Deflated ... or what?

[Davanti]

My Wisper 905sel is brilliant ... just completed 300 wonderful electric (s)miles! Also the third and final complete battery discharge/recharge ........... I'm all pumped up!

So ... I think ... now is the time to arrange for the first service! Get those spokes checked ... get an expert with the lube tube ... get the guy with the ideas to perform magic on the gears ... etc ... etc ...

Today I called the nearest Dealer Workshop ... 70 miles away ...

"Just calling to book the bike in for the first service ..."
"Fine Sir ... no problem ... drop it in any time; our opening hours are blah blah; leave it with us for a few days, we are really busy at the moment."
"Mmmm ... I live over 70 miles from you ... I wish to arrange a day, sometime in the future, when I can bring the bike in for the service ... mooch around the shops for a couple of hours and then bring the bike home ..."
"Not possible, Sir. I've got bikes in my workshop at the moment totalling at least 150 hours of work before I can get to yours. Just drop it in ... etc etc"

My wife's Golf is serviced locally, the dog's Peugeot and my Mercedes are both serviced at dealers 30 miles distant. In each case I call Service Reception, arrange a date, take the car in ... get a courtesy car or mooch about town 'till ready, then pick up and drive home. Simples!

From reading the input on this forum, I realise that a large number of e-bikers are long-term cyclists who have gone electric as they find the lycra stretching in all the wrong places or that advanced years are stealing the puff they used to have ... you good guys don't need the cycle workshops that us mere mortals need.

However, as a migrant from the car to the bike, I don't have the skills or knowledge to do the work myself ... I need the workshop!

Have I got it wrong, guys? Is this how it works in the bike world? Leaving your pristine brand new steed in a crowded room with a load of old decrepit bone-shakers? Lying awake at night, worrying that some stallion of a bike is having his evil way with the new-found love of your life in the dark shadows of a cycle workshop ... and doing 2 round trips of 145 miles instead of just one because there isn't an appointment system? I imagine that there are umpteen reasons for not coping ... insufficient trained staff ... mechanics are also sales staff ... we have to answer the phone ... haven't got a diary ... can't find a pen ...

If more motorists are to be seduced into the e-bike world, then the Cycle Workshop business needs to offer them something approaching a comparable service ... even if its only a booking system!

I'm no longer pumped up ... I'm deflated ... (and a teeny weeny bit p****d off!)

Don

 

[eddieo]

Yes very wrong....Do what work? The electrical side does not need attention unless there is a fault. Just bring it to a decent local Bike shop and get it serviced...In fact at 300 miles a service not required just a basic check of spokes etc...You will probably be surprised at cost of bikes in there, and dont worry when they laugh at your electric bike it is quite normal.

Some of your assumptions are plain daft and insulting.....if shop no good they will not be in business long. and no one takes crap old bikes to a LBS for service as it is quite expensive

Fantastic choice of bike by the way!

 

[Davanti]

Do what work? The electrical side does not need attention unless there is a fault? just bring it to local Bike shop and get it serviced...In fact at 300 miles a service not required just a basic check of spokes etc...You will probably be surprised at cost of bikes in there, and dont worry when they laugh at your electric bike it is quite normal.

Fantastic choice of bike by the way!

Strangely enough ... quite reassuring ... Thank You Eddie!

 

[eddieo]

It really just needs checking and minor tweaking at that milage...

 

[Davanti]

Some of your assumptions are plain daft and insulting.....if shop no good they will not be in business long. and no one takes crap old bikes to a LBS for service as it is quite expensive!

... ... Oops!

 

[ajb9]

Hi DON,If you look on wisper website it give,s you a list of wisper service sites your nearest one is ELECTRIFYING CYCLES CROMER ,hope this helps,alan

 

[Davanti]

Hi DON,If you look on wisper website it give,s you a list of wisper service sites your nearest one is ELECTRIFYING CYCLES CROMER ,hope this helps,alan

Thanks Alan ... I thought that Cromer is only a sales point without the workshop accreditation by Wisper; but I'll check it out once more. Thanks again. Appreciated.

Don

 

[Blew it]

What a ridiculous situation!

That machine could be checked over in just 60 minutes max, and that includes making you a cup of tea to drink while he works. It's just little adjustments here and there to compensate for the normal bedding-in process.

Davanti, call that old drama-queen again and ask him to give you a pre-booked slot. If he refuses, then take the matter up with BEBA.

Had you purchased your Wisper in Swindon, that first check-up would be done for free while you wait.

 

[karl101]

I have the same problem. The nearest Wisper dealer to Sheffield is in Garforth, a small town to the east of Leeds, it is two train journeys just to get there. So I took it to a bike shop just down the road. They charged me £50 plus something for new brake cables, which I suspect were unnecessary, I had them pay particular attention to the spokes on the back wheel.

