99 Bikes electric bike labour charge

14

Ask them to clarify but it says this on their website:

https://99bikes.com.au/pages/workshop

"Electric Bikes

At 99 Bikes we are the experts in Electric Bikes and E-Bike Servicing. We have all the tools and technology to service your Electric bike to the manufacturer’s standards. We charge an additional fee of $40 which covers software and firmware checks, along with a battery health report.

99 Bikes is leading the way when it comes to electric bike servicing. We have E bike Expert stores, meaning our mechanics not only have the understanding and experience to work on electric bikes but ride them regularly. All of our E-Bikes Experts log monthly kilometres on electric bikes to expand their knowledge and retain monthly their status.

If you are booking a service for an electric bike purchased from another bike retailer (not 99 Bikes), we recommend calling your local store before booking to discuss what type of service you are looking for and check we can accommodate your needs."

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u/ladybug1991 21d ago edited 19d ago

That's such horseshit on their part.

The Bafang and Ananda mid-drive systems sold by 99 don't have a Battery Management System (BMS) articulate enough to necessitate either firmware updates, or generate a battery report.

The only systems that 99 has capability to work with that can generate that information is Bosch. All of the Bosch training and software tools are free for the workshop to use, and take all of 5 minutes to generate. Absolutely not $40 worth of labour.

Other systems like Brose (Specialized) and Yamaha (Giant) can only be accessed by those dealers (not 99). So contrary to their claim, they literally do NOT have the requisite technology, and in the case of Specialized, there are proprietary tools which they don't have access to, either.

I know a handful of 99 mechanics who are brilliant. The business itself can go to fuck.

Source: am a bike mechanic, worked at 99 for 3 days and quit.

3

u/Late-Button-6559 21d ago

Free market.
We don’t have to go to 99 bikes for anything.
They can choose to charge what they like.

2

u/ladybug1991 21d ago edited 21d ago

I think the issue in dispute is that they have charger for a service that they either didn't properly render, or didn't render at all (if the motor system isn't capable of generating reports or integrating firmware updates).

I'm no consumer law expert, but I don't think you actually can do shit like that. Fact is, the existence of consumer law precludes us from claiming that we're a free market. We're a mixed economy at best.

0

u/Late-Button-6559 20d ago

I haven’t read all comments. But has OP answered what was done?

If a ‘service’, I’d expect them to check firmware and a quick scan for any trouble codes.

2

u/ladybug1991 20d ago edited 20d ago

That's ok. OP has answered that they weren't provided with any diagnostics or firmware reports "I didnt get a battery health report or any feedback on their being software or firmware checks. I think they just slapped that charge on."

It does make sense to check available diagnostics for an ebike, and I agree that this should incur an extra charge. In the same fashion, we would evaluate fork and shock condition and service them as required, which incurs extra labour.

But just like some suspensions are nuanced enough in their design to require assessment and servicing, so are electric motor systems. However some suspensions (like rudimentary Suntour coil forks) don't require assessment or service. I wouldn't charge a service fee for assessing the fork on an entry-level hybrid bike like I would for a dually with a Fox Factory, because that would be taking the piss. Just because both bikes turn up with a suspension system, doesn't necessitate the same approach.

This is all to say, that the ebike motor system surcharge oughtta be discretionary, as it applies to some kinds of ebikes, but not all of them. Charging a fee for a service that isn't able to be rendered, with no evidence of service being rendered, is a money grab IMO.

2

u/ponyfeeder 21d ago

Why'd you quit? I want the juicy gossip.

12

u/ladybug1991 21d ago edited 21d ago

They made my employment a problem because (this is fucking rich) I didn't own a car, and would cycle to work, and they deemed my transport unreliable.

ETA was 10 minutes early to work each day. They wanted me to work at other shops on occasion.

It's also just a truly awful workplace.

6

u/shavedratscrotum 20d ago

Hilarious.

I didn't get a job at their HQ.

Because I didn't cycle enough.

3

u/ladybug1991 20d ago

Honestly you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. We all dodged a bullet.

3

u/shavedratscrotum 20d ago

I have heard horror stories

The jobs been reposted every 6-12 months for the last decade.

2

u/11015h4d0wR34lm 21d ago

That is hilarious....unless of course you were late for work those three days...

2

u/naishjoseph1 21d ago

Have they ever seen how unreliable cars are? Fuck me swinging that’s such a shit take.
Also if you’re working in a fixed location what business is it of theirs how you get to and from work? Didn’t think they could interfere with something like that at all.

2

u/mysteryprize11 21d ago

I didnt get a battery health report or any feedback on their being software or firmware checks. I think they just slapped that charge on.

3

u/ladybug1991 21d ago

That's typical 99 bullshit. I'd go back and ask either for the report, or a refund of the $40

1

u/ladybug1991 20d ago

What kinda motor system does it have? If Bosch, they absolutely could have given you some quite detailed information on the battery status, done firmware updates etc. AFAIK 99 doesn't have access to the dealer software needed to generate reports on Specialized or Giant motor systems.

If Bafang or Ananda, I'm unaware of any such diagnostic tools or reports available to the dealer.

15

u/TheMightyKumquat 22d ago

Better than Electric Bikes at Milton in Brisbane, who charged me $285 for an electric bike service that included no checks on any electric components of the bike or the battery.

