The coronavirus pandemic is also shaking up the bike industry in the 2020 model year. Manufacturers and suppliers, as well as e-bike enthusiasts and the many newcomers, are looking down the drain - or rather, into empty warehouses. New bikes and especially e-MTBs have become scarce this year.
More and more people are therefore considering buying a used e-MTB as an alternative to buying a new one. The most common options are private purchases via online auctions such as eBay, forums or classified adverts on the internet. However, because e-bikes are expensive, complex and in high demand, the market is becoming more professionalised. In recent years, professional used bike dealers such as Bikesale or wirkaufendeinfahrrad.de
You can find the entire article on the market for used E-MTBs with these topics as a PDF in the download area below:
- Buyers and sellers must pay attention to this
- Checklist for the condition of the E-MTB and especially the motor
- Which online platform is the best choice for buying/selling?
- Buying advice: motor, battery, wheel size, equipment
From private individuals or dealers: second-hand eMTBs on the internet
E-bikes from professional used bike dealers have the advantage over private purchases that they have undergone a workshop check and have been checked for theft in the police databases. Furthermore, both professional platforms offer at least one year's warranty in addition to the statutory warranty.
When buying privately, the risks are largely borne by the customer. On the other hand, private sales are somewhat cheaper and sellers are often willing to negotiate. Despite high demand, there are currently an above-average number of used e-MTBs on the internet. However, sellers are asking top prices for many of the used bikes on offer - a gold-rush atmosphere in the face of empty shops.
Nevertheless, with patience you can still find good deals on the second-hand market, as the cases described here by Wolfgang Kleeb and Maximilian Oswald prove. You can find all the important tips for a successful second-hand purchase in EMTB 6/20 from page 72. You can obtain the EMTB conveniently in the Subscription, in our Online shop and as an app edition for Apple and Android.
EMTB readers on buying used bikes on the Internet
"I've been riding E-MTBs for five years and have bought almost all of them second-hand, from a Haibike XDuro to a Specialized Levo to my current Cannondale Moterra from 2019. The bikes were all around two years old, had only covered a few hundred kilometres and were 40 to 50 percent below the new price. As a second-hand buyer, you need to know a bit about the technology, be patient when searching and accept compromises in terms of the equipment or colour of the bike you want. Of course, you don't always get the latest motor or the most powerful battery with a used bike. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, prices are also going crazy in Switzerland this year. There are hardly any bargains to be had, and many sellers are still asking prices for e-bikes just under the new price after three years. That's why I'm waiting for 2021." Wolfgang Kleeb, Basel
"Like so many people, I wanted to buy my first e-MTB this year. Bikes like my favourite Scott Strike eRide are actually too expensive for my budget at just under 5,000 euros, which is why I looked around on the second-hand market. But here, too, prices have risen sharply since the spring, for example on eBay classifieds. I therefore focussed on the websites of professional used bike dealers such as Bikesale. There are always favourable returns from leasing contracts here. Bikesale is sticking to its previous calculation even in the coronavirus year and, unlike private sellers, does not charge a boom surcharge. I also get a carefully checked bike with a one-year warranty. However, these bikes are only online for a short time and are often sold after a few hours. So you have to be patient first and then strike quickly. A few weeks ago, the time had come: the 2019 Scott Strike eRide for 3100 instead of 4800 euros is now mine!" Maximilian Oswald, Munich
"I sell and buy a lot via eBay classifieds. I've had very good experiences with them in almost all cases, and from my point of view, this is also where the largest selection of used bikes is available in Germany. I put my Cube Reaction e-MTB up for sale online during the first coronavirus crisis in the spring. I always make sure to take lots of detailed photos. Detailed descriptions are also worthwhile, otherwise you get a lot of enquiries by email, which take more time than a good text to start the advert. I paid 2400 euros for my Cube bike two years ago, have ridden it about 500 kilometres since then and put in a starting bid of 1600 euros. Even during the lockdown, I received an unusually large number of letters and enquiries. It wasn't primarily about the price as usual, but I had the impression that the interested parties wanted to secure the bike as quickly as possible. Immediately after the contact restrictions, I then sold the bike to the bidder who had contacted me first without much negotiation. I probably would have got a bit more money, I'm currently seeing a lot of used e-MTBs for top prices on eBay classifieds." Hamed Kinderknecht, Karlsfeld
