Local shops won’t work on my e-bike

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O2C@reddit

The problem is the number of cheap ebikes out there. They're made with generic, questionable components, some knockoffs of the big players, some proprietary.

So when someone who spent $500 on an ebike asks for service, the LBS is running into a couple of problems.

They may or may not have to figure out how to work on the bike.
They don't sell the bike so might not have parts.
If another part on the bike craps out, they'll get the blame.
Someone who paid for the cheapest bike is likely to balk at actual service prices.
Their insurance might require them to only have UL certified bikes inside or no ebikes overnight at all.

So it's much easier to just turn away all ebikes or only ebikes they sell than to offer services on any ebike.

That said, I do 99.9% of the work by myself with help from YouTube. I've also developed a relationship with my LBS that has a big "NO EBIKES" sign in their window. The owner has bent his rule helped me out with stuff like a seized bolt. When he refused payment, I insisted. I've also bought different accessories, tubes, and other things from him. One day when I was in there, he turned away a delivery guy on an ebike who just needed a flat fixed. When I asked him about it, he said that they always haggled down for a lower price and it wasn't worth the hassle.

People need to do their research on their ebikes before making a purchase. Whether it's sold locally or if they use name brand components is huge. The better brands will have videos up for basic things like assembly and changing a flat. If there are videos showing everything online, owning that bike makes a lot more sense.

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Ok-Type-8917@reddit

I bought my first ebike about five years ago, a Rad. No shops would touch it so I just started working on it myself. There's usually an YouTube video for any problem I have to help me along. You could try the service locator on the Velotric website or there's mobile repair possibilities also through some resources, Velofix is one.

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Few-Net-2080@reddit (OP)

Thank you! I'm not against doing it myself, it's a straightforward process, it's not having the ability to get it maintained by someone else that feels wrong to me, I'll try the service locator, that sounds like a good idea.

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Hotdammzilla3000@reddit

You bought it at Costco, from what I've read, don't they have a very liberal return policy? From what I've read,some people have returned things after a year, don't honestly know if it's true, no Costco in my area.

Worth a try.

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Wants-NotNeeds@reddit

Why in the world would you suggest they return a bike because of a flat tire?? That's ridiculous!

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Hotdammzilla3000@reddit

Because it's an option, heck he could take it in, and explain and ask if they could help, they might even replace the tube and fix it as a warranty item. Heck of a nice marketing strategy, sell a lotta ebikes with that one.

Some folks need the help and with so many ebikes that are drop shipped, there is a huge vacuum for inexpensive service. When a bike shop sez no, someone is gonna say yes, it is an untapped market.

That's why in the world.

We have two Qlife ebikes, they are performing as expected, just mild rides, nothing serious, I'm fully aware no bike shop will work on them, that's cool, I've always voted with my wallet, but in every town, there's always someone with the expertise who'll do good work at a fair price.

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mb2021evo@reddit

Who at Costco is gonna replace the tube? The person at the customer service desk? 😂 I’m sure Costco would accept the return because of their generous policy. But returning any bike because of a piece of glass causing a flat tire is pretty lame in my opinion.

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Hotdammzilla3000@reddit

Thought Costco had a service department, they sell them (ebikes), there's always the possibility of a wheel swap without returning the bike.

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Wants-NotNeeds@reddit

Nope. You don't know much about business or Costco for that matter. I do, however, appreciate your wishful thinking.

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Hotdammzilla3000@reddit

Perhaps, but I do believe drop shipped ebikes will dominate the ebike category, the bike shop ebikes may be better, but can't compete on price.

When an bike shop ebike hovers around the same price as a electric motorcycle, to me the choice is obvious, spend a little more.

You're right on Costco, not one here, but from what I've read, they refund on some crazy stuff.

As far as bike shops in the 80'sand 90's I frequently was in bike shops bought about 6 bikes had one built from my favorite one.

So yeah, I know nothing about these bike shop places.

Yeah and never got stuck out in the sticks with a flat, and had to wrap Indian grass in the tire so I'd get home.

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diogenessexychicken@reddit

Hey just gonna throw out there, check with those shops again. My local shop said the same thing, but after a bit of clarification it was because often times they just cant work on certain ebikes, like really cheap ones that arent meant to be maintained or have unique and hard to replace parts. Once they knew it was just a tube and brake pad change on a bike they could work on it was fine. They cant do anything to the battery or motor or anything but they can do the basic stuff.

[-]

GTAIVisbest@reddit

This reminds me of when I was trying to get a local motorsports store to change my tire off my Chinese moped

"Hey do you do tire changes on loose wheels?"

"Yeah definitely you'll just bring the loose wheels to us and the tires separately? What size are they?"

"12 inch"

"What bike are the tires going to be on?"

"A moped"

"... What kind of moped exactly?"

"....don't worry about it"

"Is it brand-name?"

"................. No"

Click

[-]

6GoesInto8@reddit

In general the cost savings in bikes come from maintainability, so cheaper is harder. Then people who spent less on bikes also want to spend less on maintenance, so for the shop it is a losing battle. I have seen posts where someone is complaining that a shop severed the wires to a hub motor when taking off the wheel and they were trying to get them to replace the bike. There are tons of ebike brands that it is hard to keep track of what might be maintainable and what is not.

For that bike I found some manuals on the website, but they do not show how to disconnect the motor to remove the rear wheel. I guess it shipped with the wheel installed. If you could find a service manual or even YouTube video that did have the at information you might be able to contact a shop over email and get them to agree. That would show that they will be able to service it, and that you are willing to put effort into getting your bike healthy, understand it takes special effort, which both help demonstrate you won't balk at the costs to fix it. Here is the manual, but it doesn't show rear wheel removal: https://velotric.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/28700102013723-Velotric-Discover-1-Plus-Owner-s-Manual-and-Quick-Start-Guide

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2shado2@reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfc0ayAW7SM

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Cargobiker530@reddit

For your current problem you'll want to replace the tube and put some kind of sealant in both tubes. I like Stan's or Orange Seal but lots of people here are happy with Flatout. For more involved repairs you're looking at YouTube videos or whatever brand specific forum you can find that will help you source parts.

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kschumacher1979@reddit

You need to find the backyard bike repair guy. Check your community groups and you should find a few guys who do repairs in their garage.

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MsAvaPurrkins@reddit

Whoa, wild to see Velofix shouted out in the wild, I work for them!

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

that's normal, you need to locate local dealer for service. velotric is drop shipper brand and bike shops insurance doesn't cover their bikes and they aren't worth the trouble working on as they're cheap. local shops charge $100/hour to work on ebikes, even changing tubes. so just do it yourself.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

how is a $1,700 bike cheap?

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head_face@reddit

Comparatively. My ~$1,500 bikes are cheap compared to a Trek or Specialised or whatever.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

its still not a cheap ebike. cheap ebikes are under 1k. do you call toyota cheap because ferraris exist?

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jimbojones2345@reddit

Seriously? It's cheap...

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head_face@reddit

1k is where you draw the line, others draw it elsewhere.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

trek makes a 2K ebike, is that a cheap bike? i dont draw the line anywhere, when most ebikes on the market are between $400 and $4,000, a $1,700 ebike is not cheap. its mid range.

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sticky-fingered@reddit

The reason folk will say it’s a cheap ebike is you take into consideration the cost of the motor and all the electrics and fancy stuff going on, after that how much does the actual bike cost that’s carrying that fancy new tech. It’s probably a $300 bike.

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Ivethrownallaway@reddit

Yeah, I'd say a new mechanical bike in the 500€-700€ range is cheap. Around 1k€ you start to get quality components that will last. Full-suspension and/or ultra-light bikes require more cash.

Adding a battery, motor, other electronics, and beefing up everything else for the extra weight adds another thousand if we're talking about quality components.

1700€ is a lot of money, but I'd say that it's on the cheaper side of mid-drive ebikes that comply with western safety regulations. Cheaper ebikes are usually disposable, they will crap out early, often have proprietary parts that make them very hard to maintain.

"Cheap" is relative. A 20k€ new car is as cheap as it gets, but it's still a shit ton of money, and more than a year of minimum wage in Western Europe. Ebikes are complex machines with lots of technical components. If you want something that will last you'll have to spend a fair bit of cash. If you get cheap dropshipped crap, I believe it won't last long, and will end up more expensive than a quality serviceable bike in the long run.

If I were to somehow lose my e-mtb that I use for fun and as a secondary mode of transportation, I'd buy a good used mechanical bike for a few hundreds while I save up for a quality e-bike again. I can't afford to buy a 1000€ e-bike every two years.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

Just because someone sells $300 bike for $1700 doesn't mean it's worth it. Toyota sells corolla gr in Thailand for $120k. Is it worth 120k?

