Sondors first impressions

[FTC Complaint]

Finding reports that to fully charge the bike takes five hours.

It is unknown whether or not electronics are in place to prevent discharging the battery below acceptable levels.

 

[JoePah]

Yeah nothing that adventurous.. Just a pool/spa in the back yard. No bikes in the water~!

 

[ebikedelight]

That is why the "brand" of the motor is important. If it is a CST or BMP Bafang then replacement parts are readily available.

http://www.greenbikekit.com/bafang-8fun-bldc-hub-motor-nylon-gears-replacement.html

If you have a bike more details about it would be appreciated.

I build my own ebikes because I do not wish to pay the high prices of premade ebikes that have the power/ battery capacity I need for my weight and riding conditions. Ill try and upload some photos f my ebike and my wifes thatI built.

 

[ebikedelight]

The front bike is my wifes. It is a Mongoose dolomite fatbike . I paid $179.99 for it new ...then bought a new 1000 watt - 48 volt brushless direct drive hub motor with 30 amp controller for $ 194 and then a new 48 volt- 20 ah lifepo4 battery for $420 . So for close to $800 , I built a new ebike that will blow away the sondors ebike . It will go about 30 mph top speed with my wife that weighs 170 lbs...and she can easily cover 35 + miles distance on 1 charge in our hilly location.

The bike behind it is mine. It is a much better bike called a GRAVITY MONSTER PRO FAT BIKE . It has bluto adjustable front shocks, all aluminum construction and I paid $949 for it new . I then bought a Lyen adjustable controller and the exact same battery as my wifes ebike. My ebike can do about 38 mph top speed, and gives a much smoother ride due to the shocks . You will notice my wifes ebike is front drive, and mine is rear drive.

Both ebikes have midmount battery racks.

 

[ebikedelight]

photo..

 

[pxpaulx]

photo..

Very cool. Love seeing diy, especially fat! I don't know if you have corrected this since the photo was taken, but the front fork on your gravity is backwards. I noticed the fork arms are behind the stem, and upon further inspection your front brake was confirmed to be on the incorrect side - its always on the left. Nevermind if you've already corrected!

 

[ebikedelight]

Very cool. Love seeing diy, especially fat! I don't know if you have corrected this since the photo was taken, but the front fork on your gravity is backwards. I noticed the fork arms are behind the stem, and upon further inspection your front brake was confirmed to be on the incorrect side - its always on the left. Nevermind if you've already corrected!

Yes..I switched the forks around on purpose to try out a idea I had. This is the cool thing about DIY..and modifying things . If it doesn't workout as expected , just change it back.

I also make all my own battery brackets from aluminum that are mounted in the center of the frame and make my own torque arms from steel .

 

[ebikedelight]

If anyone is interested , ebay sells some cool tail lights for cheap. They are solar powered with a built in battery and have 3 different settings . I bought 3 of em and they work great for night riding.

 

[J.R.]

If anyone is interested , ebay sells some cool tail lights for cheap. They are solar powered with a built in battery and have 3 different settings . I bought 3 of em and they work great for night riding.

Can you give a link or the name of the light?

 

[scmike]

Can you give a link or the name of the light?

Quick search... Top of the list... long shipping times for all the cheap ones...
http://www.ebay.com

 

[FTC Complaint]

These concerns summarize the issues encountered per the Sondors User Group FB Page

1) Sizing of the bike
2) Front Brake Problems (widespread)
3) Electrical Arcing
4) Heat Buildup on contacts and loose contacts
5) Mechanical problems (lack of lubrication and tightening of fasteners, noise, wear)
6) Tire inflation problems - and flats
7) Battery does not stay mounted while riding
8) Lack of documentation
9) Electrical cutoff problems
10) Assembly errors
11) Seat post concerns
12) Charging and charger (reading, charge time, ability to)

There was one instance where a shop turned away an assembly because of product liability concerns, and a second shop charging $150.. Availability of support would be another concern.

 

[EULITTLB]

Thanks FTC I have not had sight of the comments on the Ss owners group page, the impression I get from the restricted/censored info elsewhere was just one or two teething problems, so thanks for correcting me.

 

[Chas]

Thanks. I think that is about what most experienced people expected. That is about par for a direct from China mail order bike. Give it a few weeks and the spokes are likely to come loose and cause other problems (if my experience is any indication).

#1 relates to my second favorite Ivars "I know nothing about bikes" comments.
When asked the sizing of the bike, he gave the bike's wheelbase.

(My favorite comment was the comment that the holes on the rims were there to give the bike some extra suspension.or maybe that riding the bike in sand would be "complex").

Still this is fortunately coming out about as good as a direct from China build could be.

These concerns summarize the issues encountered per the Sondors User Group FB Page

1) Sizing of the bike
2) Front Brake Problems (widespread)
3) Electrical Arcing
4) Heat Buildup on contacts and loose contacts
5) Mechanical problems (lack of lubrication and tightening of fasteners, noise, wear)
6) Tire inflation problems - and flats
7) Battery does not stay mounted while riding
8) Lack of documentation
9) Electrical cutoff problems
10) Assembly errors
11) Seat post concerns
12) Charging and charger (reading, charge time, ability to)

There was one instance where a shop turned away an assembly because of product liability concerns, and a second shop charging $150.. Availability of support would be another concern.

