Copenhagen Wheel Thoughts

[Brambor]

it is quite amazing actually, the copenhagen wheel had such great recognition to brand success with the red wheel in the middle and a unique approach to ebiking. Every time I had a conversation with people about ebikes they mentioned the Copenhagen Wheel especially when they knew nothing about ebikes in general. Such a great opportunity wasted.

 

[J.R.]

They promise to ship this month

It was a wasted opportunity and a cautionary tale; not to try and go to market too soon! I do hope it does ship this month and is offered at a reasonable price going forward. I think it would be great to be able to get an all in one wheel that can go at 15+mph for 20+ miles and priced at $700+/-, but I don't think that is what's proposed going forward. The problem in marketing may be Sondors. If folks in the market for their first ebike think the Sondors offered those specs for $500-$650, there may be a real problem moving many Copenhagen Wheels at more than a grand each and it doesn't even include a bike.

it is quite amazing actually, the copenhagen wheel had such great recognition to brand success with the red wheel in the middle and a unique approach to ebiking. Every time I had a conversation with people about ebikes they mentioned the Copenhagen Wheel especially when they knew nothing about ebikes in general. Such a great opportunity wasted.

 

[George S.]

Here's another wheel:

https://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpre...nversion-it-doesnt-get-much-easier-than-this/

When he said it weighed 20 pounds it seemed like a bad system. If it holds up, maybe.

 

[JoePah]

The all in one ebike wheel is a very tough nut to crack.. Battery and motor all build up heat.. The controller has to keep from getting fried.. And the whole assembly and electrical connections have to endure full impact from the wheel.

The guys at Superpedastrian have been working on it since 2009, when the concept was truly leading edge. eBike technology has moved on, and we now have eBikes that weigh around 40 lbs.. And we have eBikes for less than $1000.

The fact you're getting a choice of cassette is pretty good.. Flykly is only one speed.

So is there a place for the Copenhagen Wheel? Really depends how much good it does, and the range... The battery is 48v 5.5Ah I think..

Hope one of you folks get the wheel and report on it.

 

[J.R.]

Here's another wheel:

https://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpre...nversion-it-doesnt-get-much-easier-than-this/

When he said it weighed 20 pounds it seemed like a bad system. If it holds up, maybe.

Shame it's only available in a 26" wheel!

 

[AemerC]

They promise to ship this month

If you trust that the people posting on their Facebook page are representative of their customers in general, then people seem to be running out of patience... Plenty of customers have been waiting 18+ months since paying for their wheel. I haven't been waiting that long but I think I'll cancel my order if they don't make their end of June deadline. I'd wanted to use the wheel this summer. If I am going to have to wait until next spring to use it (because they don't ship until this coming fall/winter), then I may as well hold onto my money and order one next spring. They claim that they'll ramp up production quickly after the first wheels ship. Presumably that means that wheels ordered next spring won't take a year or more to be delivered.

 

[PowerMe]

Copenhagen has been promising to deliver for a long time now. I personally would have demanded a refund at the point where the project was delayed 3 months. That's my internal timeline where patience erodes.

 

[JoePah]

If you trust that the people posting on their Facebook page are representative of their customers in general, then people seem to be running out of patience... Plenty of customers have been waiting 18+ months since paying for their wheel. I haven't been waiting that long but I think I'll cancel my order if they don't make their end of June deadline. I'd wanted to use the wheel this summer. If I am going to have to wait until next spring to use it (because they don't ship until this coming fall/winter), then I may as well hold onto my money and order one next spring. They claim that they'll ramp up production quickly after the first wheels ship. Presumably that means that wheels ordered next spring won't take a year or more to be delivered.

I hope you stay the course @AemerC Really want to hear an honest assessment of what the wheel can and cannot do. Can't rely on the professional reviewers any more since they are compromised by advertising.

 

[AemerC]

Really want to hear an honest assessment of what the wheel can and cannot do.

I probably will wait it out. It is just frustrating when a company seems unwilling to reach out to their customers with timely updates on their progress towards delivery. Especially so when they blow through a long quoted deadline without so much as a word. No apology, no "hey, we missed that one but we're on track to ship next week so please forgive us for the week's delay". Nothing. Instead they just focus on deleting negative comments posted by their customers on their Facebook timeline. (Watch the page, the negative comments come and go like whack-a-moles...) I am not one of the many vocal Facebook critics because I don't use Facebook, but I can only assume that those people who do post on there speak for many more who grumble in the shadows.

I will be sure to post a review when I eventually get my wheel.

 

[JoePah]

When those boys started their design it was supposed to be some kind of giant exercise and tracking device. Then someone came up with the idea of an electric powered bike wheel. I just think the problem is far more complex than they thought, and they are struggling with heat and reliability issues.

After 6 years I compliment them on their stubborness!

 

[AemerC]

Update:

Still no word of any wheels having been shipped... Superpedestrian promised they'd ship the first wheels before the end of spring 2015. When that deadline passed, they said very little other than posting one or two Facebook comments where they indicated that they'd ship the first wheels before the end of June 2015. Now two weeks into July without so much as a word of explanation from them, customers seem to be getting restless and nervous.

A new "Copenhagen Wheel Customer Complaints" Facebook page has sprouted up in the last day or so (Ref: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cope...mplaints-Page/849184135178135?hc_location=ufi). The page is in response to Superpedestrian's practice of deleting negative posts from their own official company facebook page. I guess they'd rather censor people's criticism than try to address it and mitigate it. I had hoped things would start to improve after they posted a new job opening for a Community Manager position on July 2nd (Ref: http://jobs.superpedestrian.com), but they're still deleting posts and still haven't provided any meaningful updates.

Understandably, there's more and more buzz about people cancelling their orders. I am getting nervous too.

 

[AemerC]

Update 2:

Still no word on any wheels having been shipped. And it seems that there are even conflicting opinions internally within Superpedestrian about when we can expect them. Twitter user Kate Donovan indicated in a tweet today that she was told that orders placed today would, realistically, be shipped in 2016.

I wonder what that means for my wheel? I ordered at the beginning of spring of this year... There are thousands of others in line ahead of me. Should I expect mine in 2016 too? I've certainly given up getting it before the snow flies.

 

[Jordi]

Hi...after waiting for 18 months ive given up and asked for a refund...got it.
I understand such a prototype can have teehing problems...even for this long...but i cant accept the terrible customer service, the lack of information, and the way they just delete the negative imput from their web page...lost trust in them.
Its difficult to beleive they will come up with a good product. Chances are they will just wash their hands if theres any problem...and there will most probably will be!

 

[Rick Huizinga]

I just noticed what appears to be a rather sarcastic and juvenile response by Superpedestrian on their Twitter account. They must really dislike potential customers that have decided not to buy their wheel.

 

[AemerC]

Hi...after waiting for 18 months ive given up and asked for a refund...got it.

I recently did the same thing. I'll consider ordering one if they ever get to market with it and it appears to be reliable but I am tired of waiting on a product from a company that seems to have so much contempt for its customers. Instead of providing timely updates and realistic projections for when they'll ship, they focus on deleting negative comments. Maybe they are afraid of a "run on the bank" if they are honest?

 

[JoePah]

And whoever has been bankrolling them has probably given up any hope of getting a return.. Wouldn't surprise me if they go away quietly.

 

[Cargomenton]

I look forward to the delivery of the wheel I purchased some time back. I rode one in South Boston last year. Quite nice ride augmentation.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists) just sent these folk and asked them about there turn around time