i had been polite and curtious up until this morning , when i got the same answer we are still in touch with TNT it gets a bit tedious after 3 weeks. i got arsey and mentioned this forum and the phone went down on me hence the post, shouldnt have come to this ,not my style at all.
50 CYCLES A WARNING no quibble guarentee
- Thread starter mick2444
- Start date
It's really down to how a company deals with problems that counts, not that a problem has arisen. In this internet age someone on the staff needs to be appointed to act immediately and sort out things instantly ,then sit on it until the customer is more than happy. In the past an unhappy customer would tell ten people, now they can tell 200000. It is beyond me to understand why so many have not grasped this simple concept yet.
While I have every sympathy with Mick 2444 in his current situation, it demonstrates very clearly the kind of difficulty one can have if not in close proximity of a main dealer or agent.
Like other EAPC owners who are far removed from the selling dealership or indeed any electric bike repairer with ready access to dedicated brand and model spare parts, I too have had one or two glitches occur which required the assistance of the main dealer, 50 Cycles in one instance and Cytronex in another.
Unless one is prepared to book an appointment and deliver the bike halfway across the country for the dealer to fix, which may take some time depending on what is required and whether or not parts are at hand, then telephone, text and email become the conduits through which matters proceed.
In Mick's case, I'm confident, given my experience of dealing with 50 Cycles at distance, that his issue will be remedied to his satisfaction very soon. It's worth remembering that the UK electric bike market remains a cottage industry so we can't really expect the kind of service that B&Q, John Lewis, Tesco and the like are able to serve up. Those giants of retail have dedicated departments simply to deal with customer complaints whereas many of our EAPC dealers are almost one-man-band operations with little administrative support.
It can be very frustrating for customers when the bike they have selected and bought becomes problematic, particularly while under warranty, and the means to repair the problem lie beyond the abilities of the owner, even if the fault can be identified. Although I can turn my hand to most things, electronic glitches can be a pain to resolve without major surgery in some cases and there is always the risk of invalidating warranty if one attempts to strip down and interfere with connections inside frame tubes for example, possibly exacerbating the problem.
Patience is required when dealing with a company hundreds of miles from home but firms like 50 Cycles and Cytronex really do try hard to resolve these issues. I'm sure many other EAPC dealers do terrific work in terms of after-sales service too but I just want to add a little balance to the critique Mick 2444 has posted about 50 Cycles. Matt Goodes up at Loughborough has been excellent in sorting out my problems with a Kalkhoff and Tim, who sold me the bike down at Hampton Wick, is a straightforward, no-nonsense guy who has been trying very hard over several years to expand his bike business which he seems to be achieving so he's doing something right.
Tom
Like other EAPC owners who are far removed from the selling dealership or indeed any electric bike repairer with ready access to dedicated brand and model spare parts, I too have had one or two glitches occur which required the assistance of the main dealer, 50 Cycles in one instance and Cytronex in another.
Unless one is prepared to book an appointment and deliver the bike halfway across the country for the dealer to fix, which may take some time depending on what is required and whether or not parts are at hand, then telephone, text and email become the conduits through which matters proceed.
In Mick's case, I'm confident, given my experience of dealing with 50 Cycles at distance, that his issue will be remedied to his satisfaction very soon. It's worth remembering that the UK electric bike market remains a cottage industry so we can't really expect the kind of service that B&Q, John Lewis, Tesco and the like are able to serve up. Those giants of retail have dedicated departments simply to deal with customer complaints whereas many of our EAPC dealers are almost one-man-band operations with little administrative support.
It can be very frustrating for customers when the bike they have selected and bought becomes problematic, particularly while under warranty, and the means to repair the problem lie beyond the abilities of the owner, even if the fault can be identified. Although I can turn my hand to most things, electronic glitches can be a pain to resolve without major surgery in some cases and there is always the risk of invalidating warranty if one attempts to strip down and interfere with connections inside frame tubes for example, possibly exacerbating the problem.
Patience is required when dealing with a company hundreds of miles from home but firms like 50 Cycles and Cytronex really do try hard to resolve these issues. I'm sure many other EAPC dealers do terrific work in terms of after-sales service too but I just want to add a little balance to the critique Mick 2444 has posted about 50 Cycles. Matt Goodes up at Loughborough has been excellent in sorting out my problems with a Kalkhoff and Tim, who sold me the bike down at Hampton Wick, is a straightforward, no-nonsense guy who has been trying very hard over several years to expand his bike business which he seems to be achieving so he's doing something right.
Tom
hi tom, i agree with every thing you say about the big distance issues and matt and tom are probably very decent fellows , but this is about a lost parcel they sent me going missing 3 weeks ago and not offering any loan battery or giving me a clear answer on what happens if the battery doesnt eventually turn up ..(..we will have to come to some sort of agreement ) is that clear, ? mick
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I've kicked arse a bit today, so it's all going to be sorted. I'm pretty sure we sell more electric bikes than anyone else, with tens of thousands of bikes on the road at any one time and do very well considering. Our after sales department is where we're investing most these days, it's where my attention is all the time because I know very well bad news spreads faster than good.
