Rize refuses to replace or pay for faulty brake pads on leisure and rx pro

[Spatzi]

At most what you can expect from any seller or manufacturer for a defective pair of brake pads is a replacement pair of pads.
But from what I can tell you didn't contact the seller or manufacturer until after you had them replaced.
I'm sorry but expecting them to pay for pads and labor after the fact is simply delusional.

Wrong? No. They refused to pay or replace because Pads were not covered under their warranty. It wouldn’t matter if I waited and did nothing. In spite of my video evidence, bike shop confirmation of defect, Rize admittance of tektro bad batch on bikes, they not only refused to replace, which is already amazing for a $10 part, but Mark continued to insist to me that the pads were perfectly fine. This is where I draw the line. That reaction basically turned me off from buying from the company again. I hope to get a couple years out of the bikes but will be looking elsewhere in the future. As I told Mark, saving $10 on brake pad replacement was not worth the trade off in bad publicity. I see its effect here already with people changing their mind about investing in Rize. I told them my YouTube video would bite them in the ass, as it gathers more views every day, but they don’t care.

 

[troehrkasse]

@Spatzi and @jaizon (and everybody), let's keep it respectful please this is starting to sound like Spatzi's Biktrix thread and there is no point in this one running the same course.

Spatzi, I know it sucks to have these issues not covered, but brake pads are considered a wear-and-tear item and not covered by warranty for many brands. Some may just replace it for you, but I would imagine that any direct-to-consumer seller is not going to. That's just the reality of any online-only seller; Rad Power Bikes is sort of leading the pack with their mobile service vans, but those are only in a few cities and they still get a lot of complaints about service screw-ups. The fact is that if top-notch service and long-term support are of utmost importance to you, buy from a large dealer-supported brand like Trek or Giant, or Aventon if you happen to be near one of their dealers. That is what @Alaskan said, and I whole-heartedly agree; if you buy from any of the big D2C names (Rad, Juiced, Rize, SONDORS, etc), you're going to have to maintain and repair it yourself or pay an LBS to do it.

Arguing about whether it was caused by a bad batch of pads or some dirt and debris or improper setup by Rize is pointless; either they are going to replace the pads at your request, or they are not. Clearly they are not, you've shared your experience with them in detail which will help other potential buyers. As you mentioned, there's not a lot of places for Rize owners to congregate online, so people searching will find your posts. We welcome any further updates on your experience of owning RIZE bikes, but please, let's cease with antagonizing each other, and stay respectful. Thanks all!

 

[rich c]

$17 on Amazon, Tektro branded.
I would have simply dropped a new set in there. [shrug]

No kidding, takes about 5 minutes on the front and maybe 10 minutes on the back. Maybe a couple minutes more if you take the time to clean the faces and edges of the pistons

 

[Spatzi]

@Spatzi and @jaizon (and everybody), let's keep it respectful please this is starting to sound like Spatzi's Biktrix thread and there is no point in this one running the same course.

Spatzi, I know it sucks to have these issues not covered, but brake pads are considered a wear-and-tear item and not covered by warranty for many brands. Some may just replace it for you, but I would imagine that any direct-to-consumer seller is not going to. That's just the reality of any online-only seller; Rad Power Bikes is sort of leading the pack with their mobile service vans, but those are only in a few cities and they still get a lot of complaints about service screw-ups. The fact is that if top-notch service and long-term support are of utmost importance to you, buy from a large dealer-supported brand like Trek or Giant, or Aventon if you happen to be near one of their dealers. That is what @Alaskan said, and I whole-heartedly agree; if you buy from any of the big D2C names (Rad, Juiced, Rize, SONDORS, etc), you're going to have to maintain and repair it yourself or pay an LBS to do it.

Arguing about whether it was caused by a bad batch of pads or some dirt and debris or improper setup by Rize is pointless; either they are going to replace the pads at your request, or they are not. Clearly they are not, you've shared your experience with them in detail which will help other potential buyers. As you mentioned, there's not a lot of places for Rize owners to congregate online, so people searching will find your posts. We welcome any further updates on your experience of owning RIZE bikes, but please, let's cease with antagonizing each other, and stay respectful. Thanks all!

This can’t run like the bixtrix thread because rize would never actually participate. They are not concerned about forums. It’s all up to us users. I am practically the only person on youtube posting videos about the rx pro and leisure. And they are not all negative videos. ‘Wear and tear‘ also insinuates actual wear and tear, which is impossible on a bike barely ridden 15 km on paved road.

