Curious to know how much more expensive electric bikes are, compared to regular bikes? The price of a non-electric bicycle in New Zealand can vary greatly depending on the type of bike, brand, and where you purchase it. However, you can generally expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2,500 for a decent quality adult bicycle. Likewise, the price of electric bikes can vary greatly, however, you can generally expect to pay between $2,500 and $10,000 for a decent quality e-bike.
What Factors Affect the Price?
Brand
Well-known brands tend to be more expensive than lesser known brands.
Componentry
Take gears for example. There are many different brands of gear sets – Shimano and SRAM being two of the most well-known – and each brand typically offers a range of options, from lower-end to higher-end. In an electric bike, the brand of motor and the brand of battery cells makes a difference. Motors from name brands like Bosch, Brose, and Bafang tend to be more expensive. Battery cells from LG and Samsung also tend to be more expensive (and more reliable).
Where You Buy It
Bikes bought through a bike shop tend to be more expensive because of the overheads associated with brick-and-mortar retail locations. MeloYelo ebikes eliminated this overhead by recruiting a nationwide network of agents who work from their homes. And, taking things a step further, MeloYelo’s new e-bike brand, Zoomin, sells direct-to-consumer, allowing for even sharper pricing.
Type of Bike
Full suspension mountain bikes, with top of the line gears and brakes, will cost more than a commuter e-bike that has no suspension.
Supply and Demand
For most of 2024, the NZ bike/e-bike market has had a supply surplus, and thus there have been some tremendous discounts offered. This supply surplus came about in the aftermath of COVID. During COVID, demand for bikes and ebikes surged globally, so much so that it could take 12-18 months from when an order was placed with a factory, until those bikes showed up in NZ. Just as many of those bikes began arriving in NZ, COVID ended, demand softened, and a surplus of supply was created. 2025 will see a return to a more balanced supply and demand situation. This means that the discounted prices available at the time of writing this article are expected to disappear.
Here are Some Things to Consider When Shopping for an E-Bike
Should I get a bike with a step-over frame (the style typically considered a men’s bike) or one with a step-through frame?
Many men are now opting for step-through frames, which can be particularly beneficial for those who have knee or hip issues.
Should I get a bike with a mid-drive motor (the motor is located between the pedals), or a hub-drive motor?
See this blog for more on this topic.
What Size Battery will I Need?
Battery size is typically described as watt-hours. A 36-volt battery with a 17.5 Amp-hour battery offers 630 watt-hours of energy (36 x 17.5). Riding on paved roads will typically consume around 7.5 watt-hours per kilometre. In this scenario, a 630-watt-hour battery will offer around 84 kilometres of range. Riding on steep off-road trails will typically consume around 12 watt-hours per kilometre. This means that a 630-watt-hour battery will offer around 52 kilometres of range on trails.
What Extras, if any, Come with the Bike?
For example, MeloYelo ebikes offer lights, mudguards, and carriers at no extra cost, whereas most brands will charge another $300 – $500 or so for these added extras.
What Happens if I Experience Problems with my E-bike?
Most bike shops can now fix anything that might go wrong with your e-bike. In the case of MeloYelo, you can always take your bike to the nearest MeloYelo agent, regardless of where you purchased your bike. One extra nice thing about MeloYelo is that they offer a 3-year warranty on their bikes, compared to the 1-2 year warranty offered by most other brands.
How will I be Using the Bike?
If you’re only going to be riding on city streets or paved surfaces, then you may not need any suspension, you won’t need sophisticated gears, and you won’t need hydraulic brakes. Be aware, however, that many people who buy an electric bike become more adventurous as their confidence grows. If you think this might happen to you, plan your purchase accordingly.
What do other Customers Say about the Bike and the Brand?
MeloYelo ebikes have hundreds of customer reviews. Some of those reviews are about the buyers’ experiences with MeloYelo, while others are about the specific MeloYelo model a customer has chosen. Here are links to the product reviews:
Conclusion
A lot of people – in particular, older males – are sceptical about ebikes. They have grown up around push bikes and believe that their leg power will do just fine and that ebikes are cheating. More often than not, however, this scepticism disappears as soon as they take an e-bike for a spin.
Whichever form of cycling you choose – leg power only, or motor assist – you can feel good in knowing that you’re out there getting fresh air and exercise, and that cycling is great for both physical and mental wellbeing. We look forward to seeing you out there on your bike.
