A version of this feature ran in the February issue of BRAIN.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For our February magazine edition, we asked our State of Retail panel members: How does your shop handle e-bike service requests?
LANCASTER, CALIF.: Paul Avila, owner Paul's Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop
E-bikes and e-powered scooters are not going away anytime soon. We service them all and generate good income from flat tires alone. Once you've gained the knowledge, they aren't that difficult to repair. However, there is indeed one very popular brand of e-bike/e-scooter we will not work on (other than a flat tire) due to the company having the worst customer service in the industry.
We do as much mechanical and electrical work as possible for the big brands. Because we're not a dealer of the big three, we can't do firmware updates, so we send those customers to our friends in the next town over. We've signed up as a non-stocking service center for a couple of other U.S.-based brands. Most of the e-bikes we see are of the low-budget variety with flat tires and useless brakes. Finding replacement parts is a challenge. It takes time to look for the manufacturers’ websites and to establish a connection, and occasionally there are delays in communication due to emailing back and forth to a Chinese company. Most companies require a receipt of purchase, which actually helps get the correct parts. We have a commitment to our customers, and as long as they understand the hurdles, we work to solve the problems.
SOMERVILLE, N.J.: Marc Cianfrone, owner Pops Bike Shop
We offer service on e-bike brands that we are authorized dealers for: Trek, Cannondale, and Giant. Because we have a relationship with those brands, we can easily source parts and technical support. Our insurance company and the local fire departments have pretty specific guidelines we must follow in regards to storage of batteries on e-bikes. With that in mind, we do not service or even allow the off-branded units in the front door. Our policy is we do not offer service on internet or direct-to-consumer-branded e-bikes. We refer the customer back to the company they purchased it from to find their nearest authorized service center. We are removed from potential liability, and they can get the service they deserve.
Our market seems to be overrun with cheap low-end e-bikes. Years ago, when we attempted to work on these, the results would be less than stellar due to the low quality of e-bikes we were dealing with. The customer would turn their frustrations on us rather than the company that sold them the horrible product. It was not worth damaging our reputation and opening ourselves up to the liability of these low-quality products. Why should we continue to offer support to these brands that are doing nothing to improve our industry, are driving down prices, and giving poor experiences to potential customers?
BUFFALO, N.Y: Jim Costello, sales director Bert's Bikes and Fitness
We service the “bicycle” items (flats, brakes, tires, and tuning) of direct-to-consumer brands but nothing more. We do not service electrical items. We were a Beeline (and similar) service provider before and during the pandemic, but concluded it's not worth it. Why inherit your competitors' problems? They need you more than you need them. Most of these brands have no idea what the problems may be anyways and usually no parts are available. Just say no. Bike shops sell bicycles. That's where the revenues are. If you're trying to repair D2C e-bike brands, your future is tied to theirs. Most have yet to turn a profit. Rad Power Bikes is a perfect example. Is that the horse you want to hitch your wagon to?
MITCHELL, S.D.: Kourtney Denne, co-owner Ron’s Bike Shop
We service all e-bike brands when we’re able to do so. In practice, the majority of our e-bike service work comes from the established brands we carry — Giant, Liv, and Cannondale — and we have full access to parts, technical support, and system knowledge. While we’re often able to provide basic service on direct-to-consumer e-bike brands, sourcing replacement parts can be difficult and time-consuming. Online brands take two months or longer to deliver needed parts, and in some cases, only the customer (not the retailer) can access those components. If we’re not a carrier for the brand, parts availability and pricing can quickly become an issue, and the cost to complete a repair can exceed the value of the-bike itself. In those cases, we work closely with customers to explain when a bike simply isn’t serviceable at the shop level. What starts as a service request often becomes a sales opportunity, allowing us to guide riders toward more reliable e-bikes with readily available parts and long-term service support.
SANTA ROSA, Calif.: Sophia Emad, social media/event specialist and sales associate Breakaway Bikes
We service all e-bikes, with some exceptions. If there is a proprietary issue for a brand we don’t carry, we direct the customer to either the original manufacturer or a local shop that carries that brand. We service third-party e-bikes, but we only work on their bicycle-related components. We have strict rules for the e-bikes we can take on: They must have two wheels, pedals and cranks, a traditional seat post, common bicycle tire sizes, and must weigh less than 75 pounds. Additionally, if it is a hub-drive bike, the hub has to be fully unplugged and be removable from the-bike. We have adopted this policy as the market has changed, and as we have seen more and more diverse types of bikes. If a customer brings in a bike that does not fit our service requirements, there are a few e-bike specialty places in town that we try to refer them to.
VICTORIA, British Columbia: Jeff Mitchell, general manager Oak Bay Bikes
We service all major brands, as long as they use a motor system that is approved by our service department. A lot of the brands we don’t stock are willing to work with us on small parts, as they understand that we are only trying to provide a service for their customer. If a brand won't work with us, we have a decent relationship with most of the other shops in town and can usually source proprietary parts through them. It's pretty rare that we get stuck on a repair; we are generally willing to do what is needed to make sure we can get all repairs done 100% in house. We do not service third-party e-bikes, unless they come equipped with a motor system from a major brand such as Bosch, Shimano, or SRAM. We’ve found that we were unable to service third-party e-bikes effectively and came upon too many unsolvable issues. When a bike is put in the stand, we consider it our responsibility to get it back to the customer in 100% working order, and if we can't guarantee that, we won't accept the repair. There’s an outline on our website of all serviceable brands for customer reference. We put this policy into place in early 2025, and are very happy with the decision.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio: Matthew Schieferstein, manager/bike fitter Gear Up Velo
We do not typically service e-bikes not sold at our stores, with rare exceptions. We are more amenable to servicing e-bikes from established companies, as the-bikes and corresponding parts originate from trusted brands with a traceable provenance. That said, some parts are specific to the brand. In this instance, we offer to perform any mechanical service within our capability, and then refer the customer to the nearest brand dealer for any proprietary parts. We’ve made the decision to no longer offer service on direct-to-consumer branded electric bicycles, with rare exceptions. However, a few local bike shops are willing to work on this category of e-bike, so we will refer customers to them. We arrived at this decision as a result of previous experience with many of the D2C and "Amazon" e-bike brands and products being dubious at best and downright unsafe at worst.
WHITEHOUSE, Texas: Laurie Simpson, manager/buyer Simpson's Fitness & Adventure Sports
We service the brands that we carry, and we also work on brands of e-bikes that we do not carry, assuming they are manufactured by established bike brands. Established brands are similar, and we are able to source batteries, control panels, and other needed parts from QBP. For third-party e-bikes that are exclusively sold direct-to-consumer or through a company-branded retail store, we will only service bicycle components: tires, shifting, and brakes. We do not work on their motors or control panels. We send these customers to an e-bike-only store if their repairs involve motor or battery issues.
BENTONVILLE, Ark.: Brent Van Eps, co-owner Trackstand Cyclery and Tavern
At least 95 percent of the bikes we have coming in for service are non e-bikes, so we focus on that. Knowing what you are good at and sticking to it is a good thing. That said, we’ll service just about any brand of e-bike, but in a somewhat limited capacity. We repair the “bike” stuff: flat tires, derailleurs and brakes, broken spokes, tuneups, brake bleeds, fork lowerings, wheel truing, and so on. This is very successful for us. As far as battery, controller and motor work, we do not offer those services. I am not sure we could charge enough to be worth the time and training. Obtaining parts from most of these brands is difficult but not impossible, and we have had positive experiences with many e-bike brands not sold in bike shops. We currently do not have a local partner shop to refer the motor and battery work to.
