Merida PC 500- think I just got ripped off

[logriffy]

Hi I bought a Merida PC (power cycle) 500 without a clue about what I was buying and I think I made a big mistake. Well a $350 mistake anyway. The 83 yr old guy I bought it from 45 minutes away from my town 2 days ago says he bought it last yr from a guy who barely used it ( it looks virtually brand new) he rode it 2 blocks and knew it wasn't for him with his lungs damaged by lung cancer. He says ( after I called wanting to return it to which he refused) that he researched new batteries for it and they aren't made anymore so his wife found some that they paid 100 bucks for off Amazon maybe, and he installed them. They are not exactly the same size so the case is a tiny bit wedged open in spots. He was angry that I wanted to return it ( there were no hills where he lives and it's super hilly here) so I told him I had to push it up my big half mile hill home on my first ride.

Anyway a friend who used to own a regular bike shop just dropped by and rode it for a few minutes. He tried it turned on with batteries and turned off without batteries and could feel a very low amount of assist but not anything like it should be.
I checked fuses, they are fine and the battery level indicator is illuminating, ( it has gorilla tape around it which I only noticed after I got it home) and showing full charge, I did put the charger on it when I brought it home for a few hours and there is a stamp on the battery pack that says 2003, which of course he avoided the question of how old it is...



I called an ebike shop in Vancouver and they never heard of this brand. Does anyone know of someone who knows about these bikes? Any ideas? I am of a mind to drive the bike back to his place, dump it off and walk away from my $350 ( he was asking 4 I offered 3 we met in middle at $350). Too bad as I was swayed by the pretty shiny bike and didn't get the full picture as the daylite was fast fading and I needed to drive home, it was shiny and cheap...and I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Old guy caught himself a sucker! Sad....(

 

[harryS]

Here's the Owners Manual

https://jvbike.com/docs/merida_manual.pdf

Here's an old selling ad.

Account Suspended

Caveat Emptor as they say.

It runs off two 12V lead-acid batteries. The packs cannot be 17 years old and still light up a bike, but even if they were only 4 years old, they would be sulfated from disuse. Put a meter on them and see what they read. You can still buy batteries.

 

[rich c]

Some lessons are more expensive than others. I'd say you got by fairly cheap for this education.

 

[logriffy]

Hah yeah thx.

Here's the Owners Manual

https://jvbike.com/docs/merida_manual.pdf

Here's an old selling ad.

Account Suspended

Caveat Emptor as they say.

It runs off two 12V lead-acid batteries. The packs cannot be 17 years old and still light up a bike, but even if they were only 4 years old, they would be sulfated from disuse. Put a meter on them and see what they read. You can still buy batteries.

Thank you so much for this. The guy I bought it from just put new batteries in it he said. Not the same ones tho as he couldn't get originals. Possibly they are not powerful enuf. He won't respond to my messages asking what batteries he replaced them with....now that I asked to return it and he refused. He got very shout y and not nice Altho I remained calm ...he and his wife both shouting on the phone. The box doesn't close completely, slight gap. I guess I am going to have to open it to see what's in there...ugggh, I am afraid to open a can of worms....

What should the meter read please? I do have a multi meter, not sure what setting to use it on. Thank you so very much!

 

[rich c]

You don't have to replace those batteries with lead acid, you could use any battery pack with the same voltage. But buying an expensive L-ion pack for that bicycle could be chasing bad money with more money. No need making the education even more expensive by finding out the controller or something else is shot. You are working on an antique for eBikes. I'd cut the losses and look for a modern eBike or eBike kit to put on another bicycle.

 

[harryS]

We get spoiled and forget about Buyer Beware. Not every deal can be like amazon, I side with the seller here.

I'm going to suggest you find the store in your town that sells batteries. Take the two batteries out of the bike and have the guy at the store run a load test. You and I can put a voltmeter on the existing packs, but they will probably read about 12-13 volt but fail a load test.

Then you can decide if you want to buy new batteries. LEad acid should be inexpensive. Don't bother with lithium. You may have the wrong charger and the bike controller is wrong too.

 

[logriffy]

We get spoiled and forget about Buyer Beware. Not every deal can be like amazon, I side with the seller here.

I'm going to suggest you find the store in your town that sells batteries. Take the two batteries out of the bike and have the guy at the store run a load test. You and I can put a voltmeter on the existing packs, but they will probably read about 12-13 volt but fail a load test.

Then you can decide if you want to buy new batteries. LEad acid should be inexpensive. Don't bother with lithium. You may have the wrong charger and the bike controller is wrong too.

Ok Harry S thx that makes sense. However I did find an ebike shop in a town an hr away that will take a look at it they offer a free orig assessment then $80 per hr if they have to work on it. I could use a road trip so will take it over there and let them do the load test. Thanks a million. Will keep you posted.

 

[harryS]

BatteryWorld in VAncouver will do a free load test and probably find you a battery that fits better if the existing packs fail.

 

[Dave Rocks]

The bike sounds like it's screaming in pain.

