Originally Posted by
profstack
Did you buy the Dual-Drive from the Portland importer? I've been there and test rode one of their Connect-Pro models. The folk seemed like top-shelf people with a good attitude about the business.
All bicycles need regular maintenance, which includes checking fastenings periodically. But your situation seems very unusual. You could get the refund and buy one of many other bikes.
I eventually bought a 2012 Ohm Urban U700, with Bionx 350W motor and 355 WH battery capacity. In Seattle that means about 25 miles per charge with the hills I have to negotiate each way on the commute. On level ground or longer rides it gets over 40 miles per charge. It is priced a little less than your Dual-Drive (which I was very interested in, btw). The Ohm is a very well-thought out design and extremely comfortable to ride. The motor is nearly silent. The Ohms are made (assembled) in Canada. I'm very happy with the bike.
It's a Dual Drive. Which is an amazing bike. But I met with the owner today and it turns out that the reason for the weirdness in this interaction is that it isn't a bike shop. Bike importer is more accurate. Or distributor. He's going to help me out, but long term I need to think about wheel strength and the possible stress someone with my size and power could put on an electric bike's wheel. It's a testament to the quality of the product that I'm still dealing with a company that isn't a bike shop as much as it's an investment. This world is so weird sometimes. Makes me lose faith a bit in the future of electric bikes as a viable product to the mass market.