Buying an E-Bike

What I learned buying an electric bike in Paris

I’m back on a bike!

The first time I rode an e-bike was about six or so years ago. They weren’t so well-known at the time, but a friend who lived in the 13th arrondissement got one for the trips she frequently made to the center of the city. We met her early one evening in the square in front of the Louvre, and when I was intrigued by her bike, she let me hop on it to take it for a spin. By the time I pedaled one revolution of the wheels, I took off, feeling like a superhero; with very little effort, I was moving faster than I’d imagined. Putting a damper on things, immediately a guard came rushing after me to make me stop. Since then, e-bikes have become a lot more common in Paris, with the city encouraging citizens to give them a go. (Although not in the cour carré in front of the Louvre.)

Over the years I’ve had a few standard bikes in Paris, and while bicycling is a pretty good way of getting around the city, when e-bikes arrived on the scene, many people hopped on them, especially since the city of Paris and the Île-de-France region offer financial incentives; a generous €400-600 by the city of Paris, and more from the region, if you buy one**. After losing a few regular bikes to scoundrels, I finally just bought a cheap bike, thinking no one would steal that…and that got stolen, too. That, plus I soured on them after being hit by a motor scooter driver who quickly buzzed away while onlookers came to my aid—I wasn’t hurt but was miffed that the connard took off—and I soured off bicycling, even though it’s a great way to get around the city.

When Covid made the crowded (and unventilated) métros and buses less-desirable places, many people switched to e-bikes and are out and about on them, and there are several companies that rent them by the month, making it easier than ever to get my derrière on an e-bike, I thought I’d hop back on and take e-biking for a spin. Depending on where you live, Paris is a relatively flat city, with a few exceptions, and while it caused some grumbling from locals, the city has created a vast network of bike lanes, many open only to bicyclists, making it safer as well, although you still need to remain alert for other bicyclists and electric vehicles.

For residents of Paris, the Véligo allows you to rent an e-bike for 6 months for €40 ($40) per month to see if you like it, for up to six months. The idea is to get people to become accustomed to e-bikes. The Vélib bike system in Paris also has e-bikes available (currently for €8,30/month), but there have been some problems over the years, which I was told have yet to be ironed out, although I do see plenty of people riding them, likely due to the affordable price.

My entry into e-bikes was when I started shopping around and asked readers about their e-bike experiences on Instagram, and Swapfiets in Paris reached out to me and asked if I wanted to give one of their e-bikes a try. Judging by all the bright blue tires in town, Swapfiets bikes, which are known for their blue-striped tires, are very popular in Paris. After an unfortunate experience (i.e., an accident) on an electric scooter, my neighbor also has one and is happy with it.

Other companies renting bikes in Paris include Dance, Motto, Red Will, and Décathalon. In addition to not necessarily having to make a long-term commitment—some rent by the month or year—another upside is that insurance and repairs are often included or can be added on. The Swapfiet bike I had was equipped with GPS, a feature they’re rolling out on their bikes, so in case it gets stolen, they assured me it is recoverable. (Other tech-savvy bikes, like VanMoof and Cowboy, also have tracking devices in them.) The Swapfiet e-bikes range from €59 to €79/month. The lower-cost Swapfiet bike I got didn’t come with a handlebar lock, and with the heavy front basket attached, I had a few close calls with the heavy bike toppling over when I was parking it.

E-bikes are heavier than regular bikes, which makes them more stable. I tried a few of the folding bikes, an Ahooga at their shop and my friend’s Brompton, which are design marvels but didn’t feel very stable to me, especially with the smaller wheels that turn quickly when you turn the handlebars. You probably get used to it, but my neighbor told me, “You want to make sure you feel very comfortable on your bike,” although my friend loves his Brompton.

I tried the Vélair bikes, which are well-priced and seemingly always on sale. They sell them at chain stores like Darty where you can’t try them; Romain tried to take one for a spin around the store, which prompted several clerks to go rushing after him. They now have a shop at Nation, and while the staff is nice, I was a little put off by the low price. I didn’t need the most expensive bike, but I wanted to make sure the one I got was well-made and solid.

