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So I bought a a 2019 Vitus e-sommet 4 years ago for around £1800, I think new they were around £3k?
So despite not having been used by me (30 miles or so) I'm wondering what the value would be now if I needed to sell it?
I know I would take a pretty big hit so I'm hoping that my injury is only short term and I don't need to sell it.
Anyhow, thoughts on price?
Comes with 2 x 500Ah batteries stored @ 50/60 %
Thanks .
I think you'd be lucky to get £1000 for it?
What Kramer said.
I've a 2019 Giant Trance eBike here. No warranty left (apart from the frame) and it uses the specific Giant branded Yamaha motor, which must be the only motor Yamaha make these days. I can't think of a big brand that uses Yamaha?
I reckon it's maybe worth £800, so I just keep it as a spare and a loaner for short arsed friends 😄.
I'm not even sure you'd get £1k. It's a 7 year old eBike that's out of warranty, I'm not sure who'd buy that.
I've just sold MrsReadys 2.5year old Levo SL with Range Extender for £1650. Originally had it up for £2500 but didn't really expect to get that, but you never know.
Anyway, one positive thing I can take out of the sale is I will never ever EVER use Facebook Marketplace to sell anything again - No, I do not want to swap it for a PitBike, a PS4 with 30games, or a Boardman that looks nicked. Thanks for asking though! 🤬
Ok cheers.
E-bikes obviously depreciate quicker than standard bikes because of battery & motor wear etc I guess.
See how it goes next few months.
I've just sold MrsReadys 2.5year old Levo SL with Range Extender for £1650. Originally had it up for £2500 but didn't really expect to get that, but you never know.
Anyway, one positive thing I can take out of the sale is I will never ever EVER use Facebook Marketplace to sell anything again - No, I do not want to swap it for a PitBike, a PS4 with 30games, or a Boardman that looks nicked. Thanks for asking though! 🤬
...or the classic "still available?" then completely ghost you.
@granny_ring around £800 would be my rough estimate. Horrible time to be a seller, especially for ebikes. Hopefully you'll heal up soon.
Meanwhile, the price of second hand e-cargo bikes is bonkers. For example I just saw a 4 year old Tern GSD offered for £3500. I have no idea if they sell at that price but the asking price seems a little high to me.
I've just sold MrsReadys 2.5year old Levo SL with Range Extender for £1650. Originally had it up for £2500 but didn't really expect to get that, but you never know.
Anyway, one positive thing I can take out of the sale is I will never ever EVER use Facebook Marketplace to sell anything again - No, I do not want to swap it for a PitBike, a PS4 with 30games, or a Boardman that looks nicked. Thanks for asking though! 🤬
...or the classic "still available?" then completely ghost you.
@granny_ring around £800 would be my rough estimate. Horrible time to be a seller, especially for ebikes. Hopefully you'll heal up soon.
Wow, if it's that low I'll defo keep it and continue to store the batteries as I have been.
Goes to show that ebikes lose their value quickly (apart from cargo bikes it seems) so I need to consider that in future !
Wish I had bought one on a bike to work scheme now 😂
I've just sold MrsReadys 2.5year old Levo SL with Range Extender for £1650. Originally had it up for £2500 but didn't really expect to get that, but you never know.
Anyway, one positive thing I can take out of the sale is I will never ever EVER use Facebook Marketplace to sell anything again - No, I do not want to swap it for a PitBike, a PS4 with 30games, or a Boardman that looks nicked. Thanks for asking though! 🤬
...or the classic "still available?" then completely ghost you.
@granny_ring around £800 would be my rough estimate. Horrible time to be a seller, especially for ebikes. Hopefully you'll heal up soon.
Wow, if it's that low I'll defo keep it and continue to store the batteries as I have been.
Goes to show that ebikes lose their value quickly (apart from cargo bikes it seems) so I need to consider that in future !
Wish I had bought one on a bike to work scheme now 😂
I might be way off, but I've seen a fair few newer ebikes go for around £1500... although not same brand/model.
You could request a quote from these folks:
Then add a couple hundred quid on to what you could expect to sell it for privately, since they low low ball you as they need to make a profit too.
Might also be worth asking in Vitus Facebook groups, if you use it.
