Electric Bikes - Used Optibike 850R (in Santa Clara, CA)

I found this used Optibike on Craigslist in the Santa Clara area.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/2261913617.html

First one I've ever seen on Craigslist :)

They are waaaaayyyyy overpriced..
Lol... Watching that video of him going up that hill did NOT impress me.
My $2000 home made electric bike (re: 1/5 the price of that POS) can tackle that hill up to 30mph... He was doing maybe 15.. Lol...
OPTIBIKEs are for people who want to say, "Hey, look at me, I'm rich, and will spend money, just to prove I have it".
What a joke!

I'm guessing the performance is limited by law to some extent. What bugs me is that it sounds like a kid's power wheels car.

"The MSRP for this bike $11,995.00, but I am selling this bike for $8,750 used"

$8THOUSAND750DOLLARS

I am having trouble wrapping my mind around that price and still think we're talking about a bike that does 40 mph (64 kph).

I'm from Toronto... and now come to think of it, I may have seen a red one on Dundas and Bloor.

This is why forums such as this one are important. People need to get involved, read up and not fear from getting their hands a bit dirty and understand the basics of ebikes so to better identify a rippoff from a reasonable deal.


I have had the good fortune of experience:
Bought a prefabricated bike from Canadian Tire, turned to be a very bad build for $700. Returned it, got my money back. That was a nightmare. Conclusion, you want a sturdy, performing bike, you go to build it yourself.
Bought a $100 steel frame mountain bike and made it in an ebike based on my specifications, lifepo4 battery safe, light and reliable. Enjoying it very much. Conclusion: you want an ebike that does what you expect, build it yourself and expect to dish out $700 for the battery pack and controller alone. Overall price may come to $2000. But we're talking performance and sturdy components.


Now I see this optibike website and I learn one more lesson:


You want a bike based on specs in your wish list but don't want to build it yourself, expect to pay an exorbitant price.

The market works on the principle: if you can't build it and you really REALLY want it, then you pay the price listed. It also works on the principle of competition: if nobody else offers the same item, I can charge what I want.

When you choose not to do something yourself, you subject yourself to this type of environment.

What I should do is start getting into the ebike business and build bikes that do 60kph, 60km range, with a price tag of $2500. That's reasonable. And no, the battery will not be moulded into the frame; it will be uglier than the optibike. You want to mould the battery into the frame? Sure.. tharrl costa ya an extra $8 grand. Does that make sense?! Well... if nobody else is moulding their batteries into the frame the maybe I can charge that if you REALLY REALLY want your battery to be moulded into the frame.

I want to make sure I'm not ignorantly just posting negative reviews.. Here’s the official optibike website (http://www.optibike.com/Optibike-850R.html)if you're interested in knowing more about the bike.


:D ok, I'm done on this piece :p

Alfonso,
very , very good points you make in your post.
On Canadian Tire/Wallmart Chinese brands. Average Joe heard about those elecric bikes, he goes to Cn Tire see them , choose one, buy, starts to ride one, he forgets to charge Lead battery , bike dies and at the end he says -"so this is what electric bike is all about"-POC .
Canadian Tire and Wallmart types make great misservice to ebikes by selling very low quality ebikes.
I met some people on my way from work asking about my ebike,
they were surprised that battery alone on my ebike cost $750 and
even more surprised when I said my battery /LiFePo/ would easly last 10years.
Chinese brands are filling dumpsters of this world fast.
MC

He was doing maybe 15..

I doubt that jogger that beat him to the top of the hill was doing more than 3 or 4 mph.

Optibikes are made in a small facility and use some proprietary parts and mostly off the shelf parts. They are well made and the folks that make them take pride in their workmanship. They have been around for years now and have always sold for a high price and that price seems to be rising instead of falling which apparently fits their business plan and it is their rite to do business in their own way. I personally never have agreed with their business model but obviously enough have to be able to keep the companies doors open all these years. Good for them.

Would I buy one? No.

Optibike make about two dozen units a year.
It's a high tech bike for a very small target market.
Its price does not reflect value as much as exclusivity.
They are play things for the wealthy.

I doubt that jogger that beat him to the top of the hill was doing more than 3 or 4 mph.
Yeah, I noticed that too, but was giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Its price does not reflect value as much as exclusivity.
They are play things for the wealthy.

Ya think? LOL