbea Wild delivered before the competition end date is eligible for entry so don't delay. Jump to our Orbea Electric Bikes collection now! (2025 Orbea Wild options will be added at launch). * Orders must be placed, fully paid and the bike shipped to the customer before the end of the competition. If placing a Pre-Order, E-Bikeshop, Orbea or any of its partner services cannot be held responsible for any delays in production or delivery which lead to the arrival of the bike with E-Bikeshop or the customer after the competition end date, where the entry will not be valid. ** We only have 26 Jerseys for this competition with a mix of sizes. We will, where possible, accommodate size requests. Please let us know your preference in the customer notes section when placing your order. The request for a specific size will not guarantee it can be provided. *** You must notify us of any change of address between the date of order and the competition end date. Contact ben@e-bikeshop.co.uk for full Terms & Conditions.
The 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride, organised by The Hedghogs and now in its 16th year will be held in Farnham, Surrey on Sunday 15th September. E-Bikeshop will be sponsoring the event for 2024, and here's everything you need to know about this fantastic day out in the Surrey and Hampshire countryside. Click the links below to jump to answers about the Farnham Charity Bike Ride -What is the Farnham Charity Bike Ride?-Who runs the Farnham Charity Bike Ride?-Where does the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride start and finish?-What time does the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride start?-What routes are available on the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride?-Who can enter the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride?-How can I enter the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride? What is the Farnham Charity Bike Ride? The Farnham Charity Bike Ride is exactly what it says on the tin. The annual event aims to raise money for local charities and causes while providing a great day out in the Surrey and Hampshire countryside. Who runs the Farnham Charity Bike Ride? The Farnham Charity Bike Ride is organised and run by The Hedgehogs and a small army of volunteers. The Hedgehogs is a charitable organisation based in Farnham and having been helping local people since 1959 and have raised over £2.4m for local causes. Where does the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride start and finish? In previous years, the ride has started and finished on Castle Street. Castle Street is closed on the day of the ride and serves as the sign on, meeting point and start/end point for all of the ride lengths. What time does the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride start? The Farnham Charity Bike Ride, like most charity rides, operates a staggered start time based on ride length. The 75 mile riders will be setting off at 8:00am, followed by the 50 milers at 8:30am, the 25 milers at 9:00am, and finally the 16 mile riders at 9:30am. Having ridden the last two events, we would advise being there about 45 minutes before your start time to ensure you have ample time to sign on, get a good drink and some food in and do any last minute bike checks to ensure you're at the start line ready to set off at your allotted time. What routes are available on the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride? The Farnham Charity bike ride offers 4 routes to cater to all types of rider and abilities, from seasoned club riders all the way down to families with children. 16 Mile Route The 16 mile Farnham Charity Bike Ride route is the shortest and most easily completed route and is ideal for families with children. Although there's still 1,200 feet of climbing, there's a great refreshment stop on the route and its a charity ride, not a race and you have 5 hours to complete it. That's an average speed of just 3 miles an hour! Children under 16 ride for free with a fee paying adult! This ride starts at 9:30am. You can find the Strava Route here, and the Garmin Course file here. 25 Mile Route The 25 mile Farnham Charity Bike Ride route is the original route of the event. 1,800 feet of climbing through some challenging but still readily completable climbs, the 25 mile route has two refreshment stops, fantastic views and a great medal waiting for you at the end of the ride. Most reasonably fit people would complete this route with ease. This rides starts at 9:00am. You can find the Strava Route here, and the Garmin Course file here. 50 Mile Route The 50 mile Farnham Charity Bike Ride route covers all of the 25 mile route but rather than returning from Binstead, heads south and takes in Wyck, East Worldham, Lower Farringdon before looping back up through Selbourne, Oakhanger and back to the Binstead split where it joins the last part of the 25 mile route. The 3,400 feet of climbing is probably the most rewarding of any local ride, with incredible views across the South Downs National Park area. A reasonable degree of base fitness is required for this route, although Josh and I did it last year having not turned a wheel for several months because it fell during our peak sales season and didn't have time for training! This ride starts at 8:30am. You can find the Strava Route here. 75 Mile Route The longest route on the Farnham Charity Bike Ride for 2024, "Butser or Bust" is the 75 mile route for the climbers, club riders and anyone else who wants to ruin their legs for the following 36 hours! Leaving the 50 mile route at Selbourne, the 75 mile route heads further South into the National Park and to East Meon, then onward to climb Buster Hill at 889ft. After earning your almost 1000ft descent, you'll take in Charlton before heading into the back side of Queen Elizabeth Country Park, along the Shipwrights way and tracking northward via Ramsdean, Steep (which really is!), Hawkley and then re-joining the tail end of the 50 mile route just outside Selbourne. The 75 mile route is a real challenge, and we would recommend that only those fully prepared in fitness and nutrition/light repair tools tackle it. This ride starts at 8:00am You can find the Strava Route here. Who can enter the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride? The Farnham Charity Bike Ride is open to all riders of all abilities but our advice is to pick a ride which best suits your fitness, your bike and your abilities. Although well signposted, mostly covering only minor rather than major A roads and with lots of marshal and refreshment points, the roads will not be closed for the event and you should aim to be fully self-sufficient out on the road. How can I enter the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride? Entering is easy and its better to do it sooner rather than later. Head over to the Farnham Charity Bike Ride website or go straight to the 2024 Farnham Charity Bike Ride tickets page to enter NOW! Feel free to let us know if you're riding - it would be great to get together before or after the race and connect more of our local customers! Last years ride with Ben & Josh Brand new to road cycling, Josh (our all round office, admin and organisational wizard) had only taken delivery of his brand new carbon black Orbea Orca Aero just a week before the 2023 ride and the 50 mile route was twice the distance of his previous longest road ride. We set off from E-Bikeshop's Farnham HQ just over a mile away from the start line at about 7.30am, got ourselves registered, received our bike numbers and headed to the start line in glorious sunshine - both already dreaming of a well deserved post-ride McDonalds! Here's what he had to say about it; I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Farnham charity bike ride in 2023. There's something special about several hundred cyclists coming together to ride for charity. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, whilst also being very supportive and helping each other on some tricky Surrey climbs. The event itself was very well organised, with refreshment stations and marshals throughout the course ensuring we were fuelled and safe. The course is well routed and offered in 4 lengths, suitable for cyclists of all abilities. I would highly recommend this ride and look forward to completing the 2024 route! - Josh We're looking forward to supporting this fantastic local event and look forward to seeing our customers out on the route. If you want to get involved but don't have a bike, don't panic! Electric bikes are accepted and encouraged for those who want to use one on the day (remember, its a charity ride, not a race) and with over 700 bikes in stock, we're sure to have a bike for you. Feel free to give us a call on 01252 279279, send us an email or Book an Appointment to come and see us today for your new Electric Bike.
With the prices of electric bikes having tumbled in the wake of the Covid-19 induced sales boom and global overstock at an unprecedented high, the "buyers market" right now is arguably the best time to buy a bike, but, is the price the only thing you should be considering? Jump to answers of popular questions around buying cheap electric bikes: - Is the price everything when buying heavily discounted electric bikes?- What goes into the cheapest price you can find?- Who pays the price for cheap electric bike sales?- Where is all the profit from cheap electric bikes going? - Why does it pay to look past the initial purchase price of an electric bike?- Things you should be considering when buying a cheap electric bike?- Is it good value to buy the cheapest priced option on electric bikes? Following on from our recent discussion on "Why are electric bikes so expensive", we'll break down where your money goes not just at point of sale, but later down the line to determine whether that "great deal" is likely to stay that way. Is the price everything when buying heavily discounted electric bikes? With discounts abound and consumers always looking for the best possible deal, it pays to shop around right now. Across the UK there are some incredible deals on new electric bikes but when it comes to investing in a new electric bike, what happens after the sale is often overlooked in favour of the lowest possible price. To highlight why this isn't the best way to buy a bike, we'll break down where your money goes after that bargain of the year purchase, and what to expect in the following weeks, months and years. What goes into the cheapest price you can find? All bikes, like any consumer product, have an RRP. This is a carefully considered amount which not only covers the immediate cost to the manufacturer, but also the ongoing costs further down the line. Here's how its broken down; The component manufacturers Your new electric bike is the sum total of parts and contribution by dozens of individual entities. Motors from Bosch, suspension from Fox, gears from Shimano, wheels from RaceFace, chain rings from FSA, tyres from Schwalbe - these are just some of the major components. Everything on your bike, down to the individual nuts and bolts, has a RRP payable by the bike manufacturer to obtain them for your new bike. The bike manufacturer The company who makes your bike also has its own costs to cover. This includes the raw materials and labour for manufacturing the frame along with the final assembly of the bike before it leaves their factory. The manufacturer will also be tacking on a little bit of profit to cover future product development, marketing, staff and building costs, local taxes and very importantly for the consumer - future warranty and support obligations. The distributor (read, "middleman") Some manufacturers (especially the biggest/global ones) don't sell directly to their retailers. They use a distributor who not only handles the shipment of bikes to the retailer but often includes some responsibility for invoicing, warranty and first line support to the dealer network. Cube for example, don't sell to dealers in the UK. We buy from a distributor who has responsibility for looking after the UK and the Netherlands. They too, need to make some money. The retailer (us!) The retailer, (when sold at full RRP) generally makes the largest portion of margin (profit). This is for two reasons - firstly, manufacturers make money on volume, so their piece of the pie is less per bike but bigger overall. Secondly, its your retailer who normally bears a highest "cost of sale" on a "per bike" basis. A good manufacturer only has to show us their offering for the next model year and we order thousands of bikes each year. Job done. Retailers have to do far more work just to sell a single bike. This has a higher time, marketing and overheads cost. Your retailer not only has to build and inspect your new bike before you get out on it but if it does its job properly, it also has to be able to look after that bike with warranty, aftercare, goodwill and support for its expected 8-10 year minimum lifespan. All of this comes out of our profit on bike sales, as well as ever increasing business costs of wages, buildings ownership/leasing, insurances, subsidised shipping costs (it costs £90, not the £4.99 we charge, to ship a bike), commissions to cycle schemes, finance and all of the other unseen costs of simply being a retailer. Who pays the price for cheap electric bike sales? Your retailer, generally. Although some manufacturers have been supporting retailers with extra margin on new bikes to help them clear old stock. Think about it this way - would you accept less money to go to work, because your employer has a bit less work on that month? Of course not! When businesses reduce the price on something there is always a reason. No business likes to reduce their income. Contrary to belief, we don't run on caffeine, past sell-by energy gels and dreams alone! In the bike industry right now, prices are being reduced to solve two business stressors - space and cashflow. Sometimes both. When a business has committed to "X" number of bikes from a brand but already has a full warehouse and is struggling to accept in what they asked for, the fastest/easiest way to empty the warehouse to accept in new stock is to reduce prices. Some businesses are also suffering at the other end. Cashflow. When all of your money is sitting in your warehouse in bikes which aren't selling, your cash in the bank to pay for more (or your bills) reduces. How do you get that back up? A sale! Where is all the profit from cheap electric bikes going? I could write a book about this, but I think an image will probably sum it up in a better, more easily visualised way. Here's an exact, "to scale" breakdown of where your money goes if you buy a bike at a full RRP of £3,999, if you buy it with a discount and finally if you buy it with a discount and use a cycle to work scheme voucher or finance; As you can see, its always the