I didn’t want to have any problems with my bike, like I had when I bought a Momo bike online from Veepee, a flash shopping website in France, and it arrived with the brakes attached at an angle that made them almost impossible to use. The bike wasn’t just defective, it was dangerous. After six months of wrangling with the folks at the website, they finally agreed that there was a problem as they had to recall a number of the bikes. When they finally picked up the bike, I got an email the next day, saying that my request for reimbursement was refused. When I managed to get a hold of their customer service people, which was a feat as they don’t have a telephone number, they said, “Oh, we just automatically send those out to anyone who asks for a refund.” 😵‍💫

I test rode a Moustache bike at the friendly Cyclabe store in the 12th. A few readers recommended the bike, which was fine, but it wasn’t for me. They let me try a Kalkoff bike, which also wasn’t right for me. There was a VanMoof store near me, and I was intrigued by them. Their bikes have the battery integrated into the frame, so you don’t have to take it out or worry about it getting stolen, although you do need to plug your bike directly into an outlet to charge the battery, so you need to have secure parking with access to an outlet. The bike changes speeds for you automatically and was a dream to ride. (They’re in the middle of changing models, but I found their smaller model of the bike a lot easier to ride than the larger one.) It felt very comfortable to me, but a Paris vlogger had some technical issues with his (around the 4:11mn mark), and it was hard to find accurate reviews online.

I did worry that if there was an issue, the only recourse was to take it back to their store, even though they have a “peace of mind” service plan that’s approximately €350 for three years. Having had my share of tech problems over the past few years, I finally decided to pass on the trendy VanMoof.

Reading reviews and information online was hard as many reviewers seem to have been given bikes by companies. But still, you can usually read through the lines, and I didn’t take any too seriously that sounded like an ad or if they were someone who got a free bike in exchange for a post. I planned to spend between €3000 to €3500, and while some of the Vélair bikes were under €1000, as are the Elops bikes, after my Momo experience, I took a pass on trying to save some money.

The Cannondale Treadwell NEO bikes were well-priced and from a trusted bike-maker, but I couldn’t find one in France. A fellow at the Ecox shop in Paris recommended this one, which was more expensive, but I took it for a test ride and wasn’t as impressed as I thought I’d be.

I ended up getting a Giant bike at the Giant store in the 12th, which is an owner-run shop where I’d gone twice before to take test rides before deciding on the right one for me. They steered me away from the least-expensive model, which didn’t come equipped with lights on it, and helped me pick out the right baskets and lock for the next model up. And while the Giant website points people toward one particular bike insurance company, they recommended another insurance company, which they said their other clients were very happy with. Pro tip: Right after I made an estimate inquiry via the Assurance Vélo website, the company sent me a promo code for 15% off too, which I used. They also called me three times to make sure I was satisfied. (Wow!)

In France, one doesn’t necessarily take customer service for granted, and it’s another area where “you get what you pay for,” so it was important for me to know that I could get help if I had a problem with my bike.

When I went to pick up my bike, they spent a lot of time with me making sure the bike fit me. I didn’t know that, unlike a non-electric bike where you generally want to have your legs more extended when pedaling, e-bikes work better when your legs are bent a bit more, for more effective pedaling. I questioned that, but after riding the bike for a few days, the guy who fitted the bike for me was right. He also told me for the first few days, I should avoid pumping the brakes and that it was better to break them in while pressing the brakes continuously. And who knew it was better to plug the charger into the battery…then plug the charger into the wall? And also, to wait until it’s at 20-25% before recharging it?

Also, unlike other bikes, when I change gears on my Giant bike, I should not be pedaling, which can damage the gears. (Good to know, too!) And when the guy demonstrated the Walk Assist feature on my bike, which electronically helps you push the bike up a steep incline, I thought, “That’s silly. Who’d use that?” Well, I’ve been using it since the bike storage room in our building is two stories underground and there are two rather steep ramps to get out. So that’s a feature you might consider if buying an e-bike.

And at the risk of sounding like an ad*, I appreciate that my bike has handgrips with wrist rests so I don’t get fatigued riding it, and it also has a suspension fork (fourche), which makes riding over cobblestone streets comfier. If you get an e-bike, consider one with a suspension system—your périnée will thank you, especially if you live in a city that’s old, or constantly under construction, as Paris is.

One question I get asked: Is it safe to ride a bike in Paris?

In spite of how people are (rightfully) scared of Paris traffic and drivers, many people in Paris who drive cars also have bikes, so they are more aware of them and don’t have the same aggressive attitude towards people on bikes.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for people who ride motor scooters, many of whom don’t understand or follow some of the basic rules of traffic, or courtesy. Ditto with electric scooter drivers, who you also have to be on the lookout for. Some young folks pile two people on a single scooter or Velib bike, which wobble precariously as they ride down the bike lanes. (I’m often afraid for them as they don’t appear to be well-balanced on the vehicles.) Bicyclists are expected to follow the same rules of the road as other vehicles, but some still whiz through red lights, occasionally make a shortcut via a sidewalk, or go off-script in other ways, too. So you need to remain alert.

