Berkshire Cycles, bike preparation for delivery to customers.

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Was really cool to catch up with these guys and see exactly what they do to prepare their bikes before they go out to their customers. There are quite a few bits that Chris and the team do to the bikes including a couple of small changes to the cable routing. Great to see dealers going the extra mile.

Hope you like the behind the scenes look at what they do.

 

[davegixer]

Another interesting vid Rob. Good to see a respected dealer praising Specialized for their after-sales service; this is why I have owned Specialized for 2 decades.

 

[Dusty]

Great video @Rob Hancill have you a link to their actual shop had a quick search there's a few according to Google.
Am assuming the man in the vid is the owner? Would defo like to deal with him even if I did have a long journey.
He mentioned the 2019 models in the vid and said they still haven't corporated their way of securing the wire .....i wonder if he was on about the new levo too. Which would get me thinking it won't be the brose mag motor or am I just adding fuel to a very hot fire ???

 

[njn]

Sounds like Specialized has some manufacturing problems with so many motor replacements.

Also, I don't like the idea of a shop taking apart a factory fresh bike. That being said, thanks for the video and insight behind the scenes of a shop.

 

[Levo_+_Hope]

Sounds like Specialized has some manufacturing problems with so many motor replacements.

Also, I don't like the idea of a shop taking apart a factory fresh bike. That being said, thanks for the video and insight behind the scenes of a shop.

Why don’t you like the idea of the bike being improved from factory?

 

[dfkenevo]

Why don’t you like the idea of the bike being improved from factory?

I do build bikes for a bike shop. This is the normal thing to do before the bike gets to the final costumer. You should appreciate all the extra work that is invested on the bike before gets to the costumer. Don’t assume because it comes from factory every thing will be perfectly adjusted , greased and tied so it doesn’t hurt to double check and improve things if it’s possible.

 

[davegixer]

so many motor replacements.

"So many".
So much exaggerating on this forum to bash Specialized.

 

[Doomanic]

so many motor replacements.

"So many".
So much exaggerating on this forum to bash Specialized.

Where is all this Spesh bashing, or are you exaggerating?

 

[davegixer]

Where is all this Spesh bashing, or are you exaggerating?

Haha, when in Rome

 

[Al Boneta]

Sounds like Specialized has some manufacturing problems with so many motor replacements.

Also, I don't like the idea of a shop taking apart a factory fresh bike. That being said, thanks for the video and insight behind the scenes of a shop.

I haven’t replaced as many motors as this shop owner, it’s only been four out of over 100, but I am probably not doing anywhere near the volume he is.
He also explained why they were replacing motors, mostly poor maintenance on the part of the bike owners.
There was a thread on here a few weeks ago where people were talking about which power washer they recommended to use to clean their bikes.
The motor bearings corrode and the motor makes noise and Specialized still replaces them no questions asked.
I have never replaced a Yamaha motor in a Giant, but I only sold 4 of those in 2 years and just replaced our first Shimano E8000 Motor today in a Pivot we didn’t even sell, to help a customer who has bought two Levos from us in the past.
As for taking apart a factory fresh bike, this is what bike shops do to make sure the bike works perfectly and to ensure the safety of the rider.
This level of service is lost on our online sale culture and as more shops close because they cannot compete, this will become an abstract concept to most consumers
For example
We use heavier grade nylock nuts and lock washers for the motor mounts on every Levo that rolls out our door. Why? Because the factory nuts can come loose and they don’t hold proper torque spec from the factory.

We bleed the brakes on every hydraulic disc brake that comes on every complete bike we sell to ensure proper operation and increase reliability.

We want our customers to have the best performance they can out of their brand new bike and we also want to make sure they are safe.

Berkshire is an amazing shop with great attention to detail and I will be going over this video with my staff in the morning to make sure they all perform to the same or better standards

 

[Re-Cycle]

I appreciate the extra work a good bikeshop does to deliver a bike. But I also think that the bike manufacturer should be the one to do that.

Specialized makes good bikes, but they ask a price for it. When I get way better components on some other brands for the same price I at least expect a Specialized to be delivered in perfect condition, not with mounting bolts that require upgrading by a shop or brakes that have to be bled properly.
Because not every shop will do that, only the better ones...

 

[ccrdave]

excellent stuff I will be taking our bikes there when its time for a full service
just to note though there are some slight differences between the 1.2 and 1.3 motors, for instance, the power plug pinouts are different and some internal components are different, nothing that would stop you fitting a 1.3 in place of a 1.2 though
and spesh do/did have referbed motors I have had two motor replacements and they were both referbs at least that is what I was told.
I just love that power lead clip mod I going to order a couple now

 

[njn]

Nothing against Specialized, I own a Rockhopper, Stumpjumper and a p3.

They likely started out with one or two spare motors, but soon they didn't have enough in stock for same day replacements and settled on six. Six motors a week seems high.