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

how is it a $300 bike? also velotric is not a drop ship brand.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

I'm not going to explain bike manufacturing to every Joe schmoe on the net. Use Google. And they are DTC BRAND.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

so you dont know how its a $300 bike? you know nothing about the company and just assume they order bikes off the shelf from china and slap their logo on it, gotcha. also DTC isnt drop ship. Canyon is DTC, are they junk?

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

Are you comparing 30 year old German brand with 5 year old Chinese brand?

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

also velotric are an american company designed in the usa by former giant and specialized designers.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

And I'm Albert Einstein.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

nope, you insinuate being DTC makes a bike junk. is canyon junk since they are DTC?

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

what makes the op's bike bike cheap or a $300 bike?

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xJadusable@reddit

Elitists will tell you that’s bottom of the barrel junk compared to their suggestions that cost 3-4 thousands bucks (and that’s a STARTING price).

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Derektheredcat@reddit

That’s what I was wondering..I bought my two summits from a local dealer in dfw and received lifetime basic repairs on anything not pertaining to the motor. Any local velotric dealer should be willing to work on this.

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Few-Net-2080@reddit (OP)

Fair! I guess this definetely explains why you pay almost double for a similar ebike from any other brand.

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sanjuro_kurosawa@reddit

Bike shops should charge by labor rate, although that is not always the case. I remember taking 45 minutes to change a rear flat on a Dutch bike because it had a complete chain shield which took 10 minutes to evaluate then 30 minutes to take the shield and its many bolts on and off. We charged only $10 the standard flat fixing rate even if it is a QR front wheel.

If it is a standard task no different than any other bike, I'd mention labor rate to be sure your will be charged only for the actual time. I'd also evaluate what exactly needs to be done to work on your bike. A shop likely has been trained how to evaluate the electric components; that will cut labor time down. An unfamiliar ebike will take longer to evaluate and repair, if that is possible.

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Soltea@reddit

Most shops will get training and support from the suppliers of the electric drivetrain they sell at the shop (Bosch, Shimano etc.) and they will not touch anything else electric.

With all the garbage people are buying these days it's a liability just letting ebikes inside shops, let alone work on them.

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thephotoman@reddit

Yes. When you buy from Trek/Cannondale/Specialized, you're paying for the fact that most bike shops will work on it. Even Aventon can manage that for you, as they also have a dealer network.

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PipcosRevenge@reddit

My wife purchased a wonderful Velotric model from our local bike shop. They service them. Having the LBS be able to provide service is a firm requirement for purchasing any e-bike to me.

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hottenniscoach@reddit

There’s probably a local guy in a garage somewhere advertising services on your Facebook marketplace.

If not, many communities offered DIY workshops. Were people get together and work on their bikes. If you don’t have anything like that, you might have a tool share space. If you show up on a Saturday to a place like that, with a the box of donuts, someone can and will help you.

Most Bike maintenance requires no special experience, but perhaps some familiarity with tools.

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ThriftianaStoned@reddit

I bought my Velotric Nomad 2 from a dealer not online and they offer free services for the firdt 2 years. I also paid $100 less than the online price.

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rizzdragon@reddit

Velotric isn’t a drop shipper brand. They design motors and components in-house, all of their bikes are UL 2271 (battery) and UL2849 (full electrical system) certified, and was cofounded by the guy who was head of hardware development for Lime.

I bought my Velotric packer from my local ebike shop (it’s the primary brand they carry there) and they have no problem working on it.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

Velotric is a definition of a dtc brand as they originated on Amazon 😂 They can post any story online how they are the next best thing since sliced bread, won't change the fact that they are Amazon ebikes.

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rizzdragon@reddit

Tesla is a DTC brand and Rivian is a DTC brand. DTC brand is not the same thing as a drop shipper brand.

Sure they sell on Amazon, but so do a ton of other reputable brands.

And they didn’t originate on Amazon, they originated on Indigogo. If you’re going to keep changing your argument to try and win, at least be factually correct.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

name one reputable bike brand that sells on amazon...

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gaspig70@reddit

Canyon

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ChunkbrotherATX@reddit

I love how he’s so invested in his opinion that he had to downvote your link.

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aphasic@reddit

They are sold in a huge number of local bike shops, fyi. There are three shops that sell and service them within 50 miles of my house.

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ChunkbrotherATX@reddit

My lbs sells and services Velotric.

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

So does mine, which is located 17 miles from me. The other 6 shops near my house do not.

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ChunkbrotherATX@reddit

So why are you making it seem like this is an “unsupported” “cheap” brand of bike when you have a shop nearby that does?

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Relative-Display-676@reddit

Because I live in a major Metropolitan city with dozens of bike shops and only 1 shop that services this brand.

Now imagine someone lives in bfe has to drive few hundred miles for service...

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ChunkbrotherATX@reddit

On the flip side, the brand is clearly gaining traction.

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aversboyeeee@reddit

I have a super73 s2 that wasn’t cheap, their customer service is crap and they usually don’t have parts to fix anything. You have to get third party parts half the time. I love the bike and have learned how to fix things because of this. I would never buy a bike from this company again.

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tikkimannequin@reddit

I've had good luck with getting parts from Super73. Try contacting them yourself on their website using your personal email.

However, bike shops have told me they have had no luck contacting super73 - i suspect the bike shops request are deprioritized or filtered.

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Fun_Illustrator_9327@reddit

Disagree. I too have an S2 with close to 12k miles. I’m on my 3rd controller and just switched to my 2nd motor because all the miles had warped my rim and figured it was time. The original battery is still great.

Everytime I’ve had an issue with the controller I’ve been in touch with their customer service and they ship me a new one within a couple days. Haven’t needed any third party parts

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aversboyeeee@reddit

They bricked my bike over a software update. Ghosted me for about a month. I thought I had a big pile of metal. Once they did reach out about another month later I got a new controller I had to install with no direction. It was such a nightmare. Brake light burnt out they don’t have any? Anytime I deal with their customer service it’s a big cool I dont care attitude that really gets no where. That is my man reason. What if Harley didn’t have replacement brake lights? They seem to be like a lot of companies all about the sale then…. The bike is super fun on illegal mode through Chicago traffic!!! 💨

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Fun_Illustrator_9327@reddit

Bummer to hear about your experience, hopefully you don’t have anymore downtime soon. I hear yah about Chicago traffic. I use mine to commute from Oak park into the city spring, summer and fall. Just started getting back to it

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aversboyeeee@reddit

Yes, it’s super fun!

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BeSiegead@reddit

Some LBS carry Velotric and service them … but that is hit or miss

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parisidiot@reddit

crazy. in nyc an ebike flat tire repair (+ new tube) is like $65. regular bike is like $15 - $30.

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Jestertheprinz@reddit

Yeah that's tough. I would say keep looking and hope for the best. I have a ebike from Amazon and luckily the bike shop near me works on my flats. I change the brake pads myself. If there's a big problem, I know a shop that doesn't mind fixing but he's pretty far. So I would have to make a trip out

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Ok_Reveal6177@reddit

They aren’t very complicated tbh. It’s just a battery. Controller. Throttle. And hub motor. Most can be ordered and easily swapped out

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davpad12@reddit

There's no mystery with e-bikes. Most parts are off the shelf even obscure Chinese brands can be found on Amazon. Most issues we're going to have are standard bicycle issues such as flats, wheels, brakes and the occasional derailleur. Modifications to the seat and handlebars are easy enough as well. They're much more accommodating when you buy the items from them as opposed to bringing them to be installed. I have 2 mid drive e-bikes And I've never had a problem at my local shop. The only difference with a hub drive is that the back tire has to be unplugged. They might not want to be liable if it doesn't work correctly after they're done. I've never had a problem with the electrical parts.

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

Tbh fk shops, had the same issue. It makes sense with cars n stuff but for ebikes its actually very simple and kinda fun once u start getting in the weeds. I've had to learn how to totally redo my battery system (thats now safer with more capacity), tires, tubes, chains and motors. Its honestly kind of a blessing learning how to do this stuff cuz now its just piece of mind because i feel self sufficient. Pretty much everything can be replaced with parts all around the internet so ur gonna be saving urself a lot of money sourcing and doing it urself. Bike tools aren't really expensive either.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Bike shops don't have fun, getting into the weeds of your shitty Ebike.

Hope that helps.

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billg1963@reddit

I’ve gone to local shops for tire changes on my RAD, but I wouldn’t expect them to dive into anything electrical.

Not changing a rear tire sounds silly to me, but I did find My shop as a “rad service partner”, though I think rad use that term very loosely because the bike shop did not claim to be. They did work on it twice though and were reasonable.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

No one wants to be the last one to touch a something that will burn someone's house down.

Hope that helps.

