Is Orbea customer service horrible

Aug 16, 2024
8
1
FIN
The industry needs to change. Orbea needs to change. We need to change and not be dependent of China. The battery is a vital part of the system and it’s not acceptable that you can’t use your 2 year old bike if the battery (or the obsolete motor) has gone bad. Shimano, I’m looking at you too.
 

Guyt

Member
Feb 22, 2021
47
32
Québec
I am in Canada, ordered a part directly from Orbea, it took 15 days to arrive. Last year, I ordered via my LBS a charger, took also about 2 weeks.

Once I got the confirmation from Orbea my part has been shipped from Spain, it took 5 days to arrive here, so I don't think there would be a huge shipping time saving if the part came from the North America distributor. And, because of low sales volume, I don't expect my LBS to carry any spare parts specific to my Orbea Rise.

I wrote to Orbea to ask them a specific question (I am not happy with my present local shop, can I continue service with another bike shop?), got the answer the next day. A detail that pleased me: I asked the question in English. They must have figured out from my profile that I was french-speaking, so the answer was in French.

Once my season is over, I will try to have replaced under warranty my Linkcreakage. I'll see how that goes, but so far, I am satisfied with the service I am getting from Orbea.
 

kevtp19

Member
Jan 8, 2023
12
2
Plymouth
I am in Canada, ordered a part directly from Orbea, it took 15 days to arrive. Last year, I ordered via my LBS a charger, took also about 2 weeks.

Once I got the confirmation from Orbea my part has been shipped from Spain, it took 5 days to arrive here, so I don't think there would be a huge shipping time saving if the part came from the North America distributor. And, because of low sales volume, I don't expect my LBS to carry any spare parts specific to my Orbea Rise.

I wrote to Orbea to ask them a specific question (I am not happy with my present local shop, can I continue service with another bike shop?), got the answer the next day. A detail that pleased me: I asked the question in English. They must have figured out from my profile that I was french-speaking, so the answer was in French.

Once my season is over, I will try to have replaced under warranty my Linkcreakage. I'll see how that goes, but so far, I am satisfied with the service I am getting from Orbea.
I think they are OK with all the bits they manufacture, but the battery is made by a Taiwanese company, not Shimano nor Orbea. The only way you can get one is through warranty. So when the bikes over 2 years old you are screwed. Was going to keep mine but will try to sell 2nd hand now once the warranties up.

The new linkage is better, be careful the driveside bolt behind the seat tube doesn't keep loosening, loctited mine in now, as mine did. The bolts are in a silly place where you cannot get a torque wrench on them.
 

Guyt

Member
Feb 22, 2021
47
32
Québec
I think they are OK with all the bits they manufacture, but the battery is made by a Taiwanese company, not Shimano nor Orbea. The only way you can get one is through warranty. So when the bikes over 2 years old you are screwed. Was going to keep mine but will try to sell 2nd hand now once the warranties up.

The new linkage is better, be careful the driveside bolt behind the seat tube doesn't keep loosening, loctited mine in now, as mine did. The bolts are in a silly place where you cannot get a torque wrench on them.
Thanks for the linkage info.

It is a bummer that Orbea does not offer the replacement batteries outside of warranty. If I would have know that, I would not have bought a Rise ( I actually bought 2 :( ) .

I just checked on internet if a battery for my Rise H10 2023 (Orbea 540Wh 36v Gen 2). I did find a few retailers, but they are all out of stock, like this one:


I can only hope they will be available in the future, but one thing for sure, I will never buy an E-MTB with a custom battery ever again.

Edit: found another source. Orbea 540Wh 36V Internal Battery For RS GEN 2 | Westbrook Cycles
 
Last edited:

Aug 16, 2024
8
1
FIN
Thanks for the linkage info.

It is a bummer that Orbea does not offer the replacement batteries outside of warranty. If I would have know that, I would not have bought a Rise ( I actually bought 2 :( ) .

I just checked on internet if a battery for my Rise H10 2023 (Orbea 540Wh 36v Gen 2). I did find a few retailers, but they are all out of stock, like this one:


I can only hope they will be available in the future, but one thing for sure, I will never buy an E-MTB with a custom battery ever again.

