Top 8 Things To Consider Before You Buy An E-Bike
If you’re buying your first e-bike, you might be feeling unsure about which features are most important to you.
And if you’ve owned one before, you’ll want to consider which parts and features you loved and which you wished were different.
So whether you’re new to e-bikes or making an upgrade, here are our top 8 things for any e-bike shopper to consider — and how Magnum e-bikes prioritize these features.
If you want, skip ahead to the features you’re most interested in:
3. E-Bike Range And Battery Life
5. E-Bike Maintenance And Repairs
Still Not Sure? There’s A Quiz For That
1. Value And Price
Many Magnum customers said that price and value were their top concerns when shopping for e-bikes.
That makes sense! Even at the right price point, an e-bike is a big purchase.
But when shopping for an e-bike, how do you know if you’re paying the right price?
If the price doesn’t feel like a good value, you might abandon your cart while shopping for an e-bike. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
E-Bike vs. Car Price
In June 2022, the average price of a used car was over $34,000. And Magnum e-bike models start at $1,599 and up.
So, you could buy 21 new e-bikes for the price of a used car! Or, you know, just one e-bike.
Magnum Bikes prioritizes top-quality products and affordability, making e-bikes more accessible to everyone.
Value = Price + Quality
Your e-bike should be high-quality and durable while still being listed at a competitive price.
The market is flooded with cheap products that compromise quality in favor of offering the lowest price.
Affordability is key for us at Magnum, but so is quality. So while we don’t want price to be a barrier to e-bike access, we aren’t always the cheapest.
That’s because our focus is on striking the right balance of quality and affordability – aka, bang for your buck.
Which brings us to …
2. Quality And Durability
Build quality and durability go hand-in-hand with price and value. You don’t want to overpay for your e-bike, and you also want one that’s built to last.
Riders like you list high-quality components and longevity through the elements (dirt, sand, rain, snow) as important factors in their purchasing decision.
That’s why Magnum’s design and build process centers around:
Reliability
Durability
Quality
My first [Magnum Bike was] the Magnum Cruiser, which I put 10,000 miles on in 4 years by riding everyday to work, and for errands and fun.
- Mark M.
I have a 2020 [P]eak mountain bike with 24000 miles on it[;] runs perfect still.
- Todd P.
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Our Peak Series mountain e-bikes are made to get dirty!
High-Quality Durable Parts
All Magnum Bikes models are custom designed, engineered, and built from scratch.
This means we create our own molds and hand-select every component for the best quality and value.
What’s more, every Magnum Bike is tested for quality assurance at our factories, either overseas or at our flagship location in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Designed To Withstand The Elements
Aside from quick stops at the grocery store or a friend’s place, we don’t recommend storing your e-bike outside — especially in:
Wet conditions
But, a little rain never stopped us from hitting the trails! That’s why our e-bikes are made to ride in the elements. Some models, like the Magnum Nomad, can even conquer snowy terrain!
Just use good judgment — extreme downpours and storms can quickly create unsafe riding conditions, regardless of the quality and durability of your e-bike.
3. E-Bike Range And Battery Life
When shopping for an e-bike, many riders in the Magnum community place e-bike range and battery life high on their list of priorities.
Luckily, those features are high on our priority list, too.
You’re miles away from anywhere — does your battery have what it takes? The Metro S lasts up to 50 miles.
E-Bike Riding Range
Riding full-throttle or at the maximum pedal-assist level on your e-bike will run your battery down faster, which decreases your range.
Instead, use these features to boost your natural capabilities. With this strategy, the right e-bike should take you far.
If range is a top consideration for you, all of these models have high ranges of 55 miles or more on a single charge:
Battery Lifecycle
Batteries are one of the most expensive parts to replace on an e-bike. That’s one reason why so many Magnum shoppers we surveyed wanted an e-bike with a great battery!