I know what you are saying, but you are missing the main point. It‘s not so much about wear and tear, or the lack of replacement, but the continued and BAFFLING insistence by Rize that despite all supporting evidence of DEFECT, they continue to insist the brakes are fine. The guy watched the video of this nightmare brake noise that sounds like Cousteau in a diving bell, and continued to tell me it was completely normal. That is what irks me more than forking out the extra $200 for repairs. THAT conversation with Mark on the phone was the point where I thought, ‘okay. That’s it for this company.‘ That is a very important distinction. The point where a company crosses the line and loses a customer.

If they just said “Yes, these brakes are bad, but we can‘t replace them.”, that would have helped ease the pain, but they could not even do that. Also, Rize warranty appears to support defective pad replacement, especially as it’s such a minor item, so it’s misleading.

My overall impression of rize support is ‘Yes men.’ They are friendly, no doubt, but it‘s a feeling that Upper management (whoever that is) has trained them all to be friendly, agree with almost everything the customer says, but when it comes to things like replacing parts, fight them on it, even when they produce evidence and receipts and videos showing defects. I mean, seriously, they told one guy with a controller problem and threat of being stranded, to start taking shorter trips. That did not surprise me at all.

 

[J.R.]

This can’t run like the bixtrix thread because rize would never actually participate. They are not concerned about forums. It’s all up to us users. I am practically the only person on youtube posting videos about the rx pro and leisure. And they are not all negative videos. ‘Wear and tear‘ also insinuates actual wear and tear, which is impossible on a bike barely ridden 15 km on paved road.

I know what you are saying, but you are missing the main point. It‘s not so much about wear and tear, or the lack of replacement, but the continued and BAFFLING insistence by Rize that despite all supporting evidence of DEFECT, they continue to insist the brakes are fine. That is what irks me more than forking out the extra $200 for repairs. THAT conversation with Mark on the phone was the point where I thought, ‘okay. That’s it for this company.‘ That is a very important distinction. The point where a company crosses the line and loses a customer.

If they just said “Yes, these brakes are bad, but we can‘t replace them.”, that would have helped ease the pain, but they could not even do that. Also, Rize warranty appears to support defective pad replacement, especially as it’s such a minor item, so it’s misleading.

A company will not and likely cannot say "okay, the brakes are bad" to anyone. I say cannot from a legal standpoint. From an insurance standpoint. They don't know what you did to the brake pads; if you handled them, spilled something on them, contaminated them. Even if a company offered a free set of pads they would never take responsibility for the first set being bad.

You need to graciously move on. It's gotten to the point where future readers of your posts will dismiss you as just a malcontent.

 

[Browneye]

They don't make the brakes, so they just expect them to work. LOL
Parks Tool has some really good maintenance vids. I really enjoyed the one on tuning derailleurs and assembling cassettes.

 

[GenXrider]

Rize used to be Spark. They can't hide from their reputation, though. Glad I didn't buy from them.

However, you can have these same experiences with name brand bikes from a LBS. I had a derailleur fail on a new Trek after a few months. The LBS tried to say it was wear and tear and that they wouldn't cover it. I'm like great, I spend several times as much for a high end bike, and they won't cover a simple warranty claim. I argued with them, and they finally replaced it for no charge. It's now been working for years with the replacement. Enjoy.

 

[Spatzi]

A company will not and likely cannot say "okay, the brakes are bad" to anyone. I say cannot from a legal standpoint. From an insurance standpoint. They don't know what you did to the brake pads; if you handled them, spilled something on them, contaminated them. Even if a company offered a free set of pads they would never take responsibility for the first set being bad.

You need to graciously move on. It's gotten to the point where future readers of your posts will dismiss you as just a malcontent.

Oh no! Not being content, that would be real bad! Sorry, not on the rize Facebook forum where everything has to be sunshine and elves. Well, here we see a problem when a company talks to you and can’t admit a basic fact while continuing to smile around it. And a fact simply remedied, a fact that would cost them a whopping $10. They seem able to admit that a controller can be defective, (where is your ‘insurance standpoint‘ there) a much more expensive part, but not a cheap brake pad. For you to say “they don’t know what you did to them” is fine, but when I carefully explain what I did to them (one mild ride) on the phone and show them a video, and bike shop support of defect, and they continue to tell me the earth is flat, how do you suppose that makes a customer, who just spent 6 grand, feel? Like someone else here with direct conversational experience with Rize, it makes you feel like they are implying we are liars. How does this transfer to more sales, pray tell? In what world does a business survive with tactics like this, in direct phone conversations? I used to work for years in advanced customer support, with a huge company, the Canadian government. I would not have lasted a day with these kinds of service tactics.

