Looking for UK dealer recommendations

[rozza]

Hello All

I am looking to buy R&M delite/charger and I am looking for dealer recommendations ...... Midlands/Home Counties area.

I am looking to spend £6-7k so I think that finding someone where the customer service and their tech knowledge of the product is the best and they will be able to look after and service the bike for years to come.

Thankyou in anticipation.

 

[GillBoyNewn]

Have a Look at the R&M website - they have a list (a short list!) of dealerships in the UK. I would though recommend OnBike in Worcester, at least for pre-sale chumminess.

 

[rozza]

Have a Look at the R&M website - they have a list (a short list!) of dealerships in the UK. I would though recommend OnBike in Worcester, at least for pre-sale chumminess.

Many thanks ..... done that and of the 4 I have tried on the phone, 2 don't answer or respond to voicemail message, 1 has no stock until November (!), and 1 said he would get back to me and hasn't so far.

I called in at one store on the off-chance and they had 2 r&ms amongst * very, very * budget bikes and clearly knew little about the product. They were reluctant to contact R&M to see if they had any stock so I could try the right bike for the right size but would 'see what they could do' rather than knowing what they could do. Frankly, seemed to be more like a box shifter rather than one of their 'Control Centres' which I presume is meant to one of their premium dealers.

So far I am not inspired. This is supposed to be a premium brand with a premium dealer network one would presume. Is this what the industry has come to?

Hence my question!

A bit out of my area but I'll give OnBike a call. Thanks for the advice. Have you used them before?

 

[Ihatehills]

I live in Scotland and I'm trying to find a 46 and a 49cm Charger Mixte to try . I'm beginning to think that I may need to fly to Germany to get a test ride! I think the way it all works is ridiculous. It is certainly not very customer friendly!

 

[rozza]

Yes, I know, this is bonkers!

It's not helping me find a dealer which will inspire me with confidence, which is where I am starting from.

 

[GillBoyNewn]

I can't in all conscience fully recommend OnBike as my only dealings with them so far involve driving from Cheshire to Worcester to test-ride a bike (a Charger) similar to the one I am interested in (the Delite GX Rohloff HS). It was similar enough, and I liked the experience enough, to fork out a huge sum to order the Delite. Mike at the shop is friendly, knowledgeable and as helpful as possible given the constraints you have already identified.

I just hope that when I get the bike nothing goes wrong with it!

 

[BBF]

Did you find a dealer in the end? I visited the fullycharged shop next to London Bridge station with the hope of trying any bike with a nuvinci + belt + bosch. They had a R&M Delite there (this was a week ago, so 15th Nov 2017, which I took for a spin. Compared to the Trek SuperCommuter 8 I'd tried elsewhere, this was in a different league. While I wasn't seeking a full suspension bike, it was very nice indeed. Very very nice lol.

There is no way I'd consider a derailleur geared ebike now!

 

[rozza]

Did you find a dealer in the end? I visited the fullycharged shop next to London Bridge station with the hope of trying any bike with a nuvinci + belt + bosch. They had a R&M Delite there (this was a week ago, so 15th Nov 2017, which I took for a spin. Compared to the Trek SuperCommuter 8 I'd tried elsewhere, this was in a different league. While I wasn't seeking a full suspension bike, it was very nice indeed. Very very nice lol.

There is no way I'd consider a derailleur geared ebike now!

I did try a Delite at the NEC show and the fit just didn't suit me, and didn't like the nuvinci at all. Ironically I bought a Vintage Electric Cafe from FullyCharged ..... brilliant bike and great service from FullyCharged. Did try a Trek SC8, wasn't too impressed, way overpriced compared to say Specialized .... tried a Specialized Turbo Vado which was much nicer and was tempted. But in the end fell in love with the individuality and build quality of the Cafe and rear hub drive which feels so much smoother and more natural for town work. No regrets!

 

[GillBoyNewn]

A quick update. I collected my Delite GX Rohloff HS, ordered on 26 August from OnBike, on 11 November. This is 11 weeks, against a promised delivery wait of 6 weeks. Part of the delay was, according to OnBike, due to R&M being short of a key component, though R&M refused to specify which. Nonetheless, demand has apparently pushed delivery times up to around 10 weeks.
I've only ridden the bike around 150 miles so far, and generally I am delighted. No pun intended. It's a heavily engineered, stable, easy-rolling, long range (with the two batteries) and fairly nimble bicycle - though I don't want too much "nimble" at my age. The turning circle is anyway quite small.
My only niggle is the two front wheel punctures I've had so far. Both were caused by tiny thorns (three of them in the second puncture) but the Rock Razor tyres with their SnakeSkin side wall protection are supposed to be robust. I'm thinking about replacement tyres - anyone got any ideas?
And the bike is very heavy, though you don't notice this much once you're on your way. The drawback for me is how get it on top of my Subaru Forester - I can manage to lift the Kalkhoff Endeavour but the R&M is a bit too much. So, a new tow-bar and Thule VeloSpace 918 has been called for. More expense.

 

[E-Wheels]

Hello All

I am looking to buy R&M delite/charger and I am looking for dealer recommendations ...... Midlands/Home Counties area.

I am looking to spend £6-7k so I think that finding someone where the customer service and their tech knowledge of the product is the best and they will be able to look after and service the bike for years to come.

Thankyou in anticipation.

@rozza Have you tried posting on the UK Pedelecs forum and seeking some local help http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/

 

[BBF]

My only niggle is the two front wheel punctures I've had so far. Both were caused by tiny thorns (three of them in the second puncture) but the Rock Razor tyres with their SnakeSkin side wall protection are supposed to be robust. I'm thinking about replacement tyres - anyone got any ideas?

I thought that Schwalbe Marathons Plus were the daddys of anti-puncture. Weight was the main issue, but largely irrelevant in this scenario.

 

[GillBoyNewn]

I thought that Schwalbe Marathons Plus were the daddys of anti-puncture. Weight was the main issue, but largely irrelevant in this scenario.

Thanks for this. Since I posted on the forum yesterday I've had a long and very useful 'phone conversation with Martin from OnBike. He too recommended the Schwalbe Marathons Plus, as well as the right tow-bar mounted bike racks to consider for the Delite.
My only concern about the Marathons was whether they came in a large-enough size for the Delite's 2.35" rims - Martin affirmed that the 2.25" size was fine.
Sound fellow, Martin, and on the basis of the help he has given me as well as the customer service provided by OnBike in acquiring the Delite in the first place I am confident in recommending OnBike as a good dealer to work with for R&M bikes. I have no experience of them as a servicer or mender of e-bikes though....... This last bit should at least get us back on the original subject of this thread!!
By the way, he also suggested that I consider going tubeless. Does anyone out there have any experience of this?

 

[Chris Davies]

We were in York during the summer and came across ElectricBikesSales.co.uk and we were impressed by John who runs this branch and Jamie the technician with the explanations and advice they both gave . On a second visit to York via train we came across a branch of Cycle Heaven situated next to York Train station and they had two R&M bikes in the shop ready for a customer to collect. The guy who ran the shop explained to us details of the bikes and then when on to say they were the only stockists of R&M bikes in York ! Either he did not truthfully know about the branch of Electric Bikes Sales on Walmsgate (something I find hard to believe ) or he was telling a porky. Either way we look at each other and knew where we would get the Superchargers GH nuvinic bikes we had decided to buy from. In early November after a test ride on chargers ( as no superchargers were available ) we ordered two Superchargers GH nuvinic from John at Electric bikes, with a delivery date of early Feb 2018. Up to now we have been very pleased with the service and are looking forward to getting the bikes.