 

[Chas]

Is there any information on the gearing? I'm really curious to what that is and how easy/difficult it is to ride the bike without the motor.

 

[ebikedelight]

Is there any information on the gearing? I'm really curious to what that is and how easy/difficult it is to ride the bike without the motor.

a geared hub motor is much better for pedaling then a direct drive because the direct drive has more resistance . The problem with the sondors ebike, is that if the owner plans on doing a lot of pedaling, they only have 1 gear to chose from , unless they are willing to try and modify the sondors with a rear 7 speed cassette.

I think its important to understand that almost any bicycle, will eventually need some type of maintenance if it is ridden regularly.

Its not very fair to imply things like " SONDORS EBIKE IS CHEAP CHINA CRAP, BECAUSE SPOKES WILL NEED TIGHTENING AT SOME POINT "

Yes, this sondors ebike is a entry level ebike from china, at a low price point.....but we need to also have common sense that people who buy ebikes, should
spend some time researching how to do regular maintenance and safety checks on this ebike, just like any other bike..whether it costs $200 or $5000

This is the main problem I see occurring with this sondors ebike. Most buyers are gonna be clueless about things like :

1. checking spoke tensions - adjusting spoke tension
2. proper battery maintenance
3. not " overstressing " the battery/controller/motor on large inclines - high heat conditions
4. maintaining proper braking adjustments

etc.

Any mechanical item that is regularly used, will usually last longer if the owner has knowledge on maintenance .

 

[scmike]

Any mechanical item that is regularly used, will usually last longer if the owner has knowledge on maintenance .[/QUOTE]

Right , but most Sondors ownners, who probably bought this bike on a whim and for its looks will not be doing regular, prudent maintenance (like above) or set-up to begin with... Understandably , they just want to get on it an go... And when it breaks... who are they going to go to?? They'd be very lucky if they had a neighbor like ebikedelight.. since most regular bike shops will not have the knowledge or inclination to work on it... But at least they have their FB group to fall back on... and I guess that's better than nothing...

 

[PowerMe]

It is not impossible to find someone within 50 miles who has a good amount of bicycle maintenance experience. If not a LBS willing to help, there are independent folks out there who would probably be very happy to make some extra money, have all the tools and the knowledge.

In the U.S. if you're near any city, you can look for independent folks on craigslist.com. That's where I first found the mom & pop shop I eventually used for my ebike. They were announcing an opening of their new location and I happened to see their advertisement, called them, and asked if they would work on an ebike. I didn't even have an ebike at that time. Well, a few months later I did, and I've been using that independent little place since. Just a guy & his wife who own the shop, he does all the work himself.

CraigsList.com is just one place to look. There are many possible resources available in which to search. Or, yes, you can learn to do bicycle maintenance yourself with classes, videos, books or working alongside someone who does know what they're doing if they're willing to teach you. Why must people make things so complicated in life? A little resourcefulness and use of the Interwebs can reap excellent assistance if needed.

 

[Chas]

@ebikedelight delight. Maybe I wasn’t clear. Apologies if I sent you off in the wrong direction.

1) How many teeth are on the chaining? How many teeth are on the freewheel. I.E. How many gear inches does the bike have? (this is NOT a motor related question)

2) I bought a similar ebike wheel from china and it fell apart in about 15 miles. Like some Storm customers, I had to call someone for a pickup. Maybe they did better at the Storm factory, but I would keep an eye on those spokes for the first few rides. This is NOT normal maintenance.

 

[StaceyR]

Hi all! I'm new both here and to e-bikes...as most new Sondors owners probably are. My black/yellow Sondors was delivered here in Orange County, CA on July 6th...the same day I brought home my OTHER new electric vehicle, a Fiat 500e! I'll say that assembly was fairly easy with video assistance via my cell phone. I was impressed by the packaging and found no defects or damage. First riding impressions were positive but I do think the bike at the Sondors demo in Santa Monica was more powerful. Okay, that was on a crowded beach boardwalk and not my hilly and wide open neighborhood. I'm a big guy at 220lbs so although it pulled fairly well on the flats I had to assist on the uphill parts...not unexpected...depending on the grade. My wife, at 135lbs will have an easier time and hopes to use her yellow/orange bike (if/when it finally comes) to commute 2+ miles to work. We haven't tested the range yet, only taking turns racing around the local streets to get the feel of it. Our first true test will be an extended beach boardwalk tour of Huntington Beach as soon as we both have bikes to ride. They will also travel with us on our RV camping trips this summer and fall to allow us to explore more territory.

I'll post more when I have more riding time under my belt. For now I'm spending more time playing with our "Electric Orange" Fiat EV. What a blast!

 

[Hurley]

Welcome to the site. We look forward to hearing more from you.