My experience with Walmart Electric Bikes

[GoinGrey]

So I decided to purchase a electric bike at Walmart for the simple fact they are really good about returns and value. I have been skiddish about ordering from other companies due to the possible damage that might occur in shipping. I live in Houston which is pretty flat. The first Ebike I ordered was the Hyper 36v 250w E-ride City 700c. which arrived in 2 days and box was almost in pristine condition. After I assemble the bike I was really impressed with the build quality , components and how smooth and quiet it was. Was pretty zippy and got over 19 miles on one charge. Unfortunately within 1 week there was a grinding sound in the pedal cranks. I called Hyper and customer service was awesome. Very quick to answer the phone professional and polite. I was told that the issue sounded like it needed a new crank set. But it would take many, many, many weeks to get the parts and was advised not to ride and to return the bike to Walmart which I did hassle free. So I could have done an exchange but if a company doesn't carry parts why bother.

Then I ordered the KENT 27.5 36v 350w MTB. Took almost 5 days to receive, making 4 stops from S.C. to Houston,Tx. and once arrived box was trashed by the delivery company being held together with shipping tape. I knew in my gut I was going to have issues and I was right. Once un-packed parts were missing and there was damage to the battery. The battery housing was chipped were the locking latch goes. Therefore the battery would not lock in place. Also a pedal was missing , frayed cables, loose spokes. After spending some time snugging up spokes and truing wheels, adjusting all cables and hub bearings front wheel. Making sure all screws and bolts snug and tight and going thru the bike looking for other possible issues before I call. Received the bike on a Saturday and Kent customer service is only open Mon./Fri. I called Monday morning and explained my issues and they said send info and pictures which I did 30min after hanging up phone. Customer service stated they would need a day to get back with me. Tuesday came around still no response so I emailed all info and pics again just in case they didn't receive. Still no word so I called Wednesday and spoke to another person who wanted me to send all info and pics to them and they would get right on it. A red flag went up for me when Kent customer service stated they didn't even know Kent had electric bikes. Long story short, was told to return to Walmart instead of them sending a new battery and peddle. Which I did hassle free. Again why exchange if a company doesn't carry parts. Unfortunately never got to ride the bike.

 

[PDXzap]

A red flag went up for me when Kent customer service stated they didn't even know Kent had electric bikes.

Wow!
I guess that shouldn't surprise me, it's amazing how many companies are out there where one hand has no idea what the other hand is doing.
Still... wow!

 

[AlanDB]

Thanks for posting this. I am glad you were able to make the returns with Walmart and weren't out anything except your time and aggravation. There is a reason that you pay more when you buy from a local bike shop, or even online from a manufacturer that has a good reputation for quality and customer service. In the long run it is worth the extra cost.

 

[GoinGrey]

I remember back in the day when the first computer hit the market. Over $3,000 for a 286/16 with floppy drive monochrome monitor etc, etc. When the Big screen TVs got into the market $3,000 for a 65in front projection with a bulb lol. Quads or drones now bought on the cheap. Now PCs, big screen Tvs, cell phones are very affordable due to competition. Ebikes are evolving rapidly in a growing market and competition is very competitive. I could pay $4,000 or $5,000 for an ebike. But knowing today what I buy at that price will be outdated in 6 months and a new and improved model with better technology will be out for less , and the rotation will continue in the coming future . Bikes from the 60s and 70s still on the road today because of good materials used , but those days are long gone. I chose to go this route telling myself what ever ebike I choose it will be a throw away to move on to more power, range, technology.

I have witnessed to many local bike shops go out of business in my area which is why I have not entertained buying at a local bike shop. It will be up to me to do all repairs and maintenance which I do enjoy. But finding after market parts could be a challenge. I do not blame Walmart in any way on this they didn't build the bikes, they had my back. Its their vendors and brands who sell through them that are responsible. For what I need the Walmart bikes had some descent components for the value compared to more expensive bikes out there and would have been happy to keep if the brands would stand behind their product and provide parts if needed. Don't provide a false warranty or have a card in the box stating do not return to store but to call support for any problems only to be told to return to store.

 

[tomjasz]

Walmart bikes. Most bike shops will not work on them. For good reason.

 

[Marci jo]

OMG what a hassle. You are very patient to deal with that.
I’m thinking if a bike’s going to break, it’s best to break right away so it can be returned. What would happen if problems occurred 3 or 4 months after taking delivery? Just a thought.

 

[J.R.]

I remember back in the day when the first computer hit the market. Over $3,000 for a 286/16 with floppy drive monochrome monitor etc, etc. When the Big screen TVs got into the market $3,000 for a 65in front projection with a bulb lol. Quads or drones now bought on the cheap. Now PCs, big screen Tvs, cell phones are very affordable due to competition. Ebikes are evolving rapidly in a growing market and competition is very competitive. I could pay $4,000 or $5,000 for an ebike. But knowing today what I buy at that price will be outdated in 6 months and a new and improved model with better technology will be out for less , and the rotation will continue in the coming future . Bikes from the 60s and 70s still on the road today because of good materials used , but those days are long gone. I chose to go this route telling myself what ever ebike I choose it will be a throw away to move on to more power, range, technology.