 

[Spatzi]

Rize used to be Spark. They can't hide from their reputation, though. Glad I didn't buy from them.

However, you can have these same experiences with name brand bikes from a LBS. I had a derailleur fail on a new Trek after a few months. The LBS tried to say it was wear and tear and that they wouldn't cover it. I'm like great, I spend several times as much for a high end bike, and they won't cover a simple warranty claim. I argued with them, and they finally replaced it for no charge. It's now been working for years with the replacement. Enjoy.

Good to know. Now, because of your post, I’ll also be looking into trek in the future just because they helped you out and did the right thing. These small things go a long way to future business. Many companies just don’t realize how much.

 

[GypsyTreker]

Sorry, when I hear the "get what you paid for" 'tude it makes me frustrated. It "sounds" like LBS stores get some sort of satisfaction when a D2B consumer has a problem and then chastise them on an eBike Forum for not buying local. I have cruised through no less than 6 or seven LBS stores in the past 6 months and mostly what I have run into were really "amatuer" business folk trying to figure out how to get their business to pay for their hobby. Guess what, I have the means to help them do that but I'm not rolling a freaking Yeti Downhiller through the door so what could I possibly offer. Remember all those small HD stores with parts everywhere, no financing, a dude working service that you were afraid to leave your bike with? Forget they are at the end of a 30 year run but what a run it was. They became marketing pros and if their dealers wanted to play they had to invest in a Nordstrom looking showroom or you were out.

If the eBike industry doesn't wise up and figure out that the guy who bought D2B needs some help and is the perfect potential customer and add a used eBike dept. to their store, this boom we be over before it gets started. That said....if your buying D2B, go full Monty. Buy a good maintenance book, some tools and some saved DIY YouTube vids. After doing a repair or general maintenance keep it logged on an app, notebook, whatever. When you have tire swap or a controller replace or have installed front forks go to an LBS and ask what it would cost to have that work done. After you get that estimate on work you did yourself you will understand why you don't need them, they need you.

 

[AHicks]

Spatzi,
2 things.
1. Those brakes are NOT unique to your bike.
2. Most of us are just here to lend a hand.

 

[Spatzi]

Spatzi,
2 things.
1. Those brakes are NOT unique to your bike.
2. Most of us are just here to lend a hand.

1. I know that. Other brands reporting same problems with tectro pads. I don‘ t know what this ‘Unique’ statement has to do with anything.
2. You would think. But when I start hearing this condescending and elitist “you bought a bottom barrel $3600 bike so you get what you deserve”, I start to wonder “who are these people?“ They don’t own a rize bike, they have no experience with rize, yet they are still here on the rize forum espousing their patronizing superiority.

 

[GypsyTreker]

Where exactly does the price point begin to reflect an acceptable eBike?

 

[Mr. AH]

This can’t run like the bixtrix thread because rize would never actually participate. They are not concerned about forums. It’s all up to us users. I am practically the only person on youtube posting videos about the rx pro and leisure. And they are not all negative videos. ‘Wear and tear‘ also insinuates actual wear and tear, which is impossible on a bike barely ridden 15 km on paved road.

I know what you are saying, but you are missing the main point. It‘s not so much about wear and tear, or the lack of replacement, but the continued and BAFFLING insistence by Rize that despite all supporting evidence of DEFECT, they continue to insist the brakes are fine. The guy watched the video of this nightmare brake noise that sounds like Cousteau in a diving bell, and continued to tell me it was completely normal. That is what irks me more than forking out the extra $200 for repairs. THAT conversation with Mark on the phone was the point where I thought, ‘okay. That’s it for this company.‘ That is a very important distinction. The point where a company crosses the line and loses a customer.

If they just said “Yes, these brakes are bad, but we can‘t replace them.”, that would have helped ease the pain, but they could not even do that. Also, Rize warranty appears to support defective pad replacement, especially as it’s such a minor item, so it’s misleading.

My overall impression of rize support is ‘Yes men.’ They are friendly, no doubt, but it‘s a feeling that Upper management (whoever that is) has trained them all to be friendly, agree with almost everything the customer says, but when it comes to things like replacing parts, fight them on it, even when they produce evidence and receipts and videos showing defects. I mean, seriously, they told one guy with a controller problem and threat of being stranded, to start taking shorter trips. That did not surprise me at all.

