iGO CRUZ Motor Bearing and Support Issues

[dale]

I bought an iGO CRUZ in May of 2013 from a local dealership. I felt like it was my only option because the dealers who carry better electric bikes are on the East or West coast of Florida and I'm disabled which means I can't drive to those other places very easily.

My iGO seemed great at first and I was very excited to ride it around and gain some mobility. Pretty quickly the brake light switch broke off and this killed the entire circuit. I was forced to push the 72 pound bike home and I called the main iGO offices in Canada for help and was told to try epoxy glue. The epoxy didn't work and ate through the plastic and didn't stick.

With a bit of screwing around I was able to get the bike going again but shortly thereafter the crank bearing failed which completely shut down the motor as no power was being transferred through. I called the main iGO office again and was told that the part I needed was out of stock but more should be available in a week or so. I also spoke with the local dealership to get help but they don't stock the part and weren't able to provide any assistance.

After eight weeks of calling back and trying to solve this the dealership finally got a bearing. I brought the bike in and when they were working on it they discovered that the bearing housing is also cracked and even though iGO/Canada had ordered both parts they didn't include the bearing with the shipment to my local shop!

A few weeks into this whole process EVELO electric bikes had tried to help me out by offering to send my dealership the new bearing and housing. These guys make very similar ebikes to iGO and were being very supportive as I was trying to find help for those 8 weeks… In their email they stressed the fact that it was very likely the housing was cracked so I had forwarded this email to my iGO shop and they told EVELO "no thanks, we've got it handled".

The whole process has been frustrating, even my dealership has been hard to work with and I'm sure they aren't enjoying the procedures to fix the bike. I've spent so much time on this and really struggled because this electric bike was supposed to be my only wheels. I wouldn't recommend this bike

 

[Admin]

Man... that is no fun. I've test ridden a couple of the other iGo bikes and had some complaints and concerns about design but I'm sorry to hear the support you received wasn't great Dale. So is the bike working now or are you completely stranded?

 

[dale]

Man... that is no fun. I've test ridden a couple of the other iGo bikes and had some complaints and concerns about design but I'm sorry to hear the support you received wasn't great Dale. So is the bike working now or are you completely stranded?

Hey Court, I'm not stranded but now the pedal assist feature is having issues and one of the modes isn't working right. I've only put ~200 miles on the bike and always kept it indoors and well maintained so this is frustrating.

I can still get around on it so it's not a piece of junk but it is disappointing. I believe iGO will stand behind their 18 month warranty and repair it... I just don't want to be without transportation for nine weeks again! Cabs are very costly in this town, not to mention being stuck at home. It can easily turn into "cabin fever" and that's no fun, you know?

Thanks again Court. Dale (Casselberry, FL.)

 

[George J]

I'm sorry you had bad luck with yours. I purchased an RMartin (Tonaro) bike, same bike as the iGO and Evelo--just different seller. My bike has over 3000 miles and still going strong. I'm aware of it's poor review but have to disagree. The non hub design permits full use the gears and provides excellent torque and speed providing the rider understands gear concept. I'm looking to purchase a second Ebike and will probably go with another iGO/Evelo brand. I'm just waiting for the 48 volt version which is due sometime this summer!!

 

[dale]

Howdy George,

Glad you're happy w/the igo.....And to be clear , i have no issues w/igo(the company)my problem is with the dealership i got it from...Before i ordered/bought it thru them , i was assured that parts were easily available from them.But when the bearing failed , it took 8 weeks to get a replacement...Then another week for them to install it--they had to get a video from igo.Then they realized that the bearing housing was cracked...Igo was cool & overnighted it to them.When it was ready , i paid a neighbor(who drives a little pick-up truck)to drive there-20 miles-and back. I brought a blanket & bungee's & rope so we could secure the bike in the upright position.But the dealer said "no,no....Ya just lay it down-it'll be fine...."since it's my first e-bike & he was (supposedly) experienced w/them, i said o.K. But i shoulda listened to my gut , which was telling me that electronics-like the l.E.D. Panel on the handlebar/ the sensor ring inboard of the left pedal,etc. Tend to be fragile-now-since i got it back home-the pedal assist won't go to 90%-sometimes it won't even go to 60%.And when i charge the battery to 100% , it drops to 75% after less than 3-4 miles!

I was told by an expert that these lithium-ion batteries should never be left for more than 2-3 weeks-once they're "broke-in"-w/out charging them...It will damage them seriously. Well, as i said-the dealer's shop let it sit for almost 9 weeks w/out using the charger....Live & learn,right? The dealer hired a new mechanic during this 3 month period & he flat out told me that not only does he have no experience w/e-bikes but the dealer/owner doesn't either-except basic bicycle stuff( brake/derail/steering adjustment)but when it comes to troubleshootng/diagnosing electronic issues...Zero! I'm writing this only to warn people looking to buy their first e-bike...Ask a lot of questions & research the dealer/dealerhip.Ask them for references,etc. It will save you money & disappointment.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

I'm writing this only to warn people looking to buy their first e-bike...Ask a lot of questions & research the dealer/dealerhip.Ask them for references,etc. It will save you money & disappointment.

Good point, Dale.
Knowing who is a good dealer and who is BS will save you lot of time, effort and money.

 

[Admin]

Electric bikes are complicated... You have to know all of the mechanical systems in addition electronic ones that can be elusive and varied across brands and models. This past week I graduated from a LEVA training session (stands for Light Electric Vehicle Association) and learned a lot more about the history of the industry, how different systems work and how to diagnose problems. This class isn't free and I had to get myself out to Florida to attend it... I'm sure many shops feel strapped (for time and money) and pass up on this kind of thing but I highly recommend it.

 

[elron]

Court-how can i get info on the LEVA training? Is it close to Orlando,Fl.? Much Obliged-elron [email protected]

 

[Faunus]

I purchased an Igo Titan about three years ago. The first bike sent to me was a death trap - twisted frame. Eventually they replaced it and the new one rode well for a year or so.

However a few weeks ago I discovered a serious crack in the frame (see pic). I called the company, who said that they would get back to me with some ideas about what they could do. It looks like I could have been killed or seriously maimed, had I not spotted the crack. They offered no words of concern at all, their reply was cold and impersonal.

Guess what? No reply at all - even after several phone calls! Clearly they just don't care, and what bothers me is that this could be a consistent and serious design defect (look at where the crack is!).

My own thought is that these bikes should all be recalled and all checked, before anyone is killed or seriously injured. If you own one please have it checked (see the picture below) for your own safety.

The company owners seem to be completely cold and heartless.... They should replace my frame like any other reputable bike company would. They should also be informing other owners and dealers of the potential danger.

Check out the picture and see for yourself!

 

[EdW]

Can anyone advise me on how to deal with the terrible costumer service from Igo?
I bought a Metro S in May 2015 and it stopped working in August, 2015; bad controller. I have written and had several phone conversations with Gary Richmond, owner of Igo. I was told twice that the part was shipped but none ever arrived.
Mr. Richmond told me again on November 26 that I would have the part on Monday, December 4, 2015.
Today is December 7th, five months since the problem started.
I'm 70 years old and depend on this bike. Any advise on how to deal with this unreputable company would be appreciated.
Ed Williams, Florida, USA