My experience with the SMART electric bike

D

DHS

Member
Extremely pleased with this products performance and local support. The SMART eBike exudes legendary Mercedes performance, design, quality, fit, finish - built mostly in Germany.

WEB shopped for weeks and couldn't find anything to compare at any price. Worthy of serous consideration in my experience.

[edit] image resized and added by Court, thanks DHS!

smart-electric-bike.jpg
 
DHS said:
Best of all no more lubrication, ruined clothes or dirty chain maintenance - Bonus - this Gates carbon toothed belt lasts much longer than a chain.
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Hi DHS - Out testing does not support that belts last longer then chains, but they do have the benefit of not needing to be lubricated. One of the reasons they are not use more widely on ebikes is that they only work with IGH (internally geared hubs like the Smart has built into the BionX motor) hubs or single speeds and if the bike has a torque sensor, your limited to placement in the bottom bracket.
 
Larry Pizzi said:
Hi DHS - Out testing does not support that belts last longer then chains, but they do have the benefit of not needing to be lubricated. One of the reasons they are not use more widely on ebikes is that they only work with IGH (internally geared hubs like the Smart has built into the BionX motor) hubs or single speeds and if the bike has a torque sensor, your limited to placement in the bottom bracket.
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Hi Larry,

Here's one of sites favouring Gates Carbon Belts:


As they say time is the measure of all things - fair winds.
 
DHS said:
Extremely pleased with this products performance and local support. The SMART eBike exudes legendary Mercedes performance, design, quality, fit, finish - built mostly in Germany.
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Hey @DHS! I just posted my review of the Smart Electric Bicycle and would love your input. They are still tricky to find (I had to drive to Canada to test this one!) and want to see if you think I got it right since you've actually been owning one for several months now :)
 
Court said:
Hey @DHS! I just posted my review of the Smart Electric Bicycle and would love your input. They are still tricky to find (I had to drive to Canada to test this one!) and want to see if you think I got it right since you've actually been owning one for several months now :)
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Spot on, and thorough, Court! My experience with 3000+ Km on the SMART electric bike is all good – zero problems. Changed out the stock pedals and seat to suit me better otherwise perfecto. Recommend buyers get the optional left handlebar mounted assist/regen switch for convenience and safety – keeps both hands on the grips at all times. If memory serves SMART offers a higher handlebar option for taller riders and/or those wishing a more upright stance – remember headwinds are much less of an issue. I believe there’s also a comfort seat and colour coordinated helmet to match the great jacket. Think all three accessories deserve serious consideration. Enjoy the rides averaging 20 km/hr with literally no sweat. This is one very smooth transportation tool.
 
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I've been interested in these too, but am concerned with the battery replacement cost down the road. Oakville Mercedes (Canada) told me the current price was about $1600 (CDN) including taxes as they had to be ordered individually and shipped from Europe! Not an issue if Smart ebike sales take off, but if that process continues or worse, Mercedes drops the line due to poor sales... Any thoughts?

As an aside, I did question Bionx which is located near me which replied with a glowing letter on the technology, but did not dispute my claim of a $1600 charge for replacement batteries.
 
Surely, with proper care this carefully designed & superbly manufactured SMART battery will outlast the cheaper often smaller competing offers. Mercedes is world renowned for durability and value ... likely why they're the oldest car company. Expensive, yes, because they offer legendary products and service .. in my experience if you must pay less you'll likely get just that - less.
 
My response from Bionx was to expect 5-7 years in battery life. I generally respect Mercedes as a quality manufacturer, but lithium ion batteries are generally only rated for five years or so, regardless of who makes them... Just doing the math, that looks like about $300 per year (not including actual energy consumption or other maintenance costs), which unless you're commuting every day, isn't really cheap.
 
John Ruskin quote:
“There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”
 
DHS said:
John Ruskin quote:
“There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”
Click to expand...
 
Like th Ruskin quote. I am new here so please forgive me if this is not an appropriate post. I own a smart bike and am very pleased with its looks and performance however a spoke has broken on the rear wheel and Mercedes don't keep spare spokes as it is still under warranty they have suggested that I take the wheel to a dealer and they will replace the entire wheel which is ludicrous and as the bike is at my house in Ibiza the wheel would have to be brought back to the uk my question is does anyone here know how to get a correct spoke for this bike unless there is a solution I would caution any one considering this bike to be aware that the out of warranty solution offered by Mercedes would amount to well over 1300euros
 
I thought spokes could be cut and threaded as needed, any wheelsmiths in town? I'm not a fan of reduced spoke wheels, especially for e-bikes. -S
 
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