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Welcome to Flywheel, a weekly exploration of the owned and used micromobility. Each newsletter will highlight an observation of trends emerging in the industry and feature five of the most interesting used vehicles being sold in the secondary market.

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The observation of the week explores the average MSRP and degradation (vs. MSRP) of ebikes in the secondary market. This week’s featured vehicles are two longtail cargo bikes, two emotorcycle-esque scramblers, and a step-through two-seater ebike.

Observation of the Week

Average MSRP and Average Degradation

The secondary market is a great lens into the micromobility market as a whole, and is an interesting proxy for the adoption and consumer behavior of vehicles already in the market today.

The average new vehicle MSRP of listings in the secondary market is $2,467.11, which is roughly in line with my belief that the sweet spot for ebike prices that will lead to mass market adoption is in the $1,500 to $2,500 range. For context, some of the familiar ebikes that are priced around this $2,467.11 average MSRP include VanMoof’s S3 or X3, Rad Power’s RadWagon or RadRover, Trek’s Verve+ 2, Juiced’s CrossCurrent X or Ripcurrent S, and Magnum’s Pathfinder.

On average, used vehicles lose 25.38% of their original MSRP in value when resold in the secondary market. While degradation by mile ridden isn’t necessarily linear, that suggests a rough degradation of 0.069% of the original MSRP per mile.

The Top 10 brands whose vehicles degrade the least vs. their original MSRP, adjusted for the brands’ average mileages:

For more observations and resources on owned and used micromobility, check out rideflywheel.com/resources.

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Top 5 Vehicles of the Week

1. Tern HSD S8i | $3,200 | LA

The Tern HSD S8i is a premium class-1 longtail cargo bike and a compact urban workhorse. Compared to its highly popular GSD sister line, Tern’s HSD line is a set of more affordable vehicles. The S8i is the lightest ebike in the HSD lineup. Its powertrain features a 50Nm Bosch Active Line mid-drive motor and a 400Wh Bosh Powerpack, and is combined with a Gates Carbon belt drive and an 8-speed Nexus internally geared hub. There’s also a custom suspension fork, which pairs with the vehicle’s 20” tires to make the S8i both comfortable and highly maneuverable. The S8i stands out for being able to haul heavy payloads (max capacity of 375lbs) with an ultra compact and highly portable form factor. It weighs less than most ebikes (55.9lbs), is only 68.5” long, has folding handlebars, and can be stood up on its rear so that it can be stored vertically. Tern is one of the most reliable and high-quality OEMs in the market, and their vehicles can be serviced at most bike shops. This listing was submitted by a Flywheel reader. It has a mileage of only 687mi, and comes with validated proof of purchase as well as a series of cargo accessories (panniers, luggage truss, and basket). Contact Flywheel at [email protected] or reply to the newsletter to be connected with the seller.

2. Onyx RCR | $4,500 | LA

The Onyx RCR is an ebike/emoped scrambler that provides emotorcycle-esque performance at the price of an ebike. Its powertrain features a thunderous 182Nm rear hub motor and a 1.66kWh battery pack, allowing the RCR to hit a max speed of 60mph in off-road mode. Despite this monstrous powertrain, the RCR still feels fairly planted, stable, and comfortable to ride because it’s augmented with a front suspension fork and a dual rear coilover suspension system. The RCR, and many of the other high-speed ebike scramblers that have become popular in the market, are in a regulatory gray zone that is confusing and potentially unsafe for both riders and those they share the road with. Some states allow the RCR to be used as an ebike without the license and registration requirements of a moped or motorcycle because it has pedals and class-2/class-3 street-legal modes. However, they don’t have any enforcement measures to ensure that riders keep their RCR in its <28mph street-legal mode. I think it’s important that regulators realize that these types of hybrid micromobility vehicles with high speed capabilities are becoming more popular and have meaningful utility. While I don’t think that capping the max speeds they can hit is necessarily the best solution (most cars have a max speed that is well above the speed limits of any road they drive on), I do believe that regulators need to think critically about how road space is allocated to different vehicle form factors given the growing adoption of these types of ebike/emotorcycle hybrids. This listing has a moderately high mileage of 1877.9mi, but it has been stored indoors and its battery has been properly cared for as per Onyx’s intstructions. Listing can be found here.

3. Super73 ZX | $4,600 | NYC

The Super73 ZX is a class-2/class-3 hybrid scrambler. A moderate upgrade to Super73’s popular base model Z, the ZX is a slightly larger vehicle with improved LZRD tires (4.5” front, 5” rear) for better cornering and grip. The powertrain also has slightly higher performance, featuring a 600W (~35Nm) rear hub motor and a swappable 615Wh battery pack. Many found the Z series to be a bit underpowered for regular commuting or city riding, so the ZX has become a goldilocks option for fans of the Super73 brand and aesthetic that is slightly more powerful. This listing takes this a bit further, and is an ultra-modded rendition of the ZX. Its powertrain has been upgraded with a 3000W rear hub motor, an improved motor controller, and a 2.88kWh battery pack, all of which fundamentally give it emotorcycle-esque speed, torque and range. To manage this performance that is drastically different from what the ZX was originally designed for, the listing also features upgraded motorcycle tires, a suspension fork, and hydraulic brakes. There’s also a few improved accessories that help with other functionality, like a more powerful light, better pedals and pegs, and an autobrake light sensor. This listing isn’t for everyone, but is an excellently built modded ZX for daredevils. A video by the seller going into more details about these mods can be found here. Listing can be found here.

4. Fucare Libra | $1,299 | LA

The Fucare Libra is a budget, moped-style class-2/class-3 hybrid two-seater ebike. Its powertrain features an 80Nm rear hub motor and a 960Wh battery pack, giving it a max speed of 31mph and a 400lb payload capacity. The Libra is designed to be a two-seater right out of the box, and comes with an integrated rear passenger rack in addition to its high-torque and high-payload capacity powertrain. A front suspension fork and a rear coilover suspension also come standard with the vehicle, which combine nicely with the 20” by 4” “urban tires” to make the Libra really comfortable for both the rider and the passenger. The vehicle’s peddling is also surprisingly effective and comfortable, which is rare for these types of moped-style ebikes. One notable concern with the Libra is its mechanical disc brakes, which are to be expected given the budget price point but are worth keeping in mind for those planning heavy use with two passengers. The Libra’s closest competitor is the Rad Power RadRunner 2. In addition to being $200 more expensive, the RadRunner also can only carry 300lbs, has a smaller battery, is slower, and doesn’t come with passenger accessories (cost an additional $109). Ultimately, the Libra is a high-value ebike that provides unbelievable utility and performance for an extremely low price. This listing is sold by LA bike shop 562 Ebikes. It’s brand new in box, comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty, and can even be bought assembled by 562 Ebikes for an additional $100. Listing can be found here.

5. Kona Ute | $3,500 | Denver

The Kona Ute is a class-1 longtail and an amply capable minivan replacement. Its powertrain features a strong 85Nm Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive motor and 500Wh Bosch PowerPack. The Ute’s standout feature is its ~85” wheelbase, which is longer than that of your average longtail cargo bike and makes the Ute ultra stable when hauling cargo. Additionally, as Kona’s rich mountain biking history would suggest, the Ute is surprisingly agile and easy to carve despite its long frame. That being said, the length and rear-heavy nature of the Ute make it cumbersome to maneuver and store/park. This listing has a Flywheel estimated mileage of 342.57mi, and offers a second battery pack for an additional $650. Listing can be found here.

That’s it for this edition. Thanks again for joining, see you next week!

- Puneeth Meruva

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