gofog

Good day.

Just would like to warn everybody about a potential scam.

A month ago, I ordered 2 FlexLocks on flexlock.bike for $193 with shipping.
(Frank Allen, Inventor/CEO FlexLock LLC)

After 5 days of waiting contacted the seller requesting a status of my order and received the response: "No worries. Should ship within 2 weeks. Will update you accordingly."
In 3 weeks sent two requests again. Received another response: "My apologies, but, there is, indeed, a problem - I've run out of inventory. Worse, it'll be 2-3 weeks before your FlexLocks will ship. If this is disappointing news, we understand and are happy to issue a refund"
Requested immediate full refund and received Frank's reply: "Hey, Your refund will be issued today" (7 days ago).
No refund "today", tomorrow or a week later. Contacted him again via PayPal resolution center - no response.
Escalated the claim to PayPal.
Waiting for the resolution until May 20th.

I should be more suspicious especially after looking at his naive promotional YouTube videos.

cb400bill

Thread moved manufacturer-retailer-survey-consumer-feedback forum.

gofog

Thank you cb400bill.
Sorry, just was not sure where to post it.

gofog

Just update.

Today PayPal refunded a full amount.
The "seller" (actually, Scammer) did not respond to the claim.
Furthermore, today I received a security alert ("unrecognized device attempted to log in to the account") from PayPal when tried to log in.

PayPal will investigate this fraudulent activity.

s21.postimg.org/x6hpjjkav/Flex_Lock-_Scam.jpg

2_i 

Sorry for you and Paypal. Thanks for the warning.

FlexLockInventr

Frank Allen, Inventor and CEO of FlexLock here to say Patented FlexLock is NOT a scam.

Just the opposite - it's the only live US bicycle lock patent, it's impervious to the top 5 theft methods, weighs less than 3 lbs, and it'll hold battery-tool losers in place well beyond their safety window. It's also the only bike lock made in the USA. 100% money back guarantee and, if some scumbag does manage to steal a FlexLock-ed bike, I'll buy ya a better one (minor restrictions apply - bikes must be registered somewhere, theft reported to police.)

That said, we're a 'start-up' company - and, naturally, there are growing pains. And, clearly, one pain has been our accounting department. However, that pain has since been alleviated. And every customer who suffered because of our fumble will be receiving full refunds as well as a complimentary FlexLock.

Flexlock.bike

gofog

Frank,

I can clearly understand all of your 'start-up''s problems but one thing just can't be acceptable: total neglect to your potential customers. Over 1 month of useless waiting - not shipped item, no refund, keeping silence in the PayPal messaging center (check s21.postimg.org/x6hpjjkav/Flex_Lock-_Scam.jpg ) and even no one reply to the escalated claim, and finally, a full refund provided by PayPal (they actually forcedly charged back your PayPal account).

No time for communication? Too much work? "Bad accounting department"?
But it is your personal business and reputation that you started to ruin just within 1 month.
And even here you are trying promote your lock more than resolve the issue promptly just to save your business face.

I sincerely regret if you are a real domestic US business.

tyrion

I wouldn't spend $100 on a bike lock until it's undergone some 3rd party testing.

FlexLockInventr

As hard as it is for some to believe, sometimes an honest man makes an honest mistake.

Hopefully, future actions will speak louder than words and assuage all doubters.

gofog

100% agree.
And at that time, I decided to be this 3rd party to do real tests, especially, with an angle grinder
(nobody should trust any tests provided by manufacturers)


When one "honest man" makes several "honest mistakeS" it compromises his honesty.

So far, I received nothing except of words.
Let's wait for another recent attempt to resolve the issue - actually, your third written promise sent to my email (the previous two were easily broken):
"as soon as I'm restocked, your order for 2 FlexLocks will be fulfilled free of charge".


Will inform you guys later.


p.s. at least, I expected the similar famous story happened with another "start-up" LiteLock, this manufacturer also provided very attractive tests....before meeting the reality (gone in 17 seconds - check YouTube)
It seems not at this time - nothing will be tested cuz nothing will be sent.

speshelite

Both parties look bad here. OP looks more than a little naive spending $200 on unproven products when very effective products at a fraction of the price are readily available.