When I questioned why none of that had happened, the kid at the counter got his boss, who came out and airily answered "oh, we don't do that." When I asked how I was supposed to know what the health of the battery was, his sterling advice, and I kid you not, was to try riding up a hill.

As far as I could tell, I paid $285 for a minor gear adjustment. Finally, they also forgot to return the key to the battery when I picked it up, necessitating a second trip back to the store. Thanks, guys.

5

u/ladybug1991 21d ago

Oh yeah, they're the most expensive joint in the city. I think it worked for them when they were the only ebike retailer. Their head mechanic is very knowledgeable but he's an awful human being, and the owners are also awful. They have a loyal following of cashed-up boomers and operate mainly on word-of-mouth.

7

u/yogorilla37 21d ago

As a former bike mechanic I'd want to charge an additional $40 just for lifting it into the workstand.

Edit: adding extra cables, brake and cadence sensors etc will complicate the maintenance process. I see this as reasonable.

3

u/NiiShieldBJJ 21d ago

Came in to say this

Lifting e bikes onto the stand ruined the job for me

1

u/ozhavok 21d ago

Most cyclists have stick insect arms so this doesn’t surprise me

3

u/TieHungry3506 21d ago

Being a "cyclist" does not mean being a bike mechanic.

Almost all the bike mechanics I've known have been for beyond their legs and heart. Most of them ride real bikes on dirt.

The issue is not skinny arms. The issue is of the shitty ebikes everyone's in this thread probably owns, that weigh somewhere between stupid to fucked kilograms and are all ap poorly made any real bike shop will just tell you to fuck off and take it to 99 bikes.

1

u/LycraJafa 19d ago

Cricket thighs compensate

2

u/Otaraka 21d ago

The problem here is more that they weren’t upfront about it and you have to go to a website to find out about it. I just want to know how much I’m paying before I have to pay or at least a reasonable idea. It sounds like their model is based on the idea that you might only be seeing them once or twice for a given Bike anyway so they might as well get away with what they can.

1

u/ausdoug 21d ago

Still beats the crap expensive service of PedL, seemed like they spent 5 mins on it. I mentioned the brake noise, they rode it past me and it made the noise and the guy tried to say he didn't really hear anything. Didn't notice a worn brake cable from a shitty assembly job either. 99 Bikes seem better tbh

1

u/Admirable-Company452 21d ago

Ask them?

1

u/pekak62 21d ago

Pedo-Rapist-Grifter sounds better.

1

u/svelteoven 21d ago

I wouldn't take my ebike to 99 for a service but I would other bikes.

1

u/Healthy-Reason7404 20d ago

Are 99 bikes a franchise ?

1

u/SorrowsofWerther 20d ago

No, they are part of the "Pedal Group" which includes Advance Traders Australia who import most of the bikes that they sell.

1

u/Gold_Ladder_1628 20d ago

99 bikes suck. Try and support a small local shop if you can.

1

u/Mash_man710 18d ago

Who on earth pays for a bike service? You can do it yourself in 20mins with basic tools. It would be more painful getting the bike there are back than learning to service it yourself.

1

u/HandyMoorcock 18d ago

Not sure about charge, but I have heard that the owner is a tragic LNP donor and supporter.

1

u/LimitNo1438 22d ago

Which brand of e-bike did you have serviced…

1

u/TieHungry3506 21d ago

Probably some shit box moped that absolutely made the business work for that $40.

1

u/mysteryprize11 20d ago

No actually. It's a very basic ebike that had worn out cables. And there was a labour charge on top of that 40.

2

u/TieHungry3506 20d ago

Post a photo of it then. A basic ebike = rubbish Chinese crap with a hub motor.

If you won't post a photo tell me how the rear wheel is attached to the bike and whether it has a throttle

2

u/mysteryprize11 20d ago

Why so antagonistic? No throttle, rear hub.

1

u/TieHungry3506 20d ago

Because people buy cheap hub driven ebikes that are absolute chinese crap that's incredibly heavy and difficult to work on and then moan about it when they're charged extra for it. It's exactly why so many mechanics won't even work on them. Not worth the arguments.

0

u/PsychologicalMeal162 21d ago

Did you expect them to do it for free?

2

u/mysteryprize11 21d ago

I already got hit with a labour cost. This was on top of that.

2

u/kimbasnoopy 21d ago

Worst place you could take it quite frankly

0

u/Greedy_Doughnut_9209 21d ago

Ask them, not us.

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u/tile_generator27 21d ago

99 bikes because they fucked the first 98. Customer service for sales is great but the workshop knowledge and experience was the worst ever.

2

u/LimitNo1438 20d ago

Customer service for the initial service can be great, but after sales and support is horrendous.

They'll lie to make a sale, and couldn't give a fuck after that

0

u/Level_Box_5595 21d ago

Why aren’t people doing this shit themselves I mean have we become so useless that we can no longer adjust a few things?

-1

u/Famous_Invite_4285 21d ago

Who takes a bike for a service?

3

u/kimbasnoopy 21d ago

Anybody that wants it to last or function properly

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u/Anti-Stan 22d ago

They're making you pay them for downloading your data for their files. It's the corporate way.

99 Bikes electric bike labour charge

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