CodyDog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Colorado
Best advise to newcomers!
Yet another "Careful of DOST Bikes" warning
- Thread starter BCebiker
- Start date
FrayAdjacent
New Member
- Region
- USA
This kinda sucks, for Dōst and for buyers.
I have a Dōst Kope CVT, and I love it, though I don't get to ride it as much as I would like. Here's my story about it:
I was looking around for a "hybrid" style bike, something like a commuter bike with bigger wheels, as the 20" fat tire AddMotor Motan M150 that I have isn't the greatest for longer-distance riding. I bought that bike in 2019, I think. I still have it. I found the Dōst site and watched a few reviews some time in late 2021. I ordered the bike in early 2022.
In March of 2022, a buddy of mine and I went on a trip up to Seattle and the PNW to do an epic road trip. On that trip, we went up to Vancouver and visited Dōst at their headquarters. They had just moved into a bigger office. I got to talk to the CEO guy - can't remember his name now - and he showed us around. There were a lot of chain drive bikes in stock, but the next refresh was waiting on manufacturing in Taiwan. At the time, they were hoping to get them in around April. The visit was nice, the people seemed very nice and happy about what they were doing. I didn't get any whiff of scam.
My bike didn't get delivered until October of 2022. I'm in Texas, BTW. I had been very happy with it, probably put about 400 miles on it before the display odometer started showing over 4 million miles. Seems that was an issue a few people had, so I contacted Dōst about it. I think that was in early 2023. They were waiting on replacement parts. I was also waiting on the seat post suspension I ordered from them, which I did eventually receive. I had noticed a bit of a 'clunk' and a rattling noise sometimes when pedaling. Dōst support worked with me to try to figure it out, but we weren't able to before I was going to be gone for a while. The bike was still under warranty until October 2024, so I let them know I'd follow up when I could
Anyway, later in 2023, I went out of the country for almost 3 months, then came home and sold my house. I had to take the bike to my parent's house to store it for a while. In June 2024, I tried to follow up on the screen and clunking noise. The email I sent went somewhere, but I received no reply. A couple weeks later, I checked their site, which was (and is) still up and running. I emailed their sales address and it got bounced back to me. I'm an IT pro, and I know what that meant.
Did a little looking around and found that they had gone into receivership in December 2023. Crapola.
Anyway, I found a local mobile bicycle repair service to come check out the bike. The tech found out that the chainring adapter (the aluminum plate that screws to the motor output that the front belt sprocket bolts to) had probably not been attached very tightly from the factory, and the bolts holding the front sprocket had stretched out the holes. The tech wasn't able to locate a good replacement part, but he was able to cinch down the bolts to temporarily eliminate the noise. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find a good part to replace it, even if I have to find a small machine shop to cut one for me. I found some that MIGHT work, but I would rather remove the part, take it to a bike shop and be absolutely sure. I'll try to do that sometime this winter.
As for the screen odometer showing wacky mileage? It's pretty much cosmetic, it doesn't stop the bike from functioning.
The only thing that scares me long-term is the battery. It's kinda proprietary, as far as I can tell. Hopefully it lasts a long time. The rest of the components can all be replaced with off-the-shelf bits, so I'm not too worried about it.
So my impression is that Dōst was not a scam company, they just started up right at the WORST time. The pandemic really messed up manufacturing and shipping, and it bit them in the butt. Had they started a couple years later or earlier, they would probably have been fine. Sucks for those of us that have their bikes and can't get support, or worse, those that paid deposits or entirely, but never received their bikes. I'm sad at how it worked out. I hope there can be some sort of restitution for y'all.
I have a Dōst Kope CVT, and I love it, though I don't get to ride it as much as I would like. Here's my story about it:
I was looking around for a "hybrid" style bike, something like a commuter bike with bigger wheels, as the 20" fat tire AddMotor Motan M150 that I have isn't the greatest for longer-distance riding. I bought that bike in 2019, I think. I still have it. I found the Dōst site and watched a few reviews some time in late 2021. I ordered the bike in early 2022.
In March of 2022, a buddy of mine and I went on a trip up to Seattle and the PNW to do an epic road trip. On that trip, we went up to Vancouver and visited Dōst at their headquarters. They had just moved into a bigger office. I got to talk to the CEO guy - can't remember his name now - and he showed us around. There were a lot of chain drive bikes in stock, but the next refresh was waiting on manufacturing in Taiwan. At the time, they were hoping to get them in around April. The visit was nice, the people seemed very nice and happy about what they were doing. I didn't get any whiff of scam.
My bike didn't get delivered until October of 2022. I'm in Texas, BTW. I had been very happy with it, probably put about 400 miles on it before the display odometer started showing over 4 million miles. Seems that was an issue a few people had, so I contacted Dōst about it. I think that was in early 2023. They were waiting on replacement parts. I was also waiting on the seat post suspension I ordered from them, which I did eventually receive. I had noticed a bit of a 'clunk' and a rattling noise sometimes when pedaling. Dōst support worked with me to try to figure it out, but we weren't able to before I was going to be gone for a while. The bike was still under warranty until October 2024, so I let them know I'd follow up when I could
Anyway, later in 2023, I went out of the country for almost 3 months, then came home and sold my house. I had to take the bike to my parent's house to store it for a while. In June 2024, I tried to follow up on the screen and clunking noise. The email I sent went somewhere, but I received no reply. A couple weeks later, I checked their site, which was (and is) still up and running. I emailed their sales address and it got bounced back to me. I'm an IT pro, and I know what that meant.
Did a little looking around and found that they had gone into receivership in December 2023. Crapola.
Anyway, I found a local mobile bicycle repair service to come check out the bike. The tech found out that the chainring adapter (the aluminum plate that screws to the motor output that the front belt sprocket bolts to) had probably not been attached very tightly from the factory, and the bolts holding the front sprocket had stretched out the holes. The tech wasn't able to locate a good replacement part, but he was able to cinch down the bolts to temporarily eliminate the noise. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find a good part to replace it, even if I have to find a small machine shop to cut one for me. I found some that MIGHT work, but I would rather remove the part, take it to a bike shop and be absolutely sure. I'll try to do that sometime this winter.
As for the screen odometer showing wacky mileage? It's pretty much cosmetic, it doesn't stop the bike from functioning.
The only thing that scares me long-term is the battery. It's kinda proprietary, as far as I can tell. Hopefully it lasts a long time. The rest of the components can all be replaced with off-the-shelf bits, so I'm not too worried about it.
So my impression is that Dōst was not a scam company, they just started up right at the WORST time. The pandemic really messed up manufacturing and shipping, and it bit them in the butt. Had they started a couple years later or earlier, they would probably have been fine. Sucks for those of us that have their bikes and can't get support, or worse, those that paid deposits or entirely, but never received their bikes. I'm sad at how it worked out. I hope there can be some sort of restitution for y'all.
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