The seller looks even worse. If he had the time to track down negative reviews, create an account and post multiple times here, he had enough time to personally fulfill your order free of charge. Yet he has not done so.

Instead, more hype and further unlikely to be fulfilled promises.

There's an increasingly long list of subpar kickstarter-funded bicycling accessories: the "oi" bell (sounds like a choir of angels singing); the upstand (easy to lose, flimsy, overpriced), stark ebikes (rebadged junk walmart bike with generic motor attached), now the infamous "flexlock." Let the buyer beware. Sheesh.

gofog

At least, not 100% naive - I was double protected by PayPal and my credit card.
I have Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500 and what? Am I satisfied with 3.5 lbs of attractive expensive links that could be easily cut by portable angle grinder in seconds or bolt cutters in 1-2 minutes (attack rivets after cleaning them from plastic cover)? No.

Someone should be the first to test these new unproven products, otherwise we'll get no progress anywhere.
Do you really want to ride with 3-6 lbs U-Locks, Link-Locks or Chains the rest of your life cuz they are just famous and "reliable"? Doubtfully...

speshelite

LOL, how can you test a lock you've never received and never will?

My kryptonite Ulock weighs 2.5 lbs. Well below the advertised 'under 3 lbs. weight' of this scamlock. My ulock came bundled with a cable that can loop both wheels very easily with a lot of room to spare. That adds about a pound. The scamlock can't lock either wheel, much less both. Total cost? $30. 3.5 lbs is a far cry from '6 pounds.' $30 is a far cry from $100. It's far more functional and far less expensive. It's also 'reliable' because it actually physically exists and it is in my possession which actually allows me to use the lock rather than just gnash my teeth and whine over the interwebz.

I'm not sympathetic at all. I just laugh at all of these people getting scammed with goofy overpriced products: upstand, glockenspiel bell, starkly absent from e-xistence e bike, scamlock, etc.

You were actually going to "test" these new unproven products? So you were going to take an angle grinder and bolt cutter to your locks?

gofog

Just kidding or trolling?
If not, you could enable some basic logic and reading at least the first post you will realize how:
at the first time, before ordering, I really expected to receive the locks to test one and keep another one or return - depends on the result of tests (>2 minutes uncut/unbroken by one method would be enough for me)

Good for you. Nobody "whines over the interwebz" here, my friend.
And nobody compares this nonexistent (at least for me) flexlock with your "reliable" ulock + "reliable" cable that actually could be also both "surprisingly" cut within few seconds.


Glad to know that you received such a positive emotion from this simple case.
Please do not worry. Actually, nobody was a victim here (double credit protection + expectable full refund + your positive emotions - a bit of my time to save others).
So, that was just a "red flag" for others and nothing else.

speshelite

Ha ha, yes, your posts do provide some 'positive emotions' mainly laughter.

Any lock can be defeated. My ulock and cable have protected all of my bikes successfully for the past 14 years. How's your flexlock working?

gofog

Oh, really? I am very "surprised". And who argues?
Just looking for a longer resisting lock.
But this topic is about a "red flag" related to FlexLock and nothing else - have you accidentally forgot about it or still looking for positive troll emotions?

This could mean only two obvious things (one or both at the same time):
1) your bike looks not attractive for thieves;
2) you still did not meet any real thief (living at quite/suburban/non-criminal location).
And for sure, this does not mean "reliability" of your combination (you're probably kidding again, considering a cable and light u-lock as a "reliable" stuff)

My??? Maybe Yours? Still trolling or completely lost any logic?

speshelite

You've already received a full refund so there could be no other reason for you to post this thread except to whine and beg for attention. This thread doesn't raise a "red flag" about flexlock: all it does is give the scammer a free opportunity to promote his product.

Believe it or not, owning and using a lock in the real world is actually more effective than a lock that only exists in a youtube video and in your imagination.