Also, I understand how attached owners get to their bikes (I ride one myself) and what a downer it is when they're off the road for any time at all. But we always get it sorted in the end. Sorry it's taken so long this time. When we test and recalibrate the batteries, we do it properly. Frustrating when a courier drops the ball, to say the least.
well dave kept his word about me getting a loan battery today 9.00 am in fact i got TWO ?? thats the good news done with. im not certain but i think one may be the one i sent in and they found it. i noticed on the bottom flap bit that covers the electrics there is a half inch piece of plastic broken off the corner, which wasnt there before. the batterys where well boxed . i pressed the red button on battery what i think is mine it was completly dead. stuck it on the docking station charger and timed it till full charge just under 8 hours,till all lights went. out mine used to take 4 hours, it shows 76 on eco it used to be 84 every time. 355.1 miles on the clock not 380 like i first said. now for battery 2 this one looked nearly new but used .it showed 5 red lights when red button pressed i put it on my bike the lights came on the display lit up but it showed no capacity on screen. i put it on charge but it was fully charged. i have took it off and on bike over 20 times thinking maybe bad connection no joy. so i rang the shop at 4.45pm the woman answered told her the situation, ok dave will ring you back. i wish i had a pound for the times ive heard that in the last 5 weeks, i dont trust the battery that took 8 hours to charge it must have been flat a long time so wont chance a long ride on it. if it is my missing battery theres a chunk missing off it. the bike looks brand new 2 inch big apple tires and the fancy cane creek thud buster suspension seat post £100 really comfy. fantastic hill climber. tilson was right in his post about loan batterys. IF i can get a new battery the bikes for sale im going back to my trusty giant mtb. over to you tim.
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Bit of a nightmare to be sure !
I have a 17 Ah battery on loan from 50Cycles at the moment to keep my bike on the road. This was taken off a demonstrator at their Bristol Branch.
I understand there are no new Kalkoff 17Ah spare batteries in the UK at the moment. I have been waiting 3 weeks and as yet there is no definite delivery date from Germany.
The spare batteries come blank so it is also necessary for 50Cycles to order the appropriate decals (transfers) for each customer's machine as well.
Personally I have found the customer service at 50Cycles good, and always found the staff at the Bristol branch helpful. A magic wand would be useful at this time however
I have a 17 Ah battery on loan from 50Cycles at the moment to keep my bike on the road. This was taken off a demonstrator at their Bristol Branch.
I understand there are no new Kalkoff 17Ah spare batteries in the UK at the moment. I have been waiting 3 weeks and as yet there is no definite delivery date from Germany.
The spare batteries come blank so it is also necessary for 50Cycles to order the appropriate decals (transfers) for each customer's machine as well.
Personally I have found the customer service at 50Cycles good, and always found the staff at the Bristol branch helpful. A magic wand would be useful at this time however
When we test and recalibrate the batteries, we do it properly
with what a multi meter? i doubt the manufacture off the batts will give you there test equipment to do it to there spec and i doubt you can even attempt to fix 1 with out voiding the warranty doing so. even removing the plastic cover will void that.
with what a multi meter? i doubt the manufacture off the batts will give you there test equipment to do it to there spec and i doubt you can even attempt to fix 1 with out voiding the warranty doing so. even removing the plastic cover will void that.
That is exactly what 50Cycles do. I know who is responsible for sorting the issues with my bike and that he is accountable to senior management of the Company for his performance.
The test equipment 50Cycles use can tell how many times the battery has been charged amongst other things.
In view of this thread I will definitely be picking my new battery up in person even though it is a round trip of 130 miles for me to Bristol.
Why has this not been done in this case ? This has now been read by over 870 people and counting, some of them potential customers, all that will stick in minds is that 50 cycles ignores customers, Kalkhoff spares are hard to get. You would not have this problem with a £400 Tesco hopper. Good communication is essential. Five weeks out of action with an expensive new bike is just nonsense. This bike is not fit for purpose and should be returned for a refund .
Harsh but fair.
Speaking of not fit for purpose, we have had quite a few posts about dodgy Kalkhoff batteries.
Difficult to draw accurate statistical conclusions, but it does seem Kalkhoff batteries are less reliable than other premium brands.
They used to be decent enough. Mine is still going after 2 1/2 years no problem and operated without a hitch when I's had to leave it dormant for 6 months.
But I feel for this guy. If battery's a dud after so little time should be new for old exchange. But if there's no stock then you're in for weeks to months of wait with Kalkhoff stuff. By which time your bike's worth half what it was when you bought it and you've not had the benefit of a properly functioning machine.
Resale market is very sketchy for Kalkhoffs (mine was £2,700 new and probably would have fetched £500 after a year and a half realistically to get a quick sale). So if bike isn't fit for purpose then get rid of it soon as possible. When I was using mine regularly I had no car so had no choice but to persevere. through slipping dropouts not fit for purpose and expensive chainguards that couldn't take normal use. It's been handed over to someone in the family who only wants to use it for a couple of miles at a time, which it's massively over-specced for. Was never really fit/reliable enough for touring.
