Has anyone ordered a Daymak Chameleon?
- Thread starter OldGuy
- Start date
I've been wondering what happened to my Chameleon Ultimate after responding to their question about whether to ship with or without the lighted cargo box - it's been a couple of months.
Today, after chasing down Akili (he doesn't respond to most emails), he told me that my bike had been shipped to Utah 4 weeks ago, and he didn't know why I didn't have it. Gave me the phone number of the shop in Utah that is supposed to break down pallets of bikes and re-ship them.
Big mistake - after the guy in Utah bent my ear for 15 minutes, it turns out that the cartons in which the Chameleons were shipped were falling apart, and that the US shipper refused to accept them. The bikes have been sitting in Utah for a month waiting for Daymak to send them new cartons and bracing to hold them in the cartons.
That new packing material is supposed to arrive in Utah from Daymak tomorrow. Then it will take a couple of weeks to re-pack the US bikes and ship them as freight, so count on September if all goes well.
Today, after chasing down Akili (he doesn't respond to most emails), he told me that my bike had been shipped to Utah 4 weeks ago, and he didn't know why I didn't have it. Gave me the phone number of the shop in Utah that is supposed to break down pallets of bikes and re-ship them.
Big mistake - after the guy in Utah bent my ear for 15 minutes, it turns out that the cartons in which the Chameleons were shipped were falling apart, and that the US shipper refused to accept them. The bikes have been sitting in Utah for a month waiting for Daymak to send them new cartons and bracing to hold them in the cartons.
That new packing material is supposed to arrive in Utah from Daymak tomorrow. Then it will take a couple of weeks to re-pack the US bikes and ship them as freight, so count on September if all goes well.
Last edited:
stevebriggs
Member
Yikes
Mine showed up today. I can see why the shippers wouldn't accept it the first time around - a chinese cardboard box with several large holes in it, stuffed with a cubic yard of bubblepack. The Daymak box was enclosed in a frame of 2x4s and masonite, on a pallet, to hold it together.
Needless to say, the bubblepack doesn't do much to control heavy metal objects, so there are a couple of small scuffs and scratches, and the front end is currently resting on the front axle and brake, having penetrated the cardboard box bottom.
The bike looks nice - it's pretty in black, but at the moment I can't put the front wheel on it, because I can't get it off the pallet with the front fork in the air, all by myself. Gonna be a day or two before I can get a friend to come over and help.
Needless to say, the bubblepack doesn't do much to control heavy metal objects, so there are a couple of small scuffs and scratches, and the front end is currently resting on the front axle and brake, having penetrated the cardboard box bottom.
The bike looks nice - it's pretty in black, but at the moment I can't put the front wheel on it, because I can't get it off the pallet with the front fork in the air, all by myself. Gonna be a day or two before I can get a friend to come over and help.
Having an issue -bike won't come on without charger.
In order to get it off the palette to mount the front wheel, I had to remove the main battery under the floor. When I did so, I found a large white connector, which had become disconnected when I pulled the battery, and also a disconnected standard 120v female, like the one from the charger. Reconnected both firmly (second try).
The issue I'm having is that the display lights up only when the charger is plugged in, and the bike is not otherwise functional. Charger shows green light -= full battery.
Help?
In order to get it off the palette to mount the front wheel, I had to remove the main battery under the floor. When I did so, I found a large white connector, which had become disconnected when I pulled the battery, and also a disconnected standard 120v female, like the one from the charger. Reconnected both firmly (second try).
The issue I'm having is that the display lights up only when the charger is plugged in, and the bike is not otherwise functional. Charger shows green light -= full battery.
Help?
Last edited:
Got an email from Aldo late this Friday evening (even later in Montreal). Turns out that if you turn the circuit breaker Off to be safe when pulling the battery, you need to turn it On afterward...
So I'll be out on the Chameleon tomorrow. The app hooked right up, once I entered the password (from the App Quick Guide). I don't know how it works yet, but it did communicate with my Chameleon.
So far, so good, aside from packaging. Sure wish there was a dealer here in Portland, but online customer service has been excellent so far.
