TREK-FAZUA MAY BE A LEMON

[oldesalt]

I live in the PNW/Washington and lead lots of road rides. Another rider and I have identical Trek Domane + LT with the Fazua system. We continue to have electrical problems, mostly associated with the remote turning on/off or changing power levels all on its own. My dealer is working with me to try and resolve the issue and understands that if we can't resolve things, he will talk to Trek about me getting some kind of satisfaction.

My friend had a totally opposite reaction from his Trek dealer. He was told that he could not return the bike and that his only recourse was to sell it on some used equipment forum.

We are both very unhappy with this product and urge anyone considering it to be very careful. It is our impression that Fazua may not have used the care to work out all of the bugs before bringing this product to market.

We are both reasonably able-bodied riders, just looking to "cheat" on e.g. hills once in a while and we could ride regular bikes. If a truly disabled rider who has trouble peddling had one of these bikes, and it broke down out in the middle of nowhere, it could be potentially a life-threatening experience.

PLEASE NOTE: this bike also comes with a Bosch motor. We know nothing about the quality of that system other than Bosch is definitely an old-line, reputable German company. But, like all else, do your due diligence before shelling out 5-6000$ for a Trek e-bike.

I bought a $1000 Hurley rear-hub motor bike as a backup and for 1/6th the price of the Trek, it performs just as well.

Signed
A very unhappy customer

 

[fooferdoggie]

from what I have seen the Fazua system is a small player and pretty new. bosch is very reliable and its not hurt by rain. but the problem with bosch is its not going to give you light bike.
I have seen good and bad trek dealers some do great with customers some don't care and have poor mechanics. we have a really good one 1 mile from our house and the have fixed our e tandem after a crash. even gave my wife a new helmet and we did not even buy it there.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Porsche recently bought 20% of Fazua. That might increase the quality of this drivetrain in the future, as I believe Porsche has plans to produce its own ebike.
I realize this won't help you out, though.

As for Bosch motors, I have one in my Cannondale Topstone Lefty 3 and so far, after 6000km its been near trouble free. I did have a squeak while peddling, which was solved by re-torquing the motor-to-frame bolt(s).
Even though my ebike has a carbon frame it's still considerably heavier than the Domane +LT, at 39 pounds. Mind you, mine. which is a gravel bike, has a front suspension fork and a semi rear suspension.
I used to practice hypermiling when I first got the bike, but now I keep the bike in Eco (first level) for most of my rides. It's enough power to compensate for the bike's extra weight, and I've been able to cover 140km on a single charge.

 

[indianajo]

The reason I tiptoed into this e-bike hobby. I had a good $2000 Yuba bike I liked riding except when wind was 25 mph in my face. 4.5 mph for 27 miles is too much work. This global warming has caused a lot of unseasonal high winds since 2017.
The whole ebike industry produces in a country known for counterfeits & lying on the QA paperwork. A poster here said he found workers in a ****ese foundry pouring broken glass into a steel melt destined for engine blocks! Took a US trained pair of eyes to see a problem there.
My prior $200 ****ese MTB's were certainly piles of garbage. Broken shimano axle @ 1500 miles under my enormous 180 lb. Plastic crank on a Pacific that wore out in 3000 miles and wouldn't pull off. Wheels so undersized on the diamondback some tires fell right off the rim. Pity my US made AMC Hercules was stolen. To the $2000 Yuba I added a $221 geared hub motor that doesn't drag unpowered. I added a $300 battery that was trash. I got my money back from Amazon. I added another $300 battery from ebay that was trash. I didn't get my money back from that one. Next year I added a $630 battery from luna. Suddenly my $870 ebike accessory was capable of driving me @ 13 mph right into the teeth of the gale. Been fun since. No $6000 investments in ****ese gear from me.
Trek has the reputation of standing behind their problems. Getting through that **** of a dealer that won't service the bike he sold sounds like a problem trek national needs to solve. If the bike is still covered by warrenty.

 

[Tantalus]

I live in the PNW/Washington and lead lots of road rides. Another rider and I have identical Trek Domane + LT with the Fazua system. We continue to have electrical problems, mostly associated with the remote turning on/off or changing power levels all on its own. My dealer is working with me to try and resolve the issue and understands that if we can't resolve things, he will talk to Trek about me getting some kind of satisfaction.

My friend had a totally opposite reaction from his Trek dealer. He was told that he could not return the bike and that his only recourse was to sell it on some used equipment forum.

We are both very unhappy with this product and urge anyone considering it to be very careful. It is our impression that Fazua may not have used the care to work out all of the bugs before bringing this product to market.

We are both reasonably able-bodied riders, just looking to "cheat" on e.g. hills once in a while and we could ride regular bikes. If a truly disabled rider who has trouble peddling had one of these bikes, and it broke down out in the middle of nowhere, it could be potentially a life-threatening experience.

PLEASE NOTE: this bike also comes with a Bosch motor. We know nothing about the quality of that system other than Bosch is definitely an old-line, reputable German company. But, like all else, do your due diligence before shelling out 5-6000$ for a Trek e-bike.

I bought a $1000 Hurley rear-hub motor bike as a backup and for 1/6th the price of the Trek, it performs just as well.