IMO they seem to be clueless on product details and don't care to learn even the basics of what they're selling, really just order-takers, I wouldn't recommend buying anything from them...

 

[troehrkasse]

This can’t run like the bixtrix thread because rize would never actually participate.

I'm not referring to manufacturer participation; I'm referring to how that thread descended into a flame war.

I know what you are saying, but you are missing the main point. It‘s not so much about wear and tear, or the lack of replacement, but the continued and BAFFLING insistence by Rize that despite all supporting evidence of DEFECT, they continue to insist the brakes are fine.

No, my point is that you had a problem with your brakes, you thought Rize should fix it, and they refused to do so. You've shared your experience very clearly and that is much appreciated.

Anything not covered under warranty is most likely not going to be replaced for free. This goes for any wear-and-tear item such as pads or tires. If it works when you take it out of the box and start riding, then as far as Rize (or any manufacturer) is concerned, anything that happens to those components from there on out falls under owner-caused wear and tear. Your brakes were working for the first 10km if I recall correctly, and the sound they were making in your video is the exact same sound I've heard on multiple bikes with dirty rotors from riding in wet or dirty conditions. Maybe it was from that, or maybe it was because the pads were defective. Presumably, Tektro figured out which batch(es) of brakes were bad, and this is something Rize would be able to figure out and thus communicate that the pads they shipped with the bike were good. No way to prove it either way.

It does seem to be edging on poor customer service to me and it probably could be communicated better, but I get it. I had a rear tire wear out on a brand new motorcycle in less than a thousand miles, and Honda wouldn't replace it for free for the same reason, tires are "wear and tear" components not covered by warranty. I talked with one of their techs about it and explained that I had only driven it normally on good roads... and he told me that everyone who comes in says the exact same thing in hopes that they'll get free repairs, even though most of the time they're stretching the truth about how and where they have been riding. Even assuming that the customer always tells the truth, there's lots of road debris that can cause tire damage that Honda isn't going to assume responsibility for.

So at the end of the day even though I was bummed to shell out a couple hundred bucks for a new rear tire, I can see why companies operate that way, and I don't see the point of continuing to try to fight them for something that is clearly not covered by the warranty.

As to price, Trek has bikes from under $3,000 up to and over $10,000. The shop and Trek corporate stand behind all their bikes with integrity.

Great point, and the Electra brand is also owned by Trek and has some ebikes that are as cheap as $1,500 USD, and supported the same as the flagship brand.

 

[AHicks]

Sorry snark boys but it is more about people and places than price.

I purchased one of my ebikes from a local bike shop (Trek in Bellingham, WA) . The others were bought from a reputable, multi-brand, ebike seller (LA Fly Rides) , with brick and mortar locations in LA and San Diego. The bikes I have bought from them are Riese & Muller bikes. Fly Rides has very well trained, properly paid mechanics that have been working for them for years. They have knowledgeable technical advisors who respond promptly to warranty issues. They have quickly authorized and paid for component or whole bike shipping to their location and back when warranty work was needed. They know what they are doing and go to bat for the bike owner with the manufacturer of either the bike, the failed component or both, as needed. I paid a premium for these bikes and got premium service when it was called for. I could not be happier with my choices of vendors and feel that I have gotten what I paid for.

My most recent bike an Allant+9.9s, was purchased at the local Trek store. It is dialed in and riding like a dream now. Initially it needed quite a bit of attention as it had a bunch of new tech on it . At times I have felt like a beta tester. The service there has been everything one could expect or ask for. They have been friendly attentive, prompt and generous.

As to price, Trek has bikes from under $3,000 up to and over $10,000. The shop and Trek corporate stand behind all their bikes with integrity.

I would never buy a bike from Costco or any entity that does not have a well equipped shop and well qualified people working in it.

I am a capable and enthusiastic bike mechanic. I do all my brake work, tire work, swap out stems, handlebars, seatposts, saddles, grips, pedals, racks, fenders, lights etc. I love working on my bikes, tweaking, customizing, adjusting and dialing in everything. I reserve the e-bike parts for the guys at Trek or Fly Rides (who authorizes the Trek store to work on the Bosch powered Riese & Muller bikes. Of course, I let them work on any parts that need warranty replacement.

