Upway sells electric bikes with a one-year warranty. The warranty guarantees the bike has no defects in materials or workmanship under normal use for twelve months from the purchase date by the original buyer. Another way to protect your electric bike is with e-Bike insurance, which we offer through our partners at Sundays at the time of purchase.
Where Do Most Pre-Owned E-Bikes in the US Marketplace Come From?
Written by: Rémy Rossi | September 21, 2025 | Time to read 3 min
Where do used e-Bikes come from? Mostly from riders trading in their old wheels and brands passing along returns— keeping prices low and bikes rolling.
More about the Author: Remy 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.
Pre-owned electric bikes are more widely available than ever, but where do they all come from? There are multiple channels from which used e-Bike retailers can source models, but the large majority of pre-owned e-Bikes in the US marketplace comes from big brands and individuals trading in their used ride. In fact, 70% of Upway’s inventory comes from trade-ins and dealer returns. Find out the details about where most pre-owned e-Bikes in the US come from below.
Where do certified pre-owned e-Bikes come from?
Pre-owned models sold by e-Bike retailers like Upway come from multiple sources, including directly from brands and manufacturers, bike shops, and individuals. But what’s the exact distribution? It may come as a surprise, but most of the used e-Bikes come from individual riders who trade-in their bike at their local shop and e-Bike returns from top brands.
- Trade-in: Individuals can trade-in their used e-Bike at any of Upway’s 200+ bike shop partners and receive credit to buy a new model in-store
- Brand returns: Upway purchases returned e-Bikes from top brand, which are like-new or lightly ridden models
What is Upway’s Trade-In Program?
Upway receives a large number of its pre-owned electric bikes from its nationwide Trade-In Program. Thanks to the collaboration of over 200 partner bike shops, individuals can visit their local shop and trade in their used e-Bike for credit toward a new model, often including an additional discount on top of the trade-in value. Riders give a second life to their old e-Bike, buy a new model for less, and local bike shops can sell more bikes, too.
This is how the Upway Trade-In Program works:
- Bring in your e-Bike: Visit a participating shop, where staff will use Upway’s real-time pricing tool to give you a fast, fair quote.
- Get instant credit: Accept the offer and apply your trade-in value right away as a discount toward a new e-Bike at that shop.
- Extend e-Bike lifespan: Your e-Bike is sent to an UpCenter, where it’s professionally refurbished and resold—helping more riders access affordable e-Bikes while supporting the circular economy.
E-Bikes sourced by managing brands’ returns
Another significant portion of pre-owned electric bikes in the US marketplace comes from brand returns. Brands typically have return policies or certain return windows where buyers can send back the bike if they’re not happy with it, it doesn’t fit, or there’s some mechanical or electrical issue. But taking in these returns can be costly for these brands, either having to repair the problem or selling the models as used instead of brand-new (for a lower price). Instead, Upway manages the returns and purchases returned models from popular e-Bike brands like Tern, Aventon, and others. Many of these e-Bikes are in new condition with fewer than 5 miles of use!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the warranty on Upway bikes?
Where does Upway get its bikes?
Upway sources its electric bikes from a variety of channels. We get many of our bikes directly from manufacturers that have bikes they want to send, overstock, or last year’s models. We also receive e-Bikes from bike shops across the country and individuals looking to give their used e-Bikes a second life.
Key Takeaways
- Trade-ins drive the market: Around 70% of Upway’s pre-owned e-Bikes come from rider trade-ins and dealer returns.
- Partner network power: Over 200 bike shops nationwide fuel Upway’s Trade-In Program, giving riders instant credit toward a new e-Bike.
- Brands benefit too: Major e-Bike brands offload returns through Upway, ensuring like-new models are refurbished and resold affordably.
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