Issues with brand new ebike

[l3art]

A few weeks ago I received my new ebike (Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB). I bought this to travel to work.

When ordering, I requested to replace the standard seat post with a suspension seat post. While testing other bicycles, I found that such a suspension seat post was much more comfortable... The seat post that was installed is an ANP Swan 27.2X300 PM-705N. It said Koga as the brand, and not Gazelle.

On the return drive on the first day I had to stop riding because the rear wheel was completely warped. The breakdown assistance dropped me and my bike off at the dealer, and they told me that this had happened because the spokes were not tightened. According to the dealer, this was a manufacturing defect.

They then tensioned all the spokes and let me continue driving. This went well until this week. One evening I noticed that one of the spokes had broken off at the hub.

Now my question is, did I have bad luck, or did something go wrong because of what happened on the first day?

Or could it be that all these problems happened because I had the seatpost changed, and this is not the original configuration?

 

[teskow]

The seat post change could not cause a spoke to break. In my opinion it was the loose spokes causing movement at the hub that wore the spokes and weakened them.

 

[fooferdoggie]

the wheel needs rebuilt from the ground up I bet if a spoke broke that soon there is a serious issue with the wheel. as said nothing to do with the seat post unless they jammed the seat post into the spokes.

 

[Tars Tarkas]

Since it's a new bike, I'd try to get the dealer or the manufacturer to replace the wheel, or at least have it rebuilt by a qualified mechanic. Your broken spoke is most likely due to the original problem with the wheel but it could have been caused by whoever tuned it when you took it in. I'm skeptical that the wheel could have been properly tuned while you waited. It's possible, I suppose, but most likely they just tightened some loose spokes.

TT

 

[l3art]

Thanks all for your responses! I have asked the dealer already to replace the wheel. He has to negotiate this with Gazelle!

 

[PedalUma]

Just have the dealer remove a wheel from the showroom floor and install it on your bike while you wait, while talking to all the other customers about your experience and how great the dealer is treating you. If you do this for about two hours it will work like magic. Camp out, even bringing a folding chair, a picnic, and a thick novel. Do not leave until it is accomplished.

 

[Kayakguy]

The seat post change could not cause a spoke to break. In my opinion it was the loose spokes causing movement at the hub that wore the spokes and weakened them.

I would guess that the loose spoke flexed, and metal fatigue was the result. I would be leery of the remaining spokes as well. The same problem that made British airliners fall out of the sky back in the fifties. (Anybody remember the name of that plane?)

 

[Dorkyman]

The "Comet." First commercial jet, a few years ahead of the Boeing 707. Engines were inside the wing root, so no room for further growth. But the killer defect (literally) was that the windows had square corners, rather than the oval windows now common. When the aluminum skin was stressed, the stress is magnified in sharp corners, with resulting skin failures. With a pressurized cabin, bad results.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The "Comet." First commercial jet, a few years ahead of the Boeing 707. Engines were inside the wing root, so no room for further growth. But the killer defect (literally) was that the windows had square corners, rather than the oval windows now common. When the aluminum skin was stressed, the stress is magnified in sharp corners, with resulting skin failures. With a pressurized cabin, bad results.

The square windows as the cause of accidents is a myth. (Please watch the Mentour Now! channel on YT). Caravelle had even bigger windows than the Comet.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Will be interesting to see if Gazelle steps up to a problem so obviously theirs to fix. The. wheel was defective on delivery. Your seat post had nothing to do with it.

No experience with this situation, but I'd be worried about rim damage at this point. If at all possible, get a new wheel and have spoke tension and wheel true confirmed before taking it home.

The good news: Some ebike companies do step up. Surface 604 replaced my 20 Ah Reention battery after some reasonable questions and simple tests. Shipped it to my LBS without further ado. And that was just for a dead USB port. Guessing that cost them a lot more than a new wheel would.

Same treatment with my dead headlight at 2400 mi — this time shipped directly to me.

 

[Tars Tarkas]

I'd like to hear back from the OP to know if/how this was resolved. I also think Pedaluma's suggestion about the bike shop swapping out a wheel from a bike on showroom floor was very good. That seems like a very appropriate response.

TT

 

[l3art]

Well, I'm still waiting for my ebike to get fixed. I was in contact with Gazelle and they said at that time, asking a new back wheel was reasonable to ask
Last week I was in contact with my dealer and he said that it was decided to not replace the wheel, but to change all the spokes on that wheel to more sturdier ones.
As that was not what I expected, I contacted gazelle again and their response is, that this is good solution too ..

So still waiting for my ebike, and see how it will hold up...

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Before you ride it, I'd suggest finding another bike shop with a good reputation and take the new wheel to them and have them check it out. It shouldn't take very long or cost you very much.

Two things might have happened here:

1. The manufacturer is cutting corners on the wheel builds.
2. The dealer didn't adequately check the wheel when assembling your bike.

There really isn't any excuse for either of those. And you are depending on both parties to get it right when at least one of them demonstrably got it wrong. Beefier spokes aren't going to solve those problems. That's why I suggest spending some of your own money to get those wheels checked out by somebody else.

I'm sorry this happened to you with your new bike.