Buying an E-Bike is a big decision and we are sure you have a ton of questions. We have gathered the most commonly asked questions here, together with answers. You might also want to download our free Electric Bike Buyer’s Guide. It’s quite short (around 20 pages) but covers a lot of ground. Alternatively, check out our much briefer E-Bike Buyer Tips.

WHAT TYPE OF E-BIKE SHOULD I GET?

This depends partly on where and how you live and partly on what you want to use your e-bike for. If you live in an apartment or space is tight, look at a Folding E-Bike. If you live in the country or on a dirt road, a Mountain or Fat Tire E-Bike would likely suit you.

For rides around the neighborhood or trips to the store, a Cruiser E-Bike would probably work best for you. And if you want to use it to get to work, then a Commuter E-Bike would be best. Browse through our catalog headings.

DO I NEED A LICENSE TO RIDE MY E-BIKE?

None of our e-bikes require registration or license, so far as the US Department of Transportation is concerned. However, there are more powerful e-bikes (more than 750 watts/20+ mph) that are treated by the Feds as motorcycles. State jurisdictions pretty much follow the DOT but you can check for details on Wikipedia for your specific state e-bike laws. 

ARE YOUR E-BIKES MADE IN CHINA?

Most of our e-bike brands are made in China. Almost all bikes, electric or not, are in fact made overseas. ProdecoTech designs, engineers and assembles their e-bikes in the US but the components are still manufactured overseas.

WHAT DOES TWIST THROTTLE MEAN?

There is a throttle on the handlebars that twists just like a motorcycle twist throttle. This pulls power from the battery to propel the e-bike without any pedaling by the rider.  There is also a throttle that is thumb operated.

WHAT DOES PEDAL ASSIST OR POWER ASSIST MEAN?

With Pedal Assist the electronics sense that the rider is pedaling and then the motor kicks in to help move the bike forward. It means that the rider does not have to pedal so hard to move the e-bike along. The rider can go faster without extra effort.

DOES THE EXTRA WEIGHT OF BATTERY AND MOTOR MAKE THE E-BIKE HARD TO PEDAL?

Depending on the model of e-bike, the battery and motor add from around 15 to 30 lbs to the weight of a regular bike. This is not really noticeable when pedaling but it is definitely noticeable if you have to physically pick the e-bike up to put it on a car rack, for example.

WHAT DOES “TURN OFF POWER AND PEDAL ONLY” MEAN?

In this mode the electric power is turned off and the e-bike behaves just like an ordinary bicycle.

CAN I RIDE MY E-BIKE  IN THE RAIN?

Yes but use extra caution riding in the rain. Slick road surface conditions can make controlling your e-bike difficult. Take turns slow and wide. And always wear your helmet - whether it’s raining or not.

You can ride an e-bike in the rain but the electrics (battery, motor and controller) while water resistant are not submersible and should not be saturated. After your ride be sure to wipe the e-bike down with a dry cloth to remove surface water.

HOW FAR CAN I GO ON A SINGLE CHARGE?

This depends on the e-bike in question and a bunch of other factors. Take a look at our Buyer's Guide , or Buyer’s Tips which covers this subject in detail. We have tabulated approximate expectations. These range from 10 to 20 miles for a 24 volt/10 amp-hour battery to 34 to 68 miles for a 48 volt/17 amp-hour battery. Remember to recharge your battery after each trip to prolong its life.

WILL PEDAL ASSIST HELP ME EXTEND THE LENGTH OF MY RIDE?

Yes. Using pedal assist rather than the twist or thumb throttle will conserve battery power and extend your ride under power. This is how you get exercise too. You may find it best to reserve the throttle for those times that you are at a standstill, say at a stop light, and the throttle can give you that little boost to get going again.

IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL ABOUT CHARGING MY E-BIKE’S  BATTERY?

No. Just use a regular outlet. And top up the battery after use. This will help prolong it’s lifespan.

WHAT KIND OF SERVICING IS REQUIRED FOR MY E-BIKE?

Nothing special. After all, it’s still basically just a bike. Make sure that is is lubricated regularly and check tire pressure. Also, regularly check that bolts and screws are tightened. If you do not feel up to doing this yourself, take it to your local bicycle store.

DO I NEED TO ASSEMBLE MY E-BIKE WHEN IT ARRIVES?

All of our e-bikes arrive mostly assembled - 80% to 90%, depending on the brand, They all come with a detailed manual showing you how to finish the job. If you do not want to so this, we offer Professional Assembly.

DO YOU HAVE A PHYSICAL STORE WHERE I CAN PICK UP THE BIKE - FULLY ASSEMBLED?

