Toussaint, can you tell us how you came up with the idea of ??setting up a portal for used e-bikes?
My co-founder Stéphane Ficaja and I previously worked at Uber but left in 2021. We wanted to start our own company that would enable us to create positive change at scale. I am an avid cyclist myself. We knew how popular e-bikes have become in recent years and the advantages they offer: less CO2 emissions, no traffic congestion, longer distances can be covered than with a normal bike and general fitness improves.
Right. E-bikes are in high demand, but also very expensive. Is that where you start?
Yes, we found that although many people would like to buy and ride an e-bike, the bikes are often too expensive or the delivery time is months. This is how we came up with the idea of ??Upway: we buy and sell the widest possible range of used e-bikes, which are refurbished by our own mechanics to the highest standards. Upway bikes are up to 60 percent cheaper than new e-bikes. As e-bikes are now a convenient and environmentally friendly alternative to cars, Upway’s vision is to make e-bikes more affordable and to extend the lifespan of each individual bike.
You can also buy used privately, isn’t that also sustainable?
You can also buy e-bikes from private individuals. But we have found that consumers are often uncertain when it comes to buying a used e-bike because they are concerned about the condition of the bike and in particular the motor and battery. Also, many fear fraud.
So that a stolen bike is foisted on them.
This keeps many customers from buying a used bike. When you consider that the average price of an e-bike in Germany is over 3000 euros, it is understandable that many customers want to be sure that the motor will not fail within a very short time and that they will be covered if a problem does arise. For this reason we offer our buyers a one-year guarantee.
When it comes to e-bikes, used privately usually means that the bike is close to where you live. Otherwise you buy blindly and private sellers find it difficult to ship. How are you doing?
We know that many people find it important to get detailed information about the condition and characteristics of the bike before buying a used e-bike. That’s why every Upway e-bike has its own page on our website. For each bike we publish very detailed information on the engine condition, battery capacity, kilometers traveled and the visual condition, such as scratches. We also provide high-resolution images of the bike from all perspectives. At Upway, customers receive their e-bike in less than a week.
What is the price range for your e-bikes?
We offer bikes from 700 euros: These are often city bikes for beginners, which are perfect for daily commuting and short distances. We also have €7000 bikes on offer, which are usually €2000 or more off the new price. However, the majority of bicycles are between 1500 euros and 3000 euros, which is also where some e-bike models from the well-known brands Cube, Riese
Your bikes are not just used, they are refurbished – what does that mean exactly?
Our top priority is that every e-bike that leaves our warehouse meets the highest standards of comfort and safety. This means that every used bike goes through 20 checkpoints and is completely renewed by a professional mechanic in our Berlin workshop. Our remanufacturing process includes a full electronic diagnosis (motor, battery, display, lights, connectors) and a full review of all mechanical parts (frame, wheels, brakes, etc.). After that, we will repair or replace any part that is not in excellent condition.
Those are the “usual suspects”. Can you list them once?
Some of the most common repairs include: shifting gear adjustment and maintenance, chain replacement, grip replacement, tire change, accessory color touch-up, disc brake stripping, wheel trueing, hydraulic braking system bleeding and damaged spoke replacement . Our team is also trained and certified to perform sophisticated electronic and mechanical repairs and replace parts where necessary.
You haven’t mentioned the e-bike parts yet. The biggest concern with older e-bikes is: I buy a bike and the battery is dead. Shouldn’t that happen to you?
E-bike batteries have a very long service life these days. Today’s lithium batteries can go through 500 to 600 charge cycles before losing capacity. Since an e-bike is typically charged once or twice a week, a typical e-bike battery can be used for over 6 years before the charge capacity diminishes. For this reason we measure the total charging cycles of each bike and indicate them in the description. For bicycles that have already covered several thousand kilometers, we also carry out an extensive analysis of the battery so that customers can get an idea of ??the condition of the battery before they buy it. Batteries that have less than 80% of full capacity are completely renewed. This means either the battery is replaced with a new one or individual cells of the battery are replaced. The charging capacity is then back to 100 percent.
Is there a guarantee or warranty when buying from you?
Every e-bike purchased through Upway comes with a one-year warranty. Our support team is available to customers seven days a week if something is wrong or questions arise.
Bikes always have to “fit” the body – can you return a bike if it doesn’t “fit”?
We know how important it is to find a bike that is the right size. That is why we specify a corresponding size selection and the length of the seat tube for each e-bike. If the bike does not fit when you receive it, it can be returned within two weeks.
Toussaint, as the saying goes, the better is the enemy of the good. When it came to e-bike motors, the differences between the first generations were enormous. You can’t compare a Bosch motor from the first series with a current model. In recent years, however, a reasonable level has been reached. What do you think, how old can an e-bike be so that it’s not a technology oldie?
All bikes sold on Upway today are less than ten years old and come with reliable parts that can be repaired or replaced if necessary. It is particularly important to us that every buyer finds an e-bike that meets their own needs – and at the best price. We take into account the major technological changes of the last ten years by adjusting the discount to the age of the bike. The older the bike is, the cheaper we sell it. For some people, a six-year-old e-bike with a quality Bosch motor at a very reasonable price can be a better option than a newer bike with a lower-torque motor at the same price.
So far we’ve only talked about the buyers, but the sellers are almost more important. How does it work if I want to sell my e-bike to you?
We buy used e-bikes from private individuals who are looking for a simple and uncomplicated solution for selling their e-bike. They receive a suggested purchase price on the Upway website in less than 24 hours and can have their bike picked up at home within a few days. We also work with hundreds of bike shops and help them trade in used bikes from customers who bought a new e-bike locally.
When it comes to bicycles, it has always been the case that some bikes were bought with the best of intentions and then hardly moved. How big do you estimate the potential of unused e-bikes that should be put back on the market instead of gathering dust in the basement?
With over two million new e-bikes sold in 2021 and over ten million e-bikes in the last ten years, Germany is the largest European market for electric bicycles. Overall, we assume that more than one million used e-bikes will be looking for a new owner here every year, whether because they are unused in the basement, the owner wants to switch to a newer model or because the Purpose changes from commuter to cargo bike or from racing bike to folding bike. We are happy to contribute to avoiding unnecessary waste and to helping bikes that would otherwise go unused find new owners.
Upway