I have witnessed to many local bike shops go out of business in my area which is why I have not entertained buying at a local bike shop. It will be up to me to do all repairs and maintenance which I do enjoy. But finding after market parts could be a challenge. I do not blame Walmart in any way on this they didn't build the bikes, they had my back. Its their vendors and brands who sell through them that are responsible. For what I need the Walmart bikes had some descent components for the value compared to more expensive bikes out there and would have been happy to keep if the brands would stand behind their product and provide parts if needed. Don't provide a false warranty or have a card in the box stating do not return to store but to call support for any problems only to be told to return to store.

A quality ebike purchased today will not be outdated in six months. Not even a year. And a $4000 ebike is a quality $1800+ bike to begin with, with a quality ebike drive.

Bicycles of any type don't hold their monetary value well. After 5 years of ebiking I can honestly say a quality ebike holds up very well. Many of us have put 5, 10 and 20,000+ miles on ebikes. That's quality of life value! And money well spent.

Welcome to the forum, Glen. I think you'll find a good ebike that fits your needs. There are a few good value priced brands and a few good discount dealers around. Good luck in your search!

 

[GoinGrey]

Thank you J.R.
really hope I'm wrong and really appreciate your response.

 

[Va. Bch. Electric Bike Center]

Pulling my hair out right now....

 

[trainman]

I too did worry when I ordered two Rad Mini Step Thru's, not about the bikes being good bikes, but if they would get damaged in shipment. I received them yesterday and both boxes were just about in perfect condition, I almost couldn't believe my eyes when the FedEx driver unloaded them at my house. Now I live in Ft. Worth, Texas and being shipped from Seattle, Washington I did expect the worst, but to my destination some 2500 miles FedEx shipping was a direct ship and no stops or freight transfers along the way, I received them in 3 1/2 days.

 

[BTfl]

I found that Hyper ebikes usually get really good reviews.
Same as Ancheer.

People are generally happy with those budget ebikes.

Swag Tron has just released more e bikes ,My first bike was the EB five that still runs fine after a year. They have bikes around the thousand dollar range

 

[tomjasz]

But as far as I can find on YouTube, Hyper and Ancheer owners seem to be overall happy

And those 1 million YouTube viewers on another channel will cheer on their $150 Chinesium Gasser.

I can't find a bike WITHOUT an assist system for under $600 that is sustainable with decent components. Now I should believe a $600 eBike and a $150 battery are somehow not a ripoff?

But that Walmart MTB buyer will likely NOT be a bicyclist, rather a dabbler with shallow pockets for whatever reason. Or like myself, hoping against all facts that it will be a good deal.

Video producers need to be vetted to sort what their interest is in the maker and find a reviewer that has ridden the bike daily for 6 months.

We should be encouraging those curious about these extreme low end bikes to run away. How do we help them find an affordable and safe bike? Responsible posters will do that.

 

[Cowlitz]

Not an Ebike, but is a try out of a Walmart bike at Whistler.

 

[harryS]

In countries like China, there must be 9 million ebikes like the Hyper, and there's probably a shop in every neighborhood where someone can keep your shifters/brakes adjusted, and check out the motor and electrics. I'm able to live with inexpensive ebikes because I've got some tech skills and was willing to learn about the simpler ebikes.

Really, I have no wish to screw around with regen, antilock brakes, eletcronic shifting, 28 mph. A throttle, PAS, and 500W is enough.

My wife was falling behind today because the chain would only stay on low gear, and with a 15 mph wind, PAS 1 wasn't enough, I confess I had to go home and look up the fix on Google. Oh, OK. Turn the tension barrel on the shifter cable. Three clicks ( a half turn) did the trick, Also found her front v-brakes dragging on one side and I will need to re-dish that wheel to center it between the calipers. I decided to upgrade to a front disk this winter as her fork is compatible, Already got a spare wheel with rotor, An Avid BB7 caliper is $35. It really doesn't take much to upgrade components.

 

[tomjasz]

Avid BB7

I just changed out a front brake to bb7 salvaged off an early build. Really effective cable disc. Much better than mid to low priced hydraulics.

I’m not up for high tech features either, but since I have CA2.4 and CA3 displays and a front DD I’d be silly not to use regen.

Kudos for being a Google/YouTube mechanic. 70% of my calls and emails could have sorted with a simple Google search. I never mind helping, but can’t help but wonder why some of us find it hard to find help and answers. I’m a crappy writer so I often Google a customers request so I can include pictures, videos, or other helpful bits that can clarify my response.

