How Many Miles Do Electric Bikes Last? (11 Examples)

Imagine being able to get rid of your car in favor of an electric bike.

Before you sell your vehicle, you may wonder how many miles you can get out of an electric bike.

Here’s How Many Miles Electric Bikes Last:

Quality electric bikes last up to 10,000 miles or more. Some lower-level models may last closer to 3,000 miles due to cheaper parts. However, many bike parts can be repaired or replaced to extend the overall lifespan.

How Long Do Different Electric Bike Parts Last?

Every electric bike is different, so it can be hard to predict how long a specific model will last.

Even if you know how long a bike has lasted for a friend, your life circumstances could affect the lifespan.

However, you can look into how long the different parts of an electric bike usually last. That can give you an idea of how much use you’ll get from your new eBike.

Battery

One of the most significant components is the electric bike’s battery.

The average battery lasts around 45 miles on a single charge, and you can usually recharge the battery up to 1,000 times for a total of 45,000 miles.

The battery may only last three years if you use your electric bike every day and take a long ride. However, more casual riders could get five years of use or more out of a battery.

Don’t let the battery lifespan keep you from using your current bike. Like a car, the battery in most eBikes can be replaced.

Then, you could get double the lifespan. Sure, the new battery may cost $500 or more, but it could still cost less than buying a new bike.

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Chains

The chain on an electric bike can last for as few as 2,000 miles or well over 3,000 miles.

For example, the average commuter might not need to change their chain for about 3,500 miles of riding.

Most riders can expect their chain to last for around a year or two. Now, if you ride your electric bike a lot, you might need to replace the chain twice per year or more.

The same is true even for more casual riders, especially if you don’t have a good storage spot for your bike.

If you have to leave it outside during the winter, rust may start to appear and break down the chain.

Tires

Tires may last for as few as 1,000 miles or as many as 5,000 miles, or about a year or two years.

I’d also note that the back tire wears out faster than the front tire due to extra strain.

The specific lifespan will vary on many of the same factors as the lifespan of other bike parts. If you take good care of your tires and buy a good-quality set, you may be able to make them last closer to 5,000 miles.

But if you go for the cheapest set, it may not last more than 1,000 miles. You’ll also want to consider where you ride and the damage the terrain can do to your tires.

Motor

We can’t forget about the electric bike’s motor.

Depending on the quality of the motor, it may last anywhere from 3,000 miles to well over 10,000 miles.

Direct drive hub motors tend to last longer than geared hub motors and mid-drive motors. That’s because the bearings are the only part of a direct drive hub motor that moves.

Since the other parts stay in place, there’s less of a chance of them getting out of place or breaking. Meanwhile, a geared hub motor spins faster and uses gears to move, and those could develop problems.

Meanwhile, mid-drive motors are connected to the crank. Compared to other motors, this one can wear down various parts of your bike, so you may need to replace it much more often than another type of motor.

Regardless of the motor, it could be damaged if you leave your bike outside in the rain or snow.

When the motor gets wet, it can short out and stop working.

Gears

In general, you can expect the gears of an electric bike to last as long as the bike does. Unfortunately, certain types of gears may need replacing more often.

You’ll find that gears near the front cog can incur a lot of damage, so they need more frequent replacements.

Also, the gears that keep the bike’s chain where it’s supposed to be don’t tend to last that long.

You can expect most gears to last for around three or four years. The good news is that you don’t have to take your bike to a professional to replace the gears; it’s easy enough to solve the problem yourself with a new set of gears.

Brakes

I can’t forget to mention that the average set of brakes can last around 2,000 miles.

This isn’t a hard and fast rule like many other electric bike parts.

If you tend to brake pretty hard, you may need new brakes more often than every 2,000 miles. On the other hand, if you use a light touch, you might be able to go longer between brake replacements.

The lifespan also depends on whether you ride on flat surfaces or down many hills.

If you tend to ride down more hills, you’ll use your brakes more and shorten the time between needing new ones.

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Other Factors Affecting the Lifespan of an Electric Bike

The bike parts can significantly affect how long your bike lasts.

However, you also need to buy the right eBike for you and take good care of it after your purchase.

Consider the following factors and how they may extend or shorten the lifespan of an electric bike.

Then, you’ll know what to do to get more use out of your bike.

Frequency of Use

It sounds obvious, but a commuter who rides their eBike daily will wear it down much faster than the occasional rider.

When you use the bike daily, you quickly put more miles on it.

But you also have to consider how much you ride it. If your commute is pretty short, you could still get many years out of a bike before needing an upgrade.

Compare that to someone who has to ride across town. They may only get a few years out of each electric bike, even after replacing the brakes, chains, and other parts.

Your Local Climate

If you live somewhere that gets a lot of rain or snow, your bike may not last as long. The water can get into the motor so that the bike stops working.

Storing your bike outside in the rain could also lead to the development of rust. Then, you’d need to replace the affected parts sooner than if you didn’t keep your bike in those conditions.

Ideally, you’d store your bike inside when you’re not using it.

