Sondors bike crowdfunding on indiegogo

[rusky]

Just seen this via a friend on FB.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sondors-electric-bike

Looks interesting apart from the potential shipping!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There's a massive thread on Endless-sphere about it. It'll be interesting to see how many get their bikes and what they get,

 

[D8ve]

It's cheap and outperforms any other bike made.
It breaks the laws of physics as we understand.

It's a great way to get a lot of money from investors.
I wish I had thought of it. Please send cheques to my Nigerian bank account.

Just my quick assessment.

 

[SteveRuss]

Personally, i'm not a big one on those fat tyres but I suspect they would be a hit with certain types. Quotes like the following one though put me right off.

Battery Life. With a max power of 350W and nominal voltage of 36V, storm uses professional battery combination technology

What the hell does Professional Battery Combination Technology mean? Sheesh..

 

[flecc]

What the hell does Professional Battery Combination Technology mean? Sheesh..

The person who connected the cells knew what he was doing?
.

 

[mike killay]

But not the person writing the blurb.

 

[halfer]

I'm all in favour of affordable bikes, but if you take off 300USD for the electrics (minimum?) then that leaves you with a 300USD bike. Generally a bike for that price can't be built with half-decent components, so...

 

[trex]

the main criticism is about the claimed range of 50 miles, 20mph with a 36V 9AH battery.

 

[halfer]

the main criticism is about the claimed range of 50 miles, 20mph with a 36V 9AH battery.

Hmm, yes. I should think that will be possible one day, given a light enough frame/battery. But this one comes in at 25kg or thereabouts (55 pounds), and I should imagine it'll take a very expensive bike to achieve the necessary weight and mechanical efficiencies.

I didn't notice first time around it's a fixie - I guess that would save on costs.

The 20mph speed is interesting - and they say it is street legal (by quoting US law). As per various past discussions on this forum, import and use in Europe/UK at your own risk

Still... I want it to work out for them, and their funding should allow them to have a good go!

 

[trex]

the bike will be shipped from China as a perk, you have to pay freight, clearance, import duty and VAT yourself. Because it's a gift, not a sale, you are not protected by any law, you can't complain if you think it's not what you've been promised. You can't take anyone to Court, not even a Chinese Court. There is no guarantee and can't send it back. These things are not spelt out to the customers. Another criticism, they sell you a separate moneyback insurance against non delivery. If you add these things altogether ($500 bike + $200 freight + $125 insurance about £550 ex VAT + £33 duty + £117 VAT = £700.
Just as well spend £799 on a Big Bear.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The bike would be able to do everything that's claimed (that's if you get one), but only one of them at a time. It will be able to do 50 miles if you turn the power down or off. It'll do 20mph downhill or with the wind behind you. It might even reach 100mph if you chuck it off Beachy Head.

With $3 million to order bikes from China, they should be able to get the price lower than the Cyclamatic and still make a good profit, but I bet they start filtering off and wasting the money so that many people don't get their bikes.

There's some interesting info about Storm (Ivars) Sonders here:

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1005806&display_history=true

 

[halfer]

Yes Trex, I've always been nervous about long-distance support. It seems to be working out fine for my KTM, but that's only because the UK has a network of Bosch service centres.

It can be tricky enough getting return-to-base support in the same country, but if the manufacturer is in China and the seller is in the US? I think one would be stuck with do-it-yourself using internet advice, or taking it to a competent e-bike shop in the UK. In either case you'd have to hope that mail-order electronic components can be made to work.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I was talking to Ebikes Direct at the Cycle show. They stock just about every brand. They have an easy return to base system as long as you keep the box. Their box is larger than the ones the manufacturer uses, so you only have to turn the handlebars 90 deg and drop it in. No removing wheels and pedals, etc IIUC. The collection and redelivery is free. They also can do servicing outside the warranty period using the same system, but you have to pay for collection. That shipping cost would be low because of the quantity of bikes they ship.

I can't understand why we don't hear more about them on this forum. They ship thousands of bikes. They must be the largest ebike retailer by a country mile and they guarantee the lowest price.

http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/

 

[flecc]

I was talking to Ebikes Direct at the Cycle show. They stock just about every brand. They have an easy return to base system as long as you keep the box. Their box is larger than the ones the manufacturer uses, so you only have to turn the handlebars 90 deg and drop it in. No removing wheels and pedals, etc IIUC. The collection and redelivery is free. They also can do servicing outside the warranty period using the same system, but you have to pay for collection. That shipping cost would be low because of the quantity of bikes they ship.

I can't understand why we don't hear more about them on this forum. They ship thousands of bikes. They must be the largest ebike retailer by a country mile and they guarantee the lowest price.

http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/

Despite their large range, I think the lack of mentions is due to them not having certain brands which are crucial relative to this forum, Kalkhoff, Woosh and eZee most obviously.
.

 

[trex]

I always take a pinch of salt with the word 'thousands' - the UK market is very small, if you tot up the likely market share of the 12 or so advertisers on here, it's more than half that number already and don't forget ebay, amazon and tesco. Col's KTM alone accounts for nearly 2,000 e-bikes a year.

 

[EddiePJ]

http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/

Only 20 miles from me door to door, and I've never even heard of them.

 

[trex]

PBCT

what's it?

 

[EddiePJ]

what's it?

Didn't realise that was still there.

You mean you don't know what PBCT is?
Shame on you, it's Professional Battery Combination Technology


.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

ABCT is more fun.

 

[DAJ]

Met a Sondors original owner today, he did the crowd funding thing two years ago and has had the bike for a year now. Really wishing I took a picture of his bright yellow fat bike, it looked great! With import duty it cost him £500 apparently.