It’s all just a Google away...

 

[StmbtDave]

... Also found her front v-brakes dragging on one side and I will need to re-dish that wheel to center it between the calipers.

You shouldn't have to mess with the wheel to correct the dragging. V-brakes usually have a small screw on each arm, down by the pivot point, that adjusts the spring tension. Tighten the tension and that arm will move away from the rim.

Dave

 

[OmahaBiker]

A quality ebike purchased today will not be outdated in six months. Not even a year. And a $4000 ebike is a quality $1800+ bike to begin with, with a quality ebike drive.

Bicycles of any type don't hold their monetary value well. After 5 years of ebiking I can honestly say a quality ebike holds up very well. Many of us have put 5, 10 and 20,000+ miles on ebikes. That's quality of life value! And money well spent.

Welcome to the forum, Glen. I think you'll find a good ebike that fits your needs. There are a few good value priced brands and a few good discount dealers around. Good luck in your search!

Great response!

 

[GoinGrey]

Hi Everyone,
I've had some time to reflect since my post and thought I would share what I've done since that post. In Jan 2020 I picked up a Kent 700c step thru at Walmart. Once I received the bike, my OCD kicked in and went to work going through the bike. Adjusting brakes, derailleur, tightened and torques all nuts,screws bolts even using thread lock. Tightens and adjusted all spokes and trued the wheels. Took apart the front forks,headset,bearings in pedals,front wheel hub bearings to check for grease all had plenty but I cleaned and replaced with my own grease. The forks are cheap made by Mode with only a single coil spring with a damping adjustment.

Added a different seat, rear rack, lights and added a Ranico pc commuter to help with distance and miles. Its cheap but does pretty well in distance and total miles. Compared distance and miles against it with my car on the same route and also use a cycling app in addition. I ride approximately 10 to 20 miles a day weather permitting. There have been a few occasions where I ride what we have here in Houston greenway paths along the Bayous. This bike has done 27 miles which that path ended and with 2 bars left in Mode 1 . When I go to mode 2 or 3 the battery wont last as long, I'm also on and off this bike a lot during my rides along the bayous to do a little fishing. So stopping and going I believe has a impact on the battery life. As of writing this the bike approximately has over 1100 trouble free miles. Not a single flat, no chain falling off, no electrical issues. I did contact Kent for replacement brake pads and was told that the pads cant be removed. So for $20 that includes shipping I received front and back calipers with pads.

As far as I can tell, the bike frame looks very similar to a Espin Flow ebike. I keep up with regular maintenance and it has been rock solid for me. Its comfortable , super quiet and zippy. A noisy bike doesn't work well with me hence my OCD. I have been chasing down a rattle for some time that seemed to be coming somewhere around the front. I did everything I could to find the culprit but no luck. But then one day as I took the battery out of the bike after my ride I felt a light knock. Sure enough it had been my battery moving around against the enclosure. I opened up the battery and installed plastic straws at certain points of the battery frame to dampen the battery knocking on the inside case which is a reention case ( see pic). And yes that fixed the knocking issue. I know that once I opened the battery the warranty has been voided. But I needed to know the inside of this battery, whats inside and how well its put together. Kent states Samsung batteries and I can not say for sure they are since I did not remove the battery from its case. But the color of the battery might be right.

When I called Kent to inquire about a second battery, they stated $325.00 that included shipping. In February 2020, the bike went on sale for a short period for $598.00. I pulled the trigger and now have a second bike in the attic for spare parts and got an extra battery. Recently when charging my battery I was getting a green/red light blinking on the charger. I thought it might the battery going bad. So I took my second charger and all was fine. Looks like if the charger flashes red and green on the charger its either the coil is shorted or the rectifier tube is broken according the manual. Will be calling Kent to see about a replacement. In the pics you will see a 2in velcro strap around the battery. This is for my piece of mind only when riding as a extra secure measure for me. How much longer will the bike last I am not sure but will up date of any new develpoments.

 

[GypsyTreker]

Kudos for being a Google/YouTube mechanic. 70% of my calls and emails could have sorted with a simple Google search. I never mind helping, but can’t help but wonder why some of us find it hard to find help and answers. I’m a crappy writer so I often Google a customers request so I can include pictures, videos, or other helpful bits that can clarify my response.

It’s all just a Google away...

I think the reason people don't use YouTube or Google for answers is because they don't know the questions. I totally agree with Harry, if your going to get a low-end bike don't be afraid to work on most stuff yourself, in most cases it's swapping out components. Often, on anything I tackle, I use my phone and take photos of how it came apart or what color wire went where.

 

[tomjasz]

I think the reason people don't use YouTube or Google for answers is because they don't know the questions.

I find that even clumsily constructed searches find what I need. Using proper nomenclature nearly always solves the search. Anyone working on their bike ought to use proper terms.