If you don’t have another option for transportation, you may have to ride it when the weather isn’t ideal.

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Terrain in the Area

Another thing you’ll want to think about is where you ride.

Many commuters may only ride their bikes on flat streets, so you don’t have to worry about the location affecting your bike.

However, your commute may involve going up and down many hills. The downhill rides will require more use of the brakes, causing those to wear out faster.

The tires may not last long if you tend to ride your electric bike on trails or other uneven surfaces.

We can’t always control where we ride, so don’t let that keep you from trying an eBike. But you should know what you’re getting into.

Electric Bike Quality

Some electric bikes cost less than $1,000, while others top $10,000.

While it’s not a hard and fast rule, more expensive bikes are sometimes of better quality.

They use nicer parts that may last longer than those on a cheaper model. If you want your electric bike to last as long as possible, consider saving up as much as you can.

Check out reviews of different bikes to see how long they tend to last.

Then, you can review the upfront cost and do the math to figure out the cost per use.

Who knows, you may end up with a more expensive bike with a cheaper cost per use since it lasts much longer than a cheaper option.

Electric Bike Maintenance

No matter how much you spend on an eBike, you should invest time into caring for it.

Find a safe, secure storage location for when you aren’t using it.

Try not to press on the brakes too hard when you ride. Find smoother, flatter routes to take if you can do so.

These things can help with daily, at-home maintenance, but you’ll also want to look for a nearby bike shop for professional maintenance.

That way, if anything breaks, you can take it to the shop for a repair or replacement, and you can extend the lifespan of your bike.

How Many Miles to Expect from Electric Bikes on Average?

One of the best things about electric bikes is that many of the components are replaceable.

So while your tires may only last 1,000 miles, you can usually expect your bike to last much longer.

The average electric bike may last as long as 10,000 miles or even longer. Now, if you don’t take good care of it, you may need to buy a new bike after only 3,000 miles.

Consider everything from the bike parts to daily maintenance and care. Then, you may be able to expect to ride your bike farther before needing a new one.

How Many Miles Do High-End Electric Bikes Last?

High-end electric bikes can hit over 10,000 miles before needing to be replaced.

In most cases, higher-end models are built better than the entry-level bikes you’ll find for $1,000 or less.

The bike components may also be of higher quality, so they’ll last longer. Of course, the specific lifespan will still vary, but you shouldn’t have to buy a new high-end bike for at least a few years.

Some of these expensive models may even feature a direct drive hub motor.

As I mentioned earlier, that motor type has only a couple of moving parts, so it can wear down more slowly.

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How Big of a Role Does Weather Play?

The biggest concern related to weather is water, such as from rain or snow.

If the battery or motor are exposed to water, the water can get inside and short out the electrical parts.

Water vapor and steam can also increase oxidation and make the chains rust more quickly. Unfortunately, not everyone has room in their garage or another covered area to store their electric bike.

You can still ride an eBike if you have to store it outside, but you may want to look for a tarp or cover to keep the bike from getting wet when a storm hits.

What is Typically the First Thing to Break on Electric Bikes?

When it comes to normal use, the tires and brakes are the first two things that can break on an electric bike.

Some tires wear out after around 1,000 miles; if you tend to brake heavily, your brakes won’t be far behind.

However, the bike’s battery may also be the first to fail. If you use a non-standard charger, the battery may overheat and even start a fire.

Even if you always use the included charger, the battery could break if it gets dropped. You’ll probably never drop a bike battery, but the bike may fall over.

If it crashes hard, the impact might affect the battery. So be sure you take extra care when handling your bike, and always keep the official charger on hand.

How Much Does it Cost to have Electric Bikes Fixed?

The cost to fix an electric bike depends on the specific model and the problem at hand.

For example, if you need a new battery, the battery alone will cost $500 to $900.

On the other hand, new bike tires may only cost $40 to $50, and a chain may cost less than $30. But you’ll also need to pay as much as $100 or $150 for labor.

In some cases, you could cut out the labor cost and replace the part yourself, such as when replacing gears, which cost a few hundred dollars.

Each year, you can expect to spend around $300 on average if you take your bike to a shop. That includes the cost of parts and labor and is averaged out over the lifespan of a bike.

Some years, the cost may be lower, and in other years, the cost may be higher.

Is It Worth it to Buy an Expensive Brand?

Buying an expensive electric bike may be well worth it for some people. If you plan on using the bike as your primary mode of transportation, it’s definitely worth the cost.

You may even save money after deducting the cost of gas or a taxi or rideshare service.

While you may wear through the bike sooner, it’s often worth it for daily use.

On the other hand, maybe you aren’t sure how much you’ll use it, especially in the winter. If you don’t suspect you’ll use the eBike that much, you may want to opt for a cheaper model.

That way, you can give it a try to see if you like it. You can always upgrade to an expensive brand once you confirm that you’ll get good use out of your purchase.

Sources

How Long Do Electric Bike Motors Last?

How Long Do eBikes Last?

How Long Does an Electric Bike Last?