It's old, ugly, and from a dead budget brand that was selling their stock very cheaply at the end. It's also got dated geometry with small wheels. It's hardly surprising it's depreciated as things have moved on a lot. That being said even at £800 that's pretty good depreciation for a bike that only cost £1800 4 years ago and is a 7 year old design.
Old and ugly it might be but it's also an ebike design classic that has great handling, the convenience of easy battery removal/swaps and builds into a far lighter full power ebike than most designs. My XL was 23.5kg with 630 battery DH tyres, big brakes, Zeb etc. Wish I'd kept mine for my boy to use, my mate has kept hold of his as a spare
I've just sold MrsReadys 2.5year old Levo SL with Range Extender for £1650. Originally had it up for £2500 but didn't really expect to get that, but you never know.
Anyway, one positive thing I can take out of the sale is I will never ever EVER use Facebook Marketplace to sell anything again - No, I do not want to swap it for a PitBike, a PS4 with 30games, or a Boardman that looks nicked. Thanks for asking though! 🤬
you did well. I bought a mint 6 month old one with 300km on it for £1800. FB marketplace sucks for sellers but it can be pretty good for buyers. I bought it 45 mins after I saw the ad.
Just seen this for sale 🤣 - similar to mine, but mines a better spec (Factory 38's and better groupset) . I wouldn't expect to get more than £1500 for mine, but I'll probably keep it as my spare until it dies, it's such a good bike. No Idea where they got that RRP from - they were £5500
I love the idea that you are saving 63% by buying a 7 yr old, used bike....
Just seen this for sale 🤣 - similar to mine, but mines a better spec (Factory 38's and better groupset) . I wouldn't expect to get more than £1500 for mine, but I'll probably keep it as my spare until it dies, it's such a good bike. No Idea where they got that RRP from - they were £5500
I had a look through that site a while back. There's a huge separation between expectation and reality.
Just for interest sakes as Im pretty clueless about eMTB I googled the OPs bike and this was high up on the results..
Not sure if it's the same spec but to my eyes I'm not sure If call it fugly. But then I own a Bird Aether 9c so maybe looks aren't important to me!
Then I read the comments and someone asking if STW towers had actually ridden it yet.....and someone on the team coming back and saying there was a problem with it and it had to go back to Vitus to be sorted...
And that's the issue.....for people like me who rarely can justify the cost of a new bike and with the high prices of eMTBs exacerbating that already, the risks just feel too high. I'm not a magazine reporter who can send it back to the distributor or a 1st owner who can rely on a guarantee..I suppose you could say the same about 2nd hand cars and a lot of us justify that purchase but as a percentage of the 2nd hand purchase a repair/replacement to the electric elements of an Ebike seems worse, especially for a 'want' not a 'need'.
So, yeah, until repair of eMTBs is something that's easy to sort without eye watering bills the 2nd market is always going to be fragile. And the fact that so many people clearly hold onto their old one as a spare is both a. A sign of their lack of faith in their new one (we didn't do that with human powered bikes) and b. Not great environmentally. eMTBs are already significantly worse with the batteries and motors but if their actively used shelf life is shorter too because no wants it after the first user has moved on.....
the fact that so many people clearly hold onto their old one as a spare is both a. A sign of their lack of faith in their new one (we didn't do that with human powered bikes)
LOL. I've also reached the stage where I have a couple of bikes I've held on to because the resale value is just so low that it's hardly worth the effort of selling them. It's probably just a sign that I don't "upgrade" my fleet often enough 😉
LOL
Ok ok, my workshop loft begs to differ with my opinion! They are mostly in bits - is that different!? 😉
Anyone want a giant carbon tcr that was an unused spare for the ONCE tdf team in 2002....or a Zipp 909 disc wheel and half a dozen front wheel options...or a cervelo p3c..or a recumbent bike....or a turner flux.....or a very lovely Issac road frame....or the Giant TCR that cycling weekly tested in 1997. Hmmm - I might be a bit of hypocrite! Some of it is now total dross but some of it somehow means a lot to me and needs to be wall art...or something!
I read a good article this week about retaining cyclists, how the industry fails to keep riders because of the focus on new product - the friction vs the fun, that kind of thing.
