InsideOutdoor | SUMMER 2022 26 e-bikes that have been ridden for the past ten years and the batteries are still going strong,” added Benjamin. “And long term, it doesn’t actually have to cost more.” Over time, the lower-maintenance bicycle will come down in cost as manufacturing scales to meet demand, continued Benjamin, just as it has with automobiles. In the meantime, D2C brands have the profit margins to absorb the higher initial cost of low-maintenance components without raising retail prices, he said. The importance of repairs and maintenance also could be reduced by an ongoing trend in e-bike drive mechanisms. Currently, hub motors dominate the global e-bike market, with hub-motor-driven bikes representing 77 percent of sales in 2020, according to Precedence Research. Hub motors, which are located on the back wheel, are light in weight, simple in construction and inexpensive to the manufacturer. Mid-drive motors, on the other hand, offer “a significant number of advantages” over hub motors, said analysts at Precedence Research, and are expected to show the fastest growth in the market in terms of drive mechanism. The mid-drive motor, which is mounted on or near the bottom bracket of the e-bicycle, “offers a better weight distribution than hub motors, resulting in a lower center of gravity and a more balanced ride,” agreed analysts at Triton Market Research. They also offer higher torque and performance compared to traditional hub motors. In respect to maintenance specifically, “mid-drive motors are easier to be serviced and maintained compared to hub motors. They can be simply removed from the e-bike by replacing nut bolts,” said Precedence Research. This is all in no way to suggest that service and repair will soon become obsolete. Benjamin’s Light Electric Vehicle Association already has seen about 1,600 applicants go through its e-bike repair program during the last few years, “and probably a thousand of them are bicycle mechanics,” he said. Benjamin told BRAIN he believes it will take 8,000 total trained professionals to establish a critical mass of available service people, “not just in bike shops but mobile mechanics and one-person repair services.” Even so, the D2C channel is proving that customers – no doubt pushed along by pandemic effects – are willing to purchase e-bikes without the benefits of a test ride, assembly or aftersale service. “Bike shops have gotten a little better in the last 20 years, but the D2C people have become freakIn-Season Popular European e-bike brand NCM ( A Leon Cycle Brand) recently brought its Commuter E-bike line to the U.S. featuring new flat-bar city-style geared and single-speed models. SRPs start at $1,200. Aventon’s Sinch is a foldable, portable, storable and powerful e-bike that folds down to fit in a closet or even under a desk. Aventon’s e-bike SRPs range from $1,300 to $2,000.
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