retailer who eventually takes the hit. When the price of a bike is discounted, the VAT obligation remains at 20% of the sale price. The cost price of the bike also doesn't change which means that reductions can only come from one place - your retailer. Further, when using a cycle to work scheme, these companies also have to make some money from somewhere and that somewhere is the retailer. We have to pay them a commission for their "work". This is normally around 10% of the sale price (not the RRP, but the price the bike was sold at), which means that at the moment, cycle schemes are making more money than the bike shop, with none of the liability or long term service commitment costs! Hardly fair, but that's a rife topic inside the industry right now... This is also why many retailers are currently charging extra "fees" when using a cycle scheme voucher. Some are sailing so close to the wind with their profit/sales pricing that they would make a loss if they sold you a bike via a cycle scheme and instead are charging (often hidden until long into the process) fees on top of the bike price. Often this means that the end price means you'll end up paying more than a retailer who originally looked like they were charging more. A bike advertised at £3,999 on our website will cost you just that, regardless of how you pay. A competitor might have it up at £3,699 but add a 15% scheme surcharge, meaning you'll actually pay £4,253... That's £554 more than you originally bought into! Many retailers also offer "0% finance", yet no finance is truly free. Someone has to pay for the privilege of lending money and again that someone is your retailer, with fees similar to the cycle to work scheme. Why does it pay to look past the initial purchase price of an electric bike? See that tiny slither of blue in the last bar of the chart above? That's all your retailer has in their pocket to support you with after buying a heavily discounted bike. Ask yourself - with so little in the pot, what kind of aftersales support and care can you expect to receive and how motived are they going to be to give you it if your retailer, after costs, made literally £50 or less off a £4,000 sale? We've learned from the last 18 months that dealers who have found themselves in a position where it's become absolutely necessary (as opposed to just hopping on the band wagon) to sell bikes at or below the "cost + VAT" price, IE, they're making negligible profits, or (worse still) a loss, don't last long. Selling a bike for close to or exactly what you paid for it leaves absolutely nothing in the pot to pay the overheads of actually running the business. Last year we saw the UK's biggest parts, accessories and apparel retailer Wiggle/CRC lose their $150m parent provided overdraft and slide down the pan, so there's no reason why a small independent bike shop couldn't suffer the same fate. If you sell stock at your cost price (or less), how do you pay your staff? How do you pay the mortgage/lease and business rates on your shop? What about shipping, tooling, or the customer service team who should be on hand to support those customers with their new bike for the average 8-10 year product lifecycle? The answer is of course - you cant. FRP Advisors, liquidation firm to Wiggle/CRC have a local rate number though... As one of the biggest ebike specialists in Europe, each week, we get dozens of phone calls from people coming to us because they're "out of options". They've purchased a bike but have later found that the supplying dealer is either disinterested in providing support unless they're very local and can bring the bike to them, or worse, they're not even there to pick the phone up anymore. Sadly, the latter part has become more and more common over the last 12 months. Things you should be considering when buying a cheap electric bike? Price Do consider the price. When the deal is done, its the amount you're attributing to what should be a great way to get fitter and enjoy the outdoors. There's no sense paying full RRP if the shop just one town away has it up at 30% off and your closest dealer is unable to compete but do at least give them the chance. Supporting your local store is the best way to make sure they're still there when you discover your brake pads are shot or you need your 9th spare innertube of the year on a Saturday afternoon and you want to ride on Sunday morning! No online retailer can save you there! Reputation Check out some of the companies most recent reviews. Staff in most retail environments changes regularly so you can probably ignore anything more than 2 years old but the last 6-18 months is generally pretty telling of the retailers current ability to support their customers needs and investment in them. Our reviews can be found here. Support Make sure you question them on their support offering. Is it sufficiently staffed, accessible and well qualified? For comparison, we're open 6 days a week from 9am until 5.30pm and during those hours we're available on the phone, email, WhatsApp and video call and our customer support staff are all highly trained bike technicians who now spend their time in the office, supporting everything from changing an innertube to complex, "at distance" ebike drive system diagnostics. We even have a dedicated Service and Support portal. Our workshops are also staffed by some of the highest qualified and most experienced technicians in the industry, with decades of experience in electric and non-electric bikes. Distance Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of aftersales support, the distance to the supplying dealer should be a primary consideration. The dealer who first supplied your bike holds the onus for support and warranty. Is buying a bike 300 miles away worth the extra £100 off when it needs a warranty repair? If you're buying a heavily discounted bike, make sure that if you're buying it online/a dealer a long way away that any discount if sufficient to offset the distance and be prepared to hear "just take it to a local dealer" or "here is the manufacturers telephone number" when calling for help. Also be aware that generally, bike shops don't like having to take on the work that others don't want or aren't qualified to do after pocketing the profit from the bike! So, is it good value to buy the cheapest priced option on electric bikes? The general consensus, often sadly found out far too late is no, spending time researching and deciding on the right bike for you and then focussing solely on finding it at the cheapest price without paying attention to the business' ability to look after what can be a complex product beyond wheeling the bike out of the door is possibly the worst way to place your investment. If you're interested in understanding how E-Bikeshop can support your next electric bike investment, please give us a call on 01252 279279, fire us a Whatsapp message (same number) or Book an Appointment to come and see us today. You'll get to see the facility, the team at work and get a better understanding of what it takes not only to sell electric bikes in a first class environment, but also how we plan to still be looking after you in 2034! Need more help with your electric bike purchase or learning how they work and which style of eBike may be best for you? Check out our Electric Bike Buyers Guide here.
While writing this, I'm looking at an inventory list of just under 400 Orbea bikes in our Surrey warehouse, all patiently waiting for new owners. Here's a brief rundown of why, and why right now is the best time to get out on one. How to get your own heavily discounted 2023 & 2024 Orbea Wild, Rise, Gain or Vibe. If you want to skip the "what" and "why", buying a brand new Orbea electric bike with as much as 40% off is easy. Just head over to the Orbea Electric Bikes category page on our website and take a look. If you need any help in choosing the right discounted 2023 or 2024 Orbea for you, just give us a call on 01252 279279, pop us a message on Whatsapp (same number) or make a Showroom Booking to come and see them. Price matching - If you can find any of our current Orbea sale bikes at a lower price elsewhere, fill in the details here and we'll be happy to see what we can do! Be quick - With new price drops announced in the last few days, they're already starting to fly out of the door. Remember, we ship worldwide. UK shipping is normally next day and for the rest of the world, 5-10 days. If you're interested in how we and the rest of the industry ended up in this position and why right now is the best time to take advantage of it, read on... Why are there so many cheap 2024 Orbea electric bikes? The root of this question is in the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020/2021. With the industry doing an average of a years trade every 3-4 months, bike sales were booming in a way never seen before. Did the bike manufacturers overproduce bikes in 2023/2024? In short they did, yes, but bike manufacturers like Orbea don't produce an infinite number of bikes up to a specific date then just stop. They only make what they're asked for by their dealers. With some dealers still massively over-egging their pre-orders into as late as 2023 (when the industry had already slumped and the second hand market was flooded with nearly new lockdown purchased bikes), falsely believing that the "Covid wave" was going to continue, Orbea only did their job. Dealers asked. Orbea provided. Why has E-Bikeshop got so many 2023 and 2024 Orbea electric bikes left? Although at E-Bikeshop we didn't over order, we did order the kind of numbers we expected to sell based on our pre-Covid business growth. Unfortunately, lots of other UK and European dealers by this point were already hitting warehouse and cashflow stress points. This was the point at which they started cancelling some of their backorders with the manufacturers, leading to backlogs in manufacturer warehouses and the best way for any business to ease those is to drop the price. Orbea dropped. Dealers dropped. Those who were just a little uncomfortable dropped a little. Those struggling to pay bills and staff dropped a lot. This kicked off "the great 2023/2024 price war" which sadly, some businesses lost. We held off cancelling backorders out of respect to the commitment we made to our manufacturers while also refusing to get involved in the price war because ultimately, no-one wins one. Unfortunately, this means we fell behind in the sales race in a price led market and have found ourselves sitting on more inventory than we need to be. What are the advantages of buying a cheap Orbea electric bike in 2024? Rock bottom pricing Right now, in a market very much being led by price, Orbea electric bikes have never been so cheap and with a market "reset" expected in 2025, its likely they never will be again. With as much as 40% off some models, now really is the best time to get one. Many models are being sold at or below cost price to clear the way for 2025 models. Quality Orbea are a manufacturer renowned for their impeccable attention to detail, hand crafted and painted frames and outstanding customer care, having been producing bikes from the same site in Mallabia since 1930. They're never normally the cheapest option in stores because of this. But right now, they are. A Ferarri, for Ford money... Warranty Even though some of these bikes aren't from the current model year, you still get the full factory warranty. Quite unusually, Orbea offer a lifetime frame warranty on their bikes. You'll also still get the normal 2 year drive system warranty and a minimum of a year on all other non-consumable parts. Our support Buying a cheap 2024 Orbea electric bike doesn't mean you get less support. We're fully committed to providing industry leading aftersales, service and warranty support to our customers and you'll still have full access to our team of ebike experts 6 days a week via phone, email, Whatsapp, messenger and video call and in-store. Which 2023 and 2024 Orbea electric bikes are the cheapest? Discounted Orbea Rise models With a small number of the 2022 model year options still left, the Orbea Rise makes up the bulk of our older bikes which need to make way for the 2025 models and this also includes 2023 and 2024 models. The Orbea Rise is a multi-award winning, ultra-lightweight full suspension mountain bike designed for those who want to go further, with less weight and without compromise in components and capability. You can get your discounted Orbea Rise here. Discounted Orbea Wild models The 2023 Orbea Wild was the most awarded full suspension electric mountain bike of 2023 and numbers of them are now very slim. The 2024 models were effectively the same, and they too are currently heavily discounted to make way for new model year stock at the end of summer. The Orbea Wild is a 160mm travel "all-mountain" bike designed for those looking for adventure without limitation. Using the latest Bosch Generation 4 85Nm motor and their largest batteries, its also one of the lightest "full fat" full suspension mountain bikes on the market. If you're looking to go Wild on the trails this summer, you can pick up a cheap Orbea Wild here. Discounted Orbea Gain models The Orbea Gain is the electric road bike for road bike enthusiasts. Beautifully crafted to his the super reliable Mahle X35+ drive system so that it looks almost identical to a non-e road bike, its been propelling roadies up some of the worlds biggest climbs and grabbing awards along the way since it first came to market in 2016. If you want to beat your local club ride to the top the hill without overstressing your joints, a discounted Orbea Gain electric road bike is for you. Discounted Orbea Vibe models Based loosely on the Gain, the Vibe uses the same light-weight, super reliable Mahle X35+ drive system but incorporates it into a traffic beating, ultra-manoeuvrable urban leisure bike focussed on providing leisure riders and commuters a more upright, forward focussed geometry without limiting performance. Looking for a light-weight electric bike for commuting? Maybe you want to get out and explore more than just the back roads. Hop on a discounted Orbea Vibe electric bike and discover what you've been missing in your local area. Get your hands on a heavily discounted Orbea today I've never been shy of the fact that Orbea has been a favourite brand for a long time. Not only do they build some of the most aesthetically pleasing and best performing bikes in the industry, they're also a lovely company to work with from a dealer perspective. It pains me to see this devalued by selling them at next to cost price but with warehouses across the UK backed up with bikes from all brands, manufacturers will struggle to get the new model year bikes into them and so... needs must! Right now is the best time to bag yourself probably the best deals in living history. View all discounted Orbea Electric Bikes here.