So I'll be out on the Chameleon tomorrow. The app hooked right up, once I entered the password (from the App Quick Guide). I don't know how it works yet, but it did communicate with my Chameleon.
So far, so good, aside from packaging. Sure wish there was a dealer here in Portland, but online customer service has been excellent so far.
Last edited:
whatamoron
New Member
Just a heads-up for people interested in buying a Daymak Chameleon.
My situation may be unusual but you should check this out before you buy
I purchased my Daymak Chameleon Ultimate around the beginning of
March 2017.
The speedometer tops out @ 20-32 kph it will not register speeds faster
than that even if the scooter is travelling @ 50kph.
The led lights on the sides of the scooter can only be set on either green
or blue.
Apparently the colours of yellow, orange, and red are not available.
My situation may be unusual but you should check this out before you buy
I purchased my Daymak Chameleon Ultimate around the beginning of
March 2017.
The speedometer tops out @ 20-32 kph it will not register speeds faster
than that even if the scooter is travelling @ 50kph.
The led lights on the sides of the scooter can only be set on either green
or blue.
Apparently the colours of yellow, orange, and red are not available.
whatamoron
New Member
Sorry what I meant to state in the above post is that the speedometer tops out @ between 30-32 kph
John Kiniston
New Member
[QUOTE="whatamoron, post: 102047, member: 14407".
The led lights on the sides of the scooter can only be set on either green
or blue.
Apparently the colours of yellow, orange, and red are not available.[/QUOTE]
I would guess you have a break in one of the wires going to the LED's from the controller with this fault, My lights work in every colour.
The led lights on the sides of the scooter can only be set on either green
or blue.
Apparently the colours of yellow, orange, and red are not available.[/QUOTE]
I would guess you have a break in one of the wires going to the LED's from the controller with this fault, My lights work in every colour.
stevebriggs
Member
Weird. I have had mine over a year now and I would say the speedo is pretty accurate. Mine tops out about 56-57 kph, certainly nowhere near the 40 mph Daymak advertised. And you can dial in any hue or intensity via the app.
whatamoron
New Member
One of Daymak's top technicians was sent over on March 29th to set-up my colours he stated that they had received a new shipment of scooters and he felt these had only the blue and green colours available for some reason.
As for the scooter's speedometer when I put it on it's kickstand and have the app running the app indicates 57 kph while the speedometer reads 31 kph.
I had Daymak pick-up the scooter today (March 30th) to work on it, they are pushing hard for the solution of putting a smart phone mount on the handlebars and using my smartphone as my speedometer.
The technician I spoke to stated that all the scooters Daymak sold, speedometers topped out @ 30-32 kph's
I wonder if this is something new, my old scooter was an Emmo Urban which could go 38 kph and that is what the speedometer indicated.
What got me interested in the Chameleon was I met someone who owned one back in the spring and like yours he had all the led light colours available (and everything worked properly).
I am disappointed as I feel Daymak's advertising is misleading.
I certainly would of reconsidered my purchasing decision had I known that all the "features" they claim didn't function as they should.
Daniel2091
New Member
Hello, So we bought 2 of these Daymak Chameleon E-scooters, they were suppose to come with rear solar charging cases, it has been a year and we still have not received the cases or the replacement brake handle that was broken during the terrible shipping condition. Daymak has been avoiding us, not returning emails or calls. The quality of these e-scooters is cheap china walmart junk, don't wasted your money or time on them. Find a high quality conversion kit with braking recovery and install on your bicycle. That is the best option. Don't buy Daymak! Can't stress that enough.
whatamoron
New Member
Daymak's customer service certainly does not enhance their chances of earning future repeat business.
