Riese & Muller
Posted by Honest_Labor_Color@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 22 comments
R&M is withdrawing from the U.S. market
Posted by Honest_Labor_Color@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 22 comments
R&M is withdrawing from the U.S. market
etchlings@reddit
Well damn, I’ve got one and this is gonna be irksome for part availability.
from_sea_to_soul@reddit
Emailed Riese & Muller and they said they will still be supplying components to certified shops
etchlings@reddit
Phew. Hadn’t gotten around to asking the LBS where I get mine serviced. Good to know.
bradland@reddit
I'm not sure what it's like where everyone else lives, but the high-end market around here is basically non-existent. It's all D2C fat tire bikes either 20x4 or 26x4. The city I live in has a population of around 70k people in just over 30 square miles, or around 2,000 people per square mile, which is just above average for US cities (1,600 per sq mi).
Where I live e-bikes have become primary transportation for people who would normally take public transit. IMO, they're not drawing people away from cars, but more so providing a more individual transportation option. For this demographic, a bike like R&M is a complete pipe dream.
Even for people who have the budget, parking an $8,000 e-bike outside while you do your shopping is a risk that most people just aren't willing to take. So these kinds of bikes end up being relegated to wealth beach-side residents whose net worth makes this kind of "toy" disposable. That's a tiny market.
I suppose when you get into larger cities like NY, LA, and Miami you probably have more people who can afford them, but your risks go up too. Can you imagine street parking a R&M in any of those cities?
IMO, the future of the e-bike market in the US is at the low end of the price scale.
buzzcut@reddit
I live in NYC and have an R&M and I lock it outside all the time for hours on end. No problems at all.
Affectionate-Scar173@reddit
Same and I bought mine from Upway - brand new and heavily discounted.
lee1026@reddit
The other problem is that beyond weight (and even the high-end options are plenty heavy), it really isn't obvious what the high-end market even gets you.
Even at a sub-$2000 price point, you get hydraulic discs, "enough" power and batteries, lights, racks and so on.
AMC2Zero@reddit
I'm not spending over $5k for a bicycle, at that point I'm buying a moped/motorcycle with long range.
Sillycommisioner987@reddit
I couldn’t agree with your post more! I’d rather buy a $2000 Aventon every other year for 8 years and sell/trade the used ones to subsidize the new ones. I’d feel a little better parking one too lol!
DankQuixote@reddit
Heard the same from my reputable LBS recently as well.
Tough, but makes sense. Extremely expensive already, tariffs costing R&M more to import into the US, and apparently they are struggling in Europe as well, so they want to focus efforts there.
Inciteful_Analysis@reddit
I think the clock is ticking for many other brands, including Brompton.
Honest_Labor_Color@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I don’t think you’re wrong, a number of the Brompton Junctions have closed. Just my luck too, I own a R&M and a Brompton! lol
hmmm, I might be cursed- I’ve owned a Unimoke and VanMoof in the past. Jeez, keep me away from fun bikes. 😂
Inciteful_Analysis@reddit
No Rad?
When similar folders are available for $1000 instead of $3500, it won't be long. The edge in refinement will erode every year. And the type of bike is incapable of delivering a premium feel on small wheels and hinges.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
with all that's happening on a geopolitcal stage, it probably makes total sense for them to leave the US market. EU is a probably a better market for the kind of premium builds they offer and no arbitrary tariffs to worry about
PeachLower5901@reddit
too much competition for less than 1/4 the price. companies like aventon will kill this brand.
Acsteffy@reddit
They are just too expensive to begin with. Not sure what they expected.
AntEaterApocalypse@reddit
I live in Canada and see them very rarely. Ebikes are very common here, including rather nice ones, but R&M are understandably rare. It's hard to justify dropping $10,000CAD on a bike when there are so many other options that are half that price and offer compelling features.
Arcanum3000@reddit
I feel like they barely existed in the US market anyway.
KostyaFedot@reddit
Way too overpriced for USA. They are still afloat in Europe partially due to subsidies from governments on commute via cycling. But I don't see them much even in nearby Belgium.
Panelak_Cadillac@reddit
Great bikes, not so great price tag.
greybeard1363@reddit
Unfortunate, but probably a smart decision.
Honest_Labor_Color@reddit (OP)
Agreed. I love my R&M and would hate to see the prices go even higher or have them compromise quality for US models.