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billg1963@reddit

Changing a tire wouldn’t transfer liability to the bike shop 😂

Sure, if they re worked their electrical system with 3rd party parts, then maybe, but that’s not what OP is asking about.

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BoringBob84@reddit

And what happens if the customer claims that the motor no longer works after the shop disconnected it to change the tire (like the post earlier on this sub)? How does the shop know if they made a mistake of if the customer destroyed the motor and is trying to blame it on the shop?

And what happens if the customer wrecks and claims that the shop didn't correctly reassemble the bike - even though the shop didn't touch the substandard parts that failed?

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billg1963@reddit

How do car dealerships and shops work on cars then?

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BoringBob84@reddit

They can easily get detailed shop manuals on every brand. They don't have to guess and make assumptions about how to make repairs. And spare parts are plentiful. This is not true with ebikes.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Taking the wheel off some dumbass hub motor install is no-go.

Who knows how it's been hooked up.

"Trust me bro, if something goes sideways I won't blame you guys"

Blah, blah, blah.

If there was a market for 3rd party diy, or drop-shipped shitter Ebike repairs and servicing, you'd see shops open to cater to it.

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billg1963@reddit

You might be correct in that the itch is not worth a scratch for most bike shops.

But saying that they would be responsible for a house fire, would be like blaming a plumber who changed out your toilet for a house fire.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Not even close, but sure.

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arkw@reddit

You underestimate how some people will do anything to blame others. It's just not worth touching an ebike they don't sell or have been trained to, just the thought of an annoying legal battle.

There are people in countries that lawsuit, sue, lawsuit, sue, etc.

Just not worth it.

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billg1963@reddit

I can only speak for the states, and yes, anyone can file a lawsuit, but there are a lot of frivolous lawsuits.

Probably more of a “well next time buy from us” stance IMO.

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

Yeah maybe just me doing car subs, solar systems and random diy stuff around the house is hobby so idk

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Do whatever you want at home.

Getting pissy at shops not wanting to touch your DIY shitbox is a you problem.

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

Lol take it easy haus. Most places are just stupid turning away honest business and not adapting. Its not even risky if the shop ppl know what they're doing. Fk they could have the customer sign a waiver.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

If there was a market for it, it would exist.

There isn't a market for trying to patch together, broken shitters.

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Superb_Raccoon@reddit

Try the decaf.

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Pepsi_Popcorn_n_Dots@reddit

Where's your YouTube of all your cool tips? Sounds cool.

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

I might haha

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Few-Net-2080@reddit (OP)

Thank you! I love this comment, I think I just needed to feel heard and that's what this did to me, I might just do this.

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

Well if u learn it n ride enough you'll run into someone with a flat n help em out too ya know. Literally happened to me near a gas station last week and this kid popped his fat tire mountain bike in front of me n of course didnt have a patch kit or tools.

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WhereasJazzlike@reddit

Most of us all have the same problem. The problem is these guys are not real bicycle technicians. They're scared of electric bikes and they're dumb they don't understand electronics. Be very careful who you take it to. One fake ass bike technician destroyed my 3500 bike.

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Arkitakama@reddit

Changing a tire is pretty easy, I learned how to do it from a YouTube tutorial. No need for the shops, just get a new tire and tube and do it yourself.

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529bikes@reddit

Super common with DTC e-bikes. Most shops refuse because of liability and no access to parts, not because they are being difficult.

Two things worth trying: your Discover 1 Plus is UL 2849 certified, which is the electrical safety standard a lot of shops worry about, mentioning that can change the conversation. Also check Velotric's dealer locator on their site. They have 1,200+ retail partners now and some do service work.

For the flat itself, it is doable at home. Disconnect the motor cable before pulling the rear wheel, swap the tube like any bike, and line up the alignment arrows on the plug when you reconnect (bent pins = expensive). YouTube "Velotric Discover rear wheel removal" for a walkthrough.

Long term: puncture-resistant tires (Schwalbe Marathon or Continental Contact Plus) plus sealant in the tubes. Handles 90% of flats before they happen. Around $60 to $80 and worth it if your commute depends on the bike.

Hope you get it sorted, once you do your first rear wheel swap it stops being so scary!

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Far_Pollution9599@reddit

They are made in China and there's no parts available to any shop. I helped the neighbor change a rear flat and the eBike is not designed for the wheel to come off. When you're paying a third of what my cargo battery is worth for a whole bike...

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DrPhilosophy@reddit

If you take off the wheel and just bring that to them theynwill fix it

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ElectronicProof9340@reddit

That's true, but doesn't really address the question the OP is actually asking. They even said they don't mind learning how to fix the tire themselves (always a good skill to have... it's a really easy thing to do), but it's the broader question of when something more difficult needs fixing.

Not a bad we question IMHO and I don't really know the answer. The e-bikes come with specialized/proprietary design and parts that is going to be outside the experience of many bike shop employees, at least for now

That said, I do wonder why a shop wouldn't handle the tire thing. E-bikes I've seen, including the one I own, aren't exactly rocket science when it comes to getting a wheel off. They mostly use the same hubs, axels, fasteners as found on regular bikes. A lot of maintenance, including wheels, tires, brakes, shifters, etc. are pretty much the same e-bike or not.

Or, at least it should be. A person buying an e-bike should be very wary if the brand they are looking at doesn't use standard off the shelf stuff for most components.

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BWWFC@reddit

buy bike from LBS. because the solution isn't what you want, doesn't make the answer hard.

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genbud1@reddit

The cheap Chinese knock offs are a headache and not worth the effort. Just like the cheap Amazon motorcycles better off buying an old KLR from 90s better value.

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fishhead631@reddit

My experience taking off the back wheel on an ebike is\can be VERY challenging…. That derailer & chain can make you say words you never imagined 😆😂🤣. Best of luck 👍

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thehum@reddit

This ^

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wet_fartz@reddit

I was lucky enough to find a local shop that will work on it if I remove the battery first. Those who batteries don’t remove I guess he won’t work on.

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The_Mighty_Glopman@reddit

I believe there are 1200 Velotric dealers. Hopefully one of them is near you. Even if there isn't, it is disturbing that the local bike shops would not work on it. I recently purchased a Velotric Tempo and I asked how hard it was to fix a flat. He said it was easy; just undo one connection and it is like a regular bike.

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Fresh-Put645@reddit

I do all maintenance, save tons of money

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Soltea@reddit

Great, most people who commute with their bikes don't want to do that. Either because of lack of time or interest.

Most people struggle with changing tubes on a normal bikes or just lubing the chain.

People like that should not buy outside a physical lbs ever.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

bike shops are the biggest bunch of divas

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xJadusable@reddit

Seriously. This post everyone is coddling them cause “it’s a bike they don’t sell so they’re scared of liability” meanwhile yesterday there was a post about how a bike shop that sold a guy his bike was refusing to repair it and gave him a ridiculous price to just replace the whole motor (which wasn’t even the problem). Everyone was still defending the shop owner cause “well you can’t expect them to work on individual components”. Like WHAT. If they sell it, they should know how to repair it!

Dude solved the issue with like $60 worth a components and a YT tutorial lmao never seen an industry where shop owners are so babied.

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tagman375@reddit

I mean it's why small businesses go under, because the owner refuses to get with the times or chases away money.

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InevitableBreath2753@reddit

Try REI or dick's sporting goods.

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4look4rd@reddit

I bought my gazelle from upway and it’s fully supported at my local shop, so was my previous Rad and Lectric.

While I don’t recommend either Rad or Lectric, they do have better distribution models than the drop shippers.

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Past-Wrongdoer3388@reddit

Why don't you recommend Lectric?

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4look4rd@reddit

Handlebar came off when I was riding it, thankfully I was able to stop, had it happened on a down hill or when interacting cars it could have ended very poorly.

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windoneforme@reddit

Velotric has a feature on their website to find partner bike shops that work on their brand.

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LayerOdd1798@reddit

Tough to feel sorry for a guy who supports the big company for the big purchase. The. They expect the little guy to jump up and down to support them of the 50 & 70 purchases.

Take the bike back to Costco get get a new one.

[-]

Tomj_Oad@reddit

It doesn't work very well

I'm in Texas and it keeps giving me shops on NY state

It also misses my LBS and dealer that's only 60 miles away.

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Wants-NotNeeds@reddit

Something to share with them. They are eager to improve.

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Tomj_Oad@reddit

I will

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pirategirljess@reddit

I think a hard reality is that you need to be able to fix your own stuff. Maybe next time think about buying a regular bicycle and a kit somewhere that you can work on yourself?

I am having the same problem. Where I get my parts from, ebikekit, has a list of dealers but even they wont work on a lot of stuff. For me though the only problem I have is at the end of the year the spokes are either loose or 1 or 2 broke off. What I end up doing is just sending the wheel back in for new spokes/rim at my cost. The rest I have been able to maintain at the cost of trial/error.

