This just reminds me how History repeats itself. Just look back to the motorcycle industry. In the early 1900's a bunch of motorcycle manufacturers started up in business but after a period of time most of them went out of business. Same story with the auto manufacturers. Many auto companies started up but again most of them dropped out of business. I think most people would be shocked to know how many companies there actually where unless they had run across these facts because they were a history nerd. There were crazy amounts of different businesses. Same thing as today. We have a lot of ebike companies but after the years go by I bet we will be down to just a few main ones. Ones that are of somewhat quality and have good customer service have a better chance of making it but they also have to have good company management too.
The whole industry is following a well established path that other industries like computers, cell phones, and other tech have previously gone down. At first there are huge numbers of companies and even individuals trying to establish themselves. Early adopters have so much excitement for the "New" that companies can sell all the products they can make. But with time, the market switches from the enthusiast. To continue to sell, companies must appeal to consumers who are not as knowledgeable about ebikes. And these consumers are sometimes almost afraid that they will make a mistake and buy the wrong bike, or buy from the wrong company. Therefore they look to market size to help them make a decision. More and more of the total sales market goes to the biggest brands as people figure that big brands mean stability. Marginal companies struggle for sales while big companies get bigger. In computers there was once thousands of brands but now Apple, Dell, HP and a few others dominate. In cell phones its Apple and Google and Samsung that have two thirds of the market. Ebikes will be the same. First time ebike consumers will more and more only be willing to consider big brands, while enthusiast ebikers will consider and support smaller, more specialized, brands. As brands face this new reality we can can expect lots of consolidation, and bankruptcies.
I think this is likely though I wonder how many it really boils down to. This might be what some brands are banking on as they try to get as much market share as they can. I'm also curious how local bike shop support shakes out.
Problem is the juiced up prices. Availability of parts and cost of batteries. Plus charging fires getting publicity doesn’t help. Finally, customer service is lacking with many of these companies. When Sam’s Club is selling them at steep discounts, you know the end is near. Great video, thanks for sharing.
I own a Ripcurrent S and love it. That being said, my recommendation for a new bike? The Wired Freedom or Cruiser. Why? There is NOTHING on that bike that is proprietary. So if they go out of business, you will still be able to get things like batteries, controllers, throttles, etc. etc. etc.
Sad to see a company fail...but glad I went with RAD a few years back. Not a glamorous bike (Rover 5 fat tire) but still a beast and in excellent condition after almost 5 years. Easy to repair and service with lots of non-proprietary parts. Battery exhibits no degradation as well. So happy that I recently bought the identical bike on FB marketplace. It was in mint condition...under 200 miles ...even the tires still had the molding spews..... and I now have 2 bikes for friend and family use as well as doubling my range with a second fully compatible battery.
I am looking to get an Etrike. I have a Rad dealer in my neighborhood but don't like the wider width in the back of its Trikes (and its lack of features compared to others). Most bike shops won't touch ANY Ebike so you are on your own when comes to repair or upkeep, even a flat.
@@alexnutcasio936 Your'e right....but I use less throttle than I did at first and with a second battery strapped to the rear rack, I dispensed with range anxiety
@@robg77 I hope not...but almost every part from motors to batteries to controllers (along with the standard "analog" bike hardware) can be had at any number of on-line retailers. You could take a RR5 fat tire down to the frame and rebuild (upgrade) the bike entirely. It's really the reason I went with it.
I am noticing eBikes are available on Temu with free shipping from local suppliers. The prices are insanely low. About half the price of something similar from Lectric/other manufacturers or available on Amazon. PS. Things may be happening at Lectric. No longer ship outside the USA. I live in Canada and purchased a Lectric 2.0 a few years back. Absolutely no issues. Went to order a new battery and found out Lectric no longer ships internationally ie. Canada.
Yeah the problem is support with the unknown brands. I have no inside knowledge on Lectric pulling out of Canada but they clearly need high volume to attain their price points so I wonder if that was the main driver. Canada maybe wasn't as big of a market as they had hoped?
