Trouble with Explore E+ 3

[BikerFC]

I did a ton of research and decided to buy an Explore E+ 3. It was exactly what I needed, given my physical situation. I truly like this bike, but it has been no end of trouble and my LBS has been unable to resolve my problems. They have tried to contact Giant multiple times, but have had no success and they are growing frustrated .

I bought the bike in March of 2019. Within 120 miles, the motor began to fail. The local bike store replaced the motor under warranty, but it took over two weeks to get the parts and perform the labor. Within another 120 miles, I had the *exact* same problem--motor began to fail, replaced under warranty. Within another 60 miles. the motor again began to fail. This time, the motor and frame were replaced under warranty, but my local bike store wasn't compensated for their labor by Giant because it was outside of the six-month window. The replacement frame and motor have now again begun to fail, producing a very loud creaking noise whenever I put any torque on the cranks. It gets louder with the motor turned off. My LBS has learned this is a problem with the new motor--again.

I weigh 185 pounds, and I'm 56 years old. I ride mostly on Eco+ mode, on mostly flat terrain, and I do not stress the bike as I ride. There is absolutely no reason for this bike to have given me the immense amount of trouble it has given me.

I am very dissatisfied with the experience I have had with Giant; the entire bike should have been replaced under warranty after the second motor failure. I am at a loss as to why Giant will not stand behind their products, especially given that this particular model is well-reviewed and has no U.S. or international history of problems. Every brand has the occasional lemon; other brands make good on problems.

Any ideas of how to get Giant to respond?

 

[LeftyS7]

Can't help but I sympathize with you. Other posts have reported how bad Giant is in responding to issues.

 

[pmcdonald]

Just curious if the LBS tried greasing and retensioning the motor mounts before replacing it wholesale? It's a problem some users have reported here with the Yamaha/Giant motors. It appears to have a very simple solution, yet somehow quite elusive to many bike stores. Read more here: https://electricbikereview.com/foru...tor-creaking-problem-time-for-a-recall.28999/

My working theory as someone with no knowledge of physics or engineering is it somehow relates to the zero cadence torque feature of the Yamaha motor. The instant on may place more stress on the motor bolts. Anyway, if memory serves correct the users in the thread above resolved the problem by checking the motor bolts. There was no issue with their motors.

The Yamaha motors super reliable - these aren't Brose or Impulse motors after all (oh snap). Your issue may be related to the bolts or it could be a genuine issue with the motor itself if the LBS eliminated the bolts as a source of the noise.

 

[BikerFC]

I was wondering about the motor mount myself, but the odd thing is that I get the creaking noise when I stand up in the saddle. Since that shouldn't move the motor in any direction but straight down, I wouldn't think it would cause the creaking. Also, the tech said the mount was lubricated and tensioned properly (he did manage to get the Giant rep to confirm this much, and the rep said it was likely the motor). However, I'll pass on the link to my tech and see what he thinks, especially as the sound was reduced this time when I got the bike back from the shop. It seems like a stop-gap, though--not exactly a permanent solution. If it's problem with bike design, I might have to rethink and go to another brand.

BTW, the previous motor failures were definitely internal--the more assist I used, the louder the noise was. The noise was consistent with an internal gearing problem, I think. I know that Yamaha motors are really tough, which is why I'm so surprised that I've had trouble with three, possibly four, motors.

 

[BikerFC]

LBS finally heard back from Giant, and Giant is acting like a bunch of corporate a@@holes. They wouldn't believe the LBS tech, wanted him to provide a video. Then, they agreed to a new motor but would not cover the labor. Finally, they agreed to cover the labor (which the LBS had to eat last time around). This is the FIFTH motor and SECOND frame on this bike, and Giant still will not replace the bike. According to their regional rep, Giant doesn't replace bikes. This is the stupidest business I have ever dealt with--they have lost money on the bike and lost me as a customer. BEWARE GIANT and know what you're getting into if you buy from them.

 

[BikerFC]

Well, time for a different bike. I was riding home from the store, and the right pedal dropped off--the crank arm was stripped out at the pedal attachment. LBS says they can't get parts. Seriously?

 

[LeftyS7]

My motor stopped working after 3 months. Drove about 8 miles a day. LBS has it, we'll see what Giant does.

It's a shame because there are no other ebikes with front suspension in this price bracket.

 

[BikerFC]

My motor stopped working after 3 months. Drove about 8 miles a day. LBS has it, we'll see what Giant does.

