Has ANYONE bought a BionX kit?

[vectra]

Hi.
Still chasing a bike or kit however I have a couple of thoughts about the retail price of the BionX kits.

Now, I have no knowledge of the development costs, production costs, distribution costs, marketing costs or any idea of manufacturers margins or retailers margins. I'm looking at this ONLY from my viewpoint as a potential customer.

It seems to me that the retail price of this kit is 40-50% above a price structure that would immediately enable a significant market. As I stated above I'm not considering any other costs other than the cost to me the end user. I base my statement on 1. Comparison costs with other kits which actually exist. and 2. Comparision costs with ready-built bikes already fitted with either the BionX system or other "comparable" systems.

So, my questions are: Has anyone purchased this kit or does anyone know of someone who has purchased the kit? Is there actually a market out there at these prices?

I just can't bring myself to lay out some £1200.00-£1650.00 for this kit even if it is a decent one!

Regards
vectra

 

[flecc]

Member Nick bought a 350 watt kit from Canada about 3 years ago and remains pleased with it.

They are very high quality and at a time when Li-ion batteries were failing everywhere at well short of 2 years, several BionX owners reported their li-ion batteries going strong at up to three years and still ok. The downside of that is the battery price of course, a major reason why the kit is so expensive.

Incidentally, it's not commonly known that for many years BionX had their batteries made in Germany, unlike all the others which used Oriental production, something I only found out when the German factory had a disastrous fire completely gutting it. They may be Oriental now, but since the Far East has caught up on battery quality now that's not so important.

Other than Nick, member Tex in Australia has at least a pair of BionX equipped bikes.
.

 

[NRG]

Purely from a personal perspective as good as I'm sure the Bionx kits are I would simply not pay that much. If you are considering that amount of money I would look long and hard at a Panasonic powerd bike especially the E-Motion and Kalkhoff bikes...

 

[Tex]

My two 350 kits (one restricted to 200watts) are going fine after about two years. Hardly any battery fade. I'd avoid the 500watt motor - two have blown on me. Otherwise the single best kit out there: natural feeling, infinitely programable, a great and detailed display, regenerative, easy to fit, classy.

Not for tinkerers tho: it's a closed system although some on other forums have hacked them.

Photos of my two in the link below.

 

[HarryB]

I agree that I wouldn't pay for the kit - it is completely overpriced to the extent that I think they are taking the mickey. When I did some research (and I was very keen on the Bionx) I found that there are Bionx equipped bikes that are on the market or coming on the market that are less than the kit price or at the same price. You can buy from a dealer and get the full support (and I have heard stories of Bionx not having good customer support). Another reason not to buy a kit as it only encourages them! If nobody bought the ruddy things then they would have to supply them at a reasonable cost.

You can get the Trek FX+ at anything from £1000 to £1400. The kit price is from £1400 but you have to provide your own bike.

 

[Tim]

Purely from a personal perspective as good as I'm sure the Bionx kits are I would simply not pay that much. If you are considering that amount of money I would look long and hard at a Panasonic powerd bike especially the E-Motion and Kalkhoff bikes...

And Kalkhoff have their own version of a BionX-powered bike coming soon, the Image B27 with 48V battery and HT version of the system.

Kalkhoff Image B27 BionX Electric Bike

Very much looking forward to these arriving and putting one in the shop.

By the way, we'll be moving to a much more suitable, much larger premises in Loughborough shortly within yards of a gigantic humpback bridge that goes over the Midland Mainline, and then into open, rolling countryside. Details of the new place to follow, we're very excited about it.

 

[vectra]

And Kalkhoff have their own version of a BionX-powered bike coming soon, the Image B27 with 48V battery and HT version of the system.

Kalkhoff Image B27 BionX Electric Bike

Very much looking forward to these arriving and putting one in the shop.

By the way, we'll be moving to a much more suitable, much larger premises in Loughborough shortly within yards of a gigantic humpback bridge that goes over the Midland Mainline, and then into open, rolling countryside. Details of the new place to follow, we're very excited about it.