Taking advantage of the last of the UK summer sun and offering 54 riders the chance to ride the brand new 2023 Orbea Wild and Rise models, we headed to Queen Elizabeth Country Park in the Hampshire countryside for a day of thrills, spills and laughter on some of the best bikes in the business. Here's how the fully booked event went. 2023 Orbea Wild and 2023 Orbea Rise Demo at QECP With Covid-19 lockdowns having put a halt to Owners Club Rides and Demo days for over 2 years, it was great to be back out on the trails with customers. There's a completely different dynamic to being out in the wild with current and potential customers which just isn't achievable in a store setting - it really brings out the fun of mountain biking and QECP is a great place for it. Queen Elizabeth Country Park Known to local riders as QECP or just "QE", Queen Elizabeth Country Park is a 1400 acre woodland park in the the South Downs National Park and includes Buster Hill, the highest point in the South Downs at 886ft. The park contains several locally well regarded, way-marked/graded and well maintained mountain bike trails, along with dozens of "pirate" trails created by many years of multi-generational mountain bikers. Despite having ridden almost every inch of it over the last 15 years, rocking up at the gates at 7.30am was still a first for me. Having driven there while the sun was still coming up, seeing the mist hovering in the canopy and morning dew on the grassy areas at the bottom was a welcoming sight, as were the friendly faces of Dom and Lee from Orbea and Factory Pro rider Ben Moore, who had flown over from Spain where he now lives full time especially for our event. 2023 Orbea Wild and Orbea Rise in the Paddock Set up in the gravel area outside of Southern E-Bike Rentals, the Orbea stand is as commanding as it is colourful, with all of the shiny new Wild and Rise models neatly lined up, clean and raring to go. The bikes on offer for the day were; 2023 Orbea Wild M-Team The brand new and award winning 2023 Orbea Wild M-Team, all painted in custom Orbea MyO custom colours looked incredible in the sunshine. Their carbon frame, fitted with the latest Bosch Generation 4 motor with 85Nm of torque and a 750Wh battery makes them the perfect tool to attack the steep climbs of QECP, especially in the winter when it can turn into a bit of a bog in some places. The Kashima coated Fox 38 Float Factory Forks, Float X2 Rear shock and a full XT group set place this bike firmly in the top end of current eBike technology. 2023 Orbea Rise M-Team Also available to ride on the day was the 2023 Orbea Rise M-Team. Painted in custom MyO colours and a personal favourite, QECP is a place where the Rise models should be right at home. The 2023 M-Team variant uses the Shimano EP8 motor with Orbea's own custom RS Tuning, Kashima coated Fox 36 Float Factory forks, their Float X shock and also uses Shimano's complete XT group set only on this model, its the Di2 electric shift version. Your Orbea Demo Day Team The day was expertly set up and run by Lee and Dom from Orbea UK. Orbea, as with their bikes, put a huge amount of effort into their demo days. As well as arriving the day before to set up their huge Orbea branded marquees, both Lee and Dom were on hand throughout the day to help get riders set up and ready for their ride, including fitting supplied or customers own pedals and suspension tuning to get the most of out of the bike on the trails. Also along for the day was Ben Moore. Flying in from Spain for the event, Ben is an Orbea Global Factory Team Pro rider. He's also an "Urban Downhill Pro and top notch flapjack eater". His enthusiasm for the brand mirroring my own and his eagerness to do everything from set up bikes for the riders, lead rides and even replace a derailleur which ended up not attached where it should have been added an immense level of value and fun to the day. Having an impressive list of victories to his name, he's also not unused to nor bad in front of a camera, which is never a bad thing! What the riders had to say After getting the very excited riders set up, out of the stiles and up onto the trails, it gave us all time to grab a drink and anticipate the feedback while discussing some of our own riding stories and how the Wild and Rise models compares and excels against its competition. There wasn't a frown to be seen on the faces of riders coming back, with everyone having discovered something they loved, whether it was about the bikes or the new found ability to fly to the top and get in more of the faster, flowy downhill sections. We'll let them tell you in their own words in the video below. A special thanks is owed to Orbea for putting on the day for us, and Ben for flying over to take part in the day. These kind of events are often difficult or impossible to pull off to this extent with out the support and backing of our manufacturers, and they wouldn't exist at all without our enthusiastic demo riders - You! If you're looking to get your hands on the latest Orbea eMTB models, there's no better place than at E-Bikeshop in Farnham, Surrey. We're the only dealer in the UK where it's normally possible to see the whole 2023 Orbea Wild and 2023 Orbea Rise in all colours and sizes all in one place. Give us a call or Book an Appointment to come and see them today.
Why are electric bikes so expensive and is it really worth paying more for a bike of a specific brand or with specific components? Do you really "get what you pay for", or, as some online comments often suggest, are bike manufacturers and their retailers just "ripping people off"? Can you build one "cheaper"? We'll break down the cost of a modern, European manufactured ebike and compare it, as most do, against its sub-£1,500 competition. Why do electric bikes cost so much? Firstly, "expensive" is of course, subjective. Someone with millions in the bank will naturally find £3,000-4,000+ for a new bike to be much "cheaper" than someone on minimum wage but it's not that simple - manufacturers aren't just targeting high earners with high prices to the exclusion of all others. Since 2020, prices have been rising in all areas of the market. The final RRP price of a bike, high or low, comes down to multiple factors; Raw materials Components Labour Location/Transport Aftercare/Warranty Lets break these down; Raw Materials The base cost of raw materials has been rising steadily since before the start of Covid. Rubber for example, increased over by almost 100% from $1.05/kg to $2.00kg between 2020 and 2021. You can imagine what this does to the price of a set of tyres, and not just on bicycles. The same goes for everything else. Over the same period, the price of Steel jumped from $451 per ton to $811. Oil jumped from $16 a barrel to $116 a barrel and the world runs on the stuff. Components This section actually ties in many of the other "reasons" into one. Raw materials, labour, transport and aftercare all has a knock on affect with the price of components and we've seen the prices on Shimano and other parts gradually increasing by a couple of percent each year. At manufacturer level this is compounded by all of the components suffering the same fate of globally increasing prices on everything at a rate faster than normal. Labour Labour prices globally are continually on the rise and generally only a recession with massively increased levels of unemployment tends to bring the average down, where there are significantly more people than jobs. This hasn't really been the case since circa 2008 and so right now, wages are on the up. Along with everything else... Location/Transport The location of a factory and the transport of finished goods to the end retailer has a big part to play in the final price of a product. Wages in the Far East are significantly less than the West and much of the raw materials also originate there and so pre-Covid, it made sense to manufacture components there and take advantage of the highly robust but also very cheap sea freight over to Europe for final assembly and addition of the largely German made drive systems. While Covid restrictions were in place, with less ships on the water and full containers paying more than empty, prices to ship a container from Malaysia (where Shimano manufacturing is based) to Europe went from $1,500 to over $20,000 in some cases. It also took longer to arrive. This was driven by lack of capacity and fewer empties being taken back to a country which like many Far Eastern territories relies on its export trade to function. No empties in means no stuff coming out. The less stuff comes out, the more it costs... This has for the most part settled down now, but its still more expensive than it used to be to move things around - especially with the price of oil still being at $80 a barrel at the time of writing. Aftersales/Warranty I left this bit until last because although its not the most expensive portion of the price of a bikes RRP, its arguably one of the most important and normally completely overlooked by new riders at point of purchase. Bosch now have more than 650 registered service centres in the UK, and Yamaha aren't all that far behind. Their warranties are not only very good (2 years on all non-wear parts) but perhaps most importantly, the parts are generally readily available and cross compatible, making it far quicker and easier for shops to repair these systems. Offering such an iron-clad service for maintenance and repair does come at a cost. It means manufacturing at zero return and then storing tens of million of pounds worth of parts, "just in case". The companies making £500-£1,500 bikes are absolutely not doing this. The difference between "cheap" and "expensive" electric bikes Not selling the entry level, low cost and low quality end of the market products is something we've always taken great pride in and so we actually have very little experience in them outside of taking dozens of calls a week from people complaining that theirs is broken! Typing in "electric bike" and hitting the search button on the two most popular online market places, I'm instantly served up a limitless list of sub £1,500 ebikes. If they can make them for this price, how are Cube "getting away with" charging £3,399 for their 2024 Kathmandu Hybrid One 750? Its not a secret. Its not rocket science and it certainly isn't a con. Cyclists aren't being "ripped off". In fact, in many cases you're more likely to be ripped off on a sub £900 bike than on a bike of £9,000+. How? Performance, reliability, longevity and post sales support. These four things are what the previously discussed raw materials, components, labour, location/transport and aftercare/warranty translate to for the end user - You. Performance Generally speaking, the term "performance" is pretty wide reaching but what we're talking about here is how the bike performs against what it was designed to do. A folding bike is generally a lighter weight bike. Sub £1500 versions are generally around 20-25kg because steel is far cheaper than the specially formulated alloy/carbon bikes. Cheaper versions can be harder and take longer to fold or require things taking off. A mountain bike should be capable of taking on the roughest of off-road trails and so the much cheaper ones, made to a slim budget, aren't expected to last as long as a £5,000+ full carbon framed bike with suspension from Fox or Rockshox. Top end Fox front forks alone cost more than many entry level bikes because their performance characteristics (off the back of decades of R&D in world stage racing) come at a price point which just isn't achievable for less. As well as the overall level of components and function of the bike, an electric bike wouldn't be electric without its motor/drive system and the entry level bikes tend to use unbranded motors and batteries from Far Eastern companies who you've probably never heard of. You'll also likely find their performance data (torque output and battery range) either lacking from what you were promised, or well above what the law permits in the UK. On top of this, they have have a bit of a smoking problem that "expensive" bikes don't suffer with. You'll be exceptionally hard pressed to find a Bosch, Yamaha or other top drive system fitted on a sub-£1,800 bike unless its heavily discounted in a sale. More on that a bit later on... Reliability No one wants to be left stranded at the side of the road. Likewise, no one wants to be in and out of their dealer for repairs on something which was supposed to make their life easier, healthier or otherwise better. Sub £1500 bikes are widely known to not be anywhere near as reliable as those at the £2,000+ price point. This bit is really quite simple and you've probably already heard the saying "buy cheap, buy twice" - that's exactly where we're heading with this... The cheaper bikes tend to use much lower quality components which have gone through considerably less (if any) product development and testing when compared to the 102 years Shimano have under their belt. Their batteries also tend to fail much earlier and their wiring systems can be unrefined and difficult to work on. So bad is the problem of reliability of some of the very cheap bike models in their supplying countries that there are now "bike graveyards" springing up, with owners dumping their bikes in their tens of thousands out of frustration with lack of support or parts available to repair them, or where its simply cheaper to throw it away and buy a new bike. It's a bit of an industry "dirty secret" and we don't see it here in the UK where they tend to just end up in smaller numbers at local waste recycling centres or left locked up somewhere, never to be ridden again. Longevity/Post sales support Again, this is where the real value lies and the investment in a £2,000+ bike really starts to pay dividends. Longevity All of our bikes (and many of those from the brands we don't stock here at E-Bikeshop) at this price point are designed to last a minimum of 8-10 years with very little in the way of unnecessary or difficult fuss, maintenance and hassle. Most of the sub £1,500 bike manufacturers have been in business for less than 5 years and many for as little as just a few months at the point they launch a bike using unbranded motors, batteries and brakes/gears. These are all of the things you rely on the most to get the use and value from your bike. All of our bikes are made from either alloy or carbon fibre, so their frames will never rust. Their motors are made by companies with over 15 years development. Bosch have been around since 1886 and are unlikely to disappear in the next 10. The rest of the components on the bike are also from companies with lengthy history in the bike industry and you'll find their components on everything from ordinary leisure bikes to the world stage at the Tour de France and Olympics. Post Sales Support. This is where the real value of a better quality/higher priced bike starts to make itself obvious and paying a higher price for a better bike, pays itself off. Using components from the top manufacturers like Shimano, SRAM and Magura for brakes and gears as well as Yamaha, Shimano and Bosch for motor/drive systems means that should you ever need repair or routine maintenance, the parts will be readily available to you not just from us but from almost any bike shop, anywhere in the world. A customer can purchase a bike from us here in the UK and we can