It's a shame because there are no other ebikes with front suspension in this price bracket.

Yep--that sure fits with my experience. I hope your repair experience is better than mine was.

I can't say how important having a good LBS is when something goes wrong. Mine has been awesome. They gave me a great deal on the bike from the beginning, and their followup has been all that I could wish for--they actually listened to me and took me seriously, unlike the regional Giant rep. In part because of my experience, they are now seriously considering dropping Giant.

I am 90% sure that I'm going to swap the Explore out for a Trek Allant+.

 

[LeftyS7]

I really like a front suspension so I would need an Allant +7 which is quite a bit more than the Giant.

 

[BikerFC]

I really like a front suspension so I would need an Allant +7 which is quite a bit more than the Giant.

I know what you mean. I'm trading in the Explore to get the price down to a more reasonable level, but it's still about $3000. I looked into, but never tested, the Specialized Vado 3.0. It has suspension (an upgrade from the Giant, which is a plus) and is about $2700. It only has three levels of assist, though.

 

[LeftyS7]

That's why it's such a shame about Giant a lot for the money (if it works).

 

[Kenji]

Sounds like some defective part that has not been identified. I got my Explore E+ 3 in Jan this year and have not had any issues. I don't pay much attention to noise, since I listen to music. I've put 5,200 miles on the bike since Jan. Last month, I got 1,000 miles. Rode around 35 a day. The ride control app will not upload ride. I just wanted to see what my cadence is. I use Garmin watch which works great. I love this bike. It's like an SUV. . I ride at around 60 ppm and try to keep speed around 19 mph. It cuts out at 20 so when I ride with the wind I get motor chatter as it bobs in and out of 20 mph. Charge after every ride and haven't noticed any loss in distance. On level 2 I've gotten 60 miles on a somewhat hilly ride. At level 2 my speed is usually around 15 mph. My daily rides are on level 3 and I can get up to 40 miles.

Awesome bike and you need to check other forums to see if there is some defect that needs to identified and recalled. That makes no sense at all. Good luck.

Kenji

 

[BikerFC]

Kenji, your experience is what I expected. All the reviews I read were positive. My test ride on the bike was positive, and when the bike works it is awesome. It's great on the road and on gravel. I ride it in eco+, and I get 60 miles to the charge, like you do. The torque is a real plus, because you can get up to speed so dang quickly. In almost every way, this bike was what I wanted--except that the body position on the bike is a bit too forward. I just don't understand why I have had so many problems with the bike. How much do you weigh? What size is your frame?

 

[Kenji]

I only weigh 140 lbs, have the medium frame but the only time I had to stand on the pedals was when I ran out of power and had to push up the steepest hill of my ride. Your weight and standing on pedals might be a difference that cause some type of defect to show up.

Shouldn't be an issue though. I'd be posting on every Giant ebike forum I could find. Large corporations do not want to admit defects.

Hope you get some help from Giant..

 

[LeftyS7]

Kenji, your experience is what I expected. All the reviews I read were positive. My test ride on the bike was positive, and when the bike works it is awesome. It's great on the road and on gravel. I ride it in eco+, and I get 60 miles to the charge, like you do. The torque is a real plus, because you can get up to speed so dang quickly. In almost every way, this bike was what I wanted--except that the body position on the bike is a bit too forward. I just don't understand why I have had so many problems with the bike. How much do you weigh? What size is your frame?

Yes, The seating position is WAY too forward. I've tried different seats and the ones that mounted more to the back were definitely better but not soft enough.

 

[BikerFC]

I traded in for the Allant+ 7. I got a decent trade-in value, and Trek simply stands behind their bikes better than Giant does.

First impressions are that the Giant has better take-off torque, with the Trek taking 2-3 revolutions of the cranks to really boost the bike. Also, the Trek is a good 10 pounds heavier than the Giant, so I expect a bit less range. It is also clearly built less for gravel than the Giant is, but can handle the rough stuff--excellent wide tires and a much upgraded suspension fork. The overall impression I get is that the Giant feels sportier, but it feels much more stripped down. The Trek feels better built in all respects, down to a metal motor guard (instead of plastic). It also comes with lights, fenders (plastic), and a rack. The eMTB mode works very well in windy and hilly conditions, and the brakes feel much more reliable--much better stopping power, with no sudden brake grab. The steering feels much more stable; I always found the Giant to be fairly touchy.

I think I made the right decision, but I really wish that Giant had come through with their support. A $2500 paperweight is of no use to anyone.