 

[harryS]

That looks like quite the hill for that bike,

 

[logriffy]

BatteryWorld in VAncouver will do a free load test and probably find you a battery that fits better if the existing packs fail.

Awesome thanks a lot for being so helpful Harry S

The bike sounds like it's screaming in pain.

hah thanks! Good to know that it actually should have made some kind of noise. The one in question did NOT! It's been returned sans refund...the tampered battery box fell off and split apart as I placed the POS in the sellers driveway as the mount had been so compromised by him b4. Good riddance to it and my $350, lesson learned the hard way. Thx guys.

 

[logriffy]

Ok Harry S thx that makes sense. However I did find an ebike shop in a town an hr away that will take a look at it they offer a free orig assessment then $80 per hr if they have to work on it. I could use a road trip so will take it over there and let them do the load test. Thanks a million. Will keep you posted.

Ok took it to the Bike Barn in Penticton this aft and they said it was worthless and severely compromised by the new battery size difference etc, likely a fire hazard waiting to happen so I drove up to the guys driveway I bought it from who was not interested in refunding me and dropped the POS off. The faulty mount that he had messed with so much did not hold and the battery box fell off and split apart. I left him a note telling him I hope he enjoys my money and to sell it to the next sucker. Thanks for your advice.

 

[logriffy]

You don't have to replace those batteries with lead acid, you could use any battery pack with the same voltage. But buying an expensive L-ion pack for that bicycle could be chasing bad money with more money. No need making the education even more expensive by finding out the controller or something else is shot. You are working on an antique for eBikes. I'd cut the losses and look for a modern eBike or eBike kit to put on another bicycle.

Thx, of course you are dead right...sigh...

 

[ElevenAD]

you could always repack the battery and possibly break even as those bikes sold for $650 to $850 new, but do you even want this bike to fuction? its top speed is 15mph and the only review i read was not great,still you only paid $350 so it could be a fun lil project bike if your into that

 

[Frank53]

Hi I bought a Merida PC (power cycle) 500 without a clue about what I was buying and I think I made a big mistake. Well a $350 mistake anyway. The 83 yr old guy I bought it from 45 minutes away from my town 2 days ago says he bought it last yr from a guy who barely used it ( it looks virtually brand new) he rode it 2 blocks and knew it wasn't for him with his lungs damaged by lung cancer. He says ( after I called wanting to return it to which he refused) that he researched new batteries for it and they aren't made anymore so his wife found some that they paid 100 bucks for off Amazon maybe, and he installed them. They are not exactly the same size so the case is a tiny bit wedged open in spots. He was angry that I wanted to return it ( there were no hills where he lives and it's super hilly here) so I told him I had to push it up my big half mile hill home on my first ride.

Anyway a friend who used to own a regular bike shop just dropped by and rode it for a few minutes. He tried it turned on with batteries and turned off without batteries and could feel a very low amount of assist but not anything like it should be.
I checked fuses, they are fine and the battery level indicator is illuminating, ( it has gorilla tape around it which I only noticed after I got it home) and showing full charge, I did put the charger on it when I brought it home for a few hours and there is a stamp on the battery pack that says 2003, which of course he avoided the question of how old it is...



I called an ebike shop in Vancouver and they never heard of this brand. Does anyone know of someone who knows about these bikes? Any ideas? I am of a mind to drive the bike back to his place, dump it off and walk away from my $350 ( he was asking 4 I offered 3 we met in middle at $350). Too bad as I was swayed by the pretty shiny bike and didn't get the full picture as the daylite was fast fading and I needed to drive home, it was shiny and cheap...and I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Old guy caught himself a sucker! Sad....(

I had one of these it was only 200watts and hard work also being 24volt had a very short range 10amp hour battery was about 10ks if you were lucky , I managed to piggy back a Cyclone 500watt motor underneath mounted to the wishbone at the bottom of the frame with a simple clamp and longer chain with a tensioner put a 20amp hour battery and got 20ks , all the tech experts reckon I should have got 60ks , I did enjoy building it . but in hind site , next time I would just fit a 250watt front wheel and a hand throttle up the size of the battery run the original motor as is use the front wheel throttle when needed , I did find the bike very well made , the 4 speed rear hub was minimal on the the hills but it is what it is .

 

[fooferdoggie]

The bike sounds like it's screaming in pain.

or a cat in heat.

 

[chargerr]

Must be a Canadian company, because I found one of these in Toronto over the year and repaired it. Controller & battery were bad, but I did a custom build, and got it working. I totally love this cute bike, when its working properly, its a joy to ride. My Youtube vid :

If there were more of these bikes in the wild, I could probably build an aftermarket controller PCB, and bring life back into these. Anyone have some for sale?

 

[harryS]

Nice work, chargerr! I amend my statement after watching you dig into the BMS and controller.. Excellent work. Hope it was fun.

 

[kmccune]

Dang that looks a lot better than some of the junk I tried to fix and upgrade,I believe I could have salvaged that thing and made Her zing, "so it goes'.