The Joys of MS...

For sure let us all know how your wife goes with her new trike. 👍
DHL tracking says delivery today, but we also know its stuck in customs as they have misplaced the document about country of origin. We've played this game before and know how to deal with it, so the delay should be short. Thankfully this is DHL and not UPS or FEDEX, as our experiences with them with similar scenarios has always been very, very, short on satisfaction...

If it does show up today, not much chance of getting much riding in. Record setting heat wave here, and my wife does not handle heat very well at all.

Stay tuned for a hopefully exciting unveiling.
Good luck with customs--MX as country of origin shouldn't be an issue. Now, Canadian import duties may not be pretty, but so be it...

Can't wait to read about your impressions!
 
No import duties or any extra charges according to DHL billing dep't. If it were UPS, I'd need to talk to my banker. :mad:

New delivery date - July 2. I guess I am not going out riding Friday after all... I will be on duty in the Receiving Dep't.
 
Still playing silly buggers with Canada Customs.
4 days from Mexico City to Calgary.
6 days and counting dealing with bureaucratic, imbecilic, twits...

The sad thing is that I am not surprised in the least - an pathetic commentary on the ways things work these days.
I dealt with this crap far too often at work - and now the agencies continue to us the Covid excuse for delays.

Covid did NOT cause you to be unable to read a Country of Origin document (including the source of every single nut and bolt).
We have a trilateral trade agreement that is supposed to permit these products to cross our borders relatively easily.

Grrr... :mad:
 
Still playing silly buggers with Canada Customs.
4 days from Mexico City to Calgary.
6 days and counting dealing with bureaucratic, imbecilic, twits...

The sad thing is that I am not surprised in the least - an pathetic commentary on the ways things work these days.
I dealt with this crap far too often at work - and now the agencies continue to us the Covid excuse for delays.

Covid did NOT cause you to be unable to read a Country of Origin document (including the source of every single nut and bolt).
We have a trilateral trade agreement that is supposed to permit these products to cross our borders relatively easily.

Grrr... :mad:
Another Like that means Sad ..
 
Still playing silly buggers with Canada Customs.
4 days from Mexico City to Calgary.
6 days and counting dealing with bureaucratic, imbecilic, twits...

The sad thing is that I am not surprised in the least - an pathetic commentary on the ways things work these days.
I dealt with this crap far too often at work - and now the agencies continue to us the Covid excuse for delays.

Covid did NOT cause you to be unable to read a Country of Origin document (including the source of every single nut and bolt).
We have a trilateral trade agreement that is supposed to permit these products to cross our borders relatively easily.

Grrr... :mad:
Randall

I owned two UPS Stores until recently and offered DHL b/c I don't like UPS Internationally. While DHL is generally wonderful, Canadian customs and brokers are challenging, and expensive. I hate to say it, but shipping equipment and freight to Asia is easier than to Canada, and I know this from years of experience.

At the risk of being presumptuous, I'd suggest you:
1.) Call DHL at 888-826-5636 and give them the airbill number of the shipment. Make sure you get the agent's name and ask for specific steps and dates. If you hit a wall, ask that it be escalated to their mgt.
2.) You may also want to try DHL Duties Group at (866) 638-7678 if you hit a wall.
3.) Contact Mastretta and cry like a baby that customs is holding up the bike, your wife is in tears, you've spent hours on this, did I make a mistake buying a bike directly from MX, etc and what can you/Mastretta do to get your bike to us, and that you're next turning to online forums to get advice on how to get this done because you're so frustrated that no one is helping you (Mastretta will get the hint).

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a pit bull in business when working with Customs, so please please excuse me if you've already done all this! Canadian customs and customs brokers are opaque in all they do, so come on strong if you've been nice to date. Just sayin'......

Good luck and keep us informed.

Keith
 
@Keith Johnston
My wife has done all that, and so had Carlos from his end. I'm staying out of it. My job will be assembly mechanic...

