What you need to know: Top tips for buying an e-bike

E-bikes meet a wide variety of needs. For short trips in city traffic, comfortable “city bikes” or foldable e-bikes are available, which are easier to use in multimodal traffic. There are e-trekking bikes suitable for longer distances or e-mountain bikes for the sportier ones. If you want to frequently carry children or cargo on your bike, you can buy an e-cargo bike.

Important: You also need to distinguish between performance. Conventional bicycles can reach speeds of 25 km/h. “Speedbikes”, also known as “Pedelecs”, can reach speeds of up to 45 km per hour. But the latter will require an official license plate and helmet and, from 2024, a speedometer.

Well-known manufacturers include Scott, Shimano, Riese & Müller, Kettler, Bosch and Morrison, and the brands Flyer, BMC, Cilo, Allegro and Tour de Suisse from Switzerland. Chinese brands such as Engwe or Senada are also increasingly common. There are around 600 e-bike brands in total.

The starting price is 1,000 francs, but there are already models starting from 700 francs. The price of e-bikes in the high-end segment can go up to 10,000 francs at specialist retailers. Cheaper e-bikes available from wholesalers like Jumbo or Landi are fundamentally no worse. But they have fewer extras, simpler drive technology and fewer high-quality components. For occasional trips from A to B, a cheaper bike is sufficient; As the demand for the vehicle increases, the price also increases.

It should last seven to eight years of use. But many cyclists are already switching to newer models.

The increase in electricity prices is negligible. A full charge of an e-bike requires 0.2 to 0.5 kilowatt hours. Depending on the type, a battery can last from 500 to 1000 charging cycles. So you need between 100 and 500 kilowatt hours of electricity for the entire life cycle of an e-bike. With an average kilowatt-hour price of 27 cents, you get between 27 and 135 francs. Assuming that the lifespan is 5 years, the annual electricity cost is 5.40, or 27 francs.

But insurance also needs to be taken into consideration. Anyone who has private liability insurance covers the damage caused by the bicycle to others. Attention: Anyone who owns a more powerful Pedelec with a speed of up to 45 km/h must have electric bike insurance.

Service costs are usually included in the price of new e-bikes for 1 to 2 years. After that, the cost of a regular service starts from 100 francs.

Prices are not much cheaper in Germany. You may have the advantage of a favorable exchange rate, but you still need to factor in shipping and customs clearance. It is recommended to compare current prices across different bike dealers and online stores.

Competent advice from a specialized store is important, at least when buying an e-bike for the first time. It is advisable to take a test ride before purchasing.