Survey says, “36% of ebikes go wrong”

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E-bikes are amazing things. But there’s no hiding from the fact that they have a less than perfect reputation for reliability.

During our E-Bike Week last October we ran a couple of surveys. One aimed at existing ebike owners and another one aimed at those people contemplating getting a e-bike (more about that one shortly).

First of all, I’m going to come out and state that I am not anti e-bike. Far from it. I think they are brilliant. I’ve had some of best bike experiences ever on eebs. But I do think that the media in general rarely talks about one aspect of them. Reliability.

It is very much the e-lephant in the room.

It’s kind of why we did the surveys in the first place. Anecdotally, a common thought amongst some riders is that “they all go wrong”. Personally speaking, with test bikes I’d approximate that about 25% of them have had e-specific issues (motor, battery, wiring) requiring them to be returned. With our survey results we have some wider numbers to investigate (around 400 ebike owners).

The key takeaways

36.09% of ebike owners reported having an e-specific issue that was not solvable by themselves ie. it required returning to the retailer.

Even if we assume that most people who undertake a survey like this are probably on the negative side of experience (happy people don’t partake as much, they just get on with riding their bike), it’s still a significant percentage.

In terms of what brand of motor is more reliable than any other, our survey had no substantial difference. The only thing the survey confirmed was that the e-MTB scene is dominated by two brands: Bosch and Shimano, with Specialized in third and then all other brands quite a distance behind.

Should you still get an e-bike?

It’s up to you. we wouldn’t say don’t. Not because we’re part of the MTB Media Illuminati, but because we know that riding e-bikes can be absolutely one of the most joyful and liberating experiences since… well, mountain bikes. There were numerous survey responders who stated (unprompted) that an ebike was the best thing they have ever purchased. Which is telling.

The one thing we would advise is being aware of the potential pitfalls. Keep your existing acoustic bike. And think very hard about where you get your ebike from. A useful bike shop is well worth it even if it means not getting that screaming online discount deal.

Beyond that, a local service centre is an asset too. Even if you buy online, a decent Official Service Centre near you will be as useful.