[-]

Outrageous-Spot-4014@reddit

This is what YouTube is for.

[-]

iamgeekusa@reddit

The problem with ebikes is they are effectively any electronics product and cheaper electronics like cheap computers age about as well as bananas. If an ebike isnt using proper branded quality cells in its battery with a quality bms and controller its a total crap shoot for how long it lasts.

[-]

iamgeekusa@reddit

Well, on the one hand id try and find a regular bike shop that might change the tire. But honestly its not terribly difficult find a youtube video get the tools. As for other electronics, thats another issue entirely, if you keep it dry and store it I door's I suspect you'll be fine though. As long as its not made with bottom barrel crap parts ans knockoff battery cells .ost of the rest of the bike should be pretty maintenance free.

[-]

OnlyCredit1545@reddit

Local service was a big consideration for me when buying my E bike, because I knew that bike shops would not work on bikes that they didn’t sell… So I bought a trek… And I didn’t need a fair amount of service so I was very glad that I had a local in town repair shop

[-]

Cautious-Witness-745@reddit

Just learn to do it yourself. It's not difficult.

[-]

No_Swimmer_6613@reddit

YouTube is always a good source to learn new things. There’s videos on fixing e-bikes and learning what every component does on the bike. You have to look into compatible parts for your bike; always keep not of your bike specs to the smallest detail.

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Devils8539a@reddit

I can understand the bike shops reasoning for doing this. But also it's just a flat tire it's something very basic and it's really non-e-bike related.

A word to the wise unless you can perform 100% maintenance on your e-bike you're better off buying a e-bike from your local bike shop so that they can do the service. Spend that extra money to get the support. I had a very interesting discussion with the owner of my LBS and the reasons were plentiful for not even touching a e-bike and he was 100% right.

[-]

cutsnek@reddit

All of my LBS refuse to touch any e-bike that they don't sell those systems. Purely for insurance reasons, their insurers have really cracked down and they can only get coverage for the brands and systems they sell. Not worth risking their entire livelihood to touch bikes outside their range for that reason.

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Devils8539a@reddit

That was #1 on a very long list of nopes.

[-]

reptilesrcomplicated@reddit

Post on Facebook marketplace is your best bet

[-]

jsclimber@reddit

What you get for buying an e bike lazy ass

[-]

trtsmb@reddit

Unless you have a generic e-bike shop in your town, you're on your own for maintenance.

[-]

Proxy345@reddit

Flats are pretty much the easiest problem to solve after you get a toolkit. A tire can be changed in less than 10 minutes, that's way faster than taking it to a bike shop.

[-]

Delinquentbyassoc@reddit

Take it back to Costco

[-]

SwiftUnban@reddit

Unfortunately, if you can’t find a specific ebike shop that will work on it you’re just going to have to learn as you go, or rely on Velotric for RMA.

Once you’re experienced enough a flat tire can be changed out with 20 minutes in your garage and a wrench. And once you get more comfortable you’ll be able to learn other things as well.

Electric bikes aren’t very complicated mechanically, even the basic electronic components are easy enough to understand after you watch a video or two.

And it’s worth learning because while flats dont happen regularly they aren’t the rarest thing. It’s going to save you so much time and money. You can even replace a flat on the side of the road and carry on if you keep a spare tube and a pump with you.

By the way, replacement tubes are about $7/tube, and usually tires are under $25/e depending on what type of tire you’re using. For the most part, flats will just be a tube replacement.

Factor in a $40 portable battery powered pump, you’ve already broke even after probably 2 flats and continue to pay $6-7/flat VS paying $25 at a mechanic + drop off, wait, pickup.

[-]

Tall-Wonder-247@reddit

where are you located? i know two guys/shops in Atlanta that would fot it.

[-]

nomadrone@reddit

One of my bikes has a bosh setup, and luckily for me there are authorized bosh repair dealers that will work on drive related stuff @outrageous rate. Also REI services Canyon bikes so i can take it over there. Also LBS will work on any non electrical problems i had with other cheap bike i have.

[-]

Justaburntbread@reddit

In my most humble opinion, build yourself an ebike and you’ll learn to live by the ebiking enthusiasm

[-]

mad_mike51@reddit

If they can't even fathom changing a tire? This is terrible advise.

[-]

MandoBRC@reddit

How you not know how to replace a tire on a bicycle? That's something that someone should have taught you in grade school.

[-]

FreedomX01@reddit

Did you look on velotric website to find a local Dealer that works on Velotric ebikes? That was the biggest decision I made when I had gotten my second ebike which is currently the breeze 1 with 325 miles

[-]

NoticeSpecialist6698@reddit

This! My local dealer replaces anything on Velotric

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Sensitive_Remote_994@reddit

checking the dealer network before buying should honestly be step one

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placeholder5point0@reddit

I'm lucky that there's three shops in a 20 mile radius that are registered with Velotric.

[-]

boshbosh92@reddit

Weird I've never had a problem finding shops to work on my discover ebikes. Offer them some extra money lol

[-]

Pell331@reddit

Try REI

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Laserdollarz@reddit

Learn to fix the flat tire.

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dananapatman@reddit

Exactly. Flats are very common and changing a tube or changing your tires over to schwalbes is the most basic thing you can learn to do.

[-]

Otaraka@reddit

It’s like neither of you even read what was written.

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dananapatman@reddit

They literally said “ I’m not against learning how to replace the tire myself, and I know flats are part of owning a bike. “

Everyone already knows most shops won’t touch the electronics on these cheap bikes and having them disconnect the motor to change a tire, something you need to know got to do unless you have AAA or some other roadside service. Everyone should know how to change their tubes. Would you prefer they just return the bike to Costco and exchange it for one with fresh tires? That would be the cheapest option.

[-]

tdister@reddit

I believe they are eluding to seemingly missing the bigger picture of servicing an ebike, the tire situation making them aware of issues getting work done on the rest of the bike, too.

Many people are never going to consider attempting service of their own bike, including sorting flats.

[-]

2shado2@reddit

*alluding to😉

[-]

BoringBob84@reddit

This is definitely an advantage of a mid-drive ebike. Removing a wheel is the same process as with just about every other bicycle.

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cc92c392-50bd-4eaa-a@reddit

They might have more issues that aren't ebike related. I had to have my chain replaced, my brake cables ran, my top tube nut replaced. Even flat tire, which I've started doing myself again, but two different bike shops were able to work for me, not even that expensive.

[-]

hezuschristos@reddit

It’s the but what happens when there more complicated problems part that matters. If no one will touch a tire change, an arguably simple fix, then no shop will fix actual difficult issues. That’s the question OP is asking.

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Laserdollarz@reddit

but what happens blah blah blah

They either learn to fix the problem or they don't

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hezuschristos@reddit

Yah…. I’m just explaining the question OP is asking. Good talk though

[-]

dananapatman@reddit

Should we refer them to the other 1000 post about the same thing.

[-]

mrdobalinaa@reddit

They also said the bigger concern is serious maintenance outside of a tire change, that's what they're worried about.

[-]

dananapatman@reddit

I think most of us in the ebike sub are tired of telling people to not buy cheap d2c bikes. Service is gonna be an issue unless you buy from a mainstream manufacturer. Buying it from Costco and their ridiculously forgiving return policy, gives them an out to return it and buy something from a shop. That seems like the wrong response. Encouraging someone to learn to change their tire was better than “well don’t buy a cheap bike at box store, have you ever read anything in this sub before”.

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Laserdollarz@reddit

I stopped reading at "I’m not against learning how to replace the tire myself"

[-]

MickyBee73@reddit

Schwalbe Marathon is the best tyre I've ever used on an E-bike. They last forever, and I've never had a puncture in over 10,000 miles

[-]

Analibtard19473@reddit

Yup, but there are a lot of different Schwalbe Marathons. Very confusing tire lineup. Get the Marathon Plus.

[-]

dananapatman@reddit

Get the marathon plus tires, learn to take the wheels on and off and then never have to do it again is the way. Then return the bike to Costco when it has an electrical issue.

[-]

MickyBee73@reddit

Mine were just the original marathon with the green guard anti-puncture lining. Great tyres, but I'd probably go with the Marathon + next time. Like you said though, there's quite a lot of different Marathons now, which can be a bit confusing 🤔. I think the last time I was looking at one (whilst in Halfords, in the U.K) it was a Marathon Tour (maybe even +?). But yeah, they are a great brand of tyre.

[-]

rrooaaddiiee@reddit

Cycling 101

[-]

Freepeople66@reddit

That's been my experience or they say they'll work on the bike parts but nothing electric. This is a problem for the entire ebike industry, so it seems to me ebike maintenance and repair would make a LOT of money, with some creative disclaimers for sure. Rich people love ebikes, commuters love ebikes, old slow folks with bad joints like ve ebikes. They aren't going away!

