Juiced "Clearance" Bike selection quality. (For potential customers.) Rip Current S

[Jbyrne046]

Hey everyone! First post! I would like to drop a bit of info on quality/state of Juiced clearance bikes.

On the website they state that the bikes are brand new and are at a discount due to minor cosmetic imperfections. I am unsure as to the truth to this statement. I looks more like a used bike.

The description also states that the components are brand new as well. They also look used.

What makes me think the bikes are not actually brand new seconds quality is the state of how dirty it was. A wire jacket had also lost its integrity and is about to expose internal wiring. Also some paint chips were covered up with non matching paint. There is also already square foam tape to prevent fork impact to the frame. There are also signs of chain slap. Worrying sight to see potential impact on rear derailleur that may tweak the hangar.

All pictures but the RIM were taken at the time I was putting the Rip Current S together. Rim picture was from today. I noticed the markings after washing the bike. The Sharpie looks to cover scrapes from whoever was installing the spokes.

The shipping box was fine on arrival. Only the hand holds had given way.

.................................................

The bike is fine from a functional standpoint (I have put 30 miles on it). It shifts alright after adjustment (Pretty hard to dial it in, still not perfect). I have not taken the bike to my LBS to professionally verify the structural integrity of the frame yet. Maybe it was a bike returned under warranty and resold?

Clearance Price $2199 vs Brand new $2499. Is the condition worth the $300 savings? (I have already replaced the Stem, handlebar, seat post, and seat.)

In no way am I complaining or really upset. I would just like feedback from the community. This may be vital information for a potential customer that thinks they are going to get a pretty much mint product.

So what do you think? Does the condition of the bike match their online description? (I also uploaded a screen shot of it) Am I getting out of hand comparing the clearance bike initial quality to my brand new scrambler? Am I just spoiled from the seconds quality that I get from my All Clad pots and pans? Does anyone else that purchased a clearance bike have input?

 

[Ebiker01]

How can they gey away with such descriptions ?
Is it either a brand new or a 1500-5000mile ebike ?
That bike has way too many dings , should have been a 900$ discount.
I do not ride such an inferior product but what i ride has almost 5k miles And i ONLY have very minor scratches on the crank arms for which i bought RC proffesional paint and needles to say mine is flawless.
You could have all sorts of invisible issues that will cause the ebike big problems and expenses down the line.
Dust down the fork crowns, screws that may break all of a sudden, rims that are not tensioned and will break your spokes or cause flats, etc
The issues can reach the bottomless pit for an ebike that was used and not cared for .
Is just the reality what i write , and i also cook with a stainless steel Allclad pan. So i know quality...
I would contact them to ship it back.

 

[Jbyrne046]

How can they gey away with such descriptions ?
Is it either a brand new or a 1500-5000mile ebike ?
That bike has way too many dings , should have been a 900$ discount.
I do not ride such an inferior product but what i ride has almost 5k miles And i ONLY have very minor scratches on the crank arms for which i bought RC proffesional paint and needles to say mine is flawless.
You could have all sorts of invisible issues that will cause the ebike big problems and expenses down the line.
Dust down the fork crowns, screws that may break all of a sudden, rims that are not tensioned and will break your spokes or cause flats, etc
The issues can reach the bottomless pit for an ebike that was used and not cared for .
Is just the reality what i write , and i also cook with a stainless steel Allclad pan. So i know quality...
I would contact them to ship it back.

Thanks for the input! It does say it was Final Sale on the website. I think I'll contact customer support and voice my concerns. I'm curious as to how they will deal with my questions, concerns and imagery. It does say that the clearance bikes come with the same warranty as a new bike. I do ride a 2019 Giant TRANCE E+ 1 PRO for actual mountain bike use, the Rip Current S is just a leisure bike to ride around town, beach, sand dunes etc...

 

[Bruce Arnold]

It looks more like a floor model than what I'd think of as a clearance bike with minor cosmetic imperfections. Except there's no retail shop to have a floor model in. So yeah, I'd have to say it's a used bike. Since it's not as advertised, I wonder how the "all sales final" thing works. I hate to get lawyers involved but it might be worth talking to one to see where you stand.

