Careful of Dost Bike Co.

[sc00ter]

FYI to folks who may want to order a Dost bike: I am starting to have the same problem the OP had. I ordered it on 5/4/23 for late June shipping window then found out I got some gig work out of state so I would not be home to receive delivery. I cancelled on 5/15/23. No refund to my cc as of 6/1/23 despite assurances from their customer service rep. I will follow-up here once I get it.

So, you order the ebike. Pay for it and then cancel. Did anyone read the refund/restock fine print before placing the order? Why not just push the delivery date back? I've had the USPS and FedEx "hold" shipments for me up to 3 months when I drove 18 wheelers.

 

[tomjasz]

facts

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

 

[tomjasz]

I am not airing grievances this is valuable information

I dunno, it sounds like a little kid I used to pick up in a daycare bus. Every day he pooped his trousers just before we picked him up. He was a stinky little fella. And every time we asked him, "did you poop?" he denied it. But everyone could clearly SMELL his poopy pants.

And I'll repeat, having been on both sides, sales and as a purchaser, the whole story is seldom if ever shared.

I smell poopy pants.

This not a one-shot post, did you read where I am following-up until this is resolved?

FFS the OP!

 

[tomjasz]

PLONK

 

[sc00ter]

So after a little bit of detective work you discovered that they haven't started the refund process. Now that is kinda sketchy. Keep us updated on the refund status. I'm trying to think of the last time I had trouble getting money refunded back from a vendor. Nothing noteworthy is popping in my head at the moment.

 

[ebikegrinder]

So what are you missing? You mentioned you got a seat post. Maybe you can buy your missing items on Amazon and get Dost to reimburse. How is the bike? Do you like it?

Sorry, I've been remiss in following this or any other thread.

I enjoy the bike. It has its quirks that I've seemed to adjust to. There are 5 levels of pedal assist and I usually only use level 1 because the bike rides so smoothly and fast. I use the other levels, maybe a 3 or even a 4 sometimes when I'm going uphill near my home. The main quirk is that if I try to use the thumb throttle, it doesn't engage right away. I kind of have to ease into it with my riding. Or if starting from a standstill, I have to be careful to use that thumb throttle because it can just jump on the power very fast.

As for the issue with the company, they have still not resolved it. In the summer, I complained again and they said that I was in line for a new shipment in late August. I have still not received my order.

I really wanted to support this company, but now I'm going to try and cancel my order. I can order the seat post from Amazon, but three of my items are custom-made for Dost. That's a bummer.

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

Any bike or ebike is just a collection of various ancillary parts made by various manufacturers.

Part of the fun of making your bike your very own, personalized vision of what you think your bike should be, is researching, buying and installing those upgraded parts.

But it takes a bit of research, say, like inspecting or even measuring the diameter of your seat post; going to a respected vendor.......let me use a favorite of mine: Universal Cycles.......... and buying an upgraded seat post. But take it a step further; replacing that OEM seat with an upgraded saddle. Want to really splurge? Look at a Kinekt suspension seat post.

I can almost guarantee you that you can find a far better replacement bag from a top notch pannier bag maker like an Ortlieb or Revelate or Arkel. Side mirror? Have you looked at what Hafny has?

Let Dost be your seller for a new motor throttle and stuff related to the edrive system. And even at that, I know we have some very, very knowledgable folks here who can steer you to replacement parts for that edrive system & those replacement parts sold by reputable sellers.. All you have to do is ask. That way, you can avoid the source of your agitations!

Why bother to continue playing ring around the mosey with the people who have been taking you for a ride with one excuse after another? Have your credit card service folks deal with them and you move on. Good luck with whatever route you go.

 

[ebikegrinder]

Thanks Mike! Great advice! I'll do that. And I'm sure I can find a top bag that will fit my bike rack. It may not match the two panniers, but that's okay, too. And I can get side mirrors anywhere, too.

 

[DOSTPONZI]

Always pay with a credit card, always.

I paid the total amount for pre-order to DOST via credit card on 12/20/22. Dost kept pushing the delivery date ahead every 3 months (suspiciously) as my VISA can only help within a 90 day range. I requested a refund in 09/23! Still no bike or refund.
NOT a good look for a Canadian company. BTW I have carefully kept all correspondence. Hoping the Canadian government can hurry up with an investigation into this Ponzi Company.

 

[ebikegrinder]

Has anyone been able to get their refund? It's been a year since I was promised my parts. Plus, I paid extra for the extended warranty. If this company goes out of business, I lose out on the money I paid for the parts and warranty. At least, I got a good bike. But the overall costs are much higher.

I'm so disappointed because I read the reviews here and felt that I was making an informed decision.

Who should I complain to? The Better Business Bureau in Vancouver?

I think I'll go with my LBS from now on. Many of them have been in business for decades, and they pride themselves on making things right. There are so many good bikes out there that my next bike will do just fine without the hassle I've had this year.

 

[Deacon Blues]

If you haven't already you can put in a review on Dost with the Better Business Bureau.

DOST Bikes | Better Business Bureau® Profile

This organization is not BBB accredited. Electric Bike in Port Coquitlam, BC. See BBB rating, reviews, complaints, & more.

www.bbb.org

 

[ebikegrinder]

Thank you! I'll do that.