Tight budget, looking at used... but can the miles be trusted?
May 6, 2026, 12:26 PM
Hey everyone, long-time lurker, first-time poster.
I've finally decided to take the plunge and get an ebike to replace my car for the 10-mile commute to work. Here is the hard truth: My wallet is thin. I've been saving up, but a brand new bike from a shop is just way out of reach right now. I'm looking at the used market (FB Marketplace, Craigslist) to try and snag a deal.
I keep seeing ads that say things like "Only 200 miles on it!" or "Basically brand new, odometer says 150 miles." It looks great on the screen, but my spidey senses are tingling.
The big question: Can you reset an ebike odometer? Are they hackable?
I know with cars, "clocking" (rolling back miles) is a huge issue, but I can't find a straight answer for ebikes. If I go look at a used RadRover or a Lectric, can the seller just push a button and wipe the miles to make a beat-up bike look fresh? Is there a secret menu or an app that lets you cheat the system?
I'm scared of buying something that looks shiny but has actually done 5,000 hard miles with a battery that is about to die.
TL;DR: Poor newbie wants to buy used. Can sellers fake the odometer reading?
I've finally decided to take the plunge and get an ebike to replace my car for the 10-mile commute to work. Here is the hard truth: My wallet is thin. I've been saving up, but a brand new bike from a shop is just way out of reach right now. I'm looking at the used market (FB Marketplace, Craigslist) to try and snag a deal.
I keep seeing ads that say things like "Only 200 miles on it!" or "Basically brand new, odometer says 150 miles." It looks great on the screen, but my spidey senses are tingling.
The big question: Can you reset an ebike odometer? Are they hackable?
I know with cars, "clocking" (rolling back miles) is a huge issue, but I can't find a straight answer for ebikes. If I go look at a used RadRover or a Lectric, can the seller just push a button and wipe the miles to make a beat-up bike look fresh? Is there a secret menu or an app that lets you cheat the system?
I'm scared of buying something that looks shiny but has actually done 5,000 hard miles with a battery that is about to die.
TL;DR: Poor newbie wants to buy used. Can sellers fake the odometer reading?