I just bought an Electric Bike Company cruiser and folks comment here on Reddit that they have $4,000 paperweights!! It's a magnificent bike so I'm learning SLOWLY & painfully how it all connects, crossing my fingers better maintenance and repair options catch up with the industry soon.

Apparently demand skyrocketed during lockdown so production ramped way up, but plans for going back to normal weren't sufficient and many ebike companies have gone bankrupt and/or closed.

There are also community based bike organizations and Re-Use Repair places in my area to check out when I'm rolling again. Am I delulu?

[-]

Fraternal_Antipathy@reddit

You could ask the local shops what they have that is equivalent and, if they have something you like and can afford, take the bike back to Costco and return it...

[-]

Impressive-ass_Crews@reddit

Well…. From the get go, i understood that all that maintenance/troubleshooting was my problem, given the nature of it being a random chinese ebike.

So yeah…i learned how to change my tires, bleed my brakes, swapped the motor/battery/controller/lights/horn.

Swapped in a new front axle bolt

New chain, had to be cut/sized.

New torque arms with new drilled/threaded holes.

Yeah

At this point you might have to get some friends that already do this stuff or learn it yourself :(

[-]

GeneralCanada67@reddit

its what you get for buying a shitty bike

[-]

hakapes@reddit

It's not worth for shops to repair bikes. They make money from selling bikes.

Get over it. Get the tools and get the job done.

[-]

Extreme_Banana_912@reddit

This is pretty normal for bikes that are not purchased from supported brands or local bike shops - its a liability concern for the shops to work on a lot of non-industry brands that don't have clear safety standards.

If I were you, and I already knew I liked e bikes, I would return that bike to costco and then use the money to but an ebike from a local store. Local shops will support the brands they carry because it fits into their liability coverage.

Personally I'd look out for Trek / Specialized / Electra as they can all be supported at pretty much any bike shop. Electra offers relatively inexpensive e bikes and you can find them used on Upway

[-]

kokomo1989@reddit

None of the liability concerns are valid. I’ve seen dozens of posts stating this. It’s an excuse. How do these bike shops think the entire rest of the world of transportation repair works? I maintained and repaired AIRCRAFT for decades. All kinds, all brands. I had insurance, and I was responsible for ensuring my work was professional and safe. I never had a liability issue. I ordered the right parts and installed/tested them in a professional manner. It’s an excuse.

[-]

Cargobiker530@reddit

I know a local, independent, bike shop owner. His insurance policy forbids him from doing any work at all on ebikes or even having them in the building. That's just the way insurance companies are treating ebikes until some sort of standard set-up for battery storage and liability is established. As an aircraft mechanic I'm sure you charged much, much, more for repair hours than a bike shop could ever charge & your insurance rates reflected that.

[-]

kokomo1989@reddit

The situation you describe is completely different than the one many posters on this thread suggest. The predominant message on r/ebikes is that many of these businesses will not work on e-bikes that they don’t sell. That is different than saying ‘we won’t work on e-bikes period’ As far as my business, you would be very surprised by the maintenance rates for aircraft. Much lower than people think. And my insurance wasn’t too bad either. Telling my customers that I won’t work on aircraft that I don’t sell would be the end of my business.

[-]

BoringBob84@reddit

I would return that bike to costco

That seems extreme. OP likes the bike. They can probably find someone to work on it after some searching.

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Extreme_Banana_912@reddit

Sure, but if Costco has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and the customer isn't satisfied with support after purchase, may as well return it and get an equivalent bike with better support

[-]

BoringBob84@reddit

Like I said, OP reported that they like the bike. And I doubt that a "liberal return policy" includes returning a damaged bike that is not defective. And even if OP could get away with it, it would be dishonest.

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Superb_Raccoon@reddit

Or something from REI. If all else fails, they will work on it.

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rrooaaddiiee@reddit

I purposely bought my Trek FX+7S from a LBS for this scenario. If I have problems, I fully expect to wheel it in and have them work on it. Their shop sticker is on my downtube.

But, never for a flat tire. I'd be mortified.

[-]

ntech620@reddit

I would learn to do as much of your own repairs as possible. Flat tires go with having a bike of any kind. But since you're going to have to take off the tire it may be worth it to you to look at Tannus wheels/inner tubes or Slime filled inner tubes.

[-]

L-brunson@reddit

I was considering an e-bike, and still wouldn't mind getting one at some point. Ended up getting a analog mountain bike, as of right now I really want it for getting in shape more than just enjoying the ride. Before I decided what to do I had a few conversations with local bike shop. They won't service ANY e-bike that has a throttle, pedal assist only or they won't touch it, period. Liability and insurance is their reason. I didn't question their decision, though if I bought an e-bike it would be throttle and pedal assist simply because if I had one I'd want that option to just set back and enjoy the ride.

[-]

dick_ddastardly@reddit

Bicycle maintenance is a fundamental skill of ownership. Have someone walk you through the process. Its not difficult but you'll need to be mindful of the wiring.

Good luck OP

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LopsidedGiraffe@reddit

I think this is common. We have a friend who owns a bike shop. He refuses to service all scooters and any e bike he didnt sell them. One reason he gave, especially for the scooters - he said that people are simply too scummy to pay adequately for parts and service time. If you care so little about your safety (especially battery safety) and paid low $ for your bike, then in his experience you aren't likely to be willing to pay for a good service. And battery catching fire and buring their shop down is a real risk. A bike shop (Byron Bay, NSW) was testing a battery last week. The battery caught fire and burnt their store down.

I am also wondering if bike stores building insurance has played a part in stores refusing to service bikes they havent sold. An insurance company insisting on all bikes complying to laws that regulate battery and wiring safety doesn't seem unreasonable.

I bought an e bike from a local store and made sure that it is a global, well established e bike brand. They service the bike too.

[-]

offbrandcheerio@reddit

This is the really irritating thing about e-bikes. Most shops will work on conventional bikes of any brand but totally refuse to work on e-bike brands they don’t sell. You may honestly just have to suck it up and do the work yourself for now and think about replacing it with a brand that has LBS support.

[-]

Capitan_Rich@reddit

ifixit.com

[-]

venommuyo@reddit

Leeeeeaaaarn

[-]

Efficient_Dot5619@reddit

Power to the people. Work on your own byke!

[-]

Own_Experience_8229@reddit

For under 3k you could’ve got a Specialized e-bike. Name brand e-bikes are going to have stronger warranty support from the company and better service from a shop. They also have better components and use modern standards from the cycling industry. For example, it’s easier to find a sturdy commuting tire in 27.5” or 29” than the 26” the off-brand bikes can use.

[-]

_Cydaye_@reddit

Heybike owner, and had an issue. I contacted china via text, had a part delivered took 2 weeks for delivery. Problem persisted. Decided to get my local shop involved. It took a year. I will not ever buy an online e-bike again. Buy one from your local shop. A whole year!! No kidding.

[-]

AB0MB-86@reddit

You need to find a ebike shop I have one near me that services my ebike all the time

[-]

bipolarpsych7@reddit

How desperate are you down the line? Our shop will work on almost any E-bike brand, especially Velotric. Based in US, we've serviced customers bikes nationally and internationally.

[-]

PuzzledActuator1@reddit

Honestly, learning to service it yourself is not only considerably cheaper but it's also not hard. YouTube is great. The electronics might be a bit more of an unknown, but even with shop sold bikes fixes often end up being replace whole parts of the electrical system rather than fix what might be a simple problem because they're bike mechanics, not electrical technicians.

[-]

bipolarpsych7@reddit

Its usually due to warranty work, safety concerns, and what the manufacturer sells, not because we dont know what we're doing.

[-]

highinthemountains@reddit

I had that issue with a LBS with my Amazon ebike that I now have 7500 miles in 2.5 years on. I told LBS owner I needed MECHANICAL help, not e-bike help. I also told him I’d pay double his shop rate AND take the battery out. Money talks. He agreed, did a 💩 job and I told him so. I also said that when this bike is kaput I will not coming back to look at his line of e-bikes. He really didn’t care. I have since learned to do, via YouTube videos, just about all of my mechanical work, plus I have a neighbor that can help me too.

[-]

loki420210@reddit

Have you tried REI? They have full service bike shops and work on most brands.

[-]

Terrorphin@reddit

This is bullshit. Not wanting to work on the electronics is one thing - not wanting to change a tire is just being a dick.

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diogenessexychicken@reddit

Its because sometimes cheap ebikes arent meant to be taken apart and put back together. My local shop said the same thing until i brought it in and they could see it was workable.