Now I wouldn't say a 1990s ATB is a great ride vs a current MTB, but some of that is because our expectations changed with the addition of features that made the bikes more capable. The fact many of those old bikes are still around and can be used just like they were then feels relevant thinking about that friction point. Yes fun may have gone up (may have) but friction certainly has - whether it's cost, reliability, low resale values adding the friction, the ratio change isn't helping anyone.
I read a good article this week about retaining cyclists, how the industry fails to keep riders because of the focus on new product - the friction vs the fun, that kind of thing.
Now I wouldn't say a 1990s ATB is a great ride vs a current MTB, but some of that is because our expectations changed with the addition of features that made the bikes more capable. The fact many of those old bikes are still around and can be used just like they were then feels relevant thinking about that friction point. Yes fun may have gone up (may have) but friction certainly has - whether it's cost, reliability, low resale values adding the friction, the ratio change isn't helping anyone.
You often see that on here with Stale Goods Friday. Most of the bikes featured still look like they'd be just as much fun to ride today.
I know my bike looks dated compared to newer models & makes. Does that bother me, no.
As said, changing the battery is much easier. It's a fair bit lighter than a Haibike all trail for sure.
I'm glad I asked on value as its opened my eyes to the depreciation on Ebikes in general = Huge !
Also along these lines, I know the looks are challenging (I like it mostly/sort of, because of what it is more than the looks alone) but look up the Shuvl e-MTB.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-shuvl-emtb-pick-your-own-drive-system.html
Buy a bike that's able to take multiple batteries or motors in future. The Cotic e-bike is great in that way too.
That bike feels like it is solving a problem that shouldn't be....motor manufacturers should have been compelled by the industry to conform to a standard mount bolt pattern. And motor removal for sending off for servicing should have been possible by a competent DIY owner like a rear shock or forks.
That bike feels like it is solving a problem that shouldn't be....motor manufacturers should have been compelled by the industry to conform to a standard mount bolt pattern. And motor removal for sending off for servicing should have been possible by a competent DIY owner like a rear shock or forks.
Takes away a brands USP and potential future sales if customers can just swap out motors on a whim, although I do agree with you.
Also, many people may consider themselves competent enough to attempt repairs, but would likely end up with a box of bits...

be....motor manufacturers should have been compelled by the industry to conform to a standard mount bolt pattern.
I was genuinely surprised to learn that each motor manufacturer has it's own mounting. WTF.....
But now you've got SRAM (spits on the ground) with their UDH seemingly in every new frame as if it were a good thing.
be....motor manufacturers should have been compelled by the industry to conform to a standard mount bolt pattern.
I was genuinely surprised to learn that each motor manufacturer has it's own mounting. WTF.....
But now you've got SRAM (spits on the ground) with their UDH seemingly in every new frame as if it were a good thing.
What's not to like about UDH?
Yamaha have a larger slice of the market than you'd think...
Haibike had yammy motors in '23 that I do know.
What's not to like about UDH?
I prefer Shimano over SRAM.
On my new Raaw Madonna the SRAM mechs kept unwinding themselves from the mech hanger. Was in Les Orres and there was the SRAM/ RockShocks truck doing test rides on their new forks. Spoke to the mechanic there and he admitted that it was a known problem. He ended up "fixing" the mech by bodging a rubber o-ring in there. That held for a few days before the mech unwound itself again.
The only brakes that have failed on me were SRAM (also failed on the GF's bike in exactly the same way).
I'm sure there are now adapters available for Shimano UDH, but having only ever destroyed two mech hangers in 20+ years (one was when a bike fell off the work stand) it's never really been an issue.
What's not to like about UDH?
I prefer Shimano over SRAM.
On my new Raaw Madonna the SRAM mechs kept unwinding themselves from the mech hanger. Was in Les Orres and there was the SRAM/ RockShocks truck doing test rides on their new forks. Spoke to the mechanic there and he admitted that it was a known problem. He ended up "fixing" the mech by bodging a rubber o-ring in there. That held for a few days before the mech unwound itself again.
The only brakes that have failed on me were SRAM (also failed on the GF's bike in exactly the same way).
I'm sure there are now adapters available for Shimano UDH, but having only ever destroyed two mech hangers in 20+ years (one was when a bike fell off the work stand) it's never really been an issue.
I prefer Shimano too but UDH is universal (the U in UDH).
My bike has a generic UDH with a Shimano XT mech attached. No adaptors needed, it just bolts on.
