Fatte Bikes (aka FattEbikes for search purposes) Review and warning

I did weeks of research, and that's what made me want one. How is one to know they aren't made in the USA, when they state they are made in the USA? I even visited them. Three times. They brought me into the back to watch one of the bikes being powder painted.
 
Warning of what to expect if you order through them.

We paid for two bikes on May 12th and were told it would be 4-6 weeks. At the 4 week mark, having not heard from them I tried to see if there was a portal on the website to check your order. The website was down so I emailed them and I was assured it might be another 4 weeks, but they’d let us know along the way and keep us updated.

In that time I received 2 or 3 emails asking us to invest, and we hadn’t signed up for the email campaign. I tried to remove myself 3 times, asking them to remove me, which I was assured I was. I received 2 more emails asking to invest with them. Finally they stopped after a couple of tersely worded emails and threats to rescind my order. When you’re waiting for an update on your super cool ebike that they promised they’d keep you in the loop on, and all you get is them asking you for more money, it sours you a bit.

At the 2 month mark I inquired again. At the 2.5 month mark I inquired again and was just given more excuses. Finally received my bike at the end of summer after THREE months. My wife’s bike wasn’t ready for another 2 weeks after that. That’s more than double the time they promised, without a single update unless you inquire. We had plans for those bikes during that time. At a normal bike shop, when you buy a bike, they tell you to come back X and then X to make sure the bike is working properly, all the things are tight. Not here. Once you ride away you just ride away. My bikes powder coat paint was done terribly, you can see the aluminum frame in some parts, and there’s a scratch BAKED into the frame itself. It's like this all over the bike, I get that it might be pedantic as it's so "custom built" but multiple places on their website they brag about the quality of their paint. There’s a cable that should be tied into place and it’s dangling right next to the gear on the crankset. The bike hunted for gears immediately. It’s that dragging sound when the gear isn’t engaged properly. After just 1 ride the headlight started coming undone. I inquired as to their warranty and they just asked me to drop it off, with no ETA as to when it would be looked at or be able to be picked up.

On the 4th charge, the battery died right as I was trying to leave for work. I was on their website looking for help/warranties when I noticed that they are installing larger batteries than we received (and we paid the extra $449 for bigger batteries) and I was told I can only swap like for like. I used the last of my patience with them to ask for the slightly larger battery that they would now be installing as we didn’t receive our bikes until they announced the larger batteries and because it took so long and the fit and finish sucked They wrote back saying that my options were like battery for like battery or they could keep my battery until the new ones arrived in 4-8 weeks. Effectively rendering this bike a paperweight until god knows when the battery would arrive. Real fun to pay almost $4k for a bike that you didn’t have all summer and probably won’t be able to ride until winter. So much for this thing replacing my car. Excellent customer retention by threatening to hold your bike hostage with no battery.

My wife’s bike also has paint flaws upon delivery, her custom grip color wasn't put on, instead she received basic black. We were told we’d need to stop by and pick them once they received them and install them ourselves, or have to leave the bike at a later date to have them installed. 3.5 months and you still can’t deliver the product that was paid for. In business you under promise and over deliver. They went the opposite route. I haven’t spent this much money and been so disappointed before. I have zero faith in their warranty. If you look at any negative review they blast people, saying they’re bots or didn’t have orders etc. It’ll be interesting to see their response to this. They have a C- rating on BBB. And a word about if you DO order with them. If you order the “puncture resistant tires with sealant + liners” you aren’t getting top of the line liners.

You’re getting the cheap $49 Amazon liners and $4 worth of tire slime for all that extra $129!! You really have to want this bike over another one sold locally. Their customer support is far from even being decent. At no point did they ever contact us except for asking for more money from us in the form of investing.

^ I could have written this review, myself. I'm so sorry I ordered from them. I also ordered mid-May. We are now just a few days from NOVEMBER. 12 ebikes lost in shipping/transit. They have no idea where they are. I filed a claim and also complaint with the BBB. I feel sorry for anyone who believes their claims of "made in USA." They are completely bogus.
 
really lol? by US built they mean assembled in the US, those are clearly Chinese bikes using Chinese "Bafang" motors they are nothing more than another reseller looking for folks who dont do any research before buying. I know i sound like a broken record but if people would just take a few weeks even to watch reviews and read up on E_Bike it could save them a ton of misery and pain.
It's sounds arrogant to assume I've done no research. Is that your best guess? I was at their facility three times, over several weeks. I also got a tour and took several ride demos. They -- both owners, Kenny and Victoria-- have been interviewed in the Denver news channels, by numerous reporters, too many times to count, talking about the Denver e-bike rebate program. What was there to prove that I was buying strictly Chinese bikes, and why wouldn't anyone knowledgeable have even mentioned it in all that publicity, over all the months they've been promoting their business?
 
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