[-]

lFightForTheUsers@reddit

I work for a LBS and this is exactly why. If the other guy wants to call me a dick too then he is more than welcome to do so while crashing out over replacing his own tire 😆

If it's something Lectric/Aventon/etc as the baseline okay I can work with that, especially since I'm the only wrench at our shop that actually rides ebikes often so I know what I'm doing. But we get a lot of idiots that say they have an "ebike" over the phone then try to come in with a full on scooter or cheap Jetson aliexpress import. I don't want that shit in the shop, and I definitely don't want yelled at by the boss for allowing that in the shop. The scooters we cant even work on because the tires are so shit designed that bike tools won't put the tire back on - two techs with four tire levers couldn't get it back on you almost need a motorcycle press for those.

So yeah, I don't blame LBS's in the slightest for turning away ebikes, and I say that as someone that relies on one daily since I don't drive lol. Someone in that dire of straights needs to go find them a Cecil.

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steamerdude@reddit

Take it back to costco

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Vast_Yak_9709@reddit

Do the work yourself save yourself time and money. I did a brake job on my 5000 watt dual motor ebike myself and did a great job I am proud and a little surprised it went so smoothly only pads but whateves I saved 💰. Youtube has every type of situation on file most likely if your like me a hands on learner it's ideal take the initiative. I have put close to 500$ worth of upgrades handlebar riser, suspension seat post, better peddels, Heb Allscape tires made especially for heavier ebikes, new seat, auxiliary 12" accessory bar, turn signals most ebikes won't come stock with these, extra headlight, (commute to work on 3rd shift get off @ 4a.m.). I used to rework industrial lighting fixtures @ Sylvania for work changing drivers putting in back up batteries and such once so I am experienced in reading work instructions and wiring with that said I am thinking about adding a 2nd battery on my Ebycco Eb 7 Pro still undecided as its just easier to buy another battery and hot swap them instead. On the fence... but its much more satisfying when your riding around on a slick setup and do the work yourself especially when ppl give compliments ☺️

[-]

Soltea@reddit

For most people it's lunacy to buy something as expensive and important as an ebike you're using to commute online or from anywhere without the ability to repair it.

A lot of people here are use them as toys or have much interest and time for endless tinkering and fixing themselves. Don't get fooled by that.

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YakInevitable8770@reddit

Why do electronic repairs and I refuse to work on bikes as well the problem with a lot of these cheap bikes that you're buying from Sam's club Costco Amazon or the plenty of other places especially the Homebrew ones You buy off Facebook marketplace you can't trust the batteries I've seen it personally they're the battery management system isn't even soldered incorrectly.

Just like how I refuse to use any third-party batteries that aren't specific from the manufacturer for laptops and cell phones because they have high likelyhood blow up and will burn my place down is probably why those people of those bike shops doesn't want a questionable e-bike they have no connection to.

Believe me if a local bike shop refuses to work on your bike there is something clearly epically with it or they dealt with brand before and not worth the trouble the money maker is in bike repair maintenance at your local bike shop her so if they refuse service there is reason

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Excellent-Log-311@reddit

Return it to Costco…

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unseenmover@reddit

when i bought my velotric on line i knew by checking their website that they had 2 dealers near me if i had any big issues. In terms of maintenance i did everything myself.

[-]

bigthaddy00@reddit

Sometimes it comes down to a fire hazard. Cheap electronics and batteries make shops more hesitant to store the bike to work on, it's a liability.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

so tell the customer to take the battery home with them

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bigthaddy00@reddit

Not every type of ebike has a removable battery

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

i would say that is an extremely small minority of ebikes. especially the cheap ebikes, i dont think i have ever seen a cheap ebike without a removable battery.

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WideAvacadoTreat@reddit

Do it yourself. It takes 30 minutes

[-]

milee30@reddit

I agree with the poster who recommended you get on the Velotric site to find a local dealer or shop that services your bike. You want to know that for any future repair needs.

Meantime, you may not be able to (or want to) change the flat yourself, but there might be a middle ground here. Bike shops tend to refuse to work on electric bikes they didn't sell due to insurance or hassle issues. There are sometimes ways you can address those issues so they'll work on your bike. You might be able to explain that you don't need any electronics or ebike specific repairs, that you'll remove the battery and of course will be paying them shop rates for just a simple tube swap and tire repair (if the tire needs repair.) Or if you have a bit of patience and a few tools, you can watch a Youtube video and remove the rear wheel yourself, just bringing that wheel into the shop - they won't know or care what type of bike it came from.

[-]

Aggressive_Hair_8317@reddit

You could also take the wheel off yourself and bring it to the shop. They might be more amenable if they don’t have to mess with the electric part of the bike (even if it’s simply to unplug the motor - it’s a liability issue, they don’t want to damage a part they can’t potentially replace).

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milee30@reddit

Yes, you’re repeating exactly what I wrote (in the post you’re responding to.).

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Aggressive_Hair_8317@reddit

Oops sorry, was reading on my phone and somehow missed your last paragraph!

[-]

lovallo@reddit

I bet you could find a free lancer to work on it, try a Marketplace post, or look for mobile bike shops or someplace with fewer concerns about that stuff.

[-]

Tight-War-8013@reddit

Since youve gotta get the tire off anyways, look into getting some tannus armor. It wont be as comfortable(its like running your tire pressure too high), but you can go about 10mph with a flat tire, which is far better than being stuck. Maybe you just do it on the hub wheel(because you probably can’t fix that on the side of the road), and do normal stuff for the other tire(bring spare rubber, fix a flat, etc).

[-]

CP066@reddit

You should learn to fix it, on top of that, get a pack for all the tools required and carry the tools (and spare tube) so you don't get stranded.
As other have said, check with to company, they will have someone local to service your bike. I went through something similar with another brand. It was a mobile e-bike company, they came to my house and did the work.

[-]

classaceairspace@reddit

I do the repairs myself. As a commuter you're going to be in all weathers and a lot of miles, you need to stay on top of it. While I totally understand bike shops need to pay a living wage and all that, it still costs a lot of money if I took my bike in there every time I had a small issue. Most things on a bike are a couple screws or bolts and a bit of know how, there are a few things that need special tools but most things can be done with a regular tool kit. I have quite a few special tools now, and for the first time you do something it might work out a little more expensive than taking it to the bike shop, the next time it's free.

[-]

markloch@reddit

One thing to bear in mind is that any bike shop is going to charge you the same labor cost per hour regardless of how much your bike cost.

Also, cheap components tend to need more frequent maintenance/adjustment and replacement than more expensive components.

Point being, a cheap bike can get expensive really fast if you don’t learn to do maintenance and repair yourself. Never mind having to drag your bike to the shop and then wait for them to fix it, which means waiting hours or days or weeks to get it back.

I’d ask a local bicycle group/coalition about bike, maintenance, workshops, and classes. Learning to be self-sufficient - in life generally, not just with bikes - is rewarding and can save you tons of time and money.

[-]

Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

velotric arent cheap bikes

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markloch@reddit

I saw "Costco" and jumped to conclusions 😄 I see they're mid-range. Still holds true that labor cost is labor cost, and lower-end components wear/go out of true, so to speak, faster than higher-end components, to a point at least. There's a cost you pay for increased durability and reliability, and then there's the cost you pay to reduce weight - I don't care too much about the latter, but the former saves time and money.

[-]

Cardabella@reddit

I don't know the bike in question but can't you just lever the tyre off the rim and patch the inner with a regular puncture repair kit same as you would for a push bike? Or did it all get slashed?

One of the things I love about ebike transport is that so much maintenance and repairs are easy diy. Maybe the model in question is a bit more complicated but I would have expected it to be a relatively simple job even if the first time you do it takes a few hours.

Take lots of pictures and notes, put the bits you take off on a piece of paper in order and label which way round they go. And video the whole thing so you can reverse the steps to put it back together.

[-]

thirtynation@reddit

I self perform all maintenance. Bicycles, even electric ones, are not complicated technology. The vast majority of repairs you can do yourself after watching some YouTube videos and investing in a few tools.

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robotokenshi@reddit

Just return to Costco or learn bike maintenance which isn’t the hardest thing in the world to do as long as you have the right tools, given all the YouTube videos around.

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nycfoto@reddit

Same thing happened to me. My regular shop refused service due to insurance and possible citations.

So I found a local Mexican shop and they did the routine maintenance. Find one where they do repairs on their sidewalk or outdoors.

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Dear_Nectarine_4951@reddit

If you live in a large area keep calling. A lot of cities have just repair shops no sales. Those are usually more likely to help if the money is right

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hashtag-horny@reddit

Your bike has standard 26 inch bicycle wheels and tires. Loosen the axle nut for the wheel that is popped and Take it off. A tire with no pressure in it is fairly easy to pull out the tube without having to pop the bead off the rim. Most of the time.