Any goodwill they have at time of purchase rapidly dissipates with exposure to their after sale customer service.
stevebriggs
Member
I disagree with Daniel2091. I have both an Eagle and a Chameleon. While the latter is MUCH lighter it has proven solid over the last year and has incredible torque and braking. It will carry me up the steepest hills with hardly any slowing down, while there are some hills that will slow the Eagle to pretty much stopped. Of course, a powered bicycle is a whole different beast than a dedicated scooter. I am 300 pounds and the lithium Chameleon will carry me 80 km on a charge. The cockpit is more cramped, the seat smaller and harder than the Eagle, and it bugs me that it tops out about 55 kph (Daymak had advertised 40 mph which is 64 kph). My other gripe is that the LED strip lights need to be turned on via the app every time you want to use them, the bike should remember the last used mode and activate that on next turn on. But on the other hand, an adult of say 5'9" and 150 pounds would fit perfectly. This scooter is easily lifted into a van by one person, and is small enough to fit pretty easily, a big plus. The solar back boxes arrived a couple months ago and Daymak told me there would be a 40 dollar shipping charge. The Eagle feels much more like a small motorcycle, the extra mass and fat tires smoothing the ride and inspiring confidence for fast corners. I had mine converted from 72 to 84V lead acid and it has a slightly faster top speed than the Chameleon, but the range is only maybe 25km at best.
whatamoron
New Member
RE: Daniel2091 you will get much more bang for your buck buying a e-scooter than converting a bicycle
Before I bought a E-scooter I looked into converting my old Coppi racing bike to be Bionx powered
I took it to a bicycle shop and was told that the rear bionx hub wheel would not fit into my rear dropouts / triangle.
Also the Bionx battery (the most value part of the conversion kit) is relatively easy to steal and there is a healthy black market for them.
On a side issue I recently fully recharged my Chameleon's battery (lithium) for the first time and the voltage read 102 volts.
Is that normal and can this damage the battery?
Before I bought a E-scooter I looked into converting my old Coppi racing bike to be Bionx powered
I took it to a bicycle shop and was told that the rear bionx hub wheel would not fit into my rear dropouts / triangle.
Also the Bionx battery (the most value part of the conversion kit) is relatively easy to steal and there is a healthy black market for them.
On a side issue I recently fully recharged my Chameleon's battery (lithium) for the first time and the voltage read 102 volts.
Is that normal and can this damage the battery?
stevebriggs
Member
My Lithium Chameleon is a year old and when fully charged reads 98-99 V. This drops as the cells are depleted of course.
vturvey
New Member
I've had my Chameleon 84V lithium for just over a year. For the most part I am happy with the bike itself but I have had some good and bad service from Daymak and local Daymak dealers.
I chose this bike in particular because it checked all the boxes for me. I am 330+ pounds and I live in an area with a lot big hills so I needed a bike that could carry my heavy ass around and up hills. The Chameleon is the only bike I have found that had specs within my acceptable range.
When I received the bike, it was fully assembled and strapped to a pallet with a Hamilton box over top. There were scratches on many plastic body pieces and a regular cargo box - not a solar - but Daymak replaced the damaged pieces. We heard that the solar boxes came in months ago but even after an email to Daymak, I haven't rec'd mine yet. In testing the range, I rode the bike to work for 3 days without charging, 21 km each way, and got about half way home on the third day before it died. About 115 km. My battery meter never registered anything but full until the third day on the way home. Within the first week of riding it I had some brake bolts fall off so I had to leave the bike at home while I waited for Daymak to send me replacements. I have a Samsung phone and I have never been able to connect to the bike with the app. My husband has a Google phone so I had to borrow his to connect. Then one day I stupidly decided to play with some of the settings of the bike and now I have lost 32 kph governor. I called Daymak and they gave me the password for the dealer part of the app and some settings that got me close to the legal 32 kph but I am still technically not legal. I just keep to the 32 kph on my own. The local dealers are not much more help. My calls have gone unreturned from one dealer and when I had my bike in to another dealer for a warranty issue, the guy decided to be "nice" and tighten my cargo box. Unfortunately, rather than using the correct bracket (which had also fallen off I guess) he screwed the box through the plastic directly into the metal of the cargo rack. Needless to say I haven't been back to his shop since. He also cut a piece of a commercial mat to "replace" the battery cover mat that I didn't send with the bike. Again, trying to be nice but....it looks really ghetto.
My pet peeve from the beginning has been the battery cover mat. Surely, there is a better solution than this silly mat that flies off. A molded plastic cover that snaps closed would be so much better in my opinion. The only other thing that bothers me on a daily basis is the dirty looks and nasty comments I get from guys on regular bikes. I've had "What the f*ck are you doing here?", "Get that thing off the bike trail", "You're cheating, you know" and a silent scowl with a thumbs down gesture. I even got yelled at from a guy in a car for being on the bike trail.