ship it to Sydney in Australia but what if they have a Bosch speed sensor issue 6 months into ownership? Its the same as here in the UK. There are 61 Bosch service centres in Sydney alone. Taking it on Holiday to France? Even better. There are 1496 Bosch accredited service centres there too and the number is growing globally every day as more retailers see the value in only stocking things they can repair. On the opposite end of the scale, we take several dozen calls each week from people who have purchased a sub £1,500 bike online and within a few months (weeks, in some cases) have a problem. Having normally bought it through online only businesses who conveniently almost never have a telephone number, they're struggling to get support and turn in desperation to local bike shops for help. The often highly frustrating downside to this is that most bike shops can't and in all honestly, don't want to help unless it was something they supplied. The onus of support and repair is on the company who already pocketed your profit but now can't/doesn't want to help. In fact, in many cases, they're not even bike businesses. Its just a small team in a warehouse full of cheap bikes chucking them into delivery vans each day and even if they wanted to help, they often seem to know next to nothing about them! To make matters worse, parts and spares for these bikes are in about as good supply as their support offering. Effectively, there normally isn't any. You pay your money and if it works, great. If it doesn't, you throw it in the bin and start again. Some spares like chains, brake pads etc are generally easy to find but if you have an issue with the drive system it normally spells "new bike day". Suddenly, that £1,500 bargain bike is being replaced and if you spend another £1,500, will it happen again? Regardless, you could have bought a next to bombproof Cube Touring Hybrid Pro for that £3,000. Or, recognising the value in a good quality bike, do you spend that full £3,000 now, taking your total investment in eBikes to £4,500? That £4,500 could have bought you a Haibike AllMtn CF 12, currently on sale at £4,299 down from £5,899. Or worse. It puts you off them altogether... "Building or converting your own ebike is less expensive" This argument is actually absolutely true and offers a really cool level of flexibility, especially on custom built bikes like choppers, cruisers and all the strange and wonderful things (including lots of very old models) people can dream up and there's a hugely diverse following for these kind of bikes. Despite riding a top of the range Haibike Trekking model to and from work, our technician Steve here also owns an electric bike he built himself; It can be significantly cheaper to build an ebike than to buy one. The downside is that your whole drive system is almost certainly going to be coming from the same place as the sub-£1,500 bikes and the level (lack of) of support is very often going to be the same. Bafang, the largest and most well known supplier of retrofit kits are now very well respected in the DIY community and appear to be starting to compete with the other major players in terms of performance and reliability, however their parts and spares capability is still catered for mostly from the Far East. Getting parts and spares normally means a trawl on Alibaba or other Chinese wholesale site, can take weeks to arrive and lots of bike shops wont touch anything they didn't build themselves and so you're almost always going to be very much on your own with this kind of route. Yes, its cheaper to buy all the bits, but adding in the time to modify your current frame, build the kit and then maintain it will eventually be outweighed by the cost and future support value of a purpose-designed ebike from a reputable dealer. There is also the satisfaction of having done it yourself and for many, this is a key factor in the conversion of a bike. Sadly, at any price, this isn't something we can sell to a customer! We love seeing some of the crazy things people build online but because the support for their parts and spares doesn't meet the minimum standards we expect of our manufacturers, its not something we would ever involve ourselves in. So, are electric bikes really that expensive? If you've ever felt like electric bike are expensive, you wont be on your own, for whatever reason it is. Are electric bikes expensive? Well good ones aren't necessarily cheap and they're a lot more expensive if you make the mistake of buying one twice. Many of our customers come to us with the feeling that eBikes are expensive, but many of them have also been bitten by a "cheap" one and felt bitter about it, so much so they've put off buying another, which is a huge shame. The sub £1,500 bargain they purchased on eBay or Amazon from a seller they've never heard of and doesn't have a physical shop was later inevitably not able to support the bike the way a proper bike shop can, and they ended up with an expensive garage ornament that they've felt pretty upset about. What they've since found is that by purchasing a bike from a European or other well known manufacturer built using industry leading and well recognised components and from a proper bike business with a physical location and easily reachable support is that even in the much lower likelihood of something going wrong, they're always safe in the knowledge that they have the support there when they need it, and the parts are almost always readily available whether at their own dealer, or away. In summary No, eBikes which cost as much as or even more than a reasonable second hand car aren't expensive if you you consider more than just the initial purchase price. More often than not a bike which some would consider "cheap" to buy often ends up being the opposite in the long run. Its also worth bearing in mind that if you can't see the value in a particular bike, IE, you're a mountain biker but think £14,000 for bike is ridiculous then its highly likely that the bike in question wasn't designed with you in mind, and that's absolutely ok. Bikes with these kind of price tags are aimed at the very highest/competing skill level riders, where its expected that these kind of riders will get the best out of the top end performance componentry and wouldn't ride anything less. In paying more for your first or next eBike, you're investing in something which was designed from the very outset to not only be the best and most reliable version of what it is, but also includes complete product lifecycle support at almost all good independent bike shops. When looked after, they're more than capable of seeing out at least 8-10 years of service before requiring anything major and many of our customers who purchased eBikes from us when we first moved over to selling only electric bikes back in 2012, are still bringing them in for annual service in 2023! If you're looking for a super reliable and exceptional long term value electric bike with a globally recognised warranty and after sales support, you could do far worse than taking a look at our wide range of Electric Bikes for all types of riders.
There's something quite special about being able to design your own bike - especially when it costs absolutely nothing. You read that right. You can custom paint your brand new 2023 Orbea Wild and 2023 Orbea Rise in millions of combinations and it wont cost you a penny above the normal RRP! Lets take a look at the options for 2023 Orbea Wild and 2023 Orbea Rise MyO bikes and how E-Bikeshop offers the easiest, best and fastest way to get your MyO bike. TLDR; We have good levels of remaining allocations for MyO bikes with short lead times and the full list is near the bottom of this article... What is Orbea MyO? The Orbea MyO is Orbea's own customisation tool which allows riders to not only custom paint their new bike, but also adjust some of the specification to their preferred component or to better suit their riding needs. This can either be done via Orbea directly (with the bike shipped to their chosen dealer), or directly through your Orbea dealer. We'll cover how to do this a little later on. Not only are many of the component swaps free, those which are upgrades above the normal specification are only charged at the price difference. At the end of the process, you can export your new bike as a PDF to keep or take to your dealer to order. What can you change in Orbea MyO? Paint Every Orbea MyO Wild and Rise bike is hand painted with incredible care and precision. Each of these models is actually made of at least half a dozen different painted "sections" and the colour of these can all be chosen from their customisation charts, allowing potentially millions of combinations and riders to choose something understated, lairy, bright, bold but always unique. This part is completely free. We "painted" this demo version in E-Bikeshop colours for this article. SpecificationAs well as being able to paint the bike how you like, you can also change the specification. Wheels and tyres, bars and brakes, seat posts, batteries, displays and suspension can all be swapped out from the bikes standard specification and replaced with Orbea's own suggested replacements. Not only does this allow much greater flexibility for riders, but they also only charge the difference in price between the standard and the upgraded component. Some are even free! On the 2023 Carbon (M) Rise variants, you can also elect to switch the battery from 360Wh to the new, larger 540Wh version. Why should you choose MyO over a stock bike? With some manufacturers having a market share so big that you can easily find half a dozen people at your local bike park all riding the same bike in the same colour, Orbea MyO offers their riders something truly special and unique. As well as being able to express yourself through your custom designed bike, it offers a great value tool for specification changes. Lots of riders have their own preference of components and no manufacturer can account for all rider preferences. With the Orbea MyO tool, components like suspension often have three or more choices, allowing riders to find something better suited to their own riding style or component preference. No more having to buy the shock you want in advance of receiving your bike in the hope you can flog the stock one on eBay for at least half it's RRP! With some manufacturers having such a huge market share that its not uncommon to rock up to your local trail centre and find handfuls of people riding the same bike in the same colour you can be quietly confident that your bike, is yours. How do you get your Orbea MyO bike? There are two ways to get your hands on a brand new 2023 Orbea Wild or 2023 Orbea Rise through the MyO platform. The hardest/longest way.. Anyone can order a MyO bike at any time via the Orbea website. You simply select the model you want to start with as the "base", select a size, and then complete your specification of paint and parts. The downside is that all Orbea bikes must be shipped via a dealer. They don't deal "direct to consumer" because they want to make sure all of their bikes are handed over or delivered to the customer in nothing but absolutely perfect, ready to ride condition with a full handover and set up where possible. The reason this is the most difficult and will come with the longest lead times is that you will always be joining the back of the queue. If (and its a big "if", because MyO bikes sell out quickly at the start of the model year) you can get one, you can often expect lead times of between 6 and 12 months to get your bike. It's still worth it, but there's a better way... The easiest/fastest way.At E-Bikeshop, we pre-order "MyO frame blanks" at the start of the year - something which very few dealers bother with. This means that we always have bare MyO frames waiting/pre-programmed into production. As well as speeding up the order/arrival process, we can also ship them anywhere in the world, so its not even necessary to have a dealer close by to get yours. In short, if you didn't already order one at the start of the year, E-Bikeshop is likely to be the fastest way to get your new 2023 Orbea Wild or 2023 Orbea Rise via the MyO platform. What MyO options do E-Bikeshop have left for 2023? Despite already being half way into model year 2023, we still have a small portion of our pre-ordered MyO frames left, but time is running to supply a specification for them. We must supply 45 days notice of their specification prior to their expected production and shipping date. Here is our list of 2023 Orbea MyO frame blanks, available for immediate specification and their current build date (they would be expected to land with us 1 week later). Each date represents one available bike, unless specified; 2023 Orbea Rise M10 MyO Small Frame30th August 2023 (Order before 19th July)18th September 2023 (Order before 7th August) Medium Frame29th August 2023 (Order before 18th July)18th September 2023 (Order before 7th August) Large Frame25th September 2023 (Order before 14th August)9th October 2023 (Order before 28th August)16th October 2023 (x2) (Order before 4th September)23rd October 2023 (Order before 11th September) You can find the regular 2023 Orbea Rise M10 here 2023 Orbea Rise M-Team MyO Small Frame11th September 2023 (Order before 31st July) Medium Frame18th September 2023 (Order before 7th August) Large Frame18th September 2023 (Order before 7th August) You can find the regular 2023 Orbea Rise M-Team here 2023 Orbea Rise M-Ltd MyO Large Frame25th September (x2) (Order before 14th August) Extra Large Frame25th September (x2) (Order before 14th August) You can find the regular 2023 Orbea Rise M-LTD here 2023 Orbea Wild M10 MyO Large Frame2nd October 2023 (Order before 21st August) Extra Large Frame2nd October 2023 (Order before 21st August) You can find the regular 2023 Orbea Wild M10 here 2023 Orbea Wild M-Team MyO Large Frame23rd October 2023 (Order before 11th September)13th November 2023 (Order before 2nd October) Extra Large Frame25th October 2023 (Order before 13th September) You can find the regular 2023 Orbea Wild M-Team here Ready to order your new 2023 Orbea MyO bike? We don't actively advertise these "blank frames" on our website, but there's a couple of ways you can get your name on one for this year; Orbea's own websiteHead over to the Orbea MyO platform and pick your model from the frames we have available above. Complete your specification and at the end, select E-Bikeshop as your chosen dealer. Your specification will be sent to us and we'll be in touch to finalise the details and arrange payment. Get in touch with us directlyContacting us direct is a great way to get a 2023 Orbea MyO bike if you're not within a reasonable travel distance. Remember, you don't need to be in the UK to get a MyO bike from E-Bikeshop. We ship to 154 countries and can send your bike onwards (EX VAT if outside of the UK). We already have established routes for most of Europe, the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and other East Asian countries. The only place we can't currently get a bike to is Brunei. Sorry - their rules not ours! Visit us Book an appointment to come and see us at our showroom in Surrey where we normally have around 50 Orbea bikes on display at any one time and we'll be more than happy to walk you through the whole process, including advice on any component changes to suit your preferred riding.