Karl.

 

[funkylyn]

Ummmmm.........whilst I know I dont do mega mileage or commute, I do ride my bike regularly over pretty rough terrain, and I have to admit that in 8 years of e-cycling I have never ever taken any of my bikes for a service.....and have only ever had one puncture.

So I read your message wide eyed in amazement Don.

I dont know if I am very lucky or just plain reckless, but I will nip out and give my spokes a " good coat of looking at " before I cycle off today.

In any case, as was posted earlier, any minor adjustments can be done at any LBS its the electrics you have to be careful about where you take to be fixed, but Im sure it should be a long long time before anything is needed there.

Isnt this just AMAZING cycling weather

Lynda

 

[Davanti]

Had you purchased your Wisper in Swindon, that first check-up would be done for free while you wait.

I didn't think I was asking too much ... but I must have touched one raw nerve ... I think I'll move to Swindon! ... thanks for your support Blew it

Don

 

[Davanti]

I have the same problem. The nearest Wisper dealer to Sheffield is in Garforth, a small town to the east of Leeds, it is two train journeys just to get there. So I took it to a bike shop just down the road. They charged me £50 plus something for new brake cables, which I suspect were unnecessary, I had them pay particular attention to the spokes on the back wheel.

Karl.

Hi Karl ... thanks for this ... its some consolation that I'm not the only one in our situation. Cheers. Don

 

[Davanti]

and I have to admit that in 8 years of e-cycling I have never ever taken any of my bikes for a service.....and have only ever had one puncture.

I dont know if I am very lucky or just plain reckless, but I will nip out and give my spokes a " good coat of looking at " before I cycle off today.

Isnt this just AMAZING cycling weather

Lynda

Hi Lynda ... Yes - AMAZING cycling weather!

This 'servicing' and 'spoke' thing is something I got from Wisper - it's part of the guarantee or something ... hey, I'm a man; I just do as i'm told!

You're confused? Check me out!

Anyway, nice to chat!

Don

 

[shemozzle999]

Surely it is not impossible for the LBS to have at least a couple of spare hours out of the working week dedicated to either a while you wait or emergency servicing slot. It could always be filled with replacement work if the slots are not allocated.
This could be used as a positive marketing tool for the shop if adopted.

 

[eddieo]

My bike needs a 12 month service so will get a full 2 hr service form "bicycle repair man" a local independent guy, who will come to you or you can take bike to him. the 2 hr service is £45 (London). In fact I just put "bicycle repair man" (or bike repair man) in Google and it seems that there are loads of these independent type set ups around the country. Far cheaper and more convenient then LBS.

In fact just found someone more local and only £30 for basic service and he comes to you with no call out charges....

spokes on motor wheel do need checking regularly for tightness.

 

[Davanti]

spokes on motor wheel do need checking regularly for tightness.

I've been trying to find out what the spoke check is for! Thanks for this and the other very useful info, Eddie

 

[eddieo]

I've been trying to find out what the spoke check is for! Thanks for this and the other very useful info, Eddie

some can just tell by the twang if they are loose...All you have to do is try them individually for tightness and get yourself a spoke spanner from LBS or ebay.


BUT! look for a video on You tube to demonstrate how to do it: videeo is about trueing a wheel (fixing buckled wheel) but to do this you need to adjust spokes


How to fix a buckled wheel - You Tube

 

[Davanti]

some can just tell by the twang if they are loose...All you have to do is try them individually for tightness and get yourself a spoke spanner from LBS or ebay.


BUT! look for a video on You tube to demonstrate how to do it: videeo is about trueing a wheel (fixing buckled wheel) but to do this you need to adjust spokes


How to fix a buckled wheel - You Tube

Brilliant! Are all spoke spanners the same size?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi Davanti, I am absolutely "gob smacked" at your report. To read that you have been told that you can't simply drop off your bike for a couple of hours is most disturbing. Actually it seems incredible. Surely the dealer must be able to keep a diary?

If you would like me to become involved I would be please to do so. If you would like to let me know who the dealer is here or PM me I will get onto it.

The spoke adjustment used to be necessary but not so much since we have changed both spoke and rim manufacturers and have very few issues with spokes breaking nowadays. However, it is still a good idea to take your new bike in for a safety check to make sure all the nuts and bolts are tightened correctly. We also highly recommend a 6 month (if you use the bike every day) or at least an annual service to keep your bike in tip top condition. This will also help retain the value on your bike if you ever want to sell it.

Hi Karl how old was your bike when the brake cables were changed? For the last 18 months we have upgraded to extremely good cables to insure brakes work well at all times, they really should not need changing for many 1000's of miles. Was this another Wisper dealer?

All the best

David

 

[Davanti]

Thank you David. I will PM you and Fwd the email I have sent to the Dealer.

Regards

Don