Electra Bikes Competitive Edge Outshined by Better Technology

Choosing a Bike

February 13, 2019

Electra Bikes and Their Beginnings

Electra Bikes is a company that formed in 1994. Their emphasis was the cruiser category. Similar to the focus of sixthreezero. Their efforts resulted in a bike called the "Townie", which is a comfortable cruiser and hybrid bike. This was the bike that Electra became well-known for.

The "Townie" introduced the concept of"Flat Foot Technology," which Electra patented. This concept involved allows the rider to be lower to the ground, but still grants the user proper leg extension. This benefit targeted people who were uncomfortable on bikes. It helped people who didn't want to be as high up on the seat, but still wanted a lower center of gravity while riding. As a result, this bike blew up with people interested in the comfort sector. And that became the staple of Electra to this day. Although I can't speak for the most recent year.

In past years, the Townie has been the best selling bike in all of America. About five years ago, Trek purchased Electra. So now Electra is a subsidiary brand of the Trek Corporation. Hence, you can find Electra in 40 plus countries worldwide. This makes them one of the leaders in the recreational category.

Electra Bikes' Newest Competitor

sixthreezero and Electra offer similar bikes. Actually, the founders of sixthreezero sought to emulate Electra's lineup to some degree. Albeit with a twist. Electra was one of the leaders in our category. We competed with their Townie and their cruisers. At sixthreezero, we saw an opportunity to provide more value to the customer. We did this at a less expensive price. Thus, in one regard, sixthreezero and Electra offer a similar lineup of bikes. Each of us specializes in cruisers, comfort, hybrids, and city bikes. Both companies share the focus of the rider's comfort. This is evident throughout the design and experience associated with each bike.

In addition, a big similarity is the breadth of colors offered among the bikes. If you look at Electra, they're very well-known for their funky designs across their lines. Arrays of colors, bold designs, and customizable rim colors are not typical of a bike company.

The difference with us is that we have a keener focus on:

Simpler design concept
Color palettes
Color matching

Electra's "Townie" Bike vs. The"EVRYjourney"

Electra adds more design-heavy elements to their bikes. This includes a surplus of text and graphics. Moreover, the overarching design is very similar between the two brands. What's most alike are our two touring hybrid comfort bikes. Electra's being the "Townie" and ours being the "EVRYjourney".

The concept between the two is the same. Which is that the geometry of the bike allows for the rider to be lower to the ground. This helps riders to put their feet flat on the ground when stopped. As mentioned, this allows rides to get the proper leg extension needed when riding. This concept has been popular with riders, especially recreational riders. A recreational cyclist wants two things:

A bike that's comfortable
A bike that is low to the ground.

This is for the rider that hasn't ridden in, 5, 10, 20 years, and isn't super comfortable on a bike. The "Townie" and the "EVRYjourney" are great options. Also, it's great for riders over the age of 50, whose balance isn't as good as it used to be. In conclusion, Electra and sixthreezero have a similar bike designed for a similar customer base.

The other thing about the Townie and the EVRYjourney is the versatility. These bikes have all types of different recreational usage. This is because of the thickness of the tire and the design of the geometry. They're bikes everybody in America could have in their garage. It's something you could ride for one mile or thirty miles. It's also something that you could ride slow or fast. However, it's not a bike to ride races on. But it's a versatile bike at a super value.

Buying Electra Bikes: How to Justify Price

Another difference between Electra and sixthreezero is the price. sixthreezero costs about $100 less on any given model across other brands. This was a strategic decision on the side of sixthreezero. We wanted to make similar products while offering more competitive pricing. We concluded to do this by selling directly to the customer. And that brings up another difference. Which is sixthreezero's primary outlet of sales is via online. You can find our products online through:

Our website
Amazon
Target
Walmart
Academy Sports

Whereas Electra is only available through physical bike stores.

You cannot buy an Electra bike online and have it shipped to your house. You have to buy it online and have it either sent to a bike shop that's authorized to assemble Electras. Or you'd have to go to the bike shop and pick it up at an authorized dealer. Whereas with sixthreezero, you can buy it online. And have it shipped directly to your house. Also, we have some select in-store offerings across the country. But we prefer our customers to buy products from our online store. In conclusion, Electra and sixthreezero have very similar offerings for similar customers. Each boasting subtle differences in their operations.

