David From Victoria BC
- Thread starter David1010
- Start date
David1010
New Member
- Region
- Canada
I have two bikes that I have absolutely no idea what’s wrong with them, nor a clue how to fix them. I just hope no one else gets in my situation because it’s very frustrating and cost inefficient. After going through what I have, I would like to share some advice to all your readers.
Buy local. Even if you buy local ask questions regarding “if this needs repair, do you guys fix…” or “does the warranty cover…”, “after the warranty runs out…”.
It is imperative to ask these type questions. In Victoria, where I live, not one of the established ebike sellers and/repairs will work on internet ordered Amazon type bikes. Most don’t give a reason to justify that or they wont specifically work on motor controllers, motors, batteriy issues or other essential elements on a mail ordeeed bike. Victoria isn’t a small town and this policy includes over 10 main bike shops in town.
I have two bikes ordered online, one is a max foot folding bike, 500w,all the accessories that has never been ridden. 2500$ total and over a year later I see online hundreds of others that bought maxfoot and still don’t even know what is wrong with it and got no support whatsoever from Maxfoot. I certain whoever is behind Maxfoot has moved on, calling themselves something else whilst still selling Maxfoot with a skeleton warehouse depot. They stall and stall answering emails and calls till your warranty runs out and only honoured whoever hassled them the most, right when they started, just to attempt keeping the loudest complainers quiet. I have no idea how it performs as it’s never performed.
My other bike has been called several names, mine was bought labeled Cybertrack 300 by Metakoo. It was 500w but they also made a ‘100’ that was 350w, I’m pretty sure. Ordered by way of Amazon and did well in early reviews. 1500$ including tax, Canadian was rated top 5 in the ‘best under 1000$ American, so I bought.
Started excellent my goodness, nice memories! I charged from very low to fulll in just over 3 hours. I never tracked what distance it would do as I don’t like running batteries fully to dead but it was well over 60km. On one charge. It was a bit clunky and heavy but I don’t remember a hill ever giving it too much trouble, especially if I put any energy pedalling. I admit, I wasn’t delicate or ballerina type riding that bike and in less than a year, on the way across town, it broke down and that was it. The motor just spun with both the pedals assist and throttle. Loose wire? Blown motor? Fried motor controller? Throttle bit the dust? Magnet for speed reducer shifted?
No idea and I’ve had three pretty confident bike mechanics waste my time and still had no answers nor repaired a thing. One had it for 6 weeks, charged me 135$ and his diagnosis was incorrect and no help at all. The shops won’t look at it because it isn’t locally bought and independent bike mechanics are so busy they won’t even give you a scheduled date to take in. Your bike or they outright say “sorry, way too busy, try…” recommending a shop that’s already turned you down!
Buy local and pay the price knowing that they service whatever breaks in a timely manner. The alternate option is a sad sad expensive story such as mine. Order online and you limit your options by 95% and you can’t even “pay the price” and being left in limbo is no fun at all.
I realize now many companies selling bikes online have just bought bikes very cheap from somewhere in China and are just a front to sell them and disappear as soon as possible. There’s no substance or support behind that sale and if nothing ever goes wrong with. That bike in the decade you own it, I guess it doesn’t matter. If there a replacement battery halfway through at say 5 years, you were lucky.
Really though, the really lucky are those who bought locally from a company that is decent accountable and backs their products. I would have saved at least 5 grand, hours of wasted time and a ton of aggravation. Every time I pull into the gas station I think of those two bikes, still waiting to be repaired and utilized.
Any mechanic in my area that could help, please don’t hesitate to email me. I ask for nothing free just the bikes up and running as should be. Thanks
[email protected]
Victoria BC
Buy local. Even if you buy local ask questions regarding “if this needs repair, do you guys fix…” or “does the warranty cover…”, “after the warranty runs out…”.
It is imperative to ask these type questions. In Victoria, where I live, not one of the established ebike sellers and/repairs will work on internet ordered Amazon type bikes. Most don’t give a reason to justify that or they wont specifically work on motor controllers, motors, batteriy issues or other essential elements on a mail ordeeed bike. Victoria isn’t a small town and this policy includes over 10 main bike shops in town.
I have two bikes ordered online, one is a max foot folding bike, 500w,all the accessories that has never been ridden. 2500$ total and over a year later I see online hundreds of others that bought maxfoot and still don’t even know what is wrong with it and got no support whatsoever from Maxfoot. I certain whoever is behind Maxfoot has moved on, calling themselves something else whilst still selling Maxfoot with a skeleton warehouse depot. They stall and stall answering emails and calls till your warranty runs out and only honoured whoever hassled them the most, right when they started, just to attempt keeping the loudest complainers quiet. I have no idea how it performs as it’s never performed.
My other bike has been called several names, mine was bought labeled Cybertrack 300 by Metakoo. It was 500w but they also made a ‘100’ that was 350w, I’m pretty sure. Ordered by way of Amazon and did well in early reviews. 1500$ including tax, Canadian was rated top 5 in the ‘best under 1000$ American, so I bought.