A few years ago, Porsche owners were upset that the engine had to be pulled in their brand new 911s for a simple repair. At least in the auto industry, you lose the factory fresh build once it's disassembled.

 

[Al Boneta]

I appreciate the extra work a good bikeshop does to deliver a bike. But I also think that the bike manufacturer should be the one to do that.

Specialized makes good bikes, but they ask a price for it. When I get way better components on some other brands for the same price I at least expect a Specialized to be delivered in perfect condition, not with mounting bolts that require upgrading by a shop or brakes that have to be bled properly.
Because not every shop will do that, only the better ones...

Delivered perfectly?
Yes in a perfect world that would be great, but the reality is these bikes are made in Asia and have to spend time in transit. There is no way to make every bike arrive perfectly, that’s why they take the time to prep and set them up properly for the customer.
Specialized is more expensive, but there is a whole lot more that goes into making a bike at Specialized. I worked there for 2 years and the attention to every little detail can make you hate bikes if you do it long enough.
You can hang XTR components on a Fuji bike and a Specialized with XT will still be more expensive. The difference is Specialized designed and engineered their frame and the Fuji was just picked out of a Chinese catolog.
Is XTR “way more better”? Or just way more expensive?
Will it make the bike go faster?
Not in the slightest.

 

[Pendo]

Berkshire Cycles excellent service has even helped out some of us Aussies. We have nothing like this shop here, I guess its because the ebike market here is just taking off.
Smart move Al showing the video to your staff, I've forwarded the video to my LBS. The more dealers know (especially mods to improve reliability), the better. Love your attention to detail Al, especially your mod to engine mount bolts.

 

[Kernow]

I haven’t replaced as many motors as this shop owner, it’s only been four out of over 100, but I am probably not doing anywhere near the volume he is.
He also explained why they were replacing motors, mostly poor maintenance on the part of the bike owners.
There was a thread on here a few weeks ago where people were talking about which power washer they recommended to use to clean their bikes.
The motor bearings corrode and the motor makes noise and Specialized still replaces them no questions asked.
I have never replaced a Yamaha motor in a Giant, but I only sold 4 of those in 2 years and just replaced our first Shimano E8000 Motor today in a Pivot we didn’t even sell, to help a customer who has bought two Levos from us in the past.
As for taking apart a factory fresh bike, this is what bike shops do to make sure the bike works perfectly and to ensure the safety of the rider.
This level of service is lost on our online sale culture and as more shops close because they cannot compete, this will become an abstract concept to most consumers
For example
We use heavier grade nylock nuts and lock washers for the motor mounts on every Levo that rolls out our door. Why? Because the factory nuts can come loose and they don’t hold proper torque spec from the factory.

We bleed the brakes on every hydraulic disc brake that comes on every complete bike we sell to ensure proper operation and increase reliability.

We want our customers to have the best performance they can out of their brand new bike and we also want to make sure they are safe.

Berkshire is an amazing shop with great attention to detail and I will be going over this video with my staff in the morning to make sure they all perform to the same or better standards

That is quite frankly scary if you have to replace nuts and bolts because the originals are low quality and dont hold torque properly , I would read that as unless a new factory bike is blue printed it’s poorly built which shouldn’t be the case with a high end brand
As for 6 motors a week ?I would like to know the percentage failure ,

 

[Kaelidoz]

@Rob Hancill nice one I love videos like this.
Btw I think it's time to visit and interview @Al Boneta at his shop! That'd be dope.

 

[Al Boneta]

@Rob Hancill nice one I love videos like this.
Btw I think it's time to visit and interview @Al Boneta at his shop! That'd be dope.

I’ll have to film something when we head in to the slow season. I am going to do a video how to on my motor mount mod.

 

[Donnie797]

Just watched the video this morning, thanks for that amazing insight and a lot of interesting infos Rob! Good to hear a trusty bikeshop owner speaking good about the Specialized customer service, mine did too so i'm in good hopes.

Also "educating the customers" is a good point (power washers *psss*)! And he said if you rode in mudd, you should open the motor housing and clean it... good point! So i guess i don't have to care too much about that hole in the motor housing, since there are no "open" or "fragile" motorparts under that (didn't really know, haven't had it open yet) - the motor itself is sealed and the dirt is just sitting in the housing and can cause trouble there. This really should be mentioned in the manual. I will also apply anti corrosion spray and have a close look at that power cable clamp....

Thanks again Rob, you're doing a very good job!

 

[Re-Cycle]

Delivered perfectly?
Yes in a perfect world that would be great, but the reality is these bikes are made in Asia and have to spend time in transit. There is no way to make every bike arrive perfectly, that’s why they take the time to prep and set them up properly for the customer.
Specialized is more expensive, but there is a whole lot more that goes into making a bike at Specialized. I worked there for 2 years and the attention to every little detail can make you hate bikes if you do it long enough.
You can hang XTR components on a Fuji bike and a Specialized with XT will still be more expensive. The difference is Specialized designed and engineered their frame and the Fuji was just picked out of a Chinese catolog.
Is XTR “way more better”? Or just way more expensive?
Will it make the bike go faster?
Not in the slightest.