Finally, we're starting to see the return of normality on some models in the bike industry and as a result, many retailers have a problem that for the most part, we bought on ourselves... If you're still on the fence about whether a 2022 Orbea Rise is right for you, you might like our previous feature on Full Fat Vs Lightweight ebikes, or the full model feature on the Orbea Rise models. Why are we seeing mass discounting of 2022 Orbea Rise models? During 2020 (when Rise was launched), bike retailers were doing a years worth of business in as little as every 3 months. When orders were placed for 2022 model stock back in spring 2021, demand was still off the charts and many dealers who didn't predict the inevitable return to normality massively over-egged their orders. In turn, the manufacturers over-produced. We asked, they delivered. Now, with demand having dropped to just above what we saw pre-Covid (like pre-Jurassic, this is apparently a recognised measure of time now!), these bikes have been produced and are ready to roll, split between dealers warehouses and sitting at Orbea's factory in Spain. Unfortunately, the market hasn't been so eager with a poor start to the summer weather here in the UK and as a result, there's a bit of a run on the price of some models and the 2022 Rise is one of them. Consumers aren't silly and of course, they're eager for the best deal. Why is right now is the time to buy a Rise? The 2022 Orbea Rise was the better bike. There. I said it. It comes down to just two things which we'll go into further a bit later on; The Bike. The latest 2023 model is as all Orbea's are, an incredible bike and no-one would be disappointed with one if the preferred model/size/colour from 2022 is already sold out. The colours and overall fit and finish are fantastic and the specification is arguably still better than all of their competition. There were however a few specification alternations between 2022 and 2023 which in some cases have flown under the radar but more discerning riders might have spotted and for this reason, the 2022 Orbea Rise has been flying out of stores at ever reducing prices while stock exists. The Price. The price was raised for the 2023 Orbea Rise models because of the normal annual rises in raw materials, production and transport. In short, like all manufacturers, Orbea put the price up because it costs more to make it now. By this point, the 2022 Rise had already paid its way when things were a bit cheaper with Orbea already having agreed its component prices over a year prior. Better specification on the 2022 Orbea Rise There were a few changes to the specification which only those who know the full product and component family layout might have spotted, but we'll run them off here for you to see in the plainest form; Rise M20 - The entry level model and very little change. The bars and seat post were changed for 2023 to bring them in line with Orbea's own newly designed items. Rise M10 - Normally the best value model in the range when considering specification against price and factoring in the skill level of an average rider and also saw the highest level of change. For 2023 it dropped from Shimano XT to Shimano SLX level brakes. It also lost its Raceface handlebars and stem in favour of Orbea branded items and its Raceface Turbine wheelset replaced by Orbea's own brand new OQUO items (which have been reviewed very well!). Rise M-Team - How you feel about the changes to the M-Team depend on who you are and how you look at it. Absolute top specification Shimano XTR group set is dropped in favour of a Shimano XT (next model down) setup on the 2023 version, but, its the swanky electric shift Di2 version. The Raceface bars, stem and wheels are replaced with the same items as used on the M10. Rise M-Ltd - Very few changes on this. The Raceface components are again swapped out with Orbea's own top end componentry for 2023, but it retains its Fox Transfer SL Kashima dropper. Better pricing on the 2022 Orbea Rise With prices having gone up for 2023 but Orbea and their retailers being in a period of overstock currently, prices on 2022 models have been tumbling which only widens the value gap between the two model years. Bearing in mind the marginally better specification of the 2022 models, here's a breakdown of prices on our website right now; Rise M20Orbea Rise M20 2023 - RRP £6,499Orbea Rise M20 2022 - Was £5,899, now £4,099. Saving of £2,400 over the current model Rise M10Orbea Rise M10 2023 - RRP £7,999Orbea Rise M10 2022 - Was £7,499, now £5,199. Saving of £2,800 over the current model Rise M-TeamOrbea Rise M-Team 2023 - RRP £9,299Orbea Rise M-Team 2022 - Was £8,799, now £6,099. Saving of £3,200 over the current model Rise M-LtdOrbea Rise M-Ltd 2023 - RRP £9,999Orbea Rise M-Ltd 2022 - Was £9,599, now £6,699. Saving of £3,300 over the current model Will 2022 Orbea Rise models get any cheaper? In short, not without significant losses. Right now, most dealers (including E-Bikeshop) involved in this mass discounting are selling them at cost price, save for enough margin to cover off their cost of sale. Things like the time it takes to build, inspect and do any software updates, shipping and packaging, costs associated with those who purchase using a cycle to work scheme or interest free finance (which retailers actually pay for) are built in but otherwise, there is no room to drop further on these, making this the time to bag one. How sustainable is the pricing on 2022 Orbea Rise? This is not at all sustainable. No-one wins a "race to the bottom" which is why top retailers generally try to avoid it, especially on high quality brands like Orbea where they really are worth every penny of their ordinary RRP and discounts only tend to come about as a result of situations like the current one. This is a short term solution to a short term problem which is likely to self-resolve once dealers have cleared their overstocks. Its worth considering where you purchase your ultra-discounted 2022 Orbea Rise from. Electric bikes are a specialist product which requires specialist support. The initial purchase of the bike is just the first step in your ebike journey. A company which sells most or all of their bikes at next to cost price will rarely have anything left in the pot to support them, if they manage to stay around at all. E-Bikeshop is a specialist in electric bikes and we've shipping bikes globally for more than 13 years and an Orbea dealer since 2018. All of its staff are industry experts in the products we sell and parts and spares are held in direct stock for almost anything a customer could need for ordinary maintenance and most repairs. Yet still, it Rises. Its by now well known that I'm a massive Orbea fan and I've been flicking between riding my road going Orbea Orca M20LTD and the Rise M10 for over 2 years now and its been a fantastic machine. One of the first off the production line at the back end of 2020, its seen a lot of action. Here it is half way up the Red at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, which I'm fortunate enough to live very near to; Less aggressive and more risk averse than I was when I was younger and a bounced a bit better, its the perfect all rounder for those who like to ride super fast trails, carve out berms and whoop those on heavier bikes up the hills. With nothing more than normal routine maintenance, cleaning and making sure the drivetrain is kept clean and lubricated (very sandy in our part of the country), its performed faultlessly and I full expect it to continue that way for many years to come and with the spec of the M10 having been so good at the time of release, I don't expect it to get left behind as the model evolves either. Here's what Orbea had to say when they launched the Orbea Rise models Ready to buy your discounted 2022 Orbea Rise? Head over to our dedicated Orbea Rise E-Bikes page where you can find the full range of 2022 and 2023 Rise models to compare. If you're still stuck, feel free to Contact Us or Book an Appointment to come and see them. With more than 80 Rise model variants in physical stock at time of writing and over 20 in the showroom, you wont find a larger selection available for immediately delivery outside of Orbea's own factory!
With a new model year comes yet more development from the worlds biggest mainstream electric bike motor and drive system manufacturer. A product of continual innovation, for model year 2024 Bosch are bringing to market more updates, clever tools and brand new products to complement the new Smart System updates already launched for 2023. What new products are Bosch launching for 2024 electric bikes? Bosch always like to surprise us and the 2024 product launch is no exception. Even at the back of our minds, believing we must be due one soon, along with a couple of new display options and a brand new battery set up, for the first time in several years we're finally getting a brand new motor from Bosch for 2024! New 2024 Bosch Performance Line SX motor Aimed at the lightweight category and looking to compete with the likes of the Shimano EP8/EP801 and the EP6, the new Fazua Ride 60 and the TQ HPR50, the 2024 Bosch Performance Line SX is Smart System enabled and will likely start appearing on bikes at early as Autumn 2023. LightweightThe new Bosch Performance Line SX motor comes in at sub 2kg which is unheard of for a Bosch eBike motor previously. This new tech not only allows a smaller and lighter shell, but it also allows bike manufactures to integrate the motors in new ways. Up to 600 Watts250w nominal (UK legal limit) but peaking at 600w with an output of 55Nm and weighing in at just under 2kg, its brand new "Sprint Mode" will mirror technology already on offer from Shimano. This new mode is designed to directly mimic the riders input and offer a more natural, sporty ride without overstepping its mark and will suit riders who want a lightweight bike to complement their ride in a more intuitive way. New Sprint ModeThis cadence based assistance program is designed to offer eGravel and urban riders more dynamic support when they need it most although its application will lend itself well to lighter weight full suspension bikes. New 2024 Bosch Purion 200 display Having neglected to include the old Purion in the latest Bosch Smart System update, for the current model year we've seen many entry level bikes arriving with just the LED Remote as a "display" option. While the LED Remote doesn't offer anything in the way of real time data, users could still use their mobile phone and the Bosch eBike flow app as a cycle computer. The new Bosch Purion 200 solves this gap in the Bosch product line. Looking strikingly similar to the existing LED Remote, the new Purion 200 uses the same button layout on the left hand side but now incorporates a really neat 1.6" colour display & will be an easy "plug 'n' play" upgrade for any bikes already on the market with just the LED Remote. New 2024 Bosch Kiox 500 display Bigger = BetterLarger than the current Kiox launched in the last product range update, the new Bosch Kiox 500 display builds on an already intuitive eBike control system but offers a much larger display area for better visibility of its best features. Fitness and NavigationDesigned around maximising the benefits of the satellite navigation and fitness tracking tools, the new Bosch Kiox 500 will suit those riding further and in unfamiliar territory, or looking to push the boundaries of their fitness and move up to the next level. This data can be fed during or post ride to most of the top fitness apps. Your Bike. Your Way.The larger display now also offers the ability to tailor the display layout to better suit each individual riders needs. Riders can select what is visible on the 'home screen' allowing for a clutter-free experience. New 2024 Bosch PowerMore 250 Although dual batteries aren't new to Bosch, the brand new Bosch PowerMore 250 offers an easy to add/remove, completely portable bottle cage sized range extender very similar to those already on offer from the manufacturers of Shimano and Mahle systems. This clever, user friendly system is easily added to the bike when you need the extra range, and removed when you need to shave some weight. 1.6Kg, to be precise. The new PowerMore 250 extender battery is neat and compact in design, similar to a bikes water bottle for example it is 20cm long and only about 8cm wide. New 2024 Bosch Dual Battery system Finally, the return of the Bosch Dual battery system! Featured on lots of our bikes (Haibike, Scott and Orbea had previously taken advantage of this technology on pre-2023 models) prior to the 2023 Bosch Smart System update, the option vanished for a while and very little was said by Bosch about it. Now, for 2024 the Bosch Dual Battery system returns (on compatible bikes) for those who cover longer distances or transport heavy goods. This has initially been depicted by Bosch as a link-up of their Powertube battery range and the new Bosch PowerMore 250, which would mean that with their largest 750Wh PowerTube battery, the maximum theoretical capacity on offer immediately for manufacturers who build their bikes with it in mind (and we think that at least one of our manufacturers has already done this and they're in store now!), would be 1,000Wh. This figure is a little down on the previously achievable 1125Wh using the internally mounted 625Wh PowerTube and a frame mounted 500Wh PowerPack, but with Bosch's own figures, the new combo has a potential range of over 200 miles on a full charge, and who needs more than that?! New 2024 Bosch PowerPack 400 & 500 Rack We thought we had seen the last of these very many years ago, but now they're back. Normally found on more entry level bikes, the PowerPack rack batteries were favoured by many for their ease of fitting/removal and the ability to keep costs down when designing frames. Fitted into the rear luggage/pannier rack of the bike, they were a common feature on leisure/touring/hybrid style bikes and we expect this will be the same when they return on model year 2024 bikes although we can see a possibility of Cargo style bikes making use of them too. Given that they're only being launched in 400Wh & 500Wh varieties, unless they do later appear on Cargo models we expect these are being targeted at the lower end of the market, but that's no bad thing at all if it allows manufacturers to bring bike prices down and capture more riders on a Bosch driven product. Watch The Latest 2024 Seminar From Bosch Bosch is launching the new 2024 Bosch eBike system today on YouTube with a live seminar. Watch below: Our thoughts on the new 2024 Bosch eBike Systems Quite literally light years ahead of the competition when it comes to product development, especially with their display systems, we love and eagerly anticipate receiving the Bosch Dealer Package each year. Not only are they always surprising us with new features, they're never a gimmick. Their "real-world" usable products are always something our customers get great value from. The ability to be able to use your screen on your bike as a SatNav either in "free ride" or by importing maps or GPX files from your favourite cycling apps remains a Bosch exclusive, as does their Flow+ and Connect Module for worry free tracking and built in security alarm released in the last update. As well as fantastic products, Bosch offer industry leading diagnostic equipment and after sales support to their authorised dealers and support centres and we expect this to continue through to their new 2024 Bosch eBike Systems update. A couple of quick answers to questions we expect in the coming days; When will these products be available?Given that model year 2023 is currently in full swing, we don't expect to see any availability of them prior to the launch of model year 2024 bikes which currently is expected to be around Autumn this year. Bosch will naturally prioritise bike manufacturers and so its unlikely we'll be able to buy any of these components directly (IE, not already fitted to a bike) until Spring 2024. Can I fit the new Bosch Purion 200 and Bosch Kiox 500 display on my current bike?Yes, the new Purion 200 and Kiox 500 will be available to purchase as an upgrade from already fitted displays on bikes which already have the Bosch Smart system however as above, we don't expect to see any availability to purchase them separately from Bosch until Spring 2024. If you are unsure if your current bike is running on the latest Smart System software, there are a few easy ways to work this out. The Bosch Smart System product range was launched on model year 2022 bikes. If you bike is older than this, it will not be compatible. While the Smart System was launched on Model Year 2022 bikes, the previous system was still being produced and so if your bike came with a Bosch Purion, Intuvia (not Intuvia 100) or Kiox (not Kiox 300) display, your bike is not Smart System compatible and these displays will not work. Can I get the Bosch PowerMore 250 Range Extender for my current bike? The new Bosch PowerMore 250 is likely to have been communicated to bike manufacturers as much as 2 years ago, to give them enough time to build compatibility into their model year 2023 bikes if they wanted to. Right now, we don't have a compatibility list although we have seen some unusual bolts on downtubes which we didn't have an explanation for from the manufacturer (because these products have been under embargo until today, and we have only known for a week!). We'll update here when we know exactly which of our bikes will be compatible. Can I change the motor in my bike to one of the new Bosch Smart System motors?This is unfortunately not possible. Frames for eBikes are designed by manufacturers specifically around the motor/battery combination and each motor has different mounting points/dimensions. This makes all of them incompatible with each other. We hope you've found this article useful. If you're looking for your new Bosch driven electric bike, you can find more than 50 available in our Bosch eBike Range.