My first ebike was a secondhand Lectric XP 3.0. Put 2000 miles on it in one summer. The Hyperscorpion was on my list earlier this year when I was prospecting for a good e-moped. Ended up with an Ariel Rider X-Class because lower price / same energy. Love the X, but AR's stagnant lineup has me wondering if they might soon be on the chopping block. Just ordered a Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser to round out my stable- and to beat any potential price increases or breakdowns that can't be remedied. If this novice has learned anything in her first couple years it's do the homework, watch the reviews and keep your options open. Certainly more affordable than most cars these days.
I see more E-Bikes than ever on the road. When I was shopping for my bike November ‘22 to March ‘23 I don’t think I ever saw an E bike on the road. Now I see people on them all the time. I think people are buying inexpensive ones from Amazon. Other than that, I see people on Aventon (sold at Best Buy), Rad
Great show as usual. Yeah, bummer Juiced had to sell. They were making really top products. Well I hope those folks are going to be free of all business related debt.
Man that sucks, but at the same time inflated markets can be a bad thing. Hopefully we get better and better final products from every other company 🤷🏽♂️ still.... R.I.P Juiced 😢
There are quite a few of humanity that don't like bike riding. I think this is one of the bike's industry problems. A lot of people are becoming more and more lazy! They don't desire to do much work (force X Energy). I moved from San Diego to Las Vegas three years ago. OMGoodness; Where I currently reside, I am the only woman who rides a bike. Even the children give me hard times for doing so. I have once again sunk into depression because of the lack of being able to do what brings me a little happiness here in Vegas. It is really disappointing here. A lot of the locals here all they desire to do is stay in their residence, watch TV all day long, drink, smoke cigarettes, etc. So depressing here :(
I was really considering a DOST ebike or Yamaha ebike... sad news for these companies (and all the people affected) going away. I was looking forward when the belt drive ebikes were more readily available and affordable.
Definitely sad. There are some really great belt drive bikes that are well priced depending on what you're looking for. I've been riding the Lectric One a lot, but also the Centauri II (review soon) and the Prodigy V2 from Ride1Up. On the more affordable end there are some single-speeds though I admit they are better with gears if you live near hills.
Any company that relies on expensive ebike's and those shady companies who make cheaper bikes, can get in trouble quickly..I considered Juiced shady, even though they have been around forever, and made decent bikes. Juiced was the first company I ever checked out, a decade ago..But any company can go bankrupt.
Too many makers, trying to get repair parts for anything over a couple years old is really hard. Too many model changes in a year. I will sell my Fucare bikes this spring and go with LECTRIC for all my bikes they seem one of the more stable makers.
One item to add, motorcycle brand KTM's owner, Pierer Mobility AG, jumped into the eBike scene during the Covid years and now likely regrets it, given the bloodbath. Their entire corporate structure is hurting.
Let’s all count the lies about Juiced Bikes. 1. Their stock tires were not durable. They sucked. Literally got flat after flat on them tires. 2. Their bikes weren’t the best. There were other brands who bikes were better looking but of course a lot of people went with Juiced because of the 52v battery.
Nowhere yet, a bit tricky since if/when we offer it we want it to be high quality. We also don't want to be the ones packing schwag (rather be reviewing ebikes) and I'm not sure if there is enough demand yet.
This just reminds me how History repeats itself. Just look back to the motorcycle industry. In the early 1900's a bunch of motorcycle manufacturers started up in business but after a period of time most of them went out of business. Same story with the auto manufacturers. Many auto companies started up but again most of them dropped out of business. I think most people would be shocked to know how many companies there actually where unless they had run across these facts because they were a history nerd. There were crazy amounts of different businesses. Same thing as today. We have a lot of ebike companies but after the years go by I bet we will be down to just a few main ones. Ones that are of somewhat quality and have good customer service have a better chance of making it but they also have to have good company management too.
