Nightmare with Golden Eagle (GeBe)

[LPisGood]

Fellow bikers,

I need to vent my frustration with this company. I'm sure there are several happy Golden Eagle customers out there. However, I'm NOT one of them, and I would definitely not recommend that anybody do business with them. Here is my story:

I placed an order for the Robin/Subaru 4-stroke in early July. After placing the order, I talked with a sales rep over the phone about NY state laws and I expressed concern about the legality of motorizing my bike. She informed me that there were several satisfied customers in NYC so it shouldn't be a problem. My worries were somewhat assuaged. I said that I wanted to think about it some more and that I would call back within 24 hours. I also mentioned that if I didn't call back in 24 hours, GeBe should just go ahead and ship the engine. She agreed and made a note to ship the engine in 24 hours unless I called back...fairly simple.

I decided not to call back... I really wanted that engine!

I waited several weeks, but no engine arrived. I finally received an email asking if I still wanted it to be shipped. Apparently they placed a complete "hold" on the order. Even after the conversation and the specific note, they managed to mess it up. So I emailed back and said yes, of course I want the engine.

It finally arrived, but I soon discovered that installation was impossible... they shipped the wrong drive ring. I had ordered the 32-spoke and they sent the 36. I consulted my invoice to make sure I ordered the right part. The invoice confirmed their mistake.

So I contacted them; left a voicemail and sent two emails. They finally got back to me and expressed doubt, asking me to go back and count my spokes again. I reluctantly did for the umpteenth time, and my count was the same. So I contacted them again...waited again. They said they would ship out the correct drive ring... BUT, they billed me for it... 50 bucks! I had to return the wrong drive ring, and pay for shipping OUT OF POCKET, in order for them to remove the $50 balance from my account! This was to correct the mistake that THEY made.

For my inconvenience, they offered to compensate me with an extra kevlar belt. But this, too, was contingent on me shipping the wrong drive ring back to them. What kind of customer service compensation is that? All I wanted was the correct drive ring with expedited delivery...but no deal.

So the RIGHT drive ring finally showed up (at my expense) and I began installation again. This time I encountered new problems. It turned that out my rear axle was not long enough for installation. They don't tell you this, but for most bikes you need a longer axle to mount the engine. So I custom ordered an axle from a nearby bike shop and waited another few days for its arrival. Once I got the new axle on my bike, I discovered that I still couldn't mount the engine unless I drilled and modified the frame. Now, over the phone I had been informed that the engine mount is universal and fits just about any bike. I even made sure to mention the specifics of my bike and they assured me that the mount would fit.

They were wrong.

I tried to roll with the punches a little bit. I had come this far and spent a lot of money. I wasn't going to let the mistakes of one company mess up my dream of motorizing my bike.

So I decided to forget the old bike and set my sights on a new one. I picked out a Marin Coast Trail (a nice, inexpensive ride) and had the bike shop fit it with the custom ordered longer axle that I purchased.

...but lo and behold, the engine STILL wouldn't mount on this bike either!

This was the last straw. My frustration had peaked. I contacted GeBe and asked for a full refund in light of their mistakes and misinformation. It took them two days to get back to me and I was told that there is a 20% re-stocking fee. Which means if I return the engine I lose $125.80! That's before shipping and handling!

I asked them to waive the re-stocking fee in light of their mistakes and misleading statements. Again, I waited several days for a response, so I sent another email. Finally they responded and informed me that they would not waive the fee, even though the engine is unused and in mint condition. (These delays in correspondence were a recurring theme. It was incredibly difficult to communicate with them. I would leave messages and emails, yet it would take days to receive a response.)

So that's pretty much the long and short of it (mostly long...apologies for the rant). Because of GeBe's misleading statements, shipping errors, inadequate compensation for their mistakes, and reluctance to provide remotely decent customer service, I must advise others NOT to do business with them. I am now in the process of trying to sell this engine because I do not want to deal with them anymore and I am unwilling to lose $125.80 (plus S&H) in re-stocking fees.

I have finally cooled off from the frustration of this whole escapade and this post is not out of anger. I post here to save you the time of dealing with the poor business ethics of Golden Eagle Bike Engines. Their product might be worthwhile, but I would never know. I was unable to ever use it.

Best of luck, and all responses are welcome.

 

[augidog]

and just what am i expected to say? we all know only the original poster and gebe-home know the whole story...but the other (also not relevant) comments warranted my comments.