All in all, I would recommend this bike.
I chose this bike in particular because it checked all the boxes for me. I am 330+ pounds and I live in an area with a lot big hills so I needed a bike that could carry my heavy ass around and up hills. The Chameleon is the only bike I have found that had specs within my acceptable range.
When I received the bike, it was fully assembled and strapped to a pallet with a Hamilton box over top. There were scratches on many plastic body pieces and a regular cargo box - not a solar - but Daymak replaced the damaged pieces. We heard that the solar boxes came in months ago but even after an email to Daymak, I haven't rec'd mine yet. In testing the range, I rode the bike to work for 3 days without charging, 21 km each way, and got about half way home on the third day before it died. About 115 km. My battery meter never registered anything but full until the third day on the way home. Within the first week of riding it I had some brake bolts fall off so I had to leave the bike at home while I waited for Daymak to send me replacements. I have a Samsung phone and I have never been able to connect to the bike with the app. My husband has a Google phone so I had to borrow his to connect. Then one day I stupidly decided to play with some of the settings of the bike and now I have lost 32 kph governor. I called Daymak and they gave me the password for the dealer part of the app and some settings that got me close to the legal 32 kph but I am still technically not legal. I just keep to the 32 kph on my own. The local dealers are not much more help. My calls have gone unreturned from one dealer and when I had my bike in to another dealer for a warranty issue, the guy decided to be "nice" and tighten my cargo box. Unfortunately, rather than using the correct bracket (which had also fallen off I guess) he screwed the box through the plastic directly into the metal of the cargo rack. Needless to say I haven't been back to his shop since. He also cut a piece of a commercial mat to "replace" the battery cover mat that I didn't send with the bike. Again, trying to be nice but....it looks really ghetto.
My pet peeve from the beginning has been the battery cover mat. Surely, there is a better solution than this silly mat that flies off. A molded plastic cover that snaps closed would be so much better in my opinion. The only other thing that bothers me on a daily basis is the dirty looks and nasty comments I get from guys on regular bikes. I've had "What the f*ck are you doing here?", "Get that thing off the bike trail", "You're cheating, you know" and a silent scowl with a thumbs down gesture. I even got yelled at from a guy in a car for being on the bike trail.
All in all, I would recommend this bike.
whatamoron
New Member
Is that a Bichon Frise in your profile picture?
I had 3 of them until 2 years ago, miss them dearly.
My suggestion for your mat issue is go to a dollar store
and buy some Velcro strips.
My current complaint with the Chameleon is the "throw" on the turn signals
is to short, you push the lever to signal a left turn and when you shut it off
you end up signalling for a right turn, it is difficult to position it in the "off"
position.
For what it is worth when I recharge my battery it regularly over charges to
99-100 volts.
Attachments
vturvey
New Member
That's my baby brudder. He's my Mom's Maltese/Shih Tzu named Cheeky Boy.
I actually bought industrial strength Velcro but it didn't stick to the mat very well. I am currently using Gorilla tape to hold it down but it also is not working as well as I hoped. It's a huge pain in the butt for a simple mat that's why they really need to engineer a better one. I have my doubts about how much forethought went into the entire Chameleon.
I actually bought industrial strength Velcro but it didn't stick to the mat very well. I am currently using Gorilla tape to hold it down but it also is not working as well as I hoped. It's a huge pain in the butt for a simple mat that's why they really need to engineer a better one. I have my doubts about how much forethought went into the entire Chameleon.
whatamoron
New Member
My wishes for the next generation Chameleon's is:
Battery mat covers that stay in place.
Turn signals that are easy to turn on and off.
A speedometer that measures the true speed the scooter is going and does not top out @ 35 KPH
Bike pedals where you can actually pedal for short distances (not the little 2.5 inch one they use now)
Battery mat covers that stay in place.
Turn signals that are easy to turn on and off.
A speedometer that measures the true speed the scooter is going and does not top out @ 35 KPH
Bike pedals where you can actually pedal for short distances (not the little 2.5 inch one they use now)
Similar threads