No. Our business is entirely online. We will ship the e-bike direct to you. However, if you wish, we can ship your e-bike to your local bike shop for completion of assembly. Just Google for the nearest bike shop, contact them to see if they will complete assembly and get a price. Then provide their address to us and we will ship to them. We offer Professional Assembly. 

WHERE BEST TO STORE MY E-BIKE?

Best to keep it in a dry place and out of direct sunlight.

IF SOMETHING IS OUT OF STOCK CAN I BACKORDER OR SPECIAL ORDER IT?

Absolutely! Call us by phone to place your order 877-GR8TBIKE [877-478-2453]. Or email us. We are standing by Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm Pacific to take your order or help select the right e-bike for you.

CAN I PLACE MY ORDER OVER THE PHONE?

You bet! Call us by phone to place your order 877-GR8TBIKE [877-478-2453]. Or email us, if you prefer. We are standing by Mon-Fri 9 am - 5 pm Pacific to take your order or help select the right e-bike for you.

HAVE YOU GOT A SHOWROOM?

No. No brick and mortar.  We work only online. Just like Amazon! This keeps our overhead low and saves you money. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that you will find as extensive an e-bike catalog as ours in a regular bike shop.  We ship to you factory direct and save you the time and aggravation of running around town looking in vain for e-bike shops. Most bike shops specialize in regular bicycles.

WHAT ARE YOUR SHIPPING POLICIES?

This is a subject all its own. Please refer to our Shipping Policies page.

HOW SOON WILL YOU SHIP MY E-BIKE?

Normally within 1-2 business days. Of course this will be longer in a  backorder situation or if customization is involved. However, please be aware that some brands ship on specific days of the week and that this can change.

WHEN WILL I GET A TRACKING NUMBER FOR MY E-BIKE?

We will email your tracking number to you as soon as your e-bike has been shipped. Please be sure that we have your correct email address.  

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY E-BIKE TO REACH ME?

Usually between 3-10 business days unless your item is a special order or on back order. If you picked the expedited processing, then it should arrive within 2-7 business days.

WHAT DELIVERY SERVICE DO YOU USE?

We use Fedex, UPS, or USPS, depending on the size of the delivery. E-bikes ship via  Fedex or UPS. Small parts may ship via USPS. Tracking and shipping are included.

DO YOU OFFER FREE SHIPPING?

Yes. Free and Fast shipping to the contiguous 48 states.

WILL YOU SHIP TO HAWAII, ALASKA AND INTERNATIONALLY?

Yes. But since there is no international flat shipping rate, this is by special arrangement only and not by default through our website as it is for the contiguous United States. If you want to order from  outside the lower 48 States, please call or email to get a shipping quote.

WHAT IF YOU ARE OUT OF STOCK?

If the item your ordered is out of stock, we will let you know at once and offer you an immediate refund; or the choice of waiting for the item to restock or selecting a similar item that is in stock

DO YOU SHIP TO APO ADDRESSES OR P.O. BOXES?

No, we do not ship to APO or PO boxes because UPS and Fedex do not deliver there. There are online services that you can sign up for which will accept delivery of your new e-bike and forward it to your address.

DO YOU OFFER COUPONS?

Yes. Please go to our coupon page for our current coupon offers.

CAN I USE TWO COUPONS TOGETHER?

No. Only one at a time.

HOW DO I USE A COUPON?

You will find a box on the checkout page to enter your coupon code. Please email us if you have any problems with this.

HOW DO I PAY FOR MY E-BIKE?

We accept all major credit cards and payment methods. We also offer financing.

IS YOUR SITE SECURE?

Payments are processed through the Stripe payment gateway. This is certified to PCI Provider Level 1, which is the highest level of security certified to merchants processing over 6 million transactions per year.

CAN I FINANCE MY E-BIKE PURCHASE?

Yes. We offer financing through PayPal Credit and  Klarna. However, this is a subject all its own. Please go to our Financing Page for details. 

WHAT ARE YOUR WARRANTY AND RETURNS POLICIES?

These vary from one brand/manufacturer to another. This topic is covered in detail on our Warranty page and Returns page.

WHAT IS YOUR PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE?

It is 110% Lowest Price Guaranteed. 

CAN I REQUEST A PRICE MATCH BEFORE I ORDER AN E-BIKE?

Yes. Please email us with the competitor’s site url link and/or a screenshot. We will match any competitor’s price and beat it with our 110% Price Match Guarantee.

Didn’t find an answer you were looking for? Please contact us.