LP: have you taken the time to compile the whole history & story, and present it to GEBE in an understandable package? assuming the problem is at GEBE's end, a result of the office being instantly overwhelmed with the "surge", should NOT be equated with assuming they don't care and won't take care of you, IF they are aware of exactly what happened...and i'll be the first to admit that, because of the surge, they may NOT be...i'm sure more than a few orders slipped thru the cracks, but i'm also sure they'd like the opportunity to set things right.

even tho, as a customer, i think it's wrong to have to take the extra steps to achieve satisfaction from a seller, i've had to do it more than once...with mixed results.

if you're calmly and fully relating the problem to the seller, i'd say your chances are good. if, as a result of your frustration, you're being abusive, as i have been sometimes as a customer, then your chances drop, as mine also have in the past.

the whole story? maybe noone has it except LPisGood, maybe GEBE isn't fully aware of the whole story. maybe what's needed is that compilation of the whole timeline so's they can understand what happened...complaints without documentation can come across as abuse, is the customer doing his/her part? i dunno, and neither do you.

i'll say again, those who are quick to comment on the tangent issues are selling the GEBE folks short, hence my (also unrelated) responses.

LPisGood: if you'd like, send me everything along with what you'd like to see happen, and i'll see what i can find out.

 

[Accender]

Well put Augi, and solution oriented.

I am bit miffed at how the pit bulls of customer rights came out when one
side of a story is told. It may be true and complete. Or it may not . I don't know. But I would put down the ax handels and torches
to those who are jumping on a band wagon without first hand knowledge.

If this kind of thing is brought up by a few people I would have to look at gebe closer, but thats just not the case at this point.
Quite the reverse actually.

A

 

[wildchild04]

My 2 Cents

I think that you didn't do all of your homework.

"I talked with a sales rep over the phone about NY state laws and I expressed concern about the legality of motorizing my bike. "
You should look into the laws yourself, I contacted both the DMV and Local police looking for as much info as I could beforehand.

"I said that I wanted to think about it some more and that I would call back within 24 hours. I also mentioned that if I didn't call back in 24 hours, GeBe should just go ahead and ship the engine. She agreed and made a note to ship the engine in 24 hours unless I called back...fairly simple."
You should order it, or don't order it, it's that simple.


"I waited several weeks, but no engine arrived."
Looks like we ordered the kit at the same time, and you got yours before I did

"they shipped the wrong drive ring. I had ordered the 32-spoke and they sent the 36. I consulted my invoice to make sure I ordered the right part. The invoice confirmed their mistake."
I agree with you 100% that GEBE should have paid for return shipping for the wrong ring, I would have also charged you for the other ring until yours was returned, and then credited your card.

"It turned that out my rear axle was not long enough for installation. They don't tell you this, but for most bikes you need a longer axle to mount the engine. "
Not doing your homework again... The axle they sell IS longer than a stock one, this should give you a hint that you may need a longer axle.

"So I custom ordered an axle from a nearby bike shop and waited another few days for its arrival."
I did the same thing

"I had been informed that the engine mount is universal and fits just about any bike. I even made sure to mention the specifics of my bike and they assured me that the mount would fit."
You should have learned a LONG time ago that "Universal" things, are not really Universal.

I just installed mine this weekend, had the quick release replaced with a longer Solid axle. The biggest problem I ran into, was that I couldn't use the Front Mount Strap, it would interfere with the brakes. So I made my own straps attaching them to each side of the Lower Mount Strap.

For the most part, The GEBE Website gives good information about measuring your bike to make sure it will fit, but there is no way they should be expected to tell you exactly what bikes it will and will not fit.

 

[CalgarysFool]

I've been reading this thread with interest.

I'm really impressed with the responses--both responses that support the original poster, AND the responses calling for more information, or a broader understanding.

Not that I'm saying I agree with everything said. What I DO believe is that everyone posting, it seems to me, has a helpful and supportive intent.

Obviously the OP is disappointed and frustrated with expectations going unmet. I hope that the support of the positive response of the "community" will win out over his disappointment, and that he will not be soured on the whole MBc thing.

FWIW

Brenton

 

[Zev0]

I've been reading this thread with interest.

I'm really impressed with the responses--both responses that support the original poster, AND the responses calling for more information, or a broader understanding.

Not that I'm saying I agree with everything said. What I DO believe is that everyone posting, it seems to me, has a helpful and supportive intent.

Obviously the OP is disappointed and frustrated with expectations going unmet. I hope that the support of the positive response of the "community" will win out over his disappointment, and that he will not be soured on the whole MBc thing.

FWIW

Brenton

Very well said!!

 

[HoughMade]

I hope this gets worked out. I have no personal experience with GEBE, but it seems the overwhelming majority of people here who have are impressed. I would hate to see someone's enthusiasm about the MB squelched by a less than perfect initial experience.

On the legality issue- I don't know NY law- but here's some advise- A retailer across the country will generally have no idea what another state's laws are. By stating that people from NY have bought them, that is no statement one way or the other about what the laws are. Whether those customers have had legal trouble or not is irrelevant. They were trying to provide what insight they could, but it should be obvious that more research than that was necessary. That is not GEBE's fault. The other stuff, maybe.

 

[augidog]

you say "IF the facts are true"...then you