Anyway, good luck in your attempt to garner sympathy. No one knew about the product before so all you've done is provide free advertising for the scamlock. Hopefully no one will be as naive as you are, and even more so, less desperate for sympathy once they are ripped off like you were.

gofog

Presented white as black? Good job, my friend.
A wishful thinking is a kind of perverted mind. In addition, you are very inattentive. If you would able to read (and understand) at least the first post, you would probably notice that refund was not issued at the start of this thread. Furthermore, the full refund has been provided recently by PayPal but not the seller (they forcedly charged him).
So, that means either the seller is a scammer, or he has a very poor business management. In both cases, it is a big red flag for any man of sense. And after that, it is almost impossible to recover the business reputation, and successfully promote this product here or anywhere else cuz a yellow press scandal promotion that applies for pop stars and actors does not work in serious business sphere. If someone notices accidentally this lock on YouTube (like I did watching/comparing other locks tests), he/she will try google "flexlock bike" - and guess what will they find on the first page of Google? "FlexLock bike lock = scam - Bike Forums" - oh yeah, that is indeed a good "free opportunity to promote his product"...for some people with perverted logic.


It is not really necessary to repeat such obvious primitive things so many times unless you just want "to garner sympathy" being jealous to mine.

Best of luck to you too.


p.s.
The main goal of this thread is reached - people are warned about this scam or bad business.
Now, trying walking in Frank's shoes, if he is not a scammer and has a real but just very disorganized business (which is doubtfully after my case). I would change the brand/product and even owner's name, also website/local address and even look of the locks because the reputation is already ruined and it will take very long time and efforts for recovering under the old compromised name having this case in Google cash.

speshelite

Ha ha, still angry you got ripped off. No amount of typing on your part, whether 3 paragraphs or a hundred will make you look any less foolish. You just come across as a whiner, protecting your delicate ego on the internetz. Get over it. You got chumped and look silly. Move on with your life. No one cares. I just find your repeated rants lulzy. :-)

gofog

And being arrogant, you're still trying to read someone's mind?
No worries, everything will be ok, just have a rest.

FlexLockInventr

Cynical cyclists? I get it. Part of my mission is to also end all the ripoffs and gimmicks. Again, apologies if made in the USA (only lock made in America and the only live US bicycle lock patent) growing pains angered 1 Canadian. Also: all tests (and reviews) are 100% real, and if any scumbag manages to steal a FlexLock-ed bike, I'll buy ya a better one (as long as yer bike is registered somewhere and a police report is filed.)

Or, we formed a TX licensed LLC and invested over $50K to win the patent and 3 trademarks as part of an elaborate scam. Which is why I use my real name and pics, naturally. flexlock.bike

FlexLockInventr

BTW, the real bicycle lock scam, which I expose daily, is this:

Kryptonite is owned by a tax-avoiding Irish holding company. They manufacture nothing. Their $125 ubars are made in Asia and cost them $.50 each. Yes, fifty cents. Same with their chains, which no cyclist uses anyway, and useless cables, which cost them $.10. Their 'insurance' policy is a gimmick designed to never pay out. You cannot buy their product from their own website because they're too big to care. They have never invented a bicycle lock - the shackle was invented in the 1400s to secure criminals and witches, not bikes. And, if their antiquated generic junk worked, theft wouldn't be up 10-30%. Again.

The market has been glutted with hundreds of 'different' ubars and useless cables for decades, all literally produced from the same few foreign manufacturers, using the cheapest materials possible. FlexLock is not just about a better product on every level at a reasonable price, it's also about ridding the shelves of gouge-priced ripoffs that didn't work when grandpa was using them. And I have a plan designed to end the criminal pawn shop-stolen bicycle bull****, too.

gofog

Frank, nobody is "cynical" or "angered" here. Facts, just simple facts to protect others.
Good for you, if you satisfied your US customers but unintentionally....ok, if you don't like "scammed" let's say "disappointed" 1 Canadian.
From you, I received only words and nothing else, even the refund was forcedly provided by PayPal.

"Nothing personal, it's just business" (and so far, yours is very poorly organized - a proven fact)
If you need to promote your flexlock please use your own thread.
Here you just proceed to bury your reputation.

p.s. Dear Admin & Moderators, is there an option to remove that promotional posts?

tyrion

You should delete/modify your post before it generates more ill will. It sounds petty and the points are fairly moot.

Rollfast

EVERYONE: This is a shouting match now...please stop it. You aren't going to solve a THING in this thread.

Remember to read this thread before you post threads in this forum. It may help you greatly and prevent friction or even trolling.

https://www.bikeforums.net/manufactur...ack-forum.html

Our late, beloved leader was also very wise.