Has anyone else experienced a significant decline in Rad Power Bike's customer service? I've become so frustrated, I wrote a review. I sent this feedback to them directly, as well, hopefully that can integrate it and improve.
To start, I purchased my Rad Power Bike bike in 2022, and at that time, this was a great company to work with, but a lot of things have changed.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ACTUALLY TERRIBLE
Mainly, this company should not receive pro marks for customer service. I see that on a few online reviews from 2017 and before—I know this company built their brand on customer service, and when I first bought my bike, the customer service was an excellent selling point. I was more or less under the impression that I was paying for great customer support, because it was marketed as an on-going service that came with the e-bike.
The problem: something happened over the last two years, because I've had nothing but problems with customer service since July 2023.
+ They do not answer phone calls anymore, endless ringing, automated transfers, and hold times
+ Multiple customer service agents will reply to a single email thread/single issue, who fail to read the previous conversations, so they do not address the problem at hand and waste your time
+ Different customer service agents will offer different and sometimes conflicting information.*
*When I've mentioned in an email that the company has failed to deliver on a promise, a customer service agent often replies with an excuse as to why. This has happened more than once. I've had different customer service agents actually fail to read previous emails in a thread, so they are unaware of what has been stated before, and they then reply with differing excuses for the problem than the previous excuse. They do this rather than admitting a failure of mistake in their company, and doing what they can to arrive at a valuable solution.
+ It usually takes several weeks to resolve a problem, and some problems do not ever get resolved.
THE BATTERY ORDER INCIDENT
I ordered my friend a replacement battery for her birthday in July 2023. Rad Power Bikes failed to deliver the battery in the promised time frame, which interfered with my friend's birthday ride. I called Rad Power Bikes multiple times, and no one answered. When I contacted customer service via email to find out where the battery was, it turned out it was somehow mishandled in shipping. I guess? I still don’t know.
FOUR weeks later, I was still trying to find out where the battery was. One customer service agent had the audacity to tell me that they cannot ship batteries in the mail without special handling time and fees?! (although their entire company is based on shipping battery-equipt e-bikes via express mail, and their website lists several replacement battery options with expedited shipping), while another told me it was FedEx's fault that it was not delivered. Another one told me that it was because no one was there to sign for the package at delivery - which was a lie.
I saw via tracking that the battery was eventually returned to the sender. When “Rad” Power Bikes went to ship the battery again, it never got to me, and was returned to the sender, again. RPB eventually just refunded me for the battery. I never got what I paid for, was given the runaround, and a lot of my time was wasted. I got a gift card for the inconvenience that I haven’t used, because I’ve been hesitant to contact the company again. Not to mention the thing I really needed—a replacement battery—soon doubled in price after I never received mine.
THE F20 KEY REPLACEMENT INCIDENT
A month ago I went to order a replacement key for my Rad Power e-bike. The key I needed was not listed on their e-store. I contacted customer support, and the customer service agent was super friendly, told me I had a key from an older model bike (the Rad Mission), thus I needed an older model key not listed online, but he could issue me a special invoice for the key. He was even kind enough to waive shipping, since I was buying a bunch of other stuff in an order I could make myself online, so it all qualified for free shipping.
I went to check out with the invoice but decided to wait on finalizing it, awaiting payday. I go back one month later, and reopen the invoices— the special invoice for the key no longer works. I contacted customer support again: “invoice not working now, please resend?” And I am now being told that I cannot order the older keys via invoices online. I told them—but I was just issued one a few weeks ago and it worked, what's going on now? They told me I have to complete the order over the phone. When I reminded them that I've had bad experiences with calling in the past (eternal hold times), they offered to schedule for someone at Rad Power Bikes to call me and complete the order. We decide on 4p Friday, so I await the phone call. It never comes.
I contacted them via email AGAIN, “one customer service agent was able to issue an online invoice, but now you are telling me you can't do this anymore? And you're going to schedule a call to do so over the phone, you schedule it, and no one calls. I’m having to email you AGAIN."
It's been five days, I've spent all afternoon communicating with this company about how can I get this key made and sent to me? Still no solution. I was issued another invoice this morning that does not work. I am now communicating with management, who, hopefully, can resolve this issue, since I need another backup key for my e-bike, which I unfortunately can only buy through the manufacturer, Rad Power Bikes, and their terrible customer service team. Five days later, we still cannot figure this out.
Update: eight days later, the manager still has not responded to my last email requesting a time to discuss this issue. I still don’t have a key order in place.
THE MOBILE SERVICING IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE AND THEY CANNOT ALWAYS REFER A BIKE SHOP PARTNER
Getting "certified" repairs for this bike can be hard. They advertise mobile help with assembly and repairs. But this is not available in AUSTIN, TX nor ASHEVILLE, NC. Two big outdoor-centered bike-centered cities. I think the mobile service is only available in San Francisco, if I’m not mistaken. An over promise in their advertising. They could not ever refer me to a partnered shop in Asheville–I had to drive 45 min to get my bike serviced when I lived there.
THE AFFORDABILITY COSTS YOU - THE BRAKES ARE NOT WELL BUILT
These bikes are equipped with a pretty lousy breaking system. For safety, an e-bike should have hydraulic brakes, or rim brakes, not standard cable disc brakes. Because the bikes go faster using more force, disc brakes can be slow and unresponsive – I experienced that when I first got this bike, and I occasionally feel fearful riding it. Also, the brake pads wear down in no time, and I'm constantly replacing them. I would pay extra to find a bike that has hydraulic brakes, or replace the ones on your Rad Power Bike when you can afford it.
But ultimately, just don't buy Rad Power Bikes. The company is dishonest with the customer communications, unreliable, frustrating and overpromises waaaaay too much for it to be worth any kind of affordability they may offer.