Hi.
Yes the B27. I've already shortlisted this one in the stepthrough. Looks to have a unique combination of derailleur, battery, quality and weight that I'm looking for. Only question I have at the moment is to whether the battery positioning interferes with or alters leg movement!

As for the Emotion 700+ at £1600.00. I can buy this direct from Spain at £1318.00 plus £50.00 postage (1529 Euro)so there certainly seems some room for discussion on price in the U.K yet with only one agent I'm sure they will stick on price! (Euro calculated at 1.16). I was quite interested in the 700+ however can't help feeling it's overpriced in comparison with Trek/Kalkhoff.

When are you expecting the B27 and will you have a stepthrough available for test ride?

Many thanks.
Regards
vectra

 

[HarryB]

And Kalkhoff have their own version of a BionX-powered bike coming soon, the Image B27 with 48V battery and HT version of the system.

Kalkhoff Image B27 BionX Electric BikeI am hoping you will get this txt
Very much looking forward to these arriving and putting one in the shop.

By the way, we'll be moving to a much more suitable, much larger premises in Loughborough shortly within yards of a gigantic humpback bridge that goes over the Midland Mainline, and then into open, rolling countryside. Details of the new place to follow, we're very excited about it.

The weedy battery would put be off. By the way under battery capacity you have put 48v which makes comparisons more difficult.

 

[AndyOfTheSouth]

It will be interesting to know what the battery will cost.

The UK Bionx distributer is presently only showing one 48v battery and that costs £1199.

Search Results

 

[flecc]

You can get the Trek FX+ at anything from £1000 to £1400. The kit price is from £1400 but you have to provide your own bike.

And historically not alone in that. The SRAM Sparc equipped Carrera model that Halfords were selling about a year ago cost the same circa £700 of the kit.

I suppose it's a case of BionX and SRAM happy to have a moderate margin for low admin bulk sales.

Certainly the BionX battery prices have always been shocking. Over three years ago when rival 36 volt 10 Ah li-ion typically cost £250*, the BionX one was double at £500.

* Happy days, we thought £250 was shocking for a good li-ion battery then.
.

 

[vectra]

It will be interesting to know what the battery will cost.

The UK Bionx distributer is presently only showing one 48v battery and that costs £1199.

Search Results

Hi. Just looked at your link to BionX battery prices. Are they kidding?

I wonder if this kit will disappear off the market this year because of lack of take-up. Shame, as reports are it's a decent piece of kit however it's NOT that decent to allow it to be marketed at such hugely inflated prices.
Regards
vectra

 

[flecc]

Please remember everyone critical of the BionX kit price that the Heinzmann kits are this sort of price too, and they've been selling bike motor kits for over 90 years and show no signs of going out of business.

Plus, although the Heinzmann manufacturing quality is also high, their brush motors are not very refined and far from sophisticated, behind BionX in these respects.
.

 

[mechaniker]

flecc is absolut right,

the battery of bionx or the motor of Heinzman is higher quality as other´s so you cant only say the price is to high, you must look at the facts and a sony konion battery you cant buy for a few USD in china as you can pay for a cheap phylion battery what is on many bike´s assembled. Bionx is regenerating energy, sure this is not a big deal but if you do this on the Phylion it is only question of time when the battery is damaged. You need this high Price battery.
The Motor of Heinzman is manufatured in Europe, of corse the price is higher but you can not complain about that europe stuff is more expencive as china stuff, or would you like to go for china sallery to work

The experience of bionx and heinzman is well and the climbing ability of Heinzman is much higher as a china Motor.

You must say quality have a price and european production have a price and everybody must decide by himself whether he want/can pay this or not.
Also on other products we must decide, we want european production or want give away all our jobs to china. It is good that some People with bigger wallet decide to buy european stuff.

One word as a China Motor salesman, the price for Heinzman quality must be higher as for China Motors because the distance in quality is also high, and i know what i´m talking about ;-)

Bionx have a bit to much software trouble in my eyes but the power of a bionx is higher as on a bafang
Now the new Bosch Motor is produced in france, surely the price is much higher as a bafang motor.

regards
frank

 

[vectra]

And Kalkhoff have their own version of a BionX-powered bike coming soon, the Image B27 with 48V battery and HT version of the system.

