More ebike woes

[Andy Bluenoes]

Well, I dont know if its just my luck, but Im getting a bit peeved yet again with all things bike.

Had several issues with ebikes since I first started out with one early last summer.
Wont go into all that again, but thought I had finally got some luck rolling wiht me.

Last weekend, I replaced the chain on my cyclotricity stealth as I had covered 1600 miles in 4 months...mostly worry free.
First commute back on it, the chain is jumping on the rear cog, and comes off a couple of times.

I called in at the local independant bike shop who apparently have a good reputation for repairs.

The rear freewheel is work on the main gears i use, so they need replacing, along with the derailleur as one of the wheels got damaged when the chain last dropped off.

I am given a quote, and told that it could be done for me first thing the following morning, and would be given priority as I am a cycle commuter.

Great, I thought. One day working from home would be fine while its getting sorted, and the price sounded reasonable too.

I am sat here the best part of a week later, waiting for my bike back. 3 days on the tram at 7.50 a day. Not impressed.

Going back to the day it was supposed to be done, I get a phone call late in the afternoon...there is a problem. They couldn't get the derailleur off apparently as the retaining screw was worn. Can I wait until Thursday? They are closed Wednesday, so it would be done as a priority on Thursday.

Thursday arrives, no phone call, so i drive round on the way back from the tram station on the way home.
Bike is up on the stand being worked on. Apparently they had cut off the bolt that holds the derailleur on, and it was just a case of fitting the new one.. I would get a phone call before closing to say it is ready.

An hour later...we have a new problem. The rear hanger is bent and could do with replacing....we can bend it back but wouodnt advise that. We can order one and it will be here tomorrow (Friday) or Saturday at the latest and we will have it done as a priority.

No contact until I call them today, Saturday an hour before they are due to close.

Oh, you are calling about the "cycl_atrocity"? We are working on it...we will call you back it should be today.

So, I guess they dont like my bike?

Closing time is 430pm, and still I have not received a call.

So maybe my decision to stay away from halfords wasnt a good one!

 

[Gubbins]

Well, I dont know if its just my luck, but Im getting a bit peeved yet again with all things bike.

Had several issues with ebikes since I first started out with one early last summer.
Wont go into all that again, but thought I had finally got some luck rolling wiht me.

Last weekend, I replaced the chain on my cyclotricity stealth as I had covered 1600 miles in 4 months...mostly worry free.
First commute back on it, the chain is jumping on the rear cog, and comes off a couple of times.

I called in at the local independant bike shop who apparently have a good reputation for repairs.

The rear freewheel is work on the main gears i use, so they need replacing, along with the derailleur as one of the wheels got damaged when the chain last dropped off.

I am given a quote, and told that it could be done for me first thing the following morning, and would be given priority as I am a cycle commuter.

Great, I thought. One day working from home would be fine while its getting sorted, and the price sounded reasonable too.

I am sat here the best part of a week later, waiting for my bike back. 3 days on the tram at 7.50 a day. Not impressed.

Going back to the day it was supposed to be done, I get a phone call late in the afternoon...there is a problem. They couldn't get the derailleur off apparently as the retaining screw was worn. Can I wait until Thursday? They are closed Wednesday, so it would be done as a priority on Thursday.

Thursday arrives, no phone call, so i drive round on the way back from the tram station on the way home.
Bike is up on the stand being worked on. Apparently they had cut off the bolt that holds the derailleur on, and it was just a case of fitting the new one.. I would get a phone call before closing to say it is ready.

An hour later...we have a new problem. The rear hanger is bent and could do with replacing....we can bend it back but wouodnt advise that. We can order one and it will be here tomorrow (Friday) or Saturday at the latest and we will have it done as a priority.

No contact until I call them today, Saturday an hour before they are due to close.

Oh, you are calling about the "cycl_atrocity"? We are working on it...we will call you back it should be today.

So, I guess they dont like my bike?

Closing time is 430pm, and still I have not received a call.

So maybe my decision to stay away from halfords wasnt a good one!

I don't mean any offence here but it looks to me like you do a lot of miles and ride your bike until it breaks rather than apply general maintainance before it breaks..

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

None taken.

But i dont know how you drew that conclusion from this?

In the 1600 miles, I have replaced the front brake pads twice, the rears once, and it is cleaned, oiled, brakes adjusted etc on a weekly basis.
The point is, it is my daily commute, so it is treated in the same way as I would with my car in the hope that minor servicing prevents it from breaking down on me.

And how does that excuse bad customer service even if it was the case?

 

[Woosh]

if you had acted sooner, you could have saved yourself a lot of expense. The bent derailleur hanger is easy to detect and straightened. As soon as your gear shift stops shifting smoothly, you should check for a possible bent derailleur. You don't really need a tool for it. Watch the video in this link.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/technical-tuesday-straightening-derailleur-hanger-2010.html

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Fair enough. But that isnt the point of my post really is it?

 

[Gubbins]

None taken.

But i dont know how you drew that conclusion from this?

In the 1600 miles, I have replaced the front brake pads twice, the rears once, and it is cleaned, oiled, brakes adjusted etc on a weekly basis.
The point is, it is my daily commute, so it is treated in the same way as I would with my car in the hope that minor servicing prevents it from breaking down on me.

And how does that excuse bad customer service even if it was the case?