I'd very likely not choose an expensive branded eBike again. If you have time and willing to invest the effort to learn then grab a pedal cycle and build you own. If anything goes wrong you'll likely have fixed it and have a grand in the bank to cover cost of tools and any lack of "warranties" !
the chain guard rear thin bit on mine started flapping while riding it 3 months ago i thought the noise was the motor i got off used a bit of insulation tape to fix it back. looked on the website in spares couldnt see one, how much are they ? its not bothered me for 6 weeks though . before i got the kalkoff i bought a 20 year old marin bear 70 quid off ebay to convert it to electric then i saw the xt 10 endeavor read all the stats and took the plunge. in fairness it is a really well made bike apart from the chain quard and a pleasure to ride it really does cut them hills down. but whats the point if the batterys arnt going to last i looked on a chinese site bafang i think its called they sell the panasonic battery 36v 15ah but minimum 20 units. i emailed them asked if they would just sell me one. they said yes 250 quid deliverd dont know how long that would last though.
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I've had my Kalkhoff for seven years now. The original battery lasted for six years and covered about 17,000 miles. The battery is still usable but struggles to get beyond 15 miles on a full charge. I have had mixed customer service from 50 cycles, mostly the service has been excellent but that has been marred by one episode of bad customer service. I think anyone looking for a bike which they are going to use as a main form of transport to and from work would be advised to look at Kalkhoff bikes. I have seen quite a few Chinese offerings and the Kalkhoffs are certainly in a class apart.
My most recent customer service experience with 50 cycles has been very good. I needed some spare parts and they were able to send them out to me the following day. I think all companies have one or two bad days in terms of customer service and I don't think that 50 cycles are any worse than other company. I would certainly buy a new bike from them again.
My bike now has a new (last year) 18 Ah battery, and still looks and rides like new at over 20,000 miles. Not many other brands would be able to match that.
My most recent customer service experience with 50 cycles has been very good. I needed some spare parts and they were able to send them out to me the following day. I think all companies have one or two bad days in terms of customer service and I don't think that 50 cycles are any worse than other company. I would certainly buy a new bike from them again.
My bike now has a new (last year) 18 Ah battery, and still looks and rides like new at over 20,000 miles. Not many other brands would be able to match that.
My friend bought a second hand Kalkoff about 2 years ago.
It was over a year old and the battery started playing up. It worked OK but the charge indicator lights wouldn't show the remaining charge.
.
When he contacted 50 cycles they asked him to return the battery and promptly sent a brand new replacement.
As Tillson say's, their costumer service can be very good, with the odd off day.
Unfortunately it's usually only the poor experiences that get highlighted.
It was over a year old and the battery started playing up. It worked OK but the charge indicator lights wouldn't show the remaining charge.
.
When he contacted 50 cycles they asked him to return the battery and promptly sent a brand new replacement.
As Tillson say's, their costumer service can be very good, with the odd off day.
Unfortunately it's usually only the poor experiences that get highlighted.
I think it was pushing £40 if I remember right. Which I swallowed until it also broke after about 2 weeks and got the feeling the bike frame and mech were great but the rest was rubbish. Including the display - back of the plastic clamp broke on that, no spares and told about £250 for a new display (when the old one still works perfectly OK. Fittings were just not fit for purpose - low quality plastic rubbish both with a design flaw where they screwed to the frame - couldn't even take the stress of the Gloucestershire potholes ! Sorry but £250 to replace a display due lack of a clamp which couldn't be fixed and no reliable chainguard (which was very unusual shape and hard to substitute) = cheap junk in my eyes. However good the system and mech were if the rest of the bike can't handle a few 25-mile trips without falling apart there's no hope for the product as a "high-end item" overall !
Re the Chinese batteries, I bought the one for my Trek from BMS Battery. Spent a few months building it a couple of years ago and it's still going strong despite having been ridden very infrequently over the last year as haven't really had the chance. Was a 36V 20Ah one - still delivers loads of power although it drops a bit faster now than when I bought it - but not much. Was under £250. I think it's the luck of the draw to some extent to be honest. The chinese hub kit isn't like riding a crank drive - but it's so much more versatile for getting around and covering distance, and I have to be honest, far more fun. For some "light" exercise, I like my new pedal bike far more than I ever liked the Kalkhoff, including the Endeavour when I tried that
.
If a good fails prematurely and becomes not fit for purpose, you shouldn't sell it because as you rightly say, you will make a loss; you should seek the help from the retailer to which you're contractually entitled, ie which you've paid for.
When TNT lost my bike it took me 6 months to get TNT to pay money back. ... And they only refunded landed purchase cost.
So yes that was not a very good service. Wish you bit more luck then I had. On the other hand kindly try to ask 50c if they could not offer you any temporary service pack just to keep you going til your battery is found.
All the best
Andrew
So yes that was not a very good service. Wish you bit more luck then I had. On the other hand kindly try to ask 50c if they could not offer you any temporary service pack just to keep you going til your battery is found.
All the best
Andrew
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