Edit: found another source. Orbea 540Wh 36V Internal Battery For RS GEN 2 | Westbrook Cycles
There’s been quotes for months for a battery, possibly warranty cases. And that was for the 360wh battery which even was changed somewhere between M and H or the at the facelift. So there are multiple different batteries for the same bike and they are next to impossible to buy in the future. Correct me if I’m wrong, got the info on the forums or fb.
 

Guyt

Member
Feb 22, 2021
47
32
Québec
Lesson learned, I will never buy another E-Bike that uses a "custom" battery, not being sure I will be able to replace it after warranty. Too bad we don't have international laws protecting us against "planned obsolescence". For example, even though I had a one year warranty on my Samsung stove, I was able to get a new one after 3 years, under a local law. When I talked on the the Canadian Samsung distributor I just had to mention "Québec's planned obsolescence law" and that was it. But I don't think that would work with Orbea ;)

That said, should we worry with the battery in our Orbea Rise? It is most likely that, for most of us, the battery will outlast the rest of the bike. Batteries are most likely made with 18650 lithium-Ion cells, the same ones used in electric cars. We are talking of a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years, with full recharge cycles varying from 300 to 1000.

I have 2,000 km on my 2023 Rise so far, did approx. 60 partial recharges (I like to keep my battery between 20 and 80% charged) . But even with the worst case scenario, I'll get at least 10 000 km out of my Rise. That takes me in 4 years from now.

Sure, the battery could have a flaw to start with. But like any other product, problems will probably show up before the end of the warranty period.
 
Aug 16, 2024
8
1
FIN
Lesson learned, I will never buy another E-Bike that uses a "custom" battery, not being sure I will be able to replace it after warranty. Too bad we don't have international laws protecting us against "planned obsolescence". For example, even though I had a one year warranty on my Samsung stove, I was able to get a new one after 3 years, under a local law. When I talked on the the Canadian Samsung distributor I just had to mention "Québec's planned obsolescence law" and that was it. But I don't think that would work with Orbea ;)

That said, should we worry with the battery in our Orbea Rise? It is most likely that, for most of us, the battery will outlast the rest of the bike. Batteries are most likely made with 18650 lithium-Ion cells, the same ones used in electric cars. We are talking of a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years, with full recharge cycles varying from 300 to 1000.

I have 2,000 km on my 2023 Rise so far, did approx. 60 partial recharges (I like to keep my battery between 20 and 80% charged) . But even with the worst case scenario, I'll get at least 10 000 km out of my Rise. That takes me in 4 years from now.

Sure, the battery could have a flaw to start with. But like any other product, problems will probably show up before the end of the warranty period.
Where I live, you had to know a certain code to get Samsung fix your phone. Otherwise they said warranty doesn’t fix that. Kinda lame. Same is with cars, i.e. Audis with their piston rings. You had to mention a code to get service. Not possible to get a buyback like in US. Expensive fixes when you need a new engine on a badly engineered car.

My friend’s Rise M20 has done 12000kms. Original everything. So if you’re lucky you can ride your bike for a few years. You would think the battery goes bad pretty fast if it’s left empty or full for a longer time so it’s also up to the owner.

Battery cells are different in the newer Rise if I remember correctly.
 

Guyt

Member
Feb 22, 2021
47
32
Québec
Well, Raili's People, you have nothing to worry about, you don't have a Rise and have no intention to buy one, as I read in your previous post.

Don't want to rewrite my previous post, but it is most likely that I'll get quite a few years out of my battery, not just with luck.

 
Aug 16, 2024
8
1
FIN
Well, Raili's People, you have nothing to worry about, you don't have a Rise and have no intention to buy one, as I read in your previous post.

Don't want to rewrite my previous post, but it is most likely that I'll get quite a few years out of my battery, not just with luck.

True. This is the reason I didn’t buy one. Otherwise I would be riding a Rise and not a different bike. So that is why I also wrote the reasons behind the decision. Isn’t it logical? Don’t know what was behind your post but I think we agreed on the matter.
 

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