Oops! Dude, you’re going the wrong way…

While a car can certainly cause more harm, I’ve had more close calls with young people on bikes swerving and riding extremely fast than with automobiles. In some cases, if I’d have tilted my bike in the bike lane just a few inches, I would have crashed into one of the cyclists passing me at very high speeds. And while pedestrians have the right of way in Paris, some linger in the bike lanes to chat with friends, and drivers open doors without looking (and there are also broken bottles and other debris on the streets), so while the bike lanes are supposed to be safer, you still need to be on your toes!

My bike…out in the wild

A few more tips…

1. Get your bike from a quality dealer. You want to be able to take the bike for a test ride and have someone take the time to explain the details of the bike, as well as be there for service later. Some bikes are sold partially assembled, and I don’t know about you, but the last thing I trust myself to do is assemble a bike. When I went to pick it up, my bike was ready to ride.

2. Get a good lock. Plan to spend at least €50-60 ($50-60) for a lock. (Mine was €79.) If you get insurance, they’ll probably insist that you buy a good lock. My insurance company has a list of “approved” locks from various companies and you have to use one of them in order to make a claim in case your bike gets stolen. Mine also insisted that the lock weigh at least 1,2kg and be attached to something solid.

3. Get a rear-view mirror. The bike lanes in Paris can get crowded, and with all sorts of bikes, electric scooters, cargo bikes, and delivery vehicles zipping around, you not only need to know what’s going on in front of you, but it’s a good idea to know what’s next to you and behind. I knew my €29 rear-view mirror is likely going to get swiped at some point, but was surprised when just one day after I wrote this, I saw someone trying to steal it while we were having dinner in a restaurant. The guy was well-dressed, had a nice e-bike, and a screwdriver in his hand—and was attempting to unscrew it. When I ran out to confront him, he looked at me, smiled, shrugged…and rode away.

4. Consider a “step-in” bike. When I was growing up, bikes with lower top tubes on the frame were considered “women’s bikes.” But for many of us, they make getting on and off a bike a lot more comfortable. Some e-bikes specifically feature a low “step-in” model so you don’t need to lift your leg high over a bar (or tube), or over the back of the bike, to get on the saddle. My initial rental e-bike was a step-in model, but the bar was still too high for me, and it was easier for me to swing my leg over the back of the bike than to squeeze my leg over the top tube. Once again, testing a bike first will let you get a feel for how comfortable it is to get on and off.

5. Get a bike with a good battery. An e-bike technician told me that Bosch was the gold standard, but Giant is a trusted brand so I have confidence in the battery I got. Go in purchasing an e-bike with the realization that, depending on how safe it is where you live, you might want (or have to) lug the heavy, bulky battery around with you while shopping, dining out, etc., as they do get swiped. Almost all batteries have key locks, but a good thief can get any battery off a bike, and they’re expensive to replace.

6. Consider insurance. Like many major cities, Paris has a problem with bike theft, and a bike thief can unlock and take a bike in 13 seconds. While the general rule is to buy insurance only for things that you can’t afford to replace, I sleep better knowing that I have it. (Although this is usually when someone chimes in with a bad bike insurance story.) I went with Assurances Vélo, which was recommended by the bike shop, and since I purchased it on my own, they weren’t recommending it to get a commission.

I get the middle-tier Serenité coverage, which has no franchise (deductible). It cost €200 for complete coverage for a year, and in a country where 40,000 bikes are stolen each year (and those are just those that are reported to the authorities), it seemed like a good idea. If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, check to see if you have coverage there.

7. Wear a helmet. Yup, no one looks good in a bike helmet. But like dentistry and plastic surgery, safety is a place where you don’t want to skimp.

*I didn’t get a free bike or a discount on my bike, although Romain talked them into throwing in the basket.

**Note that filling out the online forms to get the subventions (rebates) is somewhat onerous and you’ll need to compile a dossier of information to submit everything from proof of residence (an electric bill, for example), serial numbers, model numbers, proof of anti-vol (anti-theft) markings, a receipt from where you got the bike and their SIRET numbers, as well as a declaration of conformity and a RIB with your bank information…as well answer a lot (as in, several pages) of questions for residents of the Île-de-France.

It took me about 2 hours and if you live in Paris, you’ll want to apply for the subvention (rebate) on the Paris.fr website first, before tackling the much longer form for the Île-de-France, which requires proof you’ve already filled out the forms for the Ville de Paris—which is why you’ll want to do those first. (I got an immediate confirmation from the Ville de Paris via email with a confirmation number on it.) You’ll also need to register an account with both Paris.fr and Île-de-France Mobilités, creating user names and passwords for both, in order to access the forms and submit them.