Signed
A very unhappy customer

If it is Fazua system bike - it does not have ‘Bosch motor’, right?

 

[Ebiker01]

no $hit ... I had been saying this for over 4 years that Fazola or Fazusa or whtev.. this cheap motor/bat. combo is ...it'a a piece of crap !!

The payed shells had did their job and extensively argued with me.

What new light weight e-bikes are on the horizon?

Are there any more manufacturers coming out with lightweight e-bikes? Is Bianchi going to expand their line from one bike to several others? I've heard rumors that Specialized is coming out with one, maybe by the end of the year, but it is just a rumor. Anyone else see anything at demo events...

electricbikereview.com

 

[oldesalt]

With respect, and not trying to be snarky but, this is so common today. Folks do not read the entire article or they read it carelessly. The writer asking about whether it is a Fazua in my Trek that is so troublesome should read my posting more carefully and completely. It ain't rocket science.

 

[EMGX]

Hopefully Trek steps up and does the right thing fixing your (and your friend's) bikes. I see the appeal of your bike, I usually ride similarly using assist mostly only steeper climbs. My Yamaha assist BH gravel bike weighs almost 9# more than your Trek. Despite all of the claims on this site that weight doesn't matter for an ebike, it matters - a lot - to me. If I didn't live on a mountain and ride very hilly routes most every ride I wouldn't consider an ebike at all. Recently I removed a TSDZ2 mid drive (essentially same performance as the Yamaha PW-SE motor) from my old Schwinn hybrid cutting its weight from low 40s# to <30# (without fenders and front and rear racks) and putting a triple chainring back in place. What a difference! A 30 mile mostly flat route with some short steep climbs was like riding a magic carpet without all of that extra weight. I had done the same ride a couple days ago with the motor and was tired at the end of the ride, yesterday I wasn't tired and wanted to keep riding but didn't have the time. Good luck with your bike and I hope Trek sorts it out for you, if they don't they don't deserve to even be in business.

 

[oldesalt]

Thanks. Is that Hood? and which bridge?

 

[EMGX]

Thanks. Is that Hood? and which bridge?

Right, Mt Hood. Bridge is the 205 (Glenn Jackson).

 

[oldesalt]

Beautiful!! We are so lucky to live in this beautiful corner of the world.

 

[Schmedlapf]

My wife and I have Trek Domane ALRs with the Fazua system. We’re just competing a 650 mile tour around Lake Michigan, taking the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc to avoid the congestion around Chicago. I weigh about 170 and am carrying about 30 lbs of gear (we stay in motels). My wife is somewhat lighter and carries an equal amount of gear. We’re both in our late 60s and are long time roadies who try to do 2 self supported tours s year.

On this tour we’ve found the Fazua system to be capable of 40-55 miles and 500-1000 feet of climbing while averaging 13-14 mph with some battery left. We stop pedaling above 16 ish mph and coast downhills to save the battery. We leave the controller in green full time and blue on occasion to keep my heart rate below 110 on bigger climbs for medical reasons. Very rarely and only for very short periods have we had to go into red.

My wife’s bike has been trouble free for the 18 months we had it until the controller failed on this trip. Fazua directed us to a nearby Trek dealer near our route where they authorized them to do the work same day and pull parts off a new bike to get us going and covered all of the expense.

My bike started having an indication of a controller failed. Fazua tried troubleshooting it from our hotel remotely through the hotel computer and their on line app, but the controller didn’t show up as a fault code. Out of an abundance of caution they hot shipped a controller to a Trek dealer 4 days later along our route and again, no questions asked, authorized full warranty coverage.

My bike had some early problems with loosening, bolts that’s now sorted out. My experience with both Trek and Fazua has been very positive. They both only seem to care about keeping my wife and me happy customers. This in contrast to an experience with another brand where the focus seemed to be avoiding responsibility through narrow interpretation of their warranty policy.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

That level of support from Fazua sounds incredible, especially these days! Very impressive.

 

[EMGX]

My wife and I have Trek Domane ALRs with the Fazua system. We’re just competing a 650 mile tour around Lake Michigan, taking the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc to avoid the congestion around Chicago. I weigh about 170 and am carrying about 30 lbs of gear (we stay in motels). My wife is somewhat lighter and carries an equal amount of gear. We’re both in our late 60s and are long time roadies who try to do 2 self supported tours s year.

On this tour we’ve found the Fazua system to be capable of 40-55 miles and 500-1000 feet of climbing while averaging 13-14 mph with some battery left. We stop pedaling above 16 ish mph and coast downhills to save the battery. We leave the controller in green full time and blue on occasion to keep my heart rate below 110 on bigger climbs for medical reasons. Very rarely and only for very short periods have we had to go into red.

My wife’s bike has been trouble free for the 18 months we had it until the controller failed on this trip. Fazua directed us to a nearby Trek dealer near our route where they authorized them to do the work same day and pull parts off a new bike to get us going and covered all of the expense.

