Quick Answer: Most e-bike trade-ins run through Upway, the resale platform that powers both Aventon’s Re-Frame program (up to $1,100 credit toward a new bike, most brands accepted, not just Aventon) and Rad Power Bikes’ RadRetail trade-in (instant discount plus a $100 bonus for a limited time). If your brand — Lectric, Velotric, Ride1Up, and most others — doesn’t run its own program, a standalone Upway trade-in or REI’s Re/Supply resale still gets you value out of the old bike. Trade-in value tracks battery health and cycle count far more than cosmetic condition, so a lightly-used pack is worth more than a scratched-but-battery-fresh frame might suggest.
E-bike batteries and drivetrains wear out well before the frame does, which is why a growing number of brands now offer a formal way to trade an old bike in toward a new one instead of leaving it to rot in the garage or gamble on a private sale. Two of the biggest direct-to-consumer names — Aventon and Rad Power Bikes — have built trade-in programs on top of the same third-party platform, Upway, which also runs a standalone trade-in and certified-resale marketplace for brands that don’t have their own program. Here’s how each one actually works, what determines your bike’s value, and where to go if your brand isn’t covered.
E-bike trade-ins by the numbers
- Aventon’s Re-Frame program offers up to $1,100 credit toward a new Aventon, depending on the trade-in bike’s make, model, and condition, and it explicitly accepts e-bikes from most other brands, not just older Aventons, according to Aventon’s own program page and coverage from PRNewswire and Outdoor Industry Association.
- Rad Power Bikes adds a $100 bonus on top of the trade-in’s assessed value for a limited time at its eight U.S. RadRetail locations (Seattle, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Denver, and St. Petersburg), with Upway supplying the real-time pricing quote, per Upway’s own program page.
- A lithium-ion e-bike battery typically retains only 60%–70% of its original capacity after around 500 charge cycles, which is the single biggest factor trade-in platforms weigh when pricing a used bike — a fact we’ve verified before in our electric bike battery guide, and it applies just as directly to what your old bike is worth as it does to buying one.
Trade-in programs compared
| Program | Tied to buying | Brands accepted | Typical value | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aventon Re-Frame (powered by Upway) | Yes — credit toward a new Aventon | Most brands | Up to $1,100 credit | Buyers already set on an Aventon |
| Rad Power / Upway (RadRetail) | Yes — discount on a new Rad Power bike | Any working e-bike | Trade-in value + $100 bonus | In-person trade at a RadRetail store |
| Upway standalone trade-in | No — cash or account credit | Any brand, incl. Lectric/Velotric/Ride1Up | Market-based quote | Brands without their own program |
| REI Re/Supply | No — REI gift card | Any brand | REI co-op-set value | REI members, in-store drop-off |
| Local bike shop trade-in | Often — shop credit | Shop-dependent | ~20%–40% off MSRP equivalent | In-person appraisal, local support |
Credit amounts and eligible models change with each brand’s current promotion — confirm the live offer on the program’s own page before assuming a specific dollar figure applies to your bike.
How the Aventon and Rad Power programs actually work
Both run on the same underlying infrastructure: Upway inspects mechanical components and battery health, generates a real-time value estimate, and either issues that value as store credit (Aventon Re-Frame, at a participating Aventon Signature Dealer) or an instant discount at checkout (Rad Power, at a RadRetail location). Neither requires the trade-in bike to match the brand you’re buying — Aventon says explicitly you can trade in “most other brands” for Re-Frame credit, and Rad Power’s Upway partnership uses the same brand-agnostic pricing tool. The traded-in bike is then shipped to Upway for reconditioning and resold through Upway’s own marketplace, typically with a warranty on the refurbished unit. If you’re shopping rather than trading in, our best Aventon electric bike and best Rad Power bike guides cover the current lineups both programs apply credit toward. A quality replacement charger is worth checking before you trade in, too — a healthy charger that keeps cycles consistent protects whatever trade-in value your battery still has. Financing the difference between your trade-in credit and a new bike’s price? Try Amazon Prime free for 30 days to get accessories for the new bike shipped fast once the trade is done.
What if your brand doesn’t run a trade-in program
Lectric, Velotric, Ride1Up, and most other direct-to-consumer brands don’t currently run a manufacturer-branded trade-in program the way Aventon and Rad Power do. That doesn’t mean the bike is worthless — Upway also operates a standalone, brand-agnostic trade-in that pays cash or account credit regardless of what you’re trading in, and REI’s Re/Supply program does the same for REI co-op members through in-store drop-off. Both routes price primarily on battery cycle count and mechanical condition rather than brand loyalty, so an aging but well-maintained Lectric or Velotric can still be worth trading rather than parting out. See our used electric bike buying guide for how the resale side of this market works if you’re shopping a certified-refurbished bike instead of trading one in.
What determines your trade-in value
Battery health dominates the appraisal. A pack with roughly 500 charge cycles on it typically holds only 60%–70% of its original capacity, and trade-in platforms price that degradation in directly — two visually identical bikes can be appraised hundreds of dollars apart if one has twice the cycle count of the other. Beyond the battery, appraisers check drivetrain wear, brake condition, and whether the bike is a currently-supported model versus a discontinued one with no parts pipeline; a still-in-production model from a brand that’s actively selling holds value better than an orphaned SKU. See our electric bike battery guide for the cycle-count math in full, and our electric bike maintenance guide for the upkeep that protects a bike’s trade-in value while you still own it.
The bottom line
If you’re already committed to an Aventon or a Rad Power bike, trade in through their own Upway-powered programs first — Aventon’s Re-Frame can be worth up to $1,100 in credit, and Rad Power adds a $100 bonus on top of the trade-in’s assessed value. Every other major brand routes through Upway’s standalone trade-in or REI’s Re/Supply instead, and both price mainly on battery cycle count, so get the battery’s charge history straight before you expect top dollar for a scratched-up frame. Ready to put that credit toward something new? Start with our flagship best electric bike guide, or best budget electric bike picks if the trade-in credit covers most of the cost. And if the bike you’re trading in is financing a new purchase rather than a cash deal, our electric bike financing guide covers how the remaining balance is typically paid off.