The whole industry is following a well established path that other industries like computers, cell phones, and other tech have previously gone down. At first there are huge numbers of companies and even individuals trying to establish themselves. Early adopters have so much excitement for the "New" that companies can sell all the products they can make. But with time, the market switches from the enthusiast. To continue to sell, companies must appeal to consumers who are not as knowledgeable about ebikes. And these consumers are sometimes almost afraid that they will make a mistake and buy the wrong bike, or buy from the wrong company. Therefore they look to market size to help them make a decision. More and more of the total sales market goes to the biggest brands as people figure that big brands mean stability. Marginal companies struggle for sales while big companies get bigger. In computers there was once thousands of brands but now Apple, Dell, HP and a few others dominate. In cell phones its Apple and Google and Samsung that have two thirds of the market. Ebikes will be the same. First time ebike consumers will more and more only be willing to consider big brands, while enthusiast ebikers will consider and support smaller, more specialized, brands. As brands face this new reality we can can expect lots of consolidation, and bankruptcies.
I think this is likely though I wonder how many it really boils down to. This might be what some brands are banking on as they try to get as much market share as they can. I'm also curious how local bike shop support shakes out.
Problem is the juiced up prices. Availability of parts and cost of batteries. Plus charging fires getting publicity doesn’t help. Finally, customer service is lacking with many of these companies. When Sam’s Club is selling them at steep discounts, you know the end is near. Great video, thanks for sharing.
You’re awesome. Love your authentic approach to covering e-bikes and making videos like this. Thanks for the shout out ❤
I own a Ripcurrent S and love it. That being said, my recommendation for a new bike? The Wired Freedom or Cruiser. Why? There is NOTHING on that bike that is proprietary. So if they go out of business, you will still be able to get things like batteries, controllers, throttles, etc. etc. etc.
Great point - all of those external components are great for being easy to replace.
Sad to see a company fail...but glad I went with RAD a few years back. Not a glamorous bike (Rover 5 fat tire) but still a beast and in excellent condition after almost 5 years. Easy to repair and service with lots of non-proprietary parts. Battery exhibits no degradation as well. So happy that I recently bought the identical bike on FB marketplace. It was in mint condition...under 200 miles ...even the tires still had the molding spews..... and I now have 2 bikes for friend and family use as well as doubling my range with a second fully compatible battery.
All batteries degrade. You just don’t see it. It’s slow but sure.
It does appear that Rad Power Bikes might be heading toward bankruptcy based on all the layoffs and funding issues this past year.
I am looking to get an Etrike. I have a Rad dealer in my neighborhood but don't like the wider width in the back of its Trikes (and its lack of features compared to others). Most bike shops won't touch ANY Ebike so you are on your own when comes to repair or upkeep, even a flat.
@@alexnutcasio936 Your'e right....but I use less throttle than I did at first and with a second battery strapped to the rear rack, I dispensed with range anxiety
@@robg77 I hope not...but almost every part from motors to batteries to controllers (along with the standard "analog" bike hardware) can be had at any number of on-line retailers. You could take a RR5 fat tire down to the frame and rebuild (upgrade) the bike entirely. It's really the reason I went with it.
I am noticing eBikes are available on Temu with free shipping from local suppliers. The prices are insanely low. About half the price of something similar from Lectric/other manufacturers or available on Amazon.
PS. Things may be happening at Lectric. No longer ship outside the USA. I live in Canada and purchased a Lectric 2.0 a few years back. Absolutely no issues. Went to order a new battery and found out Lectric no longer ships internationally ie. Canada.
Yeah the problem is support with the unknown brands. I have no inside knowledge on Lectric pulling out of Canada but they clearly need high volume to attain their price points so I wonder if that was the main driver. Canada maybe wasn't as big of a market as they had hoped?
My first ebike was a secondhand Lectric XP 3.0. Put 2000 miles on it in one summer. The Hyperscorpion was on my list earlier this year when I was prospecting for a good e-moped. Ended up with an Ariel Rider X-Class because lower price / same energy. Love the X, but AR's stagnant lineup has me wondering if they might soon be on the chopping block. Just ordered a Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser to round out my stable- and to beat any potential price increases or breakdowns that can't be remedied. If this novice has learned anything in her first couple years it's do the homework, watch the reviews and keep your options open. Certainly more affordable than most cars these days.
