Kudos Not Impressed (Resolved)

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
Today i took delivery of a new Kudos City e bike and i must say i am not impressed with Kudos after sales at all. Its states on there web site the bike comes with Manual/operation instructions inside, well there were none,plus the rear part of the chainguard had a broken clip on and wont fit back to the bike, in fact it was all loose n the bottom of the box. I have just had a painfully slow phone call to Kudos and am not impressed at all, they tell me there is no Manual/operation instructions for this bike, and after much time kept waiting i now have to email a photo of the broken part and they will replace it. To say i am dissapointed is an understatment, i am thinking now i have made a big mistake and wonder what my rights are to a full refund. anyone else had problems with Kudos
 

Sacko

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2011
281
13
A part has broken in transit, they have asked you to take a photo of it and they will replace it? What's this country coming to?!

Shame about the manual, but it's hardly the end of the world?

Perhaps, step back and gain some perspective. It's not an ideal situation, but what you have in front of you is pretty good value for money imo...

....and I dont even ride 'off the shelf bikes'! :)
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
All the manuals I've seen are a complete waste of time, so you're not missing much. You can get better info for most things off the net. I suppose it would be nice to have something that tells you the pedals are handed and how to switch it on. If you need anything, just ask here.

I suppose we could give them the benefit of the doubt on the mudguard. It's easy to break something when lifting a Ebike into a box, especially if you do it n your own. Also, the rear mudguard can get a bit if a whack when it's in the box. I'd have to see yours to pass judgement. The main thing is how suppliers deal with your problem and how they treat you when you tell them the problems.

i'm sure you'll get these things fixed, so don't be too quick to judge.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
We have a number of Kudos owners among our members and I've seen no dissatisfaction previously, most appreciating what good value the company offers in both e-bikes and batteries. As others have said, give them a chance to vindicate themselves, even the best of companies occasionally suffer difficulties.
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
We have a number of Kudos owners among our members and I've seen no dissatisfaction previously, most appreciating what good value the company offers in both e-bikes and batteries. As others have said, give them a chance to vindicate themselves, even the best of companies occasionally suffer difficulties.
I gave them chance on the phone, i find it hard to believe that its just my bike they don't have a Manual/operation instructions for, ok some of it may be common sense with assembly, but not ever owning a e bike and one with suspension etc it would have been handy. Four times i was put on hold, while they looked into the chain guard, they didn't at first seem to know what the broken part was, in the end they did grasp what i was complaining about, its the total lack of interest that got me, and asking me to email them a photo of the broken piece is totally unbelievable,they really gave me the impression they were not really interested. Hell it was only delivered at 11.45 am today and i phoned them with my questions about 2..45. Its not looking good so far. I have reluctantly sent them a couple of photos now, i dont see why they wanted them, its like they don't believe me. I have also reminded them about the sale of goods act and should i not be happy i will want a full refund
 

Jimod

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 9, 2010
1,065
634
Polmont
OK, it can be disappointing when something new isn't 100% right. Now, apart from the chain guard I take it you now have the bike built? Charge the battery, switch it on, select high level pas and go out and play. Kudos will send you a chain guard so don't let it spoil your day. Let us know how the bike goes.

As Michael Winner might say. " calm down, it's only an E-bike. ;)
 

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
2,671
small plastic parts can easily come off and get lost in transit.
If it's the piece is a black plastic clip at the end of the metal hanger, I am sure that any good LBS should be able to provide you with a replacement.
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
small plastic parts can easily come off and get lost in transit.
If it's the piece is a black plastic clip at the end of the metal hanger, I am sure that any good LBS should be able to provide you with a replacement.
Its broken, a piece seems to have snapped off, its not in the box,well not as far as i could see, if i had a handbook maybe i could have seen what it was like. The thing which annoys me most is the not really interested and lack of knowledge with the bike i got on the phone. £650 may seem cheap for an ebike, but its still a fair amount of cash to splash out. I emailed them the photos as requested, but no reply at all as yet.. Why should i have to try and repair a bike just bought and not even used. i wont use the bike till this is sorted, or they will accuse me of damaging it further. if they dont reply tomorrow i could be demending a refund under the sale of goods act.I don't hold out a lot of hope on this as they didn't inspire any confidence over the phone. I purchased this bike as many on here seemed to recommend Kudos, but now am thinking i have made a mistake.....
 

Sacko

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2011
281
13
Surely that is one of the risks that you take when ordering online?.. Parts may get damaged.

Clearly they are on the case.

If it breaks when you ride it, its covered anyway under warranty; riding it now wont make any difference?

Mountain out of a mole hill.
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
All the manuals I've seen are a complete waste of time, so you're not missing much. You can get better info for most things off the net. I suppose it would be nice to have something that tells you the pedals are handed and how to switch it on. If you need anything, just ask here.

