Flash bike?

[Brooklyn Tony]

NOTE: I have no connection to the sellers or any skin in their game but I thought it was a pretty interesting design with a ton of novel techy features.

I saw an ad in my Facebook about a month ago for this Flash bike (www.flashbike.io). Thought it was interesting. I received a "secret" link to it by registering my email. They sent me a link that went live today to buy it for $1k (shipped) otherwise it shows up as $1200 (shipped). 272 of 500 people have jumped in already. Note: The battery removal looks tedious as the rear wheel with hub motor has to be removed. Also it's probably just cadence sensing. No size options. White, Silver, and Charcoal are the only color options. Other than that it sounds pretty impressive on paper but I don't know.. Indiegogo is a total gamble. I don't know how credit card companies handle claims if the seller doesn't deliver. I haven't ordered one myself, the ETA is January of 2018 (meh).

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/flash-the-bike-evolved--3#/

Here's a copy and paste of their specs (I consolidated the details)

500W motor (unspecified manufacturer)
36v 11.6AH 417WH Panasonic cells
Touchscreen
High-Resolution Dashboard Screen with Speed, Distance, Battery Life and Pedal Assist Level Display
Turn-by-Turn Navigation ???
Secure Keyless Operation: On, Off and Arm
Movement-Triggered Alarm with Flashing Lights and 85 Decibel Audio
GPS Location Tracking
App Notification
Front and rear lights
Automatic Brake Light
Left and Right Turn Signals
(unspecified) Shimano 7-Speed Shifters and 12-32T Cassette
Shimano Mechanical Disc Brakes with 180mm rotors
Kenda Kranium 26" x 2.10" Tires
Selle Royal Sport Comfort Saddle
Adjustable Alloy Center Kickstand
Wireless Cellular Connection with Paired Bike
Remote Check-In for Location, Battery Life and Security Alerts
Push Notifications for Low Battery and Security Alerts

Thoughts? Would you buy it? Did you preorder it?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

These products don't have proper support system and become expensive paper weights 2 years down the line.

I would not even touch it.

 

[austin tao]

I also saw the Flash bike on Treehugger.com and pretty impressed w/ the features and the offered price.
I would like to hear more on what other people's thoughts and the indiegogo campaign and the risk involved.
Has anyone test rode the bike yet?

 

[Brooklyn Tony]

Ravi is right. There is likely zero support once the bike is sold to you. You might have recourse through your credit card company for a very brief period but a warranty is useless unless someone actually supports it.

 

[nf94]

I figured I'd revive this thread since they launched the bike, got good reviews, and now during COVID seem to be backed up on orders like every other ebike company.

I got a used one of these for a really good deal and figured that if I can use it for a year I can replace my Subway MetroCard and continue saving for a bike from a more trusted brand, so we'll see how that goes. So far the company is super responsive on every email I send, answering all of my questions as directly as possible (as a second-hand owner). It is only via email that you communicate, but this might help them cut down labor. They sell spare replacement parts on their website and for the most part the parts are fairly straightforward replacements. I will say that, living in NYC, I am not looking forward to the day when someone lashes out at the bike's car alarm system and decides to smash the touchscreen. Overall, though, the ebike parts all seem quality, though the non-ebike parts are a bit subpar.

Anyone else own a Flash ebike? I'd have loved to get a Trek Commuter, but I don't have 5 grand to shell out for an e-bike, and didn't like many lower budget options.

I have a lot of questions about what parts folks prefer with these (I am thinking of running Schwalbe Marathon Plus), if anyone wants to chat about that.