The brand new Shimano CUES range of products seeks to consolidate almost all of their current "sub 12 speed" group sets into one, unified product range of directly cross-compatible components in an effort to simplify not just the supply chain, but the number of components bike stores need to keep in stock. This has to be the biggest scrappage and replacement of any product line in Shimano's very long history of brake and gear components and so its no wonder its such a divisive talking point in the industry right now. On the surface this seems like a great idea but it got us thinking... who does this actually best serve? Welcome to the most comprehensive rundown of the new Shimano CUES system you'll find on the internet right now! The motive behind the Shimano CUES product range. It's no secret that drivetrain compatibility even for those who have served their time on the tools in the bicycle trade can be confusing. Varying shifter pull ratios across the vast range of different group sets, hub spacings and speeds means that finding components to match can often be a bit of a headache - that's before you consider the number of hybrid options to achieve custom ratio choices. It makes sense then, that consolidating their huge range of 9, 10 and 11 speed options (effectively everything they currently produce below their Deore 11 speed system) into one entirely cross-compatible but dramatically slimmed down range of components makes perfect sense from the factory, all the way down to the end user. Shimano CUES is also the first product range designed specifically with the higher torque application of electric bikes in mind. The new Shimano Cues product range. There are 4 new tiers of products in the Shimano Cues range, each aimed at a specific segment of the bicycle market. All of these are likely to make their way onto eBikes in the not too distant future. Shimano CUES U4000 (9 Speed) The Shimano Cues U4000 line incorporates their new unified entry level 9 speed range which effectively kills off Alivio, Acera and Altus. Left and right brake levers are pretty standard, however the range includes two right hand and one left hand shifter in the form of SL-U4000-9R, SL-U4010-9R and SL-U4000-9L parts. There are three rear derailleurs in this tier, offering a short, mid and long cage setup with the RD-U4000, RD-U4010 and RD-U3020. Two rear cassettes are available and both offer Shimano's own new LinkGlide technology. The CS-LG400-9 and CS-LG300-9 will both be available in 11-36, 11-41 and 11-46t ratios with the second likely to be slightly heavier, and therefore cheaper. A pretty bonkers five new crank sets will be coming (and you thought they were trying to unify things here!) in the form of four different 2x set ups and just one in 1x. The FC-U4000-2 and FC-U4000-2B offer a twin ring set-up. Both have a 178mm Q-Factor and a 48.8 and 51.8mm chain line length respectively, with a 36-22 or 40-26 tooth count. The FC-U4010-2 and FC-U4010-2B also offer the same two chain line options, but with a 36-22, 40-26 and 46-30 toothed chainring option. Finally the FC-U4000-1 is the single ring option with a 178mm Q-Factor and comes in 30,32,40 and 40T flavours. All are compatible with the 9, 10 and 11 speed systems from the whole CUES range. More on how that's possible later. There are 4 new bottom brackets. BB-UR400 is a threaded 68mm option, BB-UN300 and UN101 are square taper style and finally BB-MT501 is a second 68/73mm shell width threaded option. The first and last here are both designed for Hollowtech II cranks. To match the new rear derailleurs, there are also four new 2x 10/9 speed and one 2x 9 speed fronts. 3 of these are "side swing" (FD-U4000-D for 2x 10/9 direct mount, FD-U4000-E for E-type without BB bracket mount 2x 10/9 speed and FD-U4000-M for clamp band mount 2x 10/9 speed). The final 2 are "top swing" (FD-U4000-L clamp band mount 2x 10/9 speed and FD-U4010-L for clamp band mount 1x 9 speed) To complete this already mind boggling U4000 range, there are also 8 new hubs, all designed to take centre-lock brake rotor SM-RT30 which comes as a 203, 180 or 160mm option. Three are for the front - HB-QC400 is a 100mm QR fitment, HB-TC500-15 is a 100x15mm "E-THRU" axle and HB-TC500-15-B is the same but for a 110mm width fork. There are five new versions of their rear set ups. Two are from their 3.0w Hub Dynamo range - The DH-3D37-QR uses a QR fitment, and DH-3D37-NT is a bolt in option. Three new HG spline freehubs come in 135mm QR on the FH-QC400-HM, a 142x12mm E-THRU axle option on the FH-TC500-HM and 148x12mm on the FH-TC500-HM-B. Not bad for "entry level" equipment to eradicate at least three other complete group sets! Shimano CUES U6000 (10 Speed) The Shimano CUES U6000 is broken into two groups. Both a 10 speed and 11 speed range are available. There is much less choice, but, that's not to say it wont have something for everyone. The very purpose of this exercise by Shimano is to cover more bases, with less components. As with the U4000 line, the MT501 and MT402 brakes are carried over from previous model ranges. There are just two shifter options. The SL-U6000-10R for 10 speed rear derailleurs, and the SL-U-6000-L for a 2x 11/10 where a twin front chain ring is implemented. Both are clamp band/bar mounted. No I-SPEC II option here. There are also only two rear derailleurs. The RD-U6000 can be used for both 10 and 11 speed setups, while the RD-U6020-10 is 10 speed only. The former will be great on bikes shipped as 10 speed with a later option to upgrade to 11 speed by changing the cassette and fitting a U6000 11 speed series shifter. If you're replacing the cassette during servicing anyway, there isn't a cheaper way to gain an extra gear than by just changing the shifter! Two all new cassette options are offered. The CS-LG400-10 comes in brand new 11-39, 11-43 and 11-48t options. The CS-LG300-10 should be cheaper, but only offered as a 11-39 and 11-48t option. Three chain rings are offered. FC-U6000-2 and FC-U6000-2B have a Q-Factor of 180mm and in 48.8 and 51.8 chain line options. The first is available with 36-22 or 46-30t options, with the 2B variant only being offered as 33-22t. The last as you would expect is a 1x option with 180mm Q-Factor. The FC-UC6000-1 is available as a 30 or 32t for a 52mm chain line or 40 and 42t for 50mm chain lines. All of these are compatible with the 9, 10 and 11 speed systems in the new Shimano CUES product ecosystem. Two bottom brackets are available. The BB-MT500-PA is an 89.5/92mm press -fit and the BB-MT501 is a 68/73mm threaded version. To match the new rear derailleurs, there are also four new front derailleurs. Three out of four of these are "side swing" - FD-U6000-D for 2x 11/10 speed direct mount, FD-U6000-E for E-type without BB bracket mount 2x 11/10speed and FD-U6000-M for clamp band mount 2x 11/10 speed). The final one is "top swing" - FD-U6010-L clamp band mount 2x 11/10 speed. The brake rotor for the U6000 series is SM-RT54. Another centre lock option to make it cross compatible with all options, its available in either 180 or 160mm sizes. The rest of the model range in terms of front and rear hubs are identical part numbers to the U4000 range. Shimano CUES U6000 (11 Speed) The 11 speed version of the new Shimano CUES U6000 borrows most of the same components of the first two, but with a couple of key differences. The brakes are the same you'll find in the previous 10- speed CUES U6000 range. There is one new shifter, the SL-U-6000-11R. This is a dedicated 11 speed shifter but they are still including the SL-U6000-L in this model line for those who want to run a 2x setup with matching front derailleur. As with the shifters, there is one new rear derailleur. The RD-U6000-11 is a decidated 11 speed component, but the RD-6000 11/10 option also falls under the 11 speed U6000 banner. Because this the dedicated 11 speed version of the Shimano CUES group set, there is a different cassette. The CL-LG400-11 offers two very wide ratio options of 11-45 and 11-50t. Four of the multi-gear options from the 9/10 speed chain rings cross over here too. Only one new option appears in the 11 speed CUES U6000 group and that's the FC-U6010-2. This is a 180mm Q-Factor for a 48.8mm chain line and only a single 46-32 tooth option. Again, all of the rest of the components are carryovers from the previous two CUES ranges, including the bottom brackets, rotors and the front and rear hubs. Shimano CUES U8000 (11 Speed) At the very top end, we start to see components which closely resemble SLX/XT level components in the Shimano CUES U8000 range. New brakes are offered in the form of the BL-U8000 "3 finger" I-SPEC II clamp band. These look suspiciously like a rebranded SLX lever! All of the shifters are new and 11 speed dedicated. The SL-U8000-11-R is the rear derailleur clamp band option. The SL-U8000-11LR is the same but an I-SPEC II variant. The The SL-U8000-L is a clamp band left lever for a 2x 11 speed setup, and the SL-U8000-IL is the I-SPEC II variant of the same. There are two new derailleurs and these two look suspiciously recognisable. Its probably that these are just SLX/XT based items with a standardised pull ratio (more on that later too). The RD-8000 is rated for a max 1st gear of 50T, while the RD-8020 can handle up to 48t. Both are compatible with 11t final gears. Just a single new cassette is offered for the CUES U8000 range. The CS-LG700-11 comes in 11-45 and 11-50t options. The crank sets for the CUES U8000 range are also brand new. The FC-U8000-1 is a 1x 11/10/9 speed compatible choice with a 180mm Q-Factor for a 50mm chain line and comes in either 40 or 42 tooth count. The FC-U8000-2 is for those who want to run a 22 speed set up and is also a 180mm Q-Factor for 48.8mm chain line with just a single 46-32t ratio option. The BB-MT801 threaded bottom bracket will be recognisable to most as having been around for quite some time, but the single FD-U8010-L front derailleur for 2x 11/10 speed solutions is brand new. Brake callipers again are going to be instantly recognisable to mountain bikers. The 2 piston BR-U8000 and 4 piston BR-U8020 have previously worn Deore branding and the RT-MT800 rotors under the U8000 series line are moving over from the Ice Tech FREEZA range in 203, 180, 160 and 140mm sizes. As well as the brakes, all of the hub options are already commonly available. The HB-RS470 is a 100x12mm E-THRU axle front hub and the HB-QC400 is a 100mm QR option. The DH-UR705-3D is their normal Nexus 3.0W centre lock rotor compatible dynamo rear hub but for the majority of bikers, the FH-RS470 11/10 speed thru-axle option along with the FH-UR600 11/10 speed 135mm QR option will be nothing new. Shimano CUES Di2 for E-Bikes As well as making all the the new Shimano CUES range directly compatible with ordinary bikes, there is also a brand new Di2 offering under the CUES banner. Looking very similar to the new Shimano 105 Di2 rear derailleur, the new Cues Di2 setup offers a ton of new features specifically aimed at the e-bike user and more so to those who want the simplest riding experience possible, or those riding in ultra-urban environments. Their incredibly clever "Auto shift with manual override" uses cadence and torque sensors in the motor to do all of the gear shifting for you, effortlessly switching gears both while pedalling and not pedalling. There is also a separate bar control for manual gear changes. Available on Shimano EP801 and EP600 motors initially, this revolutionary new gearing system takes its tiny power feed directly from the e-bike battery, which means that unlike other Shimano Di2 systems and all offerings from SRAM, there is no need to separately charge a battery to power it. LINKGLIDE for Shimano CUES This is where the really clever technology makes all of this work together. By unifying the whole range, the 9, 10 and 11 speed systems now all use the same CN-LG500 chain for everything but the U8000 range, where you can (but dont have to) use the CN-HG701-11 super narrow-wide instead. The second option here will be the go-to for mountain bikers. Shimano LINKGLIDE sets brand new standards in smooth and reliable shift indexing and the whole Shimano CUES product range is built on LINKGLIDE technology. Drivetrain durability is always a hot topic and the new Shimano LINKGLIDE components are 3x more durable than their other products. For E-Bikeshop specifically, this is great news. Engineered with high-torque e-bikes in mind, our customer can expect much greater distances between servicing and repairs. As well as being touted at 3x more durable, its also 3x smoother. LINKGLIDE, with its optimised gear gate design provides smoother shifting while pedalling and with much less drivetrain shock. Currently LINKGLIDE components are available for Shimano CUES, 11 speed Deore XT and for EP8 and EP6 motor systems. Does the Shimano CUES "USP" of drivetrain unification actually make a difference? It's not very often that a manufacturer the size of Shimano, with such a huge portion of market share, chooses to essentially bin off multiple product lines which have been a staple and subject to years of development and evolution, so there has to be a good reason. The idea of being able to dramatically slim down the number of components that retailers need