BBB report filed against DHL brokerage as well, also by Mastretta. 50 complaints currently on file, but nowhere as many as UPS or FEDEX.

They've shipped 13 of these trikes to Canada this year, and ALL other imports went smoothly. It looks like we got the customs agent who has some personal issues interfering with their work and an equally inept broker. 😠
 
Sorry, I'm late to the party with this thread but just wanted to say to Keith that I think it's awesome that you're active with MS and the ebike helps with that. Good for you. I have a co-worker whose wife has MS and she's been house bound for many years.

Just wanted to say good luck with everything and it's great what you're doing.
 
Sorry, I'm late to the party with this thread but just wanted to say to Keith that I think it's awesome that you're active with MS and the ebike helps with that. Good for you. I have a co-worker whose wife has MS and she's been house bound for many years.

Just wanted to say good luck with everything and it's great what you're doing.
That's very kind of you! Thank you.
KJ
 
@Keith Johnston
My wife has done all that, and so had Carlos from his end. I'm staying out of it. My job will be assembly mechanic...

BBB report filed against DHL brokerage as well, also by Mastretta. 50 complaints currently on file, but nowhere as many as UPS or FEDEX.

They've shipped 13 of these trikes to Canada this year, and ALL other imports went smoothly. It looks like we got the customs agent who has some personal issues interfering with their work and an equally inept broker. 😠
What the latest/greatest? Any progress with Canadian customs, or is the broker trying to pay off his new place in Jamaica and expects you to help....? 😢
 
It's been the DHL broker, who must have failed his or her grade 3 reading comprehension tests and been studying hard before taking them again. Progress is slow, but starting to move.
I live probably 3 km from Canada Customs at the Calgary airport. It's close...hopefully by Friday.

There's a car and trike manufacturing company president in Mexico City who will be saving a lot of cash as he won't have to pay anyone to cut his hair anymore, because he's likely torn it all out by now...
 
Ok, update.. delivery scheduled for tomorrow. Not holding my breath- don't look good in blue...
 
Well? Well? I hope it's exceeding expectations! Do tell!
Soon!
What I can tell you, is she's able to get on and off of it, but no ride yet as I've been struggling with the front wheel fitment onto the axles.
I think it's sorted and should be done tomorrow,
 
Some notes as I'm not done getting it "quite right" yet.

Certain things that were ordered are not working well - like a twist throttle.
My wife hadn't considered all the nuances of her choices, and I was firmly asked to "leave it up to me".

Some things we know we'd likely have to modify.
For example - the Q factor isn't quite fitting her well, especially with her "drop foot".

On her old bike, I'd installed some "Kneesaver" pedal extenders - she'll need those again and they will be ordered once we do a bit more riding and measuring.
I'll be adding different handlebars and also a stem extender to get her into a more comfortable position.
I am strongly considering an externally wired dropper.
I'd really hoped that the seat post was going to 30.9mm, as then I'd have transferred mine from my MTB and ordered a OneUp internally wired one for myself.

The trike rides really well - very stable when the tilt locking mechanism is un-engaged.
When it is engaged (non tilt) and with brakes applied, getting on and off is doable for someone with physical issues like MS.
Also when it's locked out, the turning radius is VERY wide, but it rides OK for the speeds she is currently going at.

The engineering of the front end is pretty neat - I've run it around the local area a few times, and it's an absolute hoot to ride.