 

[Jbyrne046]

It looks more like a floor model than what I'd think of as a clearance bike with minor cosmetic imperfections. Except there's no retail shop to have a floor model in. So yeah, I'd have to say it's a used bike. Since it's not as advertised, I wonder how the "all sales final" thing works. I hate to get lawyers involved but it might be worth talking to one to see where you stand.

Thanks for the input @Bruce Arnold . I think speaking with a lawyer will be my last resort as I will give Juiced the opportunity to navigate this circumstance professionally first (My best friend is a corporate lawyer on the council for Blizzard, maybe he can give me some input in exchange for some good beer). The fork does seem to have more flex than a usual set with similar diameter stanchions. I do wonder now if the motor/controller is new as well.

I could always try asking in person since I travel to San Diego very often from Silicon Valley and a small town in Nevada.

I will update the thread as events unfold.

 

[Jbyrne046]

Ok quick update. Received an email and later a call from Juiced bikes customer service manager a couple days ago. He stated that this thread made its way through the company.

He then explained what the bikes go through if they are open box/clearance bikes. He stated that the motor, controller, display, battery are indeed new. He did not say anything about the other components. He also stated that the bikes go through an extended test/ride to verify all componentry is working as they should. He did say the only thing missing is the team did not clean the bike after testing.

I explained some oddities with the bike, hard to tune the derailleur (There was a little damage on the equipment. Maybe hanger is slightly bent?), there is obvious fork flex (Normal for even higher end forks. I can visually see it and it causes a rubber band feeling when turning the front while sitting straight up).

I did voice that I planned on replacing most of the components eventually (I already have for the most part) so this wasn't a big deal on my end, however it could be a big deal to someone that wanted to keep everything original. I hate having buyers remorse.

At the end of the conversation we agreed that the product should be sent back since it does not meet the standards of Juiced, even for a clearance/open box bike. The Manager was pretty adamant about getting it sent back asap to get me back on the road with a much better bike.

I was emailed a return label, and was told my replacement bike was going to be prepped so that it is shipped to me as soon as the original bike arrives at their location in Chula Vista. This experience with Juiced CS is very positive.

I will update with upcoming events and pictures of the new bike. I really hope this helps out those who choose to save a bit of money by going the route of Clearance/open box.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I'm glad to hear that they are making it good. Sorry about you having to wait longer before getting out on your ebike, though.

 

[Jbyrne046]

Sorry for the lack of an update! I have been quite busy for the past month!

So the replacement RCS arrived about 3 business days after is shipped from Chula Vista, CA.
- Took one week for the initial bike to make its way to Juiced
- Two weeks for the replacement bike to get to me...(Would have been one week easily if I had checked my voicemail.) Juiced customer service did not ship right away because they were waiting to hear from me on if I wanted the high rise handlebars or the low rise ones. Great CS.

With the exception of the shipper (UPS I think?) leaving the box at my doorstep upside down, the bike was pretty much fantastic. This is what the representation of an open-box/clearance bike should be. There are small imperfections, but the bike does not look beat up like the initial specimen. Props to Juiced and their CS for taking care of this situation. I hope most customers have this experience.

I will list some cons with this replacement.
-The headlight was DOA, informed their CS manager. He had another one out to me....I sent the message at about 8pm...I had a tracking number for the replacement by 10pm. WOW!
- One of the grips did not have the expansion piece that goes at the end. The screw was just freely moving in there. I already had replacement grips waiting, so it was not a big deal. I'm sure Juiced would have sent me new grips in a heartbeat.

Some differences that I noticed
- The decals on the initial bike were just stickers slapped onto the bike. Not neatly I would say as well.
- The decals on the replacement bike were clear coated over...very professional!
- The braking components on the initial bike had no labeling.
- The braking components on the replacement bike were labeled Star Union.
- The new fork seems brand new and will needed adjustment as it was very stiff.
- Initial wire management on the replacement was MUCH better.

I would say if you do have issues, make sure you back them up with imagery and initial troubleshooting. Juiced does not seem like they are at the stage where they can just do replacements no questions asked. They are on their way though.

Overall, great experience, and would totally recommend getting a clearance bike if they arrive in the form of my replacement. Thanks everyone for your input! Thanks Juiced for great CS! Thanks Rasan!

 

[Ebiker01]

That’s good that they are improving. Probably they need some xtra folks for quality inspection.

 

[FlatSix911]

Nice ride... good to hear that they did the right thing with a replacement bike.