An acceptable bike for me has friendly, attentive, qualified people standing behind it, ready to help me keep riding. That costs more but is ultimately well worth it.

Alaskan, I agree with you on a lot of things, but here, and your earlier post in this string, you have managed to come across as one that might beleive that EVERYONE is interested in having a dealer to do their service work. Further even, that anyone that doesn't give a darn about a LBS doing their service work, or paying out the big bucks to get a bike with that arrangement in mind, amount to nothing more than pond scum.

I'm here to tell you those 2 assumptions could not possibly be further from the truth, AND, comments alluding to the fact that bikes purchased direct are all junk when compared to bikes purchased from a LBS (often costing several times as much in many cases), would have some wondering about your intelligence level to be blunt about it.....

I'll just leave it at that.

 

[Handlebars]

Sorry snark boys but it is more about people and places than price.

I purchased one of my ebikes from a local bike shop (Trek in Bellingham, WA) . The others were bought from a reputable, multi-brand, ebike seller (LA Fly Rides) , with brick and mortar locations in LA and San Diego. The bikes I have bought from them are Riese & Muller bikes. Fly Rides has very well trained, properly paid mechanics that have been working for them for years. They have knowledgeable technical advisors who respond promptly to warranty issues. They have quickly authorized and paid for component or whole bike shipping to their location and back when warranty work was needed. They know what they are doing and go to bat for the bike owner with the manufacturer of either the bike, the failed component or both, as needed. I paid a premium for these bikes and got premium service when it was called for. I could not be happier with my choices of vendors and feel that I have gotten what I paid for.

My most recent bike an Allant+9.9s, was purchased at the local Trek store. It is dialed in and riding like a dream now. Initially it needed quite a bit of attention as it had a bunch of new tech on it . At times I have felt like a beta tester. The service there has been everything one could expect or ask for. They have been friendly attentive, prompt and generous.

As to price, Trek has bikes from under $3,000 up to and over $10,000. The shop and Trek corporate stand behind all their bikes with integrity.

I would never buy a bike from Costco or any entity that does not have a well equipped shop and well qualified people working in it.

I am a capable and enthusiastic bike mechanic. I do all my brake work, tire work, swap out stems, handlebars, seatposts, saddles, grips, pedals, racks, fenders, lights etc. I love working on my bikes, tweaking, customizing, adjusting and dialing in everything. I reserve the e-bike parts for the guys at Trek or Fly Rides (who authorizes the Trek store to work on the Bosch powered Riese & Muller bikes. Of course, I let them work on any parts that need warranty replacement.

An acceptable bike for me has friendly, attentive, qualified people standing behind it, ready to help me keep riding. That costs more but is ultimately well worth it.

I would never buy a bike from Costco or any entity that does not have a well equipped shop and well qualified people working in it.

So is your advice to people that do not have your high end purchasing power, to not buy at all?

 

[Captain Slow]

You spent $130 resolving bad brake pads? How did it cost that much?

One of my bikes has Tektro brakes and when the pads wear out, I get Tektro replacements (metal) from Chain Reaction for $15 a set and I'm in Canada as well.

 

[Handlebars]

Presumably, Tektro figured out which batch(es) of brakes were bad, and this is something Rize would be able to figure out and thus communicate that the pads they shipped with the bike were good.

More presumptions are necessary.

That Tektro figured out where they went , and recalled them, or at least advised all their customers who bought them.
That down the line every buyer and seller were alerted by batch numbers and then acted to return or rubbish them instead of selling them, and to contact every buyer they could.

That's a lot of presumption to build on, isn't it?

 

[Alaskan]

So is your advice to people that do not have your high end purchasing power, to not buy at all?

Not at all. If you read my post, which I pulled down due to having stepped on too many sensitive toes, you will see that my advice was to have reasonable expectations. In other words, when you buy from someone you never met, in a place far from where you live, shopping for the lowest price, be prepared to do your own work or find someone locally and pay them to do it. Trek has ebikes as low as $1,600 and has a great reputation for service. Like I said, " it is more about people and places than price."

And yes you might be able to get a higher spec bike at a lower price from Rize or Biktrix or Rad, but you have to give up something for that to happen and that something is service. It is a pay me now or pay someone else later situation.

I get that, for some with limited budgets, this is the best, or perhaps the only choice. There are others who just focus on price rather than value...until there are problems (which occur even on the best of bikes).

Why waste time repeatedly complaining on an internet forum because you did not get the kind of excellent service you now want, but did not pay for?