Some issues - some minor, some not so much:
  • Either PAS isn't working, or it wasn't wired for it. I suspect it was not wired as I think my wife told them throttle only.
    That defeats the purpose of using the trike for leg strengthening and health. Major issue.
  • Tied to that is the brake cut-outs were wired up - once again I think it was an uninformed decision. Major safety issue.
  • The cockpit is extremely crowded, and I will need to rejig it once we get the throttle sorted - we'll go to a thumb throttle and it will have to be moved to the left side as she has very little feeling in her right side. Minor issue.
  • Shipping damages - the chain stays were squeezed a bit and I simply could not get the rear wheel (w/hub drive) in.
    Car scissor jack, carefully used, solved that. They need to either ship with the wheel in place or insert a spacer. Minor issue.
  • Some other minor issues from shipping - I'm pretty handy so I just had to think things through and fix them myself.
The manufacturer (well the owner) has been super.
We're still compiling a list of things that we will ask him to assist with, but a lot of stuff will likely go to a local e-bike shop that specializes in conversions.
They'll have the parts and the knowhow to do the little tweaks we need.
This is a relatively cheap drivetrain - what you're paying for is the engineering of the tilting front end.

My wife and I both had reasonable expectations about the overall suitability for her condition. We knew it would be close - but not perfect,
It's very close and IMHO is a viable option for riders with balance and mobility issues.

Shipping and receiving pics:
20210716_121446.jpg 20210716_123219.jpg 20210716_125033.jpg

Build - built:
20210717_115028.jpg 20210718_120633.jpg 20210718_140526.jpg

Right side cockpit - you press the red button to turn power on, then twist throttle.
That cannot stay - you can't reach the shifter easily.
20210718_132502.jpg

Custom pedal for left side - drop foot has her slipping off pedal.
She has a shoe we've removed a section of the sole, and epoxied super magnets in.
Works OK, but I may need to upsize the pedal and go to a MTB platform style with pins removed and metal plates applied.
We'll decide once we get the Kneesavers installed, and see if the foot stays on better.

20210720_165523.jpg 20210720_165732.jpg 20210720_170914.jpg



Lot's more to come, including some video ...
 
Some notes as I'm not done getting it "quite right" yet.

Certain things that were ordered are not working well - like a twist throttle.
My wife hadn't considered all the nuances of her choices, and I was firmly asked to "leave it up to me".

Some things we know we'd likely have to modify.
For example - the Q factor isn't quite fitting her well, especially with her "drop foot".

On her old bike, I'd installed some "Kneesaver" pedal extenders - she'll need those again and they will be ordered once we do a bit more riding and measuring.
I'll be adding different handlebars and also a stem extender to get her into a more comfortable position.
I am strongly considering an externally wired dropper.
I'd really hoped that the seat post was going to 30.9mm, as then I'd have transferred mine from my MTB and ordered a OneUp internally wired one for myself.

The trike rides really well - very stable when the tilt locking mechanism is un-engaged.
When it is engaged (non tilt) and with brakes applied, getting on and off is doable for someone with physical issues like MS.
Also when it's locked out, the turning radius is VERY wide, but it rides OK for the speeds she is currently going at.

The engineering of the front end is pretty neat - I've run it around the local area a few times, and it's an absolute hoot to ride.

Some issues - some minor, some not so much:
  • Either PAS isn't working, or it wasn't wired for it. I suspect it was not wired as I think my wife told them throttle only.
    That defeats the purpose of using the trike for leg strengthening and health. Major issue.
  • Tied to that is the brake cut-outs were wired up - once again I think it was an uninformed decision. Major safety issue.
  • The cockpit is extremely crowded, and I will need to rejig it once we get the throttle sorted - we'll go to a thumb throttle and it will have to be moved to the left side as she has very little feeling in her right side. Minor issue.
  • Shipping damages - the chain stays were squeezed a bit and I simply could not get the rear wheel (w/hub drive) in.
    Car scissor jack, carefully used, solved that. They need to either ship with the wheel in place or insert a spacer. Minor issue.
  • Some other minor issues from shipping - I'm pretty handy so I just had to think things through and fix them myself.
The manufacturer (well the owner) has been super.
We're still compiling a list of things that we will ask him to assist with, but a lot of stuff will likely go to a local e-bike shop that specializes in conversions.
They'll have the parts and the knowhow to do the little tweaks we need.
This is a relatively cheap drivetrain - what you're paying for is the engineering of the tilting front end.

