Question for mail-ordered ebike owners concerning warranty.

[sc00ter]

To all you ebike owners that own one they ordered online and have no local support, how do you carry out warranty work if needed? I have a Pedego and a dealer right down the street. The only issue I ever had was fixed under warranty at the dealer. Now I've been thinking of getting a cargo style ebike so I can haul more stuff and bring my wife on little local adventures during nice weather. As much as I like my Pedego and the dealer service I've been eyeing the Rad Power RadWagon. Cheaper than the Pedego Stretch by a fair margin and has overall good reviews. But warranty issues have me kinda nervous. There are no Rad Power dealers within a reasonable distance to me unlike the Pedego dealer. So what do you owners do, and how were the results, with your mail-order ebikes that have no local support? A RadWagon would be a great way to test the cargo bike waters with minimum investment or do I hold out for a used Stretch is the other question. Thanks for any input!

 

[trainman]

I had somewhat the same concerns when I wanted to purchase two ebikes, after much looking into the matter and researching each online seller I could find very few sellers that offered good sales and service and had the reputation to go along with it. Many online sellers are very small and in many cases have only 2-4 employees where Rad Power Bikes has some 30 employees and by reputation has a very hands on service dept. You do have to realize here that this may having the buyer replacing parts on there own as they do not pay bike shops to handle warranty repairs, but will furnish you the needed warranty parts and help with diagnosing your problems with an actual online phone person, which in this day and time is becoming unheard of. True, buying from a local dealer has its advantages is a plus, but do remember here that the price for these services can be rather high. Do remember here that Rad uses a bike service that does come to your home and does repairs for a very reasonable price if you can't do repairs on your own and saving a lot of dollars over the local dealer I considered the online option over the local higher price option. I would do my homework and that should get your answer on which way to go in your decision.

 

[indianajo]

I bought my stretch cargo yubabike left off the internet. They have dealers, but 3000 miles from here. It didn't come with power, but it arrived perfect and has been reliable for 2 years and 4000 miles. The 2nd box yuba puts around the first box may have something to do with the condition at arrival. SRAM shifters from Yuba are much more precise than the 7 speed shimano Rad uses and I had on my previous kiddie MTB.
Rad problems & defects under brand forum runs to 9 pages. Entry 84 is typical IMHO, brakes always dragging because the spokes were loose. Buying spokes made of actual steel instead of copper/aluminum scrap would be a good start. A new member from Scotland reported she had broken 4 spokes on a Rad in the first couple of months. Tightening spokes at the factory would be another good practice. Yuba spokes are not 12 ga, they are thinner 14, and have required absolutely no tightening at 330 lb gross weight.
Yes, people brag about Rad phone support. You are still doing work that is unnecessary. Yuba brand forum problems & defects has one entry. I didn't like the seat and changed it out.
Other cargo bikes at a higher price point but not as high as pedego are surly, xtracycle, kona electric ute, blix. Same as Pedego is Reiss & Muller. Surly problems and defects forum has no entries. Xtracycle forum problems has 4 entries about an aftermarket kickstand, not even a product supplied by xtracycle. My yuba double leg kickstand has been fine, very handy for loading groceries/supplies in the panniers. There is not even a kona brand forum on here, I didn't know they had gone electric until poster Mass Destruction said he was selling them in his shop in Vancouver.

 

[AHicks]

First, an avid DIY'er, I do all my own work on about everything. If I don't know about something, I enjoy learning about it. Not afraid to get my hands dirty. RAD, to my knowledge, encourages people to call them if there's an issue and is not shy about sending entire assemblies to assist owners with warranty issues. This would leave the only the question, how willing are you to dive in and do the repair work personally? OR, do you have a mobile repair service available locally? RAD fully endorses the use of Velofix (velofix.com)

Second, rather than force her to ride on the back of your bike, why not get your wife a bike of her own? Either giver her the Pedigro and buy a new one for yourself, or get her one of her own. Maybe a step through? Beauty with that move is you can buy one that fits her. My wife, who does enjoy a bicycle, but has no mechanical ability to speak of, REALLY enjoys her e-bike. We've been all over the place with them....

 

[sc00ter]

Thanks for the holiday replies. I fully understand the "Get what you pay for." part of the purchase. I warn people who buy no-name Chinese scooters for their main transportation and tell them to buy a used Honda or Yamaha instead, but most dont listen and end up with a unreliable new scooter. Even my wife and I fell for the Chinese motor scooter trap. Thing spent more time in the shop waiting for parts then it did on the road. I did find a used TERN GSD at my local REI, but the nearest authorized service dealer is over 200 miles away!

 

[trainman]

I never heard of Yuba, I just checked their website and their bikes are three times the price of the Rad, I would hope you got better quality parts, etc. in that ebike. All bikes need to be serviced on a schedule, I do my own maintenance so owning a $1500 Rad ebike works for me, I hope I never have to take my ebike to a bike shop for repairs, or adjustments.

 

[sc00ter]

AHicks, the wife does not even want to ride any motorized (electric or gas) 2 wheeler. She has a trike converted Honda SIlverwing scooter. Had a Can-Am Spyder before that. She is actually happy riding passenger on my scooter. She does have a 2 wheel bicycle but I dont think it has been touched in 2 years, has a balance issue now in her older age and is no longer comfortable on 2 wheels. She did have a look at the Pedego trike so their may be hope still.

 

[AHicks]

Looong history of motorcycles here too. I stopped riding not too long ago as traffic is to the point it scares me. I am no longer confident I will see the a-hole getting ready to turn left or pull out in front of me to react quickly enough to do anything about it. Now focused on e-bikes. Point being, her lack of interest in riding in something like a Silverwing very understandable here.

If she has any interest in an electric trike, I would encourage it! Maybe see if you can arrange a demo? My point here is, IMHO, very few adults are going to enjoy riding on the back of a bicycle. Not more than once or twice anyway. -Al

 

[indianajo]

I never heard of Yuba, I just checked their website and their bikes are three times the price of the Rad, I would hope you got better quality parts, etc. in that ebike. All bikes need to be serviced on a schedule, I do my own maintenance so owning a $1500 Rad ebike works for me, I hope I never have to take my ebike to a bike shop for repairs, or adjustments.

On the Yuba, at 700 miles I changed out the OEM tires. I oil exposed steel every 2 weeks since I leave it out in the rain at work & shopping. At 3000 miles the back needed brake shoes. Also needed another back tire (kenda Knobbies) about then. I've adjusted brake calipers 4 times. I adjusted the rear shifter stops twice. The $221 ebikeling hub motor I installed, I had to tighten the cover screws & install blue loktite about 1000 miles. I have to retighten the seat post adapter I built about once a month. Yuba uses rails like brooks. What else required service?

 

[tomjasz]

I stopped riding not too long ago as traffic is to the point it scares me.

Exactly! My airhorn, bright colors, FF Helmet, gloves, and boots with a blazing modulating headlight and brake light and the cages still tried to get me. I have NONE of the same fears on a eBike.

 

[tomjasz]

Pedego trike so their may be hope still.

Doug at Califormia eBike recently did some work on a pedego trike and was impressed with the build.

 

[AlanDB]

I bought a Evelo Compass Trike for my wife, purchased online direct from Evelo. I have not had to get warranty service on it yet, but if I need it, they will contract with a LBS to perform the warranty service. Of course, it will be my responsibility to transport the trike to the LBS but fortunately I live within driving distance to several good LBS's. I am fairly confident in this process, because Evelo contracted with an LBS to assemble the trike when I purchased it, and that worked out very well.