Kalkhoff Image B27 BionX Electric Bike

Very much looking forward to these arriving and putting one in the shop.

By the way, we'll be moving to a much more suitable, much larger premises in Loughborough shortly within yards of a gigantic humpback bridge that goes over the Midland Mainline, and then into open, rolling countryside. Details of the new place to follow, we're very excited about it.

Hi
Having taken a look at the prices of a battery for the Kalkhoff B27 and Trek T500+ and Trek T80+ (assuming they both use a BionX battery?); it appears that I need to eliminate both bikes from my shortlist. Pity, both look like nice bikes. Moving more and more towards a kit; possibly Alien 36V.

I could change my decision should the battery price for either the B27 or T500 be sub £400.00?

Thank you.
Regards
vectra

 

[Nick]

I've had a Bionx 350 for over three years, my wife's had hers for a couple I think. We bought them from NyceWheels in New York for about £1000 each and have been very satisfied with the purchases - good quality kit, great service from NyceWheels. Not cheap, as people have said, but I've recouped the costs in fuel and a company cycle to work scheme, and none of the other bikes I looked at did it for me.

The battery on mine is now past its best - it did well till about 30 months I think, and still does OK but the drop in capacity is now noticeable. Not sure what to do about a new one though.

 

[HarryB]

Nope - still not sold on the idea of a Bionx kit. 30 months is not significantly better given the price difference between most other batteries. I still think it has priced itself into a niche market - nothing wrong with that but not for me - either the kit or the Kalkhoff B27 for that matter.

 

[mechaniker]

...30 months is not significantly better given the price difference between most other batteries. I still think it has priced itself into a niche market - nothing wrong with that but not for me - either the kit or the Kalkhoff B27 for that matter.

sorry but this is to relevate,
a cheap battery like phylion or the the cheap panasonic cells what is selled at Portapower would not survive 12month on a bionx, this make the difference.
Also they would not be able to give the incredible starting torque of the bionx because for this you need a battery what is able to send 3c to the motor without feeling of "rubber-power"

as i said, look behind the fact´s and then you can decide and argument against bionx system

I understand to dont buy a bionx but the argument should not be based on wrong fact´s

I also wouldnt buy a bionx but this have other reasons

regards
frank

 

[HarryB]

cheap panasonic cells what is selled at Portapower would not survive 12month on a bionx,

I am exactly correct. Originally users were expecting 5 years so tiring after half that is very disappointing. I am afraid. 30 months is not long enough for the price ... end of story. It is not relevant to me that the bionx system requires batteries rated at 3C. That is just a limitation of the bionx system using direct drive. As a consumer I buy the package of motor and battery and it cannot compete. So a great system but as a said a niche market.

 

[Cyclezee]

I bought a slightly used PL-350 kit for less than half the original cost of importing from NYCE Wheels. It was very easy and quick to install, had lots of power and was quite versatile. The downside for me was range if used on level 3 or 4 power setting and the cost of a spare battery was and is just ridiculously expensive. You can buy an entire Ezee kit with 14 Ah battery for the same money as a Bionx 10Ah battery on it's own.

J hn

 

[mechaniker]

... end of story.

sorry, this is your point of fewing but this is not the point of everyone.

Understand right, i´m relly not a fan of bionx-system because there is to much trouble in this system and the support is also not what i eccpect from such expencive system but...

i´m a man with technic intrest and from this point of viewing Bionx is a intresting system with a lot of advance in relation to the cheap china products. And as i said, if you have money to buy a bionx system, why not

a Volkswagen also drive from a-->b but with a ferrari you can drive faster and feel the power if you drive from a-->b the question is whether for this feeling is it a good idea to pay the double price?
so bionx is the double price of china Product, if i would follow your argument nobody would buy a ferrari but it isnt this way.
What i mean is that everybody have his own view and arguments why he buy or would like to have or would never buy...
and bionx is one of the most selled ebike system, so i would not say it is a niche product and it shows that many people dont follow your point of view, because we are human and verybody, thank god, is different in his viewing

regards
frank