I suppose we could give them the benefit of the doubt on the mudguard. It's easy to break something when lifting a Ebike into a box, especially if you do it n your own. Also, the rear mudguard can get a bit if a whack when it's in the box. I'd have to see yours to pass judgement. The main thing is how suppliers deal with your problem and how they treat you when you tell them the problems.

i'm sure you'll get these things fixed, so don't be too quick to judge.[/QUOTE

Nothing wrong with the mudguards...Its the CHAIN GUARD that's faulty, and the lack of help or interest from Kudos, despite only receiving the bike today and not using it. I disagee with you and a handbook etc, it would be of great help to a newbie.
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
They are not on the case, in fact far from it, i accept parts can get damaged, but don't accept there attitude over the phone, they didn't seem interested, can you explain why i had to email pictures of the chain guard to them. i did it anyway, but no reply as yet. It doesn't inspire confidence at all. I cant ride it without them replacing the part as it holds the rest of the chain guard in place, so i have a £650 new bike in the garage which i cant use, so not a mountain out of a mole hill
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
It may be good value, but its not able to be used at present, to me a manual would have been helpful, its my first E Bike, and i'm beging to think i shouldnt have listed to all the paraise for Kudos on here, YES I'M ANGRY, £650 to me is a fair amount to lash out on what is looking to be a big mistake
 

Sacko

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2011
281
13
Send it back, pay £400 more and get something else.

If you're not happy now, you're not going to be. Pay the extra few hundred quid and get something you're happy with.

You've not even given them 24 hours.
 

SRS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 30, 2012
847
347
South Coast
I gave them chance on the phone, i find it hard to believe that its just my bike they don't have a Manual/operation instructions for, ok some of it may be common sense with assembly, but not ever owning a e bike and one with suspension etc it would have been handy. Four times i was put on hold, while they looked into the chain guard, they didn't at first seem to know what the broken part was, in the end they did grasp what i was complaining about, its the total lack of interest that got me, and asking me to email them a photo of the broken piece is totally unbelievable,they really gave me the impression they were not really interested. Hell it was only delivered at 11.45 am today and i phoned them with my questions about 2..45. Its not looking good so far. I have reluctantly sent them a couple of photos now, i dont see why they wanted them, its like they don't believe me. I have also reminded them about the sale of goods act and should i not be happy i will want a full refund
denwyn

The tone of your post says it all. If I had made a call to any supplier in the tone of your email, I'd expect the phone to hung up.

Its a perfectly reasonable request to ask for a photo to assist. Sounds to me as if you did not want to assist at all and remained defensive. Only my opinion.

Next time, order a pram and rattle instead of a bike.
 
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ray74

Pedelecer
Sep 2, 2013
118
16
Hi denwyn. I'm also a newbie but not got my bike yet, I can understand where your coming from with receiving something new and it turning up damaged. It does spoil the new owner experience but you do still have your statutory rights if all else fails. I hope it doesn't come down to that and it all gets resolved very quickly and easily for you but its there if you need it.

The handbook would be good for someone that's new to a product so they can get familiar to it. With the bike/bikes I'm looking at I have downloads the manuals first from there websites and had a good look through them to help me with my decision on what one to go for. I'm sure there must be some kind of manual/instructions that can be downloaded somewhere. Or maybe some of the more experienced e-bikers on here could help find them for you.

I must admit you've done better than me, if I received my bike and it was damaged I would probably still go out on it to give a good test.

From what I've seen, kudos is a respectful company and been around a while now so in sure they will help you out ASAP. I hope it all gets sorted quickly for you.
 

denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
Send it back, pay £400 more and get something else.

If you're not happy now, you're not going to be. Pay the extra few hundred quid and get something you're happy with.

You've not even given them 24 hours.
I may well do this,looking at there returns conditions, I have to pay return carriage costs,and they wont refund if the bikes been assembled. Grrrr : /
 

Sacko

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2011
281
13
That's standard DSR, you have to pay return. It's only £25.

Dis-assemble it, who's going to know.

Those conditions are there own, not the official DSR.
 
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denwyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2013
414
41
Your so wrong,I phoned up and very politely said that the handbook / tools were missing and the chain guard was damaged, at that point I was OK about it,expecting them to resolve the small problems over the phone. I was put on hold four times while the Kudos person kept going to ask questions about the problems, they were very vague with the answers, when I quoted to them that they say all bikes are delivered with handbook / instructions and toolkit, they hesitated then said oh not my bike. Why couldn't they just replace the rear part of the chain guard, its not as if it's expensive,I'm sorry but to ask for a picture to be emailed to them is a disgrace. Yes I am angry now, but I was not during the phone call,I did point out I wasn't happy with the requiring a picture,and was a bit unhappy with there after
service,wouldn't you. I will give them tomorrow to get back to me, it could be a blip,but I'm very disapointed in there lack of interest.
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,311
Sending it back seems rather an extreme and expensive reaction to a broken bit of plastic.

Any way to make it usable until a replacement arrives?

There's not much on a bicycle that can't be fixed with bodge tape and a few cable ties.

Or remove it altogether and tuck your right trouser leg into your sock.
 

ray74

Pedelecer
Sep 2, 2013
118
16
Kudos Dave posted this on one of my threads and thought it might help.

"Kudos send all our bikes out foc,we realise there are parts of the UK where trying these bikes is difficult-so we have a current offer of delivering any bike foc,if you don't like it we will,inside one week, collect the bike for £25 cost provided the bike is still in as new condition-it would obviously be sensible to try to focus on the right bike before we despatch."

Plus you have 14 days money back guarantee on anything you buy wether it be via the internet or over the phone but like I said before I hope it doesn't come to that.