to stock to service the biggest majority of riders is a welcome one, but we likely wont see the effects of this change in workshops for many, many years. We still have customers bringing back bike for service that we sold them more than 10 years ago, and so its probable that this particular aspect of value wont be fully felt by bike shops and their workshops/technicians for as much as a decade. Immediately, we think this is actually a bigger selling point at their own and manufacturer level. By simplifying their own production and opening up a huge range of cross compatibility for bike manufacturers, they should be able to work together in reducing the current long leads times of component availability by offering greater "on the fly" product range flexibility through this new cross-compatibility. Why launch Shimano CUES now? There isn't really a bad time to have launched this new range, but we can see one major up side to why right now makes perfect sense. The bike industry is still recovering from the affects on Covid on its supply chain and many manufacturers, from the biggest to the smallest, are still struggling to get the parts they need fast enough and delays in production are ongoing. Lead time are still long. Having a unified drivetrain solution where parts from everything from touring/hybrid and leisure bikes, mountain bikes and other are directly cross compatible means that there is significantly greater flexibility in manufacturing. Can't get the rear cassette you specified when designing the new bike? No problem. There will be plenty of other options. If a manufacturer designed a bike to be 10 speed and use the RD-U6020-10 (10 speed only) rear derailleur but only the RD-6000 (10 or 11 speed) rear derailleur is available, it can be swapped out and it wont hold up production in same way it has historically. It'll also mean an easy 11 speed upgrade for the consumer in the future. Shimano CUES in the future. What does the future hold for Shimano CUES? We think the real key is in the unification of shifter pull ratios across the new Shimano CUES range and this alludes to something quite exciting, and something which consumers have wanted for decades. If all of the shifter pull ratios are designed to be the same and Shimano later (and its been rumoured already) scrap Claris and Tiagra from their road bike categories and bring those into the CUES fold too, it'll mean that flat bar and drop bar gear shift options will be immediately, directly compatible. This would theoretically make a 1x (11-speed) or 2x (22 speed) 11-50t setup on a road bike entirely possible. No messing around, no fuss, just natively compatible components working in "designed-in" harmony. Shimano CUES summed up We think that this is an incredibly bold move by Shimano, but one that make sense at the top level of the chain immediately, and will start to make greater sense as the years roll by for the retailer and customer. If this really does offer much greater flexibility of drivetrain choice for the consumer while simplifying the range for dealers to have to hold in stock, this radical change should open up multiple doors of possibility for every type of rider. If you don't want to wait the likely 12 months before we start to see these components arriving on new model year bikes, you can take a look at the current Electric Bikes now.
Lately it seems that every week, there's another sad story of a property having burned down or a person injured by an electric bike (or scooter) battery setting on fire either spontaneously or more often than not, while charging. Are electric bike battery fires "common", or are we just seeing the worst of things? Also, why do electric bike batteries set on fire? We've never discussed this before, largely because for us its a non-issue and we'll explain why. We'll break down electric bike battery technology and discuss their components, and how they work together (or against each other) when at rest, in use, or when charging and what leads to disaster for some batteries. This is going to be pretty comprehensive and in parts quite technical but we hope that breaking it down into chunks, it'll be easier to understand. How often do electric bike batteries set on fire? Thankfully, hardly ever. The media are always swift to jump on these stories which makes it appear more regular than it actually is. In truth, the number of fires each year when put against the total number of batteries in circulation is proportionally very small indeed. We're talking fractions of a percentage. Test photo courtesy of CellBlockFCS According to a report by the Insurer Zurich, 167 fires in the UK were reported to fire departments and attributed to lithium-ion batteries fitted in electric bikes and scooters in 2022. When you pit this figure against the estimated 1 million electric scooters (a huge number given they're still illegal on public access spaces like road and paths outside of pilot test schemes in a handful of UK cities!) and over 500,000 electrics bikes, this means estimates would show just 0.0113% of electric bike and scooter batteries set fire while charging or in use in 2022. A tiny figure. Sadly, none of the news outlets are posting daily to tell you how many batteries didn't set on fire today! Before we get into what causes an electric bike or scooter battery to set on fire, we need a better understanding of how they work. What's inside your electric bike battery. Hold onto your underwear and perhaps put the kettle on. This is about to get technical... Lithium Ion Cells. Your electric bike battery is not one big battery but actually lots of individual "cells". (A "battery" is defined as more than a single "cell"). Lithium-ion cells for e-bike batteries come in lots of forms but the majority are built using 18650 cells. These look like your average AA battery. They're a little bigger, they're in fact 18mm wide and 65mm long and don't have any branding on them. (Lithium-ion cell form factors are "named" by their size). Each of these cells has a "nominal" voltage normally around 3.6V, a fully charged voltage of 4.2V and an "empty" voltage of around 3.0V. More on that later. These are all arranged in groups. These are called "series" and "parallel". Adding cells in series increases the voltage. Adding cells in parallel increases the capacity (the number of miles you can do between charges) and the amount of current you can pull from it. For most of our bike batteries (Bosch and Yamaha), the nominal voltage is 36V, so it will have 10 cells in series (10x 3.6V = 36V). Each cell has a rated "energy density" - the amount of charge it holds. This is normally measured in "Amp Hours" at individual cell level. This then converted to a "Watt Hours" rating by Bosch and Yamaha and is why your battery has a rating like "500Wh" or "625Wh". Its common however for Chinese/Far Eastern manufacturers to use the Amp Hour (Ah) rating when advertising capacity. For example; A 500Wh battery pack might be built using 3.6 Volt "nominal" 18650 cells with an energy density of 3.5Ah each. 10 in series gives a total nominal voltage of 36V (10 x 3.6V = 36V) 4 of these 10 "series strings" attached to each other in parallel means that the "Ah" rating of each cell (3.5) is multiplied by the number of parallel strings (4), giving a total battery pack energy density of 14Ah. To convert this figure to "Wh", you simply multiply the Ah rating by the packs nominal voltage, and so 14(Ah) x 36(V) becomes 504Wh. This is normally rounded. Important Safety Notice - Never open any lithium-ion battery pack, even to peek at the insides. They're not designed to be user serviceable and short circuits across exposed busbars/wires can lead to fire in seconds, releasing hot, poisonous gasses. They're notoriously difficult to put out too. The Battery Management System or "BMS". Your battery management system is a normally small printed circuit board and its primary purpose is to control the charging and discharging of the pack, as well as monitoring the voltages of cell groups. You might have heard the words "balance charging" before, and this is a function of your BMS where a battery doesn't have a separate "balance lead" for charging (normally found in removable battery packs for remote control vehicles for example). Its imperative that your battery remains "balanced", IE, the voltages of each of the series strings remains the same (or within very tight tolerances) as the others in the pack so using the example above, at its nominal voltage (around half charged), each of the 4 parallel strings should be showing 36V each. If this isn't the case, a good quality BMS should shut the battery down and stop it from being charged or discharged. If this happens in a Bosch system for example, you may see ERROR 530 on your screen and two lights on the battery indicator light will flash if removed from the bike. In most cases, this is unrecoverable and we'll go into why a bit later. Essentially, your BMS is a safety device designed to keep the battery within optimal tolerance and monitor for any potential danger during charging and discharging. Other components. As well as the cells and your BMS, your battery pack will also include some form of "sled" or housing for the batteries. This allows the cells to be securely held in place (normally a few mm away from each other to aid cooling) to prevent them from being damaged by the vibrations of ordinary use and handling along with accidental drops. You'll also find (except you wont, because you followed the safety warning and didn't open it.. did you!) wiring from the BMS to the charge port for charging and discharging, wiring from the BMS to each of the cell groups to monitor voltage and to your little charge indicator lights and button, interconnecting nickel strips allowing current to flow through the cells and likely some foam padding to further protect the whole assembly from vibrations. The difference between top manufacturer and Far Eastern/DIY batteries. Now that we have a much better understanding of what is (or should be) inside your electric bike battery, we can start to look what what causes an electric bike battery to set on fire. This is a big question with a huge number of factors and variables and is why we needed to take a shallow dive inside an electric bike battery first. Its well known that the majority of battery fires are either caused through user negligence, poorly maufacturered/DIY batteries, or both. The main supporting evidence of this is widely known in the industry. E-Bikeshop alone have, in the last 15 years, created over 20,000 new eBike riders in the UK and around the world. We exclusively sell European manufactured bikes using mostly either Bosch or Yamaha systems. We do not sell or work on bikes imported from the Far East. We've had ZERO battery fires. By the statistics mentioned at the start of this article, with that number of new bikes on the road we should have had around 3. We haven't. So what's the difference? Bosch, Yamaha and other top manufacturers These companies use only the very best cells inside their batteries. Normally these will be manufactured by Samsung, LG, Murata (Sony), Panasonic/Sanyo, etc. The final assembly isn't generally done by Bosch/Yamaha/others themselves, but proper, ISO standard/regulated battery manufacturing factories and laboratories. These companies use the very best manufacturing techniques for cell to cell welding and fusing, exceptional quality battery management systems with multiple failsafe systems which can detect cell level issues before they become a problem for the user and with exceptionally tight tolerances. They provide proper, globally accredited/certified chargers and their battery management systems are programmed in way which never stresses individual cells to their limit. They have a built in safety margin for charging and discharging (while riding) for safety and longevity of use. "Other" manufacturers and DIY. More often than not either Chinese or other Far Eastern imported cells or batteries have a online documented history as lengthy and terrible as you can possibly imagine. Trumped up cell performance statistics, poor (or none at all) safety records, shoddy manufacturing practices, cheap materials and components all add up to a potential disaster waiting to happen. Added to this, lithium-ion cells in many formats (which were never intended for end user availability) are widely available through online retailers. A competent person with sound electrical knowledge/qualifications really can build a very good quality pack in their own garage with an entry level battery spot welder and YouTube is awash with "How To" videos on how to do it. Its not rocket science, if its done right. The downside to this is that they're available to anyone with internet access who wont necessarily follow the basically electrical engineering principles to the letter and this is where the danger begins. DIY batteries without a BMS, soldered instead of spot welded cell connections, poor heat management, wrong gauge of wiring for the desired current and other cheap materials all adds up to a potential fire in the making. Finally, we can answer the burning question... What causes electric bike batteries to set on fire? Here are the most common