Our lithium nickel cobalt manganese (Li-NCM) batteries are built to last. Your Magnum e-bike battery can last up to 1000 charge cycles, or about 2-5 years. Just make sure you’re practicing proper battery care.
Battery Charge Time
When fully depleted, all e-bike batteries require quite a bit of time to charge. So don’t expect to go from a dead battery to hitting the road anytime soon!
It’s best to recharge your battery before it reaches that point — and it’ll charge faster if not fully depleted! Magnum batteries take about 6-8 hours to go from 0% to 100% charge.
To avoid the dead battery blues, get in the habit of charging your battery after each ride.
For more info, check out our Help Center.
4. Power And Motor Output
You might have seen our tagline “Feel the Power” around our site — and on our e-bikes themselves.
And while a lot of components work together to create a powerful e-bike, one of the e-bike parts most responsible for a powerful ride is the motor.
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We weren’t kidding: “Feel the Power” is a statement we stand by, and the Magnum Nomad wears it well.
The Role of Motor Wattage
One of the most common ways to measure an e-bike's power is its motor output or wattage. In general, the more wattage your motor has, the more power your e-bike is capable of harnessing. There’s a bit more to it, which we’ll explain in the next section.
You’ll find e-bikes on the market listed from 250W up to 1000W.
Magnum Bikes carries mostly 500W and 750W models, with a few 350W exceptions. Learn more about wattage here.
But we also carry 6 models with peak outputs of up to 1000W!
Other Power Variables
Your controller, battery, and motor work together to power your e-bike’s pedal-assist system as well as your throttle, if applicable. All these components of your electrical system need to be compatible to operate the e-bike.
Learn more about your e-bike’s electrical system here.
5. E-Bike Maintenance And Repairs
Even with excellent quality and a high degree of reliability, all e-bikes need proper care, routine maintenance, and eventually repairs or replacement parts.
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Make adjustments on the go and keep up with regular e-bike maintenance to prolong the life of your e-bike. Pictured: the Summit 27.5”
While shopping for their e-bikes, many Magnum customers told us they were thinking about things like:
Customer service and product support
Where to take their e-bike for service
How to get parts
These are all great things to consider while you shop, too.
To start, all new Magnum Bikes e-bikes come with a one-year warranty: register on our site.
And we have more than 250 authorized Magnum Dealers and Magnum Bikes locations across the United States.
It’s easy to schedule service appointments at any of our locations!
If you’d like, you can purchase parts directly through our website.
Our Help Center is here for you 24/7, and our Customer Support Team is available to answer your questions from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm MST, Monday through Friday.
6. Comfort And Fit
Magnum customers said that the feeling of riding their e-bike was a top priority in their purchasing decision.
To achieve the most comfortable ride, it’s critical to know what you can and can’t adjust on your e-bike before you buy.
That’s because comfort is the sum of many different e-bike components all working together. All of these comfort-driven features impact how you feel while you’re riding.
But it can be hard to know what you want from each of these features without testing them out.
Luckily, it’s easy to schedule a test ride to find your dream e-bike.
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Talk about comfort! This Magnum rider has found their perfect match in the Low Rider 2.0.
Adjustable Comfort Features
After purchasing an e-bike, you can tweak these features to suit you:
Seat height
Seat style (by purchasing a new compatible seat)
Stem height (sometimes)
Handlebar positioning (sometimes)
What’s with “sometimes”?
Adjustable stems and handlebars are a little less common than adjustable seats.
To adjust stem height and handlebar positioning, you need an e-bike with an adjustable stem.
If you see the words “fixed stem,” that means you won’t be able to adjust the stem or the handlebar positioning.
Fixed Comfort Features
Buy an e-bike that fits you in these ways from the get-go, because you won’t be able to adjust them later on.
Frame Size
To be honest … we think “frame size” as a measurement is overrated.
That’s because there’s no industry standard for measuring it.
When you hear “18-inch frame,” your next question might be, “18 inches from where to where?”