My bike started having an indication of a controller failed. Fazua tried troubleshooting it from our hotel remotely through the hotel computer and their on line app, but the controller didn’t show up as a fault code. Out of an abundance of caution they hot shipped a controller to a Trek dealer 4 days later along our route and again, no questions asked, authorized full warranty coverage.

My bike had some early problems with loosening, bolts that’s now sorted out. My experience with both Trek and Fazua has been very positive. They both only seem to care about keeping my wife and me happy customers. This in contrast to an experience with another brand where the focus seemed to be avoiding responsibility through narrow interpretation of their warranty policy.

Are you going to do a trip report with route and pictures? I thought of taking the Amtrak Empire builder to Columbus WI then ride to Manitowoc, take the ferry to Ludington and ride around the northern part of Lake Michigan back to Manitowoc. Did you take shuttle across the Mackinac bridge or ferry to the island then to St. Ignace?

 

[Captain Slow]

I like the new Fazua 60 motor and the recently released TQ HPR50. If I purchase another ebike in the future, it will be something smaller and less powerful like these motors. A sub 2 kg motor and around a 400 wh battery is about the sweet spot for me. So I'm going to follow this thread as I'm interested to hear the experience of multiple people with Fazua.

 

[Schmedlapf]

Are you going to do a trip report with route and pictures? I thought of taking the Amtrak Empire builder to Columbus WI then ride to Manitowoc, take the ferry to Ludington and ride around the northern part of Lake Michigan back to Manitowoc. Did you take shuttle across the Mackinac bridge or ferry to the island then to St. Ignace?

After we get back home I can send the cities we’ve stopped overnight. We’ve not kept track of our actual routes which are a combination of Google maps bicycle routes. and when covered by where we’re traveling Adventure Cycling routing. We started in Manitowoc, are circling Lake Michigan through Mackinaw city and then down through Traverse city hugging the shore to Ludington where we’ll get the ferry back to Manitowoc.

 

[Schmedlapf]

Our route. We made some adjustments on the fly. It started out at about 650, but ended up at about 600 miles.

Day	Start	Finish	Days Miles	Climb	Cum Miles	Routing
1	Manitowoc, WI	Greenbay	46	Flat	46	Google Maps
2	Greenbay	Oconto	38	Flat	84	Google Maps
3	Oconto	Marinette	30	160	114	Google Maps
4	Marinette	Escanaba	56	Flat	170	Google Maps
5	Escanaba	Manistique	60	Flat	230	Adv Cycling
6	Manistique	Naubinway	45	Flat	275	Adv Cyc
7	Naubinway	St Ignace	46	Flat	321	Adv Cyc
8	St Ignace	Mackinaw City			321	Via State of MI Highway Service
Mackinaw City	Petoskey	53	1550	374	Adv Cyc
9	Petoskey	Eastport	37	1060	411	Adv Cyc
10	Eastport	Traverse City	48	630	459	Adv Cyc
11	Traverse City	Empire	50	1100	509	Adv Cyc
12	Empire	Frankfort	22	600	531	Adv cyc
13	Frankfort	Onekama	25	1300	556	Adv cyc
14	Onekama	Ludington	41		597	Adv cyc
	Ludington	Manitowoc				SS Badger Ferry

 

[EMGX]

Our route. We made some adjustments on the fly. It started out at about 650, but ended up at about 600 miles.

Day	Start	Finish	Days Miles	Climb	Cum Miles	Routing
1	Manitowoc, WI	Greenbay	46	Flat	46	Google Maps
2	Greenbay	Oconto	38	Flat	84	Google Maps
3	Oconto	Marinette	30	160	114	Google Maps
4	Marinette	Escanaba	56	Flat	170	Google Maps
5	Escanaba	Manistique	60	Flat	230	Adv Cycling
6	Manistique	Naubinway	45	Flat	275	Adv Cyc
7	Naubinway	St Ignace	46	Flat	321	Adv Cyc
8	St Ignace	Mackinaw City			321	Via State of MI Highway Service
Mackinaw City	Petoskey	53	1550	374	Adv Cyc
9	Petoskey	Eastport	37	1060	411	Adv Cyc
10	Eastport	Traverse City	48	630	459	Adv Cyc
11	Traverse City	Empire	50	1100	509	Adv Cyc
12	Empire	Frankfort	22	600	531	Adv cyc
13	Frankfort	Onekama	25	1300	556	Adv cyc
14	Onekama	Ludington	41		597	Adv cyc
	Ludington	Manitowoc				SS Badger Ferry

 

[EMGX]

Thanks! Sounds like a great trip.
I have a few weeks end of Sept to mid Oct, I need to think more on doing this ride.

Can you tell me specifically which adv cyc maps (map routes and numbers) you used for those sections of your trip?

 

[Schmedlapf]

Adventure Cycling North Lakes Maps 2 & 3. We used the print version to plan and downloaded the electronic versions to my Garmin Edge 1000 for real time directions. At the risk of trying to be helpful on things you already know, suggest you check average temperatures for those months and also confirm places will be open if you’re staying in motels in the smaller towns. Also skip the R&R Motel in Frankfort, it’s listed on the Adventure Cycling places to stay. They don’t allow bikes in rooms and have signs saying no charging of ebikes. We charged out batteries anyway.