Warning: Wisper on eBay ... not actually a Wisper ?

[daniel.weck]

WISPER 905 ELECTRIC BIKE on eBay (end time 20-Sep-09 11:41:11 BST)

EDIT -- I thought my question was clear. Let me rephrase:

(1) The bike is advertised as a Wisper.
(2) The seller says "This bike is similar to the 36 volt powered shimano 7 speed wisper se sport...".
(3) The frame doesn't look like the current Wisper ones, and I have personally seen this frame in other cheap Chinese e-bikes.

Bottom line: is this bike really a Wisper ? If not, then the eBay auction should be reported.

Cheers, Dan

 

[keithhazel]

The frame on the photo provided by the FleeBay seller doesn't quite match the looks of a Wisper, are my doubts founded ?

WISPER 905 ELECTRIC BIKE on eBay (end time 20-Sep-09 11:41:11 BST)

"This bike is similar to the 36 volt powered shimano 7 speed wisper se sport..."

Cheers, Dan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

which doubts do you have Dan,the seller says as you have pasted that its "similar" to a Wisper.....are you doubting its "similar" ?

 

[Mussels]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

which doubts do you have Dan,the seller says as you have pasted that its "similar" to a Wisper.....are you doubting its "similar" ?

It's deliberately misleading. Similar to a 36V 905 with Shimano gears, does that mean it has Shimano gears or not and what voltage is it?
At least he has been honest and said the battery is knackered.

 

[daniel.weck]

I thought my question was clear. Let me rephrase:

(1) The bike is advertised as a Wisper.
(2) The seller says "This bike is similar to the 36 volt powered shimano 7 speed wisper se sport...".
(3) The frame doesn't look like the current Wisper ones, and I have personally seen this frame in other cheap Chinese e-bikes.

Bottom line: is this bike a Wisper ? If not, then the eBay auction should be reported.

Cheers, Dan

 

[720 Cycles]

Obviously not a Wisper

This can be reported to E Bay under the Vero scheme and its also misleading.

 

[daniel.weck]

This can be reported to E Bay under the Vero scheme and its also misleading.

I posted on this forum and at the same time I sent an email to David the director of Wisper bikes. He'll probably see to it.

 

[keithhazel]

I posted on this forum and at the same time I sent an email to David the director of Wisper bikes. He'll probably see to it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
while spending all that time sending them two e-mails maybe if you sent one to the seller he would have altered his listing to the correct description, as i mentioned in my first reply he does state that its "similar" to a wisper....which it is, but yes he should NOT have first advertised it as a wisper in the headline,i believe he is just an inexperienced seller, my outlook is ....."i ask questions first and then shoot if guilty"....

 

[daniel.weck]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
while spending all that time sending them two e-mails maybe if you sent one to the seller he would have altered his listing to the correct description, as i mentioned in my first reply he does state that its "similar" to a wisper....which it is, but yes he should NOT have first advertised it as a wisper in the headline,i believe he is just an inexperienced seller, my outlook is ....."i ask questions first and then shoot if guilty"....

It doesn't take me long to send a couple of emails
I was unsure whether this e-bike was a genuine Wisper or not, thus why I asked here.

 

[keithhazel]

as it doesnt take you long to send e-mails a third one to the seller maybe..

i think the seller answered your query about it being a "real wisper or not" when he said "its similar" "to a wisper"..... i think he just wrongly used the headline "wisper" (wrongly and one of your quick e-mails would have been useful) to grab your attention.....which obviously worked....

having trawled the e-bay adverts myself i can tell you a vast percentage of them are either wrongly advertised or illegal machines....im not very quick at e-mails myself.. ..so i didnt bother

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks Dan!

Thanks Dan for your help.

I have written to the seller asking him to change the tittle of the Auction, I think he is clear that this is not a Wisper, which of course it isn't! His description is misleading, is it a 36V battery? Are the gears Shimano?

I would hate to think any one would by this as a genuine Wisper, I know the frame and it is one of the worst copies out there! (There are a few )

If he has not changed the name by this evening I will have to report it to Ebay, but he probably was not being malicious so I have given him the opportunity to come clean before I do.

Thanks again Dan for bringing this matter to my attention.

Regards David

 

[daniel.weck]

You're welcome. Yes, the frame is not uncommon. I spotted this one not long ago here (30kg behemoth):

LECK-E-BIKE | Electric Battery Powered Bike - Model: Alpha

 

[Wisper Bikes]

31kg Copy

Thanks yes I know this 30=kg monster, it is made by Cycleman, we have had people from all over the world contact us with problems thinking it was a Wisper. Now we ask for frame numbers before we offer advice to individuals, we were wasting so much time on them.

It still amazes me just how far you can reduce specs to get down to such low prices, even in our range we have the 905eco at £999 and the 906xc Tourer at £2399, the bikes look similar but are completely different.



xc Tourer



Eco

All the best David

 

[Bigbee]

Did you have connections with them David?Or did they just start making a similar bike?

I assume if the frame is unique to Wisper then it has been patented?If not theres not much you can do as long as they are not being " passed off ".Of the several simliar bikes Ive seen,I have not seen a Wisper connection to their sales and marketing.On the other hand,I havent spent much time looking for them so I may of missed some thing!

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Passing off

Hi Bigbee

Yes there was a connection, the guy who started the copy was a sales rep at one of the factories we worked with in the early days, he liked the idea and pinched it!

We don't have a patent unfortunately, but do have a design registration but as these frames actually are quite different to ours we are stuck. However even if we had a patent I wouldn't bother wasting time and money on them, the bikes are so inferior that they are not really in the same market as Wisper bikes. Eventually they will stop!

We have new designs on the drawing board, the way to deal with this kind of flattery is to offer good value for money, good service, good products and always be one step ahead.

All the best David

 

[Alex728]

I actually saw a young lady riding one of these Wisper clones in Ipswich a few weeks ago - whilst it has a curved frame I could tell there was something "odd" about it and it didn't look anywhere as aesthetically pleasing as a real Wisper. The lady wasn't bad looking though and I thought it was a pity she had been duped like that, although it does seem a fair few people here are buying (and riding) low-end e-bikes sold by ebay/mail order (I am seeing an e-bike on the streets every few days now, but mostly cheap Chinese imports)

Maybe though its for the reasons I already mentioned, we can't easily buy the better ones in this region. A shame as British businesses are potentially losing out on a lot of sales here..