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For e-bike beginners, the first stop is usually the local bike shop or the nearest bike shop. And that's a good thing. But it's cheaper to buy a new e-mountainbike online or from a direct mail order company. Or is the time ripe for a good second-hand bike? We show you the pros and cons that you should weigh up before buying an e-bike.
Buy an E-MTB from a specialist dealer
If you're lucky and find a good dealer, you'll get the all-round carefree package as a beginner. This starts with comprehensive advice on which e-mountainbike is the right one for you. Then, of course, you should be able to test ride all the bikes in different sizes. Once you have decided on your dream bike, the dealer will usually give you a free set-up including the right suspension settings. So much for the ideal. Unfortunately, things sometimes look different in practice. It starts with the fact that not all dealers have the models you have in mind in the corresponding sizes in stock. So you might end up going home with an E-Enduro instead of the touring bike you had in mind. And, well, the frames are small anyway, so the bike fits like a glove in size L. When looking for a dealer, it's important to separate the wheat from the chaff and head straight for the competent, well-stocked shops. The best way to do this is to ask experienced local bikers.
Buy an E-MTB online from a consignor
Canyon, Rose, Radon, Propain - these are the major mail order company for bicycles in Germany. They deliver directly from the factory to their customers. This saves the dealer's margin and the bikes are correspondingly cheaper. Or the other way round: For the same price, the e-MTBs from the mail order company are usually significantly better equipped. The main disadvantage of this type of shopping is that you can't look at, touch or test ride the bikes. Although all mail-order companies offer sophisticated systems for determining sizes, there is of course still no direct contact. Some buyers settle this with the right of return when buying online: Buy the e-MTB in two sizes, keep the one that fits. However, this is neither ecological nor the way of the good man.
Mail-order bikes usually come perfectly packaged and well pre-assembled so that, in theory, you only have to tighten a few bolts. However, this could still be too much for a beginner who has never had anything to do with the subject before. Last but not least, the e-MTB must of course be packed and sent back in the event of a warranty claim or repair. Specialist workshops and shops often refuse to repair mail-order bikes or charge horrendous sums of money.
The following online shops offer a large selection of e-mountain bikes:
Buy a used E-MTB
With the classic mountain bikes, there is a huge second-hand market. There are also online platforms such as Bikesale, Bikeflip or the Bike market from MTB-News. The latter online portal in particular now also offers a sizeable market of e-MTBs. However, you should exercise even more caution here than with bikes without a motor. This is because many defects are not at all obvious. Who knows how the battery and motor have been treated? Or whether an illegal tuning kit has been installed that cannot be read out afterwards. What's more, innovation cycles for e-bikes are still happening at breakneck speed at the moment. Batteries are getting bigger and bigger capacities and system integration is only just emerging from its infancy. If you still want a used e-MTB, we recommend an extensive test ride. It is best to ride a full battery charge to assess the remaining capacity of the battery. Check the gear cables for ease of movement. Shift through all gears during the test ride. Jumping derailleurs can be a sign of wear. And drivetrain components are expensive! Also check the brake pads for wear. If the brakes squeal, the pads may have come into contact with oil and are therefore broken. All spare parts are expensive and add up to considerable sums. Use this argument to bargain the seller down accordingly.
