Got a call from a local Moncton man last week, he purchased a Townie Go from Mike's Bike Shop..
http://mikesbikeshop.ca/product/electra-townie-go-196494-1.htm
Nice bike, i got to check it out first hand and had a quick test ride, PAS only ( no throttle ) and a 2 speed electrically shifted pedal gear hi/low with the SRAM e-matic product :
https://www.sram.com/sram/urban/products/sram-e-matic
But, here comes the rub .... while picking up a few things from the local grocery store with his bike, his charger got stolen... bike was locked but saddle bags were vulnerable.. now WHY THE HELL would any idiot steal a damn charger.. beyond reason but it is what it is.
Regardless of how it happened.. the man needs a new charger !..
Simple .. right ?
oh no.. not simple at all it seems.. after multiple calls.. and weeks of waiting.. nothing from LBS..
He tried calling SRAM directly, who told him they do not deal with end users, he should talk to his local distributor... he tried calling Townie who told him they use the SRAM kit on their bikes, but they know nothing about it.. got no parts.. etc.. blah blah blah.. excuses and no solutions.
Imagine the frustration. paying 3000$ for an ebike and getting nothing but warm air....
Rub no.2 .. SRAM has made this pack proprietary to an extent, a generic 36v charger will not work because they use a 3 pin plug ( not XLR or RCA or any standard ebike run of the mill hookup ) that has a 3rd wire to enable charge somehow.
This, folks, is one major reason ebikes are not thriving in our local bike shops. .... unreal.
http://mikesbikeshop.ca/product/electra-townie-go-196494-1.htm
Nice bike, i got to check it out first hand and had a quick test ride, PAS only ( no throttle ) and a 2 speed electrically shifted pedal gear hi/low with the SRAM e-matic product :
https://www.sram.com/sram/urban/products/sram-e-matic
But, here comes the rub .... while picking up a few things from the local grocery store with his bike, his charger got stolen... bike was locked but saddle bags were vulnerable.. now WHY THE HELL would any idiot steal a damn charger.. beyond reason but it is what it is.
Regardless of how it happened.. the man needs a new charger !..
Simple .. right ?
oh no.. not simple at all it seems.. after multiple calls.. and weeks of waiting.. nothing from LBS..
He tried calling SRAM directly, who told him they do not deal with end users, he should talk to his local distributor... he tried calling Townie who told him they use the SRAM kit on their bikes, but they know nothing about it.. got no parts.. etc.. blah blah blah.. excuses and no solutions.
Imagine the frustration. paying 3000$ for an ebike and getting nothing but warm air....
Rub no.2 .. SRAM has made this pack proprietary to an extent, a generic 36v charger will not work because they use a 3 pin plug ( not XLR or RCA or any standard ebike run of the mill hookup ) that has a 3rd wire to enable charge somehow.
This, folks, is one major reason ebikes are not thriving in our local bike shops. .... unreal.