When to Choose a sixthreezero Over Electra Bikes

There are a couple of scenarios where it's a good idea to choose a sixthreezero over Electra. Likewise, there are times to choose Electra over a sixthreezero. On the side of the sixthreezero, it's attractive to shoppers most concerned with value. I say this because sixthreezero bikes' featured specs and prices rival their competitors. The simple fact is that our brand believes in offering customers more for less. Hence, we do that by cutting out the middleman of selling to bike shops. Instead, we sell our products to consumers on our website. As a result, our products are generally about $100 less for any model by Electra. For the value-based shopper, I would recommend buying a sixthreezero.

Another scenario is convenience. Many aren't interested in shopping around at a million different stores. sixthreezero does a better job of trying to fit customers to their bikes online. We have a body fitting tool on our website that allows people to type in their height and their weight. This way we can qualify you for a bike online. This is something Electra doesn't offer.

Instead, they rely on you coming into the bike shop to tell you which bike they think is best for you. Now, that's still a great way to buy a bike. But in the digital age, you can, in fact, get fitted and buy a bike online as well as if you walked into the store. We serve the customer that would prefer the convenience of having the bike sent to their house. For this kind of experience, sixthreezero is the best option.

sixthreezero Offers Customization

The other thing I will say that would be better to buy a sixthreezero is the customization. On our website, we have a tool that allows you to build and customize your bikes. There are thousands of different options and possible combinations. We are in the business of tailoring bikes specific to each individual user. Electra is not in the business of that level of customization. They're selling replicated bikes at larger quantities. As a result, there's no option for you to design a bike and have Electra build it and ship it to you.

With sixthreezero, we let you pick:

Colors
Accessories
And the delivery method

These options lets you control every aspect of the bike. Including from the rim color, to the basket you want, the bell you want, and to the lock you want. Literally every single option. For the customer that cares uniqueness and individuality, sixthreezero is the best choice.

When to Buy an Electra Bike

Now, in the case of when an Electra would be better than sixthreezero. If you feel motivated to go into a bike shop and you trust their salespeople, it would be best to buy an Electra in that situation. Now, I'm not saying Electra is better than a sixthreezero. However, sixthreezero doesn't have as many bikes available in bike shops to be test ridden. So if you prefer to walk in and to have the shop show you which bike they prefer for you, Electra might be a good idea.

The other thing about if you were to go into a bike shop: they could provide you with the information to help you buy a bike online from sixthreezero. So it's not to say that because sixthreezero doesn't have bikes in bike shops, you couldn't use the help of a bike shop. But if you 100% want to buy a bike in a bike store, again Electra would be a good idea.

Last, if you want to buy a bike from a brand that's owned by the largest bike company in the United States, which is in fact Trek, then it would be a good choice to go with an Electra. They are part of the Trek family, a lot of people trust them, and they've been around for a long time. If brand equity and recognition is something you value, then Electra would be a good choice because of Trek's cosign. However, you will pay more money for that brand equity and awareness in the United States.

The Return Policy: Where Electra Bikes Falls Short

Another great reason to choose a sixthreezero over Electra would be our 365 Day Test Ride policy. It's a policy that's unheard of. You don't even see that across a lot of retail products or consumer products. We offer it because we're 100% concerned with customer satisfaction.

A bike is similar to a mattress or a pair of shoes, in the sense that you don't know if you are in complete love with it after a month. And so with our riders, not every rider is getting out 10 times a week. This makes it hard to know if you love the product. We want to let people know that we stand behind our bikes 100%. Hence our 365 Day Test policy. That is something that even big brands like Electra don't offer. Because we don't have bikes available in bike shops, we want to say, "hey, why don't you buy it...if you hate it, send it back." And you have up to a year to do it. It's about flexibility. But more so about peace of mind.

We offer 100% assembled bikes delivered to your house. If you don't want to buy a bike and assemble it yourself, we have a policy where we'll actually ship the bike to a third-party. They will assemble it and deliver it to your door. With Electra, you have to go to the bike shop to buy a bike. Now, you might be able to work it out with any specific shop to have the delivery to your house. But in the case of sixthreezero, we'll actually work it out, we'll arrange the details. And we'll make sure that bike shows up at your house assembled in full.

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