And different brands will have different answers.
It’s similar to how that size 10 shoe fits great in your favorite brand, but for some reason, you’re a size 11 in that other brand.
Frame size is important, as it relates to how the e-bike fits you. Just don’t expect that any 2 e-bikes with “18-inch frames” will fit you the same way.
The best way to determine frame fit is to straddle the e-bike and see whether the frame is too tall or too short for your legs and body.
The Summit 27.5” is a great fit for this rider — the top tube hits close to the top of the leg without digging in.
Frame Shape
E-bikes come in 3 basic frame shapes:
Step-over or high-step
Step-thru or mid-step
Low-step
These refer to the height of the top tube on your frame and the ease of stepping over the frame.
Step-over frames are typically that triangular-shaped frame — you have to lift your leg quite high to straddle the frame.
Step-thru frames feature a slightly lower top tube; you still need to lift your leg, but not as high.
Low-step frames feature a very low top tube, or sometimes no top tube at all.
Check out these examples of a Magnum Bike model in each of the frame shapes:
- Cruiser 2.0 (step-over)
- Payload (step-thru)
- Cosmo (low-step)
You can’t adjust the frame shape of an e-bike, since the tubes are structural components responsible for the sturdiness and durability of your e-bike. So a high-step e-bike will always be high-step, and so on.
Read more about frame shapes here.
E-Bike Style
You also can’t change your e-bike style, otherwise known as riding position. This is how you sit on the e-bike while you ride.
The 3 main e-bike styles are:
Cruiser (leaning back, with pedals in front of the seat and high handlebars)
Relaxed (upright, with pedals closer to the seat and mid-level handlebars)
Active (leaning forward, with pedals almost directly below the seat and low handlebars)
7. Size, Weight, And Capacity
You might not have thought about this very much. After all, you ride an e-bike, not carry it, right?
But if you …
Live in a building with stairs
Take your bike on public transportation
Travel in a car, truck, or RV to go camping or hit the trails with your e-bike
… then you definitely need to consider your e-bike’s size and weight.
If portability is important to you, the Premium 3 High Step (pictured) is a perfect fit in almost any space. The same goes for the Premium 3 Low Step!
Weight also factors into aerodynamics and speed, if that’s a top concern for you.
The Magnum Navigator S is the lightest e-bike we currently sell, weighing just 55 lbs. including the battery!
You may also want to consider the maximum weight capacity when choosing your bike. Magnum Bikes models have maximum capacities ranging from 265 lbs (including our Cosmo Series and Pathfinder Series) up to 400 lbs (our Magnum Payload cargo e-bike).
Will My E-Bike Fit In Or On My Vehicle?
If you have a car or vehicle without much trunk space, a standard e-bike might not fit inside your vehicle. You may need to look into compatible roof racks or other bike carriers for vehicles.
When looking at racks and carriers, make sure the one you pick:
Fits your vehicle model
Is wide enough for your e-bike’s tires
Has proper weight capacity for your e-bike
Folding e-bikes are another great option! Magnum offers 2 Folding models that easily fit into any vehicle.
8. Compatible Accessories
Do you need a child seat for your e-bike? What about an upgraded bottle cage to stay hydrated on your rides or a front carrier rack for extra storage?
Magnum Bikes rider Candide Krieger relies on accessories including a safe child seat, mirror, cupholder, and pannier bag for her family e-bike rides! Read Candide’s story.
While some accessories are universal, that’s not the case for everything.
Compatibility is essential for the right fit to ensure your accessories don’t damage your bike upon installation — or worse, present a safety hazard.
So, consider the accessories you might want before choosing your e-bike. That way, you can be sure that the e-bike model you choose will accommodate the child seat or other must-have accessory.
Still Not Sure? There’s A Quiz For That
There’s a lot to consider when shopping for your e-bike!
Don’t worry. Maybe our e-bike quiz can help?