My wife and I both had reasonable expectations about the overall suitability for her condition. We knew it would be close - but not perfect,
It's very close and IMHO is a viable option for riders with balance and mobility issues.

Shipping and receiving pics:
View attachment 94542 View attachment 94543 View attachment 94544

Build - built:
View attachment 94551 View attachment 94545 View attachment 94547

Right side cockpit - you press the red button to turn power on, then twist throttle.
That cannot stay - you can't reach the shifter easily.
View attachment 94546

Custom pedal for left side - drop foot has her slipping off pedal.
She has a shoe we've removed a section of the sole, and epoxied super magnets in.
Works OK, but I may need to upsize the pedal and go to a MTB platform style with pins removed and metal plates applied.
We'll decide once we get the Kneesavers installed, and see if the foot stays on better.

View attachment 94548 View attachment 94549 View attachment 94550



Lot's more to come, including some video ...
How is it going with the mastretta? Get it to yr liking?
 
How is it going with the mastretta? Get it to yr liking?
Still working on ergonomics and other tweaks..
I need to extend hydraulic hoses and shifter cables as they were almost marginally too short to begin with, and adding riser handlebars and the like make them absolutely too short.

Her knees have been really bugging her, and she'll need both knees operated on due to too many falls (She finally got to a specialist who was amazed she could still walk), so bike riding has not been a priority. Combined with other factors like high temperatures (for her anyways) and a lot of smoke coming from the forest fires west of us in British Columbia, there's been no push to ride. Plus - I've taken on a new contract after being fully retired for 2+ years, and I've been busy with projects.

Bottom line.
I think it's a winner and should be a consideration - but some of the stuff on the bike needs tweaking, and that's going to take a while.
A more upright riding position is a must, and the motor controls need changing. She thought a twist throttle was the answer, but clearly it's not.

The best part is locking out the tilt mechanism and applying the "parking brakes" allows her to get on and off. But until we sort the throttle and Pedal Assist, there's no desire to go for a ride yet.

Make Sense?
 
Thanks for the update and hope your wife gets to enjoy it. I'm in Wisconsin and it's been hot here (F90+), so I can empathize with your wife b/c I love summer but summer doesn't love me....
Congrats on a work contract--I'm recently retired and while my body isn't always tip top, my mind and ambition are intact and anxious for a new (part-time) contract of some sort.
Stay well, and thanks.

Keith
 
Some "very late" follow up. Since my last updates - my wife had a single knee replacement 4 weeks ago and the rehab is going well. It was her leg that wasn't affected by MS as much as the other, so could have been considered the "good leg". It really wasn't and the chronic pain was getting too much so we bypassed the publicly funded healthcare system and paid privately for a new knee. Instant quality of life improvement so I am very optimistic
that we'll be doing a bunch of riding in the new year, but I am under no illusions that she will be riding in anything other than fair weather conditions.

I added a more posture friendly handlebar and a stem riser. Plus I've added a pedal extender for her "hip width" as well. Her foot placement on the left side (MS drop foot situation) is better with a bit more width.
Trike Mods.jpg
pedal extender.jpg


No we get into the trickier mods, but I have all winter to affect the changes. With the handlebar changes, the hydraulic brake line to the rear brakes is too short, so that has to change. They are Tektro brakes, with the banjo style connector and it's proving hard to find. Last but not least - I will be changing the twist grip throttle on the right to a thumb throttle on the left side and the right side thumb derailleur controller to a twist grip one. Then I will be replacing the VERY basic controller with one that has the features we want.

We're still of the opinion that this is a fantastic device - it just wasn't kitted out appropriately for my wife.
The manufacturer is not responsible for these issues - he delivered what was asked for.
It is probably a good learning experience for him too - it was not in his regular target market/

More to follow - just don't know when.

Keep 'er rollin' and upright!
 
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