Perfect in the sense that for a brand that sells as high-end I would expect top quality bolts to mount the motor, not bolts that you as a mechanic think need replacing before delivering the bike to the client.

I wasn't criticising the shop, just the opposite. I really appreciate the work that a good bikeshop does. But not every bikeshop is a good shop... it's no perfect world as you mentioned
And that means that if you buy your Specialized (or other brand) from a shop that doesn't do what you do you pay 6.000 euros for a bike with inferior mounting-bolts and some other (be it minor) things that aren't done right.

For the price they are asking for their bikes Specialized should use the bolts you put on afterwards as a service to your clients.
I don't know the price levels certain brands use in the USA, but where I live (The Netherlands) Specialized really is an expensive brand compared to many others. That's okay, but that comes with certain expectations. Like top quality nuts & bolts

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

@Rob Hancill nice one I love videos like this.
Btw I think it's time to visit and interview @Al Boneta at his shop! That'd be dope.

Next time I’m out there I hope to visit @Al Boneta ?

 

[Mgbudd]

Was really cool to catch up with these guys and see exactly what they do to prepare their bikes before they go out to their customers. There are quite a few bits that Chris and the team do to the bikes including a couple of small changes to the cable routing. Great to see dealers going the extra mile.

Hope you like the behind the scenes look at what they do.

Can't recommend Chris and these guys enough. Bought my Kenevo from him, best price around and fantastic customer after sales. I had a motor noise develop after a couple of rides, one call to Chris and he swapped the motor while I waited for a brand new motor..

Amazing stuff

 

[Dusty]

Can't recommend Chris and these guys enough. Bought my Kenevo from him, best price around and fantastic customer after sales. I had a motor noise develop after a couple of rides, one call to Chris and he swapped the motor while I waited for a brand new motor..

Amazing stuff

What shop is Chris based at mate

 

[Mgbudd]

What shop is Chris based at mate

Berkshire Bikes - crowthorne

Ask for Chris

 

[Jedipip]

Sounds like Specialized has some manufacturing problems with so many motor replacements.

Also, I don't like the idea of a shop taking apart a factory fresh bike. That being said, thanks for the video and insight behind the scenes of a shop.

NJN - with 30+ yrs of mountain biking so far I’m not the only rider that takes the bike fully apart before riding it! Bearings exposed, seals taken off, cables stripped, every nut and bolt undone and threadlocked and torqued properly. I have yet to find a factory built bike that was built to the standard it should have been. Berkshire are a league apart in their approach - long may they continue stripping the bikes and building them properly. They are getting my business next!

 

[R120]

I would be shocked if a shop didn't tear the bike down and build it back up as part of their PDI. Things like loose cassettes and bolts are to be expected on a new bike. Even if a bike where perfectly assembled in the factory, theres a fair chance of something going out of play during the shipping. In this day and age its becoming rarer to see this kind of service from bike shops, so this video is a pleasure to watch.

Most people i know who love their bikes, tear down the bikes and check everything themselves again once they get the bike, as much to get to know it for future maintenance as anything else.

On the subject of owner awareness of maintenance and impact conditions can have on a bike, i do feel that theres a lot of half truth out there from the bike industry. From my experiences out on the trails round me, where about half my riding is on bridleways to get to the good stuff, i meet a lot of casual e-bike owners, most of them with Levos, who have the disposable income to buy the bikes, but don't come from an MTB background. I don't think most of them have much of a clue of how to maintain a bike, and i don't think any of them are aware of what you might have to do to keep the bike in good order.

No manafacturer is going to say don't ride an e-bike in the wet, but its clear that if you are going to subject one to a good old british winter then you have to up your maintenance game or pay the price.

 

[R120]

I also have some sympathy for the bike companies, as how there product is handed over to the consumer (unless direct sales) is via the dealer.

I work in the construction industry, and was at an industry event recently and talking to the head of a well know smart home integration/contols brand. I said to him that most of my clients, when we start specifying a project, say that they don't want his brand in their houses, having found using it in previous projects more trouble than its worth (the problem being his brand is synomonous with smart controls, to the extent that people often use the name when they are actually referring to other products, a bit like Hoover with vacuum cleaners).

He was aware of the issue, and said them main problem is they sell their product to AV/ Electical installers, and how it is installed and programmed is the down to the installer, and a good installer will make or break the usability of the equipment. The problem is if its badly programmed or installed people slag of the brand, rather than the installer.

Same could be said for bike brands and bike shops, in that a poorly prepared bike can result in a poor customer experience, with the brand taking the flack. From the sounds of the video it seems like specialized really back up the dealership, and that theirs is a really good relationship between dealer and manufacturer which ultimately benefits the customer.