The process is simple and is designed to get cash for your e-bike quickly. You will first fill out all the required information about your e-bike, including details and photos, to help our experts get a complete picture. Our experts will then review your details within 12 hours, validate the bike model, and confirm your offer. Once the offer is confirmed, you just have to schedule your free pick-up and prepare your bike for shipping. After we receive and inspect your bike, we trigger payment right away. You'll receive your funds within 3 to 5 business days.
Inside the Upway Workshop: How Refurbished E-Bikes Are Brought Back to Life
Written by: Rémy Rossi | December 1, 2025 | Time to read 5 min
Ever wondered how a tired, traded-in electric bike gets transformed into a like-new ride? Step inside the Upway UpCenter to find out!
More about the Author: Rémy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
Peel back the curtain on how Upway refurbishes electric bikes and gives them a second life. From initial sourcing to customer shipping, our operations team and professional mechanics are hard at work at Upway’s UpCenters located in New York City and Los Angeles every step of the way. Upway bike mechanics have, on average, 5 years of professional experience. Continue reading to find out exactly what goes on inside our industrial refurbishment centers to bring quality e-Bikes back to life!
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Upway is the leading online destination for buying and selling e-Bikes. Discover your next e-Bike at up to 60% off retail, available in new or like-new condition (used electric bike).
Table of Contents
What happens at the Upway UpCenters?
Upway’s industrial refurbishment centers, or UpCenters, are where the magic of e-Bike reconditioning happens. Upway has two UpCenters in the US— one in Brooklyn, New York, and our newest location at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles.
These UpCenters handle Upway’s entire operations:
These UpCenters handle Upway’s entire operations:
- Receiving e-Bikes from our partners
- Inspecting and repairing e-Bikes
- Checking battery health & making repairs
- Washing e-Bikes & professional photoshoots
- Uploading each e-Bike listing online
- Shipping e-Bikes out to customers
Upway sources pre-owned e-Bikes from trusted partners
Pre-owned electric bikes begin their refurbishment process by being sent to specialized resellers such as Upway. These bikes often come from brand return programs, rental fleets, customer trade-ins, or individual sellers. Specifically, we partner with numerous brands and bike shops to source electric bikes that are ready for a second life. Upway purchases these bikes directly from manufacturers, bike stores, or individuals.
Upway only accepts bikes that are structurally sound, meaning no cracked frames or missing essential components. Sourcing bikes through our established channels helps us maintain quality standards and reduces the risk of acquiring stolen or poorly maintained e-Bikes. We receive the bikes at the UpCenter, and the inspection and certification process begins.
Upway only accepts bikes that are structurally sound, meaning no cracked frames or missing essential components. Sourcing bikes through our established channels helps us maintain quality standards and reduces the risk of acquiring stolen or poorly maintained e-Bikes. We receive the bikes at the UpCenter, and the inspection and certification process begins.
💸 Want to sell your electric bike?
- In case you didn't know yet, you can sell your e-Bike to Upway and get your cash in 3 simple steps.
- Want an estimation -> It takes only 3 steps to complete this form.
Receive and inspect the e-Bike
Each UpCenter is carefully designed and organized into different sections to handle each step of the refurbishment process. First, we’ll receive the bike from a courier and open the box to start identifying, cataloging, and inspecting the bike. The bike moves to the area where our master mechanics have their repair stands and work benches to begin the thorough inspection, including any required repairs or replacement parts.
Inspection checklist
Upway mechanics conduct a 50-point evaluation to verify the bike’s condition and identify any components that require adjustment or replacement. Each model listed in our online store is accompanied by a unique inspection summary, providing customers with full visibility into what was examined, along with any necessary fixes or component swaps that were made.
The most common repairs at the UpCenters are:
The most common repairs at the UpCenters are:
- Hydraulic brake bleeding
- Disc brake rotor truing
- Wheel truing
- Dropper post
The most common parts that we need to replace are:
- Cassette
- Brake pads
- Chain
- Tires
- Controller
- Lock core & keys
Check the battery, motor, and electrical health
Restoring an electric bike also involves a careful review of its electronic systems and servicing them when necessary. The bike’s drive system— battery, motor, controller, and display— can develop issues that aren’t as obvious as mechanical wear and tear. That’s why Upway utilized dedicated diagnostic equipment and proprietary software to uncover and resolve electrical problems.
Although major electrical faults are rare, Upway is equipped to address them when they arise. As part of the process, mechanics evaluate each battery’s condition and automatically replace any unit operating below 80% capacity with a new one.
Although major electrical faults are rare, Upway is equipped to address them when they arise. As part of the process, mechanics evaluate each battery’s condition and automatically replace any unit operating below 80% capacity with a new one.
Test ride and final quality check
Each model undergoes a comprehensive test ride, during which mechanics evaluate braking performance, drivetrain behavior, motor assistance, lighting, and all other key functions. After the ride, a senior technician performs a last round of quality verification. Once it clears this final review, the bike moves on to cleaning, photography, and preparation for listing.
UpCenter washing station
When the bike is fully inspected and certified, it makes its way to our washing station to get a professional deep cleaning. Our mechanics have been working on a clean bike before this step, but this additional wash gets the model sparkling for its photoshoot at our in-house photography studio. We’ll take several high-quality images, as well as close-up shots of any frame blemishes or scratches, too.
Post each e-Bike to Upway’s online catalog
Now it’s time for the electric bike to become available to customers! Our team creates a listing for each model along with images, model specifications, and an inspection and history report. For every electric bike it resells, Upway provides details about its previous owner—whether a brand, a bike shop, or a private individual—as well as the date and location where the bike entered the UpCenter.
E-Bikes ship from our NYC and LA UpCenters
But Upway’s electric bikes aren’t around for long! When a customer purchases a bike online, it’s time to prepare the bike for shipping and get it out the door quickly. Our operations team carefully packages the bike along with its accessories into a protective bike box. We hand off the boxed bike to our courier partners, and it’ll arrive at the customer’s doorstep within several business days (depending on location and preferred shipping option). From A to Z, that’s what goes on inside Upway UpCenters!
Shop city e-Bikes, electric cargo bikes, and more from Upway’s clearance section!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sell my e-bike online with Upway?
What happens once I ship my bike?
Once you ship your bike, you can easily follow its journey on our status page. You will be able to follow each major milestone:
- We receive your bike at our facility.
- The inspection is complete, you can view the detailed inspection report.
- Your payment has been sent.
How does payment work?
After your bike passes inspection, you’ll receive an email from J.P. Morgan to accept your payment. You can choose bank transfer, Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle. If you don’t act within 30 days, we’ll mail you a check.
Key Takeaways
- Upway’s UpCenters in NYC and LA handle the full journey of each pre-owned e-Bike—from intake to inspection, repair, cleaning, and shipping.
- Every bike receives a 50-point mechanical and electrical evaluation, completed by mechanics with an average of five years’ professional experience.
- Batteries under 80% health are replaced, every bike is test-ridden, and customers receive full transparency through detailed inspection and history reports.
