LBS won't service e-bike...

[rich c]

I don't know if it's true, but I've always been told that, like car dealerships, most of the profit in a bike store comes from repairs and not sales. There are certain sorts of bread and butter repairs
where the make of the bike doesn't matter much, though, obviously, changing a tire on a hub drive e-bike probably does require more labor. There are certain repairs that may be very parts dependent, something that might explain a shop only being willing to work on brands they sell. There are also shops that won't work on what they consider to be cheapo bikes (think the bottom of the line Huffys), simply because there's not much point in say spending $75 on a bike that's worth less than that and likely to break down in some other way.
When I had a BMW e-bike (the dealership sold me the bike, but clearly had no idea how to work on it), I found that shops were happy to work on the "bike" parts, just not the e-parts.

I believe that is pretty universal. I retired from Caterpillar. Their machines can cost millions, but parts sales is the second highest profit generator. Financing is #1. Selling a bicycle can take hours of sales time, often over a couple of customer visits. It also puts miles on new bikes that may have to be discounted because of those miles. Service is mostly just bench time with minimal customer time.

 

[jabberwocky]

Some shops just don't have anyone on staff who knows the electric parts (which is understandable IMO, e-bikes are pretty new and understanding electrical systems isn't really something bicycle mechanics have traditionally had to know about). If a shop doesn't have anyone on staff who feels they can handle your bike, can you really blame them for declining to work on it?

If you really want to be sure you can get service, buy a bike from the local shop. Then its a brand they carry and have distributor support for.

 

[AHicks]

IMHO, if you have the mechanical inclination to work on the bike parts comfortably and competently, to work on the electrical side requires only an open mind and a willingness to learn (like asking questions for instance, that's incredibly hard for some people) . Although some of it can be complex, for the most part good troubleshooting will eliminate all of the potential hot spots, leaving just one or 2 as your possible headache. At that point, their may be some further troubleshooting to positively identify which one it is.

Kinda like learning how to use a computer. You didn't wake up computer literate one morning. You learned to use it one piece at a time.

 

[Alex M]

Ok, I know everything that you're saying and I don't think that's what we're talking about.

I never said that LBS should be carrying all ebike brands parts.

What I meant was, say you have a Rad Power bike, your bike breaks, and need new parts.
You can just order parts from Rad (presumably, way quicker than from China because Rad will likely have parts at their US warehouse) and LBS and Rad can work something out. (I don't know if Rad does work with LBS, this is just an example)

At this point I don't know what we are talking about, and have a feeling that you don't know, either.

This would be a good time for the OP to reveal what bike he is going to buy, to make the discussion more productive.

You can buy RAD parts from RAD or 3rd parties, doesn't necessarily mean ordering from China. You could be able to find LBS to work on it but there is no guarantee that you will. There are no RAD LBS.

Same with Biktrix or Juiced - you can order parts either from them or buy elsewhere but they don't have LBS.

You can buy Pedego parts from Pedego, less likely from other sources - some their parts are not available from other sources - and they will work on it because they are Pedego LBS. It's a "middleman" of a different kind than RAD or Juiced.

As others noted, a lot depends on how motivated the user is. Many people are afraid to learn. Ebikes are modular, you go step by step, eliminating possible suspects until you find the faulty electrical part, and then repair or (most likely) replace it. Electrical parts are often easier to replace than mechanical.

 

[bob armani]

I have had poor service from local Velofix, large disappointment. They are not cheap either. I had an appointment and got ready for them to arrive , this would have been the 3rd time So they have been here. No show , no contact , almost 15 attempts to find out what happened on a confirmed appointment , left a message a corporate headquarter..nothing.

Hope the guy is ok but I am surprised I didnt hear from anybody



just tried “1 last time“ to call him, mail box is full, suspect something has happened , holding out my opinions for now..

Thanks for the heads up with Velo. Buyer beware! Always thought they were a reputable company, however, may not be the case. There are others out there that you may have to search for depending on your location.

 

[rich c]

Velofix has employees and franchises. Doubt if the entire company is bad because there is an issue with one person.

 

[jaizon]

At this point I don't know what we are talking about, and have a feeling that you don't know, either.

This would be a good time for the OP to reveal what bike he is going to buy, to make the discussion more productive.

You can buy RAD parts from RAD or 3rd parties, doesn't necessarily mean ordering from China. You could be able to find LBS to work on it but there is no guarantee that you will. There are no RAD LBS.

Same with Biktrix or Juiced - you can order parts either from them or buy elsewhere but they don't have LBS.

You can buy Pedego parts from Pedego, less likely from other sources - some their parts are not available from other sources - and they will work on it because they are Pedego LBS. It's a "middleman" of a different kind than RAD or Juiced.

As others noted, a lot depends on how motivated the user is. Many people are afraid to learn. Ebikes are modular, you go step by step, eliminating possible suspects until you find the faulty electrical part, and then repair or (most likely) replace it. Electrical parts are often easier to replace than mechanical.

It has come down to a choice among three bikes.
1 - Evelo - Aurora Limited
2 - Blktrix - One of the Stunner line step throughs
3 - Tern - HSD S+ (yes, very different from the others) but I can drive to a shop and see it, ride it and if need be get it repaired, but it is my distant 3rd choice and I really am not keen on spending 5k for a bike I feel is not exactly what I want because there is a shop an hour an a half away that can service it.

This will not be a bike for urban use. Predominantly country paved roads with lots of medium hills. It is for exercise and leisure riding, ten to fifteen miles per day mainly powered by me, but need (and want) the big motor. No mountain biking usage so I expect wear and tear will be on the minimal side.