I see more E-Bikes than ever on the road. When I was shopping for my bike November ‘22 to March ‘23 I don’t think I ever saw an E bike on the road.
Now I see people on them all the time. I think people are buying inexpensive ones from Amazon.
Other than that, I see people on Aventon (sold at Best Buy), Rad
Popularity has definitely increased though there are still lots of people who still aren't aware of them which is good - more people to get on ebikes!
So many ebikes amd companies. Its so saturated. Many will go down. Tariffs will put even more pressure on both companies and buyer.
Great show as usual. Yeah, bummer Juiced had to sell. They were making really top products. Well I hope those folks are going to be free of all business related debt.
Thanks - it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Hopefully Ride1up will stay in business for awhile.
If the gov was serious about going green, an e bike uses 1/10 to 1 HP to move a person. Most people wouldn't even think thats possible
super efficient, not to mention size
Man that sucks, but at the same time inflated markets can be a bad thing.
Hopefully we get better and better final products from every other company 🤷🏽♂️ still.... R.I.P Juiced 😢
There are quite a few of humanity that don't like bike riding. I think this is one of the bike's industry problems. A lot of people are becoming more and more lazy! They don't desire to do much work (force X Energy). I moved from San Diego to Las Vegas three years ago. OMGoodness; Where I currently reside, I am the only woman who rides a bike. Even the children give me hard times for doing so. I have once again sunk into depression because of the lack of being able to do what brings me a little happiness here in Vegas. It is really disappointing here. A lot of the locals here all they desire to do is stay in their residence, watch TV all day long, drink, smoke cigarettes, etc. So depressing here :(
I was really considering a DOST ebike or Yamaha ebike... sad news for these companies (and all the people affected) going away. I was looking forward when the belt drive ebikes were more readily available and affordable.
Definitely sad. There are some really great belt drive bikes that are well priced depending on what you're looking for. I've been riding the Lectric One a lot, but also the Centauri II (review soon) and the Prodigy V2 from Ride1Up. On the more affordable end there are some single-speeds though I admit they are better with gears if you live near hills.
Any company that relies on expensive ebike's and those shady companies who make cheaper bikes, can get in trouble quickly..I considered Juiced shady, even though they have been around forever, and made decent bikes. Juiced was the first company I ever checked out, a decade ago..But any company can go bankrupt.
I noticed Velowave is having a Juiced Bikes clearance sale and they have a parts request form.
Velowave seems to be trying to pick up the Juiced slack...
Too many makers, trying to get repair parts for anything over a couple years old is really hard. Too many model changes in a year. I will sell my Fucare bikes this spring and go with LECTRIC for all my bikes they seem one of the more stable makers.
Thats what ive done got rid of everything and gone with lectric only one i trust
I had ecomotion electric bike they went out of business at least a year ago i sold the bike for 700
One item to add, motorcycle brand KTM's owner, Pierer Mobility AG, jumped into the eBike scene during the Covid years and now likely regrets it, given the bloodbath. Their entire corporate structure is hurting.
Interesting - is there any press about them struggling?
I wasnt following ebikes but u was surprised Sondors folded
Totally forgot about Sondors - definitely another big one.
Let’s all count the lies about Juiced Bikes.
1. Their stock tires were not durable. They sucked. Literally got flat after flat on them tires.
2. Their bikes weren’t the best. There were other brands who bikes were better looking but of course a lot of people went with Juiced because of the 52v battery.
The market is full of moped style bikes. I owned the juiced scrambler and it wasn't for me. Not impressed with mileage and practicality.
There are a lot for sure. I always thought of Juiced as one of the better brands. I've been really happy with ours so far and it suits our needs.
All is hell that ends well!
Where can I buy some "ebike escape" schwag?...
Nowhere yet, a bit tricky since if/when we offer it we want it to be high quality. We also don't want to be the ones packing schwag (rather be reviewing ebikes) and I'm not sure if there is enough demand yet.