Started excellent my goodness, nice memories! I charged from very low to fulll in just over 3 hours. I never tracked what distance it would do as I don’t like running batteries fully to dead but it was well over 60km. On one charge. It was a bit clunky and heavy but I don’t remember a hill ever giving it too much trouble, especially if I put any energy pedalling. I admit, I wasn’t delicate or ballerina type riding that bike and in less than a year, on the way across town, it broke down and that was it. The motor just spun with both the pedals assist and throttle. Loose wire? Blown motor? Fried motor controller? Throttle bit the dust? Magnet for speed reducer shifted?
No idea and I’ve had three pretty confident bike mechanics waste my time and still had no answers nor repaired a thing. One had it for 6 weeks, charged me 135$ and his diagnosis was incorrect and no help at all. The shops won’t look at it because it isn’t locally bought and independent bike mechanics are so busy they won’t even give you a scheduled date to take in. Your bike or they outright say “sorry, way too busy, try…” recommending a shop that’s already turned you down!
Buy local and pay the price knowing that they service whatever breaks in a timely manner. The alternate option is a sad sad expensive story such as mine. Order online and you limit your options by 95% and you can’t even “pay the price” and being left in limbo is no fun at all.
I realize now many companies selling bikes online have just bought bikes very cheap from somewhere in China and are just a front to sell them and disappear as soon as possible. There’s no substance or support behind that sale and if nothing ever goes wrong with. That bike in the decade you own it, I guess it doesn’t matter. If there a replacement battery halfway through at say 5 years, you were lucky.
Really though, the really lucky are those who bought locally from a company that is decent accountable and backs their products. I would have saved at least 5 grand, hours of wasted time and a ton of aggravation. Every time I pull into the gas station I think of those two bikes, still waiting to be repaired and utilized.
Any mechanic in my area that could help, please don’t hesitate to email me. I ask for nothing free just the bikes up and running as should be. Thanks
[email protected]
Victoria BC
indianajo
Well-Known Member
I converted a $2000 non-powered bike with a $300 1300 w geared hub motor kit and 3 batteries in 2018. Got the $300 back for first battery from btrbattery via Amazon, the second $300 battery from Sunebike via ebay I trashed as I took too long to prove shutdown wasn't the motor. The 3rd battery was $630 from Luna and I'm still using it 5 years later.
First motor lasted 4500 miles then gears started skipping. Rode it home unpowered, bought 2nd motor+ controller for $730, 1000 w 12 windings, was extremely happy for 3000 miles until clutch started not engaging 2/3 of time. Sounds like your 2nd bike that the motor just spins. Repair was a new motor. Stopped using it when rain burnt the ASI controller off the wire harness, damaging motor harness too.
3rd 4th motors were used 350 w bafang motors for $36, takeouts from scrapped Uber jump fleet. Compatible with 1st controller after phase and hall effect wire order swapping. Too wimpy to climb hills with groceries, burned one and stopped riding hills on the second. When the state restricted flattish Hwy 3 to 10' lanes with cones & barricades, had to stop riding until 5th motor, 500w came in. Never managed to find proper spokes for that to fit into a wheel. Takes 5 weeks to get 2.5 mm spokes from *****, none were available in the USA. Repaired 2nd motor again by replacing the wiring harness, and the new controller engages so slowly it doesn't give the clutch enough torque to make it slip. Riding that up 77 hills with great pleasure.
So basically repairs involve total replacement for hub motors, controllers, batteries. Buy parts with generic connectors that other components will plug into, the patented connectors tie you to people that go out of business. Buy no battery with a computer in it. Warranties, forget it, they may answer the phone but that is all. Mid-drives, take it to the dealer.
First motor lasted 4500 miles then gears started skipping. Rode it home unpowered, bought 2nd motor+ controller for $730, 1000 w 12 windings, was extremely happy for 3000 miles until clutch started not engaging 2/3 of time. Sounds like your 2nd bike that the motor just spins. Repair was a new motor. Stopped using it when rain burnt the ASI controller off the wire harness, damaging motor harness too.
3rd 4th motors were used 350 w bafang motors for $36, takeouts from scrapped Uber jump fleet. Compatible with 1st controller after phase and hall effect wire order swapping. Too wimpy to climb hills with groceries, burned one and stopped riding hills on the second. When the state restricted flattish Hwy 3 to 10' lanes with cones & barricades, had to stop riding until 5th motor, 500w came in. Never managed to find proper spokes for that to fit into a wheel. Takes 5 weeks to get 2.5 mm spokes from *****, none were available in the USA. Repaired 2nd motor again by replacing the wiring harness, and the new controller engages so slowly it doesn't give the clutch enough torque to make it slip. Riding that up 77 hills with great pleasure.
So basically repairs involve total replacement for hub motors, controllers, batteries. Buy parts with generic connectors that other components will plug into, the patented connectors tie you to people that go out of business. Buy no battery with a computer in it. Warranties, forget it, they may answer the phone but that is all. Mid-drives, take it to the dealer.
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