Carefully put your tube back in and make sure you’re tired. Beads are seated in the rim put it back on put the axle through tighten the nut.

🏁🏁🏁

PS: next time just bring your wheel to the shop don’t tell them what you’re making model is. You don’t need an authorized service center to change tubes

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BlueSpiderAurora@reddit

a local shop near me fixes ebikes of any kind. after all business is business and if they limit the types allowed, they loose money

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DickweedMcGee@reddit

A core-problem with low-end eibikes is, suprisingly, that they are over-engineered. When that happens, almost ALL of the bike parts are unique or non-standard right right down the fuckin tires.

Example: I'm invested in the Greenworks 60V Battery system for lawncare, power tools, etc. I saw they actually produce a 60V emoto in that system that looked like fun and there were several listed for sale on FB marketplace in very good shape except for 'flat tire'. I assumed the owners were just not up to the task of changing a tire but some research also showed the tires themselves are a weird size and hard to find so...a mystery solved and no thank you.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

well none of that applies to the OP's bike

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stormdelta@reddit

I have a DIY bike, and rarely need to take it in for service, so it hasn't come up much.

I had them replace a rear tire (not tube) a few years back. Normally I'd do that myself, but the tire wall was about to blow out and I needed to be somewhere ASAP. They were willing to do it, no issues.
New build, I had them build the motor into a rim for me as that's one of the few things I don't trust myself to do correctly. I provided the rim, pre-cut spokes, and the motor. They were happy to do it, and actually complimented the build quality of the motor (not surprising, I doubt they'd ever seen a Grin All-Axle hub)

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kokomo1989@reddit

You should know how to change a tire. That being said, having local shops refuse to service all bikes is ridiculous. This type of nonsense is why I still ride a non-motorized bike. I’ve never had a shop refuse to service my bike. Bike shops’ excuses I’ve seen on this thread are silly and are really designed to force consumers to buy ‘their’ bikes.

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Shiney_Metal_Ass@reddit

What's silly about a shop refusing to take a bike against their insurance policy?

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parisidiot@reddit

if they sell and service e-bikes there is absolutely not a carve-out in their insurance policy for bikes they didn't sell.

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Shiney_Metal_Ass@reddit

How do you know that?

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kokomo1989@reddit

What’s ‘silly’ is the entire ‘we are too good to work on affordable, decent bikes’ nonsense. Independent car repair shops work on cars, not only brand specific cars, or they struggle financially. The arrogance of some shop owners will really come back to bite them.

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Shiney_Metal_Ass@reddit

Again

This is a liability issue. Not an elitist one.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Couldn't give a fuck what you ride.

Won't touch a drop-shipped or diy Ebike.

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kokomo1989@reddit

Then you’re cutting your future profitability. Don’t whine too much when you can’t get enough business.

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Cheap ebikes are consumables.

I won't whine at all, if y'all stop whining about shops not wanting to touch your DIY projects.

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Choice_Egg_8921@reddit

well the OP's brand bike isnt a drop ship or diy bike.

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scruffy69@reddit

I will just say, having learned this the hard way: if its a back tire, and you have hub drive, make sure you tuck the power wire back out of the way when you re-install the wheel, or it will rub through causing you to have to order parts from the manufacturer and wait 6 months for your part to come from China.

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GoCougs2020@reddit

1—-take off your wheel. Go to any LBS and say I need a new tube . If it’s a “standard” looking wheel, bike shop can’t even tell it was FROM a ebike.

2—-I know the guy who build my BBSHD decently well, he’s my “mechanic” if anything is wrong with it. I just shoot him a message. If he’s out of town or unavailable or something. I go for option 3.

3—REI is the only shop in town that’ll work on my ebike. Most LBS all have the same policy “we don’t work on ebike”. And those shop that does work on ebike charges an extra fee. REI is the only place that’ll work on my ebike, don’t complain and no extra charges.

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Livid_Paramedic_6973@reddit

They simply don't have the parts supplier to fix it. Most ebikes come from china so it's difficult to get spare parts unless there is a local dealer. But even if there was, the parts distribution system is not like vehickes where there is an abundance of parts suppliers. I'd Do some research and order the part myself and have them install it. Even better if install it myself. E Bikes are nowhere as complicated compared to cars.

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BodybuilderEast6130@reddit

In this case the "part" is a tire. The hardest part of this job would be safely disconnecting the motor wiring

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LilAbeSimpson@reddit

That’s exactly it. The shop doesn’t want to risk damaging any of the electrical components that are not repairable or replaceable by the shop.

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parisidiot@reddit

i don't buy this. it's a cable. it's not that difficult to remove and re-plug sorry. i've had plenty of indie bike shops in nyc work on my bike no problem.

this feels like a weird way to try and pressure guys like OP to buy a new bike from the shop or something. or they're just too busy and looking for an excuse to decline service.

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Livid_Paramedic_6973@reddit

Lol pull the plug. 3 seconds. I did this when I assembled my e bike. Wow I'm a bike mechanic 😂

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BodybuilderEast6130@reddit

One thing I learned quick when looking at reviews for ebikes, people lack basic mechanical knowledge and immediately blame the manufacturer

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Physical_Click9769@reddit

Or just don't want to learn about the bike. A quick Google search, asking Gemini, YouTube, books, etc will answer so many questions n issues I see on here..

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parisidiot@reddit

they won't repair a flat tire???? very weird. in nyc i've never found a bike shop that wouldn't do mechanical repairs on an ebike.

crazy

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neomoritate@reddit

You need to learn how to fix a flat. What would you do if you were riding on a trail?

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Phreedom1@reddit

The flat wasn't really the OPs concern...did you not read it all?

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neomoritate@reddit

MY concern is that a cyclist does not know how to change a flat. Did you read my comment?

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Phreedom1@reddit

Yes

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Active_Ad_5322@reddit

Keep it and learn as you go and as parts need servicing.

At this times you are steering about things that may or may not happen (dead motor, unresponsive torque/cadence sensor/broken display)

Right now all you are dealing with is a tire, but have managed to create a firestorm of issues by imagining all the things that MIGHT happen.

Just learn as you go.

Worst case is you get a few years of quality riding before the electric parts fail, and then you get another low cost e-bike .

The market need for an ebike focused repair shop is already here. More and more new ebike repair shops are starting.

Dot expect a bike shop to change their policies. A brand new, electric focused service shop is the current evolution of bicycle repair.

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lancebowski@reddit

You're right; shops are changing their tune. Trek has a shop in Chicago that will now work on non-Trek ebikes. 👀 You have to assume more will follow.

"Electric focused service shops" seeing a smidgen of these, too. 😉

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Active_Ad_5322@reddit

I hope it happens sooner than later

I’ve been a “traditional “ bike mechanic for 25 years.

As volatile as the ebike industry is, the sheer volume of new riders and the response of cities that are restructuring their bike path infrastructure has been great.

More people on bikes, both acoustic and electric, is great for us all.

I’m well into my 50’s but I think I might work for an ebike centric shop one day. I hate seeing serviceable bikes get trashed just because there isn’t a nearby skilled mechanic to repair it.

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lancebowski@reddit

25 years is impressive; expert mechanics are a treasure. I ride the Lakefront Trail in Chicago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Lakefront_Trail), and it appears that cycling may be creeping into a new golden age - you're going to be needed. 😎

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Superb_Raccoon@reddit

My local one does, but then Missouri is a little less lawsuit happy than say... Illinois.

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Few-Net-2080@reddit (OP)

You're right! Thank you for your response!

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Cold-Committee-7719@reddit

My experience was the local dealer turned out to be an asshole and after a tire repair and torque sensor replacement told me not to bring my bike there anymore. He said it just like that. It wasn't even fixed correctly but he got so huffy, I didn't go back.Ha always acted like I was putting him out when I needed service.

Fortunately, I live in a really bike friendly city found a repair shop happy to service my Chinese bike. Velotric is a pretty known brand. They are generally high quality from what I've heard. I've had service twice at the new place for my Favorite Hybrid Pro . I'd say keep looking.

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TheFlightlessDragon@reddit

If you’re going to be commuting on a bike, especially such a long commute, it is important you learn to patch tubes, replacement them and replace tires yourself.

So this is a good opportunity to learn those skills

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frogs_fear_me@reddit

Think about it like a car. “I bought a WIZBANGFAST car online. Now none of the Chevy, Ford, or Toyota dealers will work on it!”

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JigglesofWiggles@reddit

To be fair, any local tire shop will work on any brand you drive in that has lugnuts holding a tire on. So I can see it being a little surprising.

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BoringBob84@reddit

To be fair, while this "car" has lug nuts, the mechanic cannot remove the wheel without disturbing electrical connections that the mechanic doesn't understand and that are easily damaged.