reasons batteries set on fire; Overcharging This happens when either the charger doesn't shut off or the BMS allows the system to be overcharged in two ways. Too much charge, too quickly, or both. Its a bit like a balloon. You can only get so much in before it pops. Overcharging a cell forces a chemical change which generates heat. The heat causes cell "burst discs" (if fitted at all, cheap ones don't even have them!) to "vent" the excess pressure. Those that don't have them, simply explode. Likewise, all batteries have safe charging rates. Trying to charge a battery much faster than it was designed for is like trying to force marbles down a paper straw only wide enough for peas. In the same way the straw would split, this extra charge is turned into heat via electrical/chemical resistance, and it'll vent/explode, highly likely resulting in fire. Over discharging This comes in two parts, capacity, and current. Unlike the Alkaline Manganese Dioxide AAA batteries in your TV remote which start with 1.5V and when they reach 0V you thrown them away, Lithium-ion cells have a "Depth of discharge" or "DoD" limit. This is normally around 3.0V and at this point, it would be considered "empty", so you never fully discharge the battery. Occasionally dipping under this figure by tiny margins is no problem, however this is one function your BMS provides. Cheap BMS systems with poor tolerances or worse, no BMS at all, can allow a battery to be continually over-discharged which damages their internal chemistry. The further this damage goes, the more the internal resistance of the cell rises. This resistance weakens the cells ability to expend its energy and instead, turns it to heat. The rest by now is probably obvious. Over discharging can also happen in the way of pulling too much current from the battery too quickly. Batteries, based on the cells used inside and their configuration, have maximum discharge rates. Its the marbles and the straw scenario above, with the same outcome. Poor quality or no BMS As well as helping to limit the above two scenarios, bad quality BMS systems have been known to malfunction and cause shorts, leading to fires while the battery was just sitting unused. No BMS system in a modern, high voltage/current battery system for end user/domestic use is just asking for trouble. It completely removes all monitoring and safety devices from the battery and relies solely on the users deep understanding of charging and discharging rates and limits which just isn't reasonable of a consumer product. Mechanical damage Any physical damage to a battery should be properly inspected. Just because you can't see any damage on the outside, doesn't mean that its the same story on the inside. A heavy drop can cause components inside to be dislodged and lead to electric shorts, leading to fires. Thermal runaway Thermal runaway almost never happens spontaneously. It's normally a secondary effect of an internal or external factor. Over charging, over discharging or being left to cook in direct sunlight or near a direct heat source can heat the cells beyond their safe working limit, causing one or more cells to burst and catch fire. The heat from this reaction spreads through the pack, popping cells along the way. The biggest problem with Lithium ion battery fires is that Oxygen is a by-product of the combustion process. They are self-fuelling and so very difficult to extinguish. How to minimise your risk of electric bike battery fires. It's actually really simple to safeguard yourself against battery fires and much of it, especially on a good quality battery, is good old fashion common sense. The bike/battery. Only buy bikes/batteries from reputable manufacturers/retailers. From us, you'll find over 150 different bikes using the Bosch, Yamaha, Fazua, Mahle and Shimano drive systems using their own batteries. Outside of this, the proprietary batteries used by other top brands are also widely known to be safe solutions. All of these are rigorously tested to strict international standards with proper certification and correctly displayed ratings and carry an ultra-low risk of fire if used in line with their owners manuals. As mentioned previously, we have never had a battery fire in 15 years of selling bikes, solely because we're very picky about what we stock and offer expert advice. If you damage your battery, immediately stop using it and contact your place of purchase. Never attempt to open or self diagnose/repair an electric bike battery. If your battery develops a fault (normally indicated on their built in screens), contact your place of purchase for support straight away, even if the bike is outside of its warranty. Any reputable dealer will be happy to offer their customers advice and even dispose of your failed battery for you. Charging. Only use the charger supplied with your bike, or designated as safe for your bike by the battery/drive system manufacturer. Bosch for example offer several charger options which fit almost all of their bikes and offer different charging rates. If you lose, damage or otherwise can't use the charger for your bike, contact your original place of purchase for an identical or manufacturer approved replacement. Do not just buy any other charger which claims to charge at the same voltage/rate. Never leave a charging battery/bike unattended. Lithium-ion battery fires due to burning very hot and being completely self fuelling can get out of hand very quickly. Always ensure you have switched off and disconnected your electric bike battery when its finished charging and don't leave them charging in the house while you sleep or aren't in. Not getting caught out by electric bike battery fires Understanding and following the advice above, electric bike batteries are generally considered safe and no more dangerous than the single 18650/21700 battery used in your electric tooth brush, shaver, cordless kitchen utensils and power tools. So long as you purchase good quality products from reputable manufacturers, your risk of fire from normal use will be next to zero. At E-Bikeshop, we hand pick only the most widely recognised drive systems using the best quality batteries for our Electric Bikes.
The Scottish eBike Loan scheme is provided by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of Transport Scotland and allows residents of Scotland to apply for funding of up to £6,000 to purchase a greener, more sustainable method of travel. Who are Energy Saving Trust? The Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation working to address the current and future environmental impact of humans on our planet. A "Profit for Purpose" organisation, their profits are turned back into the business to continue to fund their mission to reduce human impact on the environment we live in. Founded in 1992, Energy Saving Trust was set up immediately following the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Their initial role working with energy companies later developed to working with government towards a low-carbon and renewable alternative to fossil based fuels. Now, they reach over 1 million customers each year and remain committed to supporting the individual governments of the United Kingdom with their own energy saving targets and commitments and through this, are actively supporting and enabling Scottish residents to switch to using electric bikes. What bikes can you buy in the Scottish eBike Loan Scheme? The Scottish eBike Loan Scheme isn't unlimited in the price of bikes you can purchase, but it does still offer exceptional value to those looking for a good quality, widely supported ebike with well recognised drive systems from the likes of Bosch and Yamaha. Each family is able to apply for: 2 eBikes (Capped at a value of £3,000 each), or 1 Family eCargo bike (Capped at a value of £6,000), or 1 Specially adapted bike (With a value to be assessed case by case) At the time of writing, we have over 50 bikes which can be purchased through the scheme, and you can see them all on our dedicated Scottish eBike Loan Scheme page. What are the terms of the Scottish eBike Loan? The Scottish eBike Loan is a loan made to an individual (subject to credit and affordability checks) for amounts up to the above stated maximum amounts without administration fees or interest. Its repayable over 4 years and at the end, the bike is yours to keep! For a single bike this is £62.50 per month, for two it'll cost £125 and the same for an electric cargo bike. These figures are based on taking the maximum loan value. If you purchased a cheaper bike, your monthly repayments would be less but the loan term would remain the same. Applications for the loans are accepted and processed on a "First come, first served" basis and the Energy Saving Trust doesn't guarantee an unlimited number of application places or acceptances each year so its worth getting in early. How can you get a bike under the Scottish eBike Loan Scheme? The Scottish eBike Loan Scheme is open to all Scottish residents (subject to credit and affordability checks) and is a really simple process. Here's how it works: Pick your new electric bike (We're on hand to help if you get stuck) Give us a call or drop us an email with the make, model, size (and colour if there's an option!), along with a full name, address and telephone number. We'll produce you the Quotation that Energy Saving Trust will ask you for. Call Energy Saving Trust on 0808 808 2282 to request your application form. Fill in your form and return it to them along with your quotation. Once approved, Energy Saving Trust will pay you directly (and they'll later ask for proof of purchase). You pay us, and we'll ship your bike. Normally it'll be with you in just a day or two. That's it! Normally you'll be out riding your new Scottish Electric Loan Scheme electric bike within just a few weeks. Pre-Order Bikes Some of our bikes will be brand new model year bikes which have not yet landed. Often customers will place pre-orders weeks or months ahead of delivery schedule to ensure they get one. It is permissible under the scheme terms to leave a deposit (this is our normal £199 Pre-order Service deposit) to hold a bike while you go through the application process. This is either refunded on receipt of full payment, or applied as a discount to the order total with you paying the balance. Retrospective payment or use of the Scottish eBike Loan Scheme Its not possible to purchase a bike, pay us in full, accept delivery and later apply to use the scheme. This is against the terms of the scheme, and our own. Here are just a handful of the bikes you can buy via the Scottish eBike Loan Scheme All of the bikes included below meet the criteria of the scheme both from a cost perspective, but also that they are an electric bike as covered by the definition of a "legal" eBike in the United Kingdom; 2023 Cube Reaction Hybrid Pro 625 The 2023 Cube Reaction Hybrid Pro 625 is the "go to" hard tail electric mountain bike for a multitude of reasons, not least its reputation for outstanding value and rock solid reliability. 2023 Orbea Vibe H30 Mid Easily one of our most popular bikes with all types of rider, the 2023 Orbea Vibe H30 Mid is a super lightweight urban and leisure bike available in 2 frame styles (Mid and full crossbar), 4 sizes and 4 colour options. 2023 Moustache Samedi X-Road 1 Moustache bikes are some of the most beautiful on the market. Each is hand crafted, providing a level of finish far superior to most of the rest of the options you'll come across. The 2023 Moustache Samedi X-Road 1 is no exception. 2023 Cube Touring Hybrid Pro 625 Our "most sold" electric touring, leisure and commuting bike, the 2024 Cube Touring Hybrid Pro has been returning year on year with exceptional value and typical all over German engineering prowess. Available in 3 frame styles (full Crossbar, "Uni", plus the Easy Entry pictured above) and 5 sizes, there is an option for any rider. 2023 Haibike Trekking 4 Crossbar Haibike have been building bikes in Germany since the mid 90's but over the last decade have made a name for themselves first in the mountain bike market, and more recently in the hybrid and touring sector. The first company to offer a truly integrated "ground up" designed ebike, they have a particularly loyal brand following like no other which has spawned a vast online community. The 2023 Haibike Trekking 4 Crossbar is set to again be a highly popular option for leisure and commuting riders. 2023 Tern GSD S10 eCargo Bike The 2023 Tern GSD S10 Electric Cargo Bike is the "does everything" solution for urban environments. Whether you're looking to do a weekly shop, take the wee ones to school or just potter along the local canal paths and byways, Tern have neatly engineered a solution in their phenomenal range of accessories to account for every use case. Its also available in Orange. Ready to buy your 2023 Scottish eBike Loan Scheme bike? Get in touch and we'll be very happy to walk you through the process of selecting your new electric bike using the Scottish eBike Loan Scheme from Energy Saving Trust. If you're already ahead of us and know which bike you're looking for or want to browse the most popular options, you can find them on our dedicated Scottish Electric Bike Loan Scheme page.