Partly from your comment that having replaced the chain it started jumping off the cogs.
Sorry about the assumptions...

 

[Woosh]

Fair enough. But that isnt the point of my post really is it?

point taken. Still, it pays to do the work yourself because you will be more attuned to the bike. I am surprised that they take so long to sort it out.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I appreciate that...and Im new to bikes after say 25 years...so im doing what I have picked up along the way.

I only picked up on the chain could need replacing a week or so ago from here. I dont ever recall having to replace a bike chain years ago.

But like I have said, the post was more about the lack of communciation from the bike shop. If they didnt want to do the job, or for whatever reason they cant do it, they should have said 3 or 4 days ago.

I dont really see this as giving a commuter priority

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

point taken. Still, it pays to do the work yourself because you will be more attuned to the bike. I am surprised that they take so long to sort it out.

I know, and in the future, I probably will have a go. The price they quoted for labour wasn't worth dirtying my hands over to be honest for something I hadn't done before. That coupled with the promise of it being out of action for one day.

 

[Gubbins]

I have experienced what I perceived to be poor customer service which when examined more closely turned out to be something else entirely.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I have experienced what I perceived to be poor customer service which when examined more closely turned out to be something else entirely.

Apologies if I have come across a bit shitty...Im just peed off with it. And my worry is similar to what you just said Gubbins....have they managed to break something else along the way and thats why its taking so long to sort out?

 

[Wander]

Apologies if I have come across a bit shitty...Im just peed off with it. And my worry is similar to what you just said Gubbins....have they managed to break something else along the way and thats why its taking so long to sort out?

Often, and as you have said, the main thing about this type of situation is the lack of communication.

Generally people understand if things take longer than are anticipated ..... as long as they are kept informed.

 

[Gubbins]

I take your point about dirtying your hands and you should have been dealt with in a better way.. I think ebike servicing is a bit like car servicing in that you need to have a shop/garage that you can trust to give you the right information and then do the job.
I spend my money where the above applies..

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I'm picking up a chain wear indicator tool on Monday, and if i can work out what tools i would need to replace a freewheel, Ill get those too so I can do it myself next time.

 

[Gubbins]

I'm picking up a chain wear indicator tool on Monday, and if i can work out what tools i would need to replace a freewheel, Ill get those too so I can do it myself next time.

I use a chain wear tool and replace the chain when the first measurement is reached. My idea is that chains are cheap and easy to change and as yet haven't had the issues you describe after a chain swap.
Having said that the miles you do in 8 months I did in 3 years...

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

By the power of facebook, I have an update.

The bike is now ready, and as they were closed after they finished it, he was going to ring me on Monday to let me know.

Good to know its done, but not happy with the comms at all. Would it have hurt to ring me after closing time to let me know so I know if I am on the bike Monday or sorting alternative arrangements out.....

 

[RobF]

The, er, chain of events sounds about right, so I think the bike shop is being honest in that respect if unacceptably tardy in keeping you updated.

Yes, you can straighten a bent mech hanger, but if the shop did that and it later broke with nastier results - derailer entangled in the wheel - you might have been less happy.

I'm afraid this illustrates the hidden cost of budget Chinese bikes, fittings, bolts and the like are often made of cheese, so when it comes to laying an allen key on them, the mechanic is never sure what will happen next.

It also illustrates why some bike shops will still not touch such bikes, more chance of a chain of woe developing and then having to advise the customer of extra work, with inevitable suspicions from the customer he is being ripped off.

Given the hard use the bike is put to, I think it's done quite well.

But you would likely get fewer problems and such problems would be simpler to fix with a quality branded ebike.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Thanks Rob.

Its likely I will be moving house soon which will potentially add a further 10 miles to the daily commute, so have been keeping my eyes open at threads about the more expensive ones that may be better long term.

Its a while off before I could actually afford to spend 3k or more on a bole though, and Id have to be absolutely sure it was the right one before lashing out that much dosh on a bike.

Im think along the giant, R&M brands that I have seen.
There are so many to choose from up in that price range, it will be hard work I know.
Especially as I want to be comfortably hitting 20mph with assistance as I can do easily on the stealth.

 

[RobF]

The difference in build quality and components of Riese and Muller is night and day compared to a Cyclotricity.

So it should be for four times the price, but it is still so however you cut it.

No guarantee a R&M would be reliable, but if it broke I can guarantee it will come apart and go back together again without allen heads rounding off or some other bit falling apart.

A dongled Bosch bike would hold 20mph OK, but not much more, so could work for you.

By the way, reading the OP I see the bike shop called your bike a 'cyclo-atrocity' to your face.

Whatever the bike's merits, that is unprofessional, unpleasant and rude.

Much as I like to avoid confrontation, before paying, I would look them squarely in the eye and remind them of their manners.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

By the way, reading the OP I see the bike shop called your bike a 'cyclo-atrocity' to your face..

Yes, and thats the bit that really got my back up. Not a comment I was expecting or had an answer to at the time due to surprise.

The problems they came across seemed to me to be they changed the freewheel, then had a problem removing the derailleur, then later found the hanger was bent. Surely a lot of that could have been discovered within a few hours, not days. And then to basically say its the bikes fault for being a peice of sh&&.

Will be an interesting conversation when I pick it up no doubt, especially if I do not agree with the bill.