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Epledryyk@reddit

yeah, the metaphor breaks down when the motor is inside the wheel you have to take off

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kokomo1989@reddit

Dealerships may refuse to work on non-dealership cars, but there’s LOTS of independent shops that will work on most vehicles. There’s a reason that dealership maintenance is grossly expensive, and it’s pushing owners away from them. I see the same thing happening with bikes, and it won’t end well for bike shops.

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Shoehorse13@reddit

You’ll either want to become proficient at servicing your own bike (tires are easy) or get a reputable bike sold by a bike shop.

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BoringBob84@reddit

It looks like your bike has a hub drive motor. To remove the wheel, the mechanic must disconnect the electrical connection between the controller and the motor. And if they make a mistake, they could destroy expensive electronics. There was a recent post here where that happened. Neither the mechanic nor the customer understood why the bike stopped working. The customer is demanding that the shop fix the electronics and the shop lacks the expertise to do that.

That shop learned their lesson the hard way. If their mechanics are not trained for that brand of ebike and if they do not have replacement parts in stock, then a bike shop is taking a huge risk by agreeing to work on it. And with the dozens of brands of ebikes, that much training and inventory is unrealistic for most shops.

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_haha_oh_wow_@reddit

Yeah, this is the risk with buying bikes online. You can look around for shops or mobile mechanics that will service your bike (they're out there),but I would highly recommend learning for yourself both to save money and to be able to deal with problems that might arise while you're riding.

The ParkTools YouTube channel is an excellent resource to learn and there's also /r/bikewrench

Now, for something like a punctured tube, that's definitely something you should learn to repair. I'd also recommend carrying a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, and a bike multitool (I have a cheapo Bell multitool I bought for $12 and it works great). Being able to make simple field repairs so you can get to your destination is huge!

One other note: If you find taking the hub wheel off to be a huge pain in the ass, you can look into getting something like Tannus Armour to protect against punctures, FlatOut to stop some small-ish leaks, or upgrading to a more puncture resistant tire (Schwalbe Marthons are a popular choice).

Good luck and congrats on the bike: As online bike companies go, you could certainly do a lot worse.

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El_Guap@reddit

If I was a kid in high school with a car and some smarts I would start a local e-bike service.

So many rich parents around my area that would pay for “annual service” to keep their kids bike going so they don’t have to drop them off at school. They could make a killing on hydraulic brake bleeds and tire replacement alone.

When I was in high school we had a car detailing service because we lived near an extremely wealthy area. Damn we made bank and got to clean up all the dream cars we fantasized about in high school.

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NHValentine@reddit

Im a little cynical but.... That sounds to me like they just dont want to service a brand they dont sell. They think that by not servicing it theyre "teaching you a lesson" so that you'll buy a bike from them in the future. There are other things too though. Like the availability of replacement parts for example, can be a killer for anyone that works on stuff. You strip out a non standard bolt from (insert Chinese factory here) and you have no way to reliably replace it. Think about it like youre a car dealership. Can you work on ANY car? Sure... are you gonna know all the ins and outs and be able to get all the parts easily? Nope... This is a stretch but some people may even have insurance that says something about not working on brands other than what they sell because of battery safety. The world is a weird weird place today with more rules than not... However... changing a tire on a bike isnt that hard with a few hand tools. Try to educate yourself on bike maintenence because its really not difficult to perform most maintenance tasks like that yourself and save a good bit of money anyway. 😀

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LimitNo1438@reddit

Not at all the reason.

Not wanting to touch a complete unknown, from a drop shitter to a diy install... There is no reward to that risk.

A bike mechanic not being interested in fucking around with someone's "cheaper, better, faster" Ebike, has nothing to do with teaching anyone a lesson, lmao.

There is often no documentation. Documentation often isn't accurate. It's always cheap, shitty parts. DIY and budget ebikers don't want to spend what it'd cost to fix something, and it's not worth the argument. Most shops are too busy anyway. It's a tire, if it's that easy, why are you pissy at the shop.

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NHValentine@reddit

Thats the exact "lesson" Im talking about. OP is learning that lesson now... you made my point FOR me while trying to argue against it I think. "Huh, I bought a cheap a$$ thing that no one can or is willing to work on, including me... maybe next time I shouldn't buy the cheapest one."

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rrooaaddiiee@reddit

Abso-freaking-lutely. I know my LBS mechanics. They are VERY good with good components. The last thing I expect them to deal with is crappy bizarre Chinese junk. Makes no sense. Plus, there is no loyalty from a customer who 'wanted a deal' and got something dropshipped from who-knows-where. Buy once, cry once.

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NHValentine@reddit

Thats the exact "lesson" Im talking about. OP is learning that lesson now... you made my point FOR me while trying to argue against it I think. "Huh, I bought a cheap a$$ thing that no one can or is willing to work on, including me... maybe next time I shouldn't buy the cheapest one."

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Fun-Exercise-7196@reddit

This is why I am buying a bike from a local shop.

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Salt-Fisherman-7806@reddit

When I bought my first ebike I did get an Aventon due to the fact that they had local service centers nearby just in case. Since then I tend to work on most things myself. YouTube an excellent resource for most repairs

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Synical-Gaming@reddit

Bike shop workers are NOT electricians! Maybe one day they will be but as off now.. if its not mechanical they don't wanna know.

Usually when something goes wrong with an electrical component it requires replacement anyway, which is easy enough to do yourself with a youtube video as a guide.

As for mechanical maintenance.. its rly not that hard, everytime you need to do a job youll feel like you need a new tool for abit.. soon you'll have those tools and the feeling of independence that comes from not only having your own ride... but knowing if anhthing went wrong, for the most part, you could fix it.. is worth the little bit of effort and cash every now and again.

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s0rce@reddit

As others have said if you have a lower cost ebike bought online or not from a local bike store most stores don't help you and you need to learn to fix it yourself. If this is the front wheel you can take it off and bring it to the shop. Fixing a flat is pretty easy although on some ebikes it can be a hassle

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longslowbyebye@reddit

In the time it took you to create this post and reply, you could have changed the damn tire yourself lol

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Zym1225@reddit

I found a scooter seller that will change my tire. They sell rebuilt Vespas. He does charge $100 for rear and $50 for front. Check out someone similar in your area ( I am in central Texas.)

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Same_Bit2000@reddit

It’s also an excellent indication of a mediocre or less business. And a reflection of many people that found a niche market open a business. I have an e-bike and they are extremely popular in my area. We have many older and senior citizens that are all over town on them. Now imagine if all those same riders could only have there cars serviced by the location that sold it to them. E-bikes are fun and great. Ebike industry sucks.

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donaldgoldsr@reddit

My best advice is to learn the bike. Watch some YouTube videos. Learn the P settings. Learn to change your tires, and brake. Research which tires are best for you and replace them yourself to prevent flats. You're going to run into the same problem when your brakes are worn so now's the time to learn it all. Good luck and maybe you'll come to enjoy your own maintenance like so many others do.

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Ok-Type-8917@reddit

One thing that may help you with flats is either a sealant or tire liners. I didn't have much luck with Slime but I have FlatOut in a few bikes and zero flats so far. On one of my bikes I it wouldn't take air so I pulled the valve core. Part of a drywall screw was blocking the valve but no flat.

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aznsniperx3@reddit

This is a big reason why I went with buying a specialized from my lbs.

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Budget_Technology894@reddit

CAA has ebike insurance, it covers flat tires.

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Xistential0ne@reddit

Return it to Costco. They have a liberal return policy. Get another one.

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Japparbyn@reddit

Check the shops before you buy next time. Had the same issue with a crappy china bike. But found an immigrant shop that work on everything, top guys

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Regular_Dream_1874@reddit

Get tube slime and fill into the tyre. It will be allright. Had same issue. Easy fix for small punctures

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ItzJustAhhPotato@reddit

From personal experience taking two bikes to two different locations, they get the job done but are very sloppy and overcharge for what would be a 10-20$ purchase and an hour or two of work.

I got my breaks, disks and sensors changed. Total cost was 600$ when I decided to do it myself. The wires were tearing apart and wrapped i electrical tape. Breaks were leaking and the disk brakes were worn out What would of been a 150$ job ended up being 600$ and a possible hazard in the house.

It takes effort to learn yourself ofcourse. But when things begin to wear down after 500+miles, you are either going to overpay for a simple fix you can find on youtube or overcome the fear of breaking something. I'd rather be mad at myself over losing my shit over a random store...

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b1gb0n312@reddit

Just going to have to learn basic maintenance yourself or treat the bike as a disposable

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FI_321@reddit

I bought my son an ebike off Amazon last year and I’ve been the his mechanic ever since. I knew that would be the case when I bought it. I have 5 bikes myself and they all require a decent amount of maintenance to keep running. The small investment in the tools needed is definitely worth it.

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