Marya Hart
Cody Lettice is the founder and proprietor of Mobile Ebike Service LLC, Minnesota’s first dedicated mobile ebike service center. He has years of experience in bike and ebike repair, and offers services ranging from flat repair to rebuilding dead batteries. His website mobileebikeservice.com also features an ever-growing library of educational articles.
How’s business?
This first year is going better than I anticipated. It’s rewarding to resolve ebike issues, especially for complex electrical or battery issues (my favorite to work on), as I genuinely want to see people enjoy their ebikes.
What’s the biggest mistake people make when buying an ebike?
Spending too much or not enough. The sweet spot for most ebikes seems to be between $1,800 and $5,500. If you spend $15k, there are diminishing returns, and below $1,000 you might get a questionable battery, frame, brakes, or wheels. A good rule of thumb: Never buy a battery from Amazon, ebay or Chinese direct websites.
How can a consumer evaluate components and build?
Read reviews of the components. If the bike is a good deal, with a well-built and safe battery, great fitting frame and reliable motor, the cheaper components that come pre-installed could later be swapped with higher-end parts.
What marketing tactics should people be aware of when shopping for an ebike?
Proprietary electronics, since I’m a supporter of Right to Repair, as a safeguard to real environmentalism. And battery range is often exaggerated by around 10%-25%. “40 miles per charge” really means, “up to 40.”
Should a person buy from a local dealer or directly from the manufacturer?
I lean towards physical stores. It helps local small businesses, and typically there's a level of quality involved. But not everyone will carry what you want, and sometimes that savings online is helpful, so there is a place for both.
Do you have favorite brands?
I’m a fan of custom built units and choosing certain components for certain applications. Grin Technologies is my go-to for custom kits, parts, and their wonderful educational resources.