To start, I purchased my Rad Power Bike bike in 2022, and at that time, this was a great company to work with, but a lot of things have changed.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ACTUALLY TERRIBLE
Mainly, this company should not receive pro marks for customer service. I see that on a few online reviews from 2017 and before—I know this company built their brand on customer service, and when I first bought my bike, the customer service was an excellent selling point. I was more or less under the impression that I was paying for great customer support, because it was marketed as an on-going service that came with the e-bike.
The problem: something happened over the last two years, because I've had nothing but problems with customer service since July 2023.
+ They do not answer phone calls anymore, endless ringing, automated transfers, and hold times
+ Multiple customer service agents will reply to a single email thread/single issue, who fail to read the previous conversations, so they do not address the problem at hand and waste your time
+ Different customer service agents will offer different and sometimes conflicting information.*
*When I've mentioned in an email that the company has failed to deliver on a promise, a customer service agent often replies with an excuse as to why. This has happened more than once. I've had different customer service agents actually fail to read previous emails in a thread, so they are unaware of what has been stated before, and they then reply with differing excuses for the problem than the previous excuse. They do this rather than admitting a failure of mistake in their company, and doing what they can to arrive at a valuable solution.
+ It usually takes several weeks to resolve a problem, and some problems do not ever get resolved.
THE BATTERY ORDER INCIDENT
I ordered my friend a replacement battery for her birthday in July 2023. Rad Power Bikes failed to deliver the battery in the promised time frame, which interfered with my friend's birthday ride. I called Rad Power Bikes multiple times, and no one answered. When I contacted customer service via email to find out where the battery was, it turned out it was somehow mishandled in shipping. I guess? I still don’t know.
FOUR weeks later, I was still trying to find out where the battery was. One customer service agent had the audacity to tell me that they cannot ship batteries in the mail without special handling time and fees?! (although their entire company is based on shipping battery-equipt e-bikes via express mail, and their website lists several replacement battery options with expedited shipping), while another told me it was FedEx's fault that it was not delivered. Another one told me that it was because no one was there to sign for the package at delivery - which was a lie.
I saw via tracking that the battery was eventually returned to the sender. When “Rad” Power Bikes went to ship the battery again, it never got to me, and was returned to the sender, again. RPB eventually just refunded me for the battery. I never got what I paid for, was given the runaround, and a lot of my time was wasted. I got a gift card for the inconvenience that I haven’t used, because I’ve been hesitant to contact the company again. Not to mention the thing I really needed—a replacement battery—soon doubled in price after I never received mine.
THE F20 KEY REPLACEMENT INCIDENT
A month ago I went to order a replacement key for my Rad Power e-bike. The key I needed was not listed on their e-store. I contacted customer support, and the customer service agent was super friendly, told me I had a key from an older model bike (the Rad Mission), thus I needed an older model key not listed online, but he could issue me a special invoice for the key. He was even kind enough to waive shipping, since I was buying a bunch of other stuff in an order I could make myself online, so it all qualified for free shipping.
I went to check out with the invoice but decided to wait on finalizing it, awaiting payday. I go back one month later, and reopen the invoices— the special invoice for the key no longer works. I contacted customer support again: “invoice not working now, please resend?” And I am now being told that I cannot order the older keys via invoices online. I told them—but I was just issued one a few weeks ago and it worked, what's going on now? They told me I have to complete the order over the phone. When I reminded them that I've had bad experiences with calling in the past (eternal hold times), they offered to schedule for someone at Rad Power Bikes to call me and complete the order. We decide on 4p Friday, so I await the phone call. It never comes.
I contacted them via email AGAIN, “one customer service agent was able to issue an online invoice, but now you are telling me you can't do this anymore? And you're going to schedule a call to do so over the phone, you schedule it, and no one calls. I’m having to email you AGAIN."
It's been five days, I've spent all afternoon communicating with this company about how can I get this key made and sent to me? Still no solution. I was issued another invoice this morning that does not work. I am now communicating with management, who, hopefully, can resolve this issue, since I need another backup key for my e-bike, which I unfortunately can only buy through the manufacturer, Rad Power Bikes, and their terrible customer service team. Five days later, we still cannot figure this out.
Update: eight days later, the manager still has not responded to my last email requesting a time to discuss this issue. I still don’t have a key order in place.
THE MOBILE SERVICING IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE AND THEY CANNOT ALWAYS REFER A BIKE SHOP PARTNER
Getting "certified" repairs for this bike can be hard. They advertise mobile help with assembly and repairs. But this is not available in AUSTIN, TX nor ASHEVILLE, NC. Two big outdoor-centered bike-centered cities. I think the mobile service is only available in San Francisco, if I’m not mistaken. An over promise in their advertising. They could not ever refer me to a partnered shop in Asheville–I had to drive 45 min to get my bike serviced when I lived there.
THE AFFORDABILITY COSTS YOU - THE BRAKES ARE NOT WELL BUILT
These bikes are equipped with a pretty lousy breaking system. For safety, an e-bike should have hydraulic brakes, or rim brakes, not standard cable disc brakes. Because the bikes go faster using more force, disc brakes can be slow and unresponsive – I experienced that when I first got this bike, and I occasionally feel fearful riding it. Also, the brake pads wear down in no time, and I'm constantly replacing them. I would pay extra to find a bike that has hydraulic brakes, or replace the ones on your Rad Power Bike when you can afford it.
But ultimately, just don't buy Rad Power Bikes. The company is dishonest with the customer communications, unreliable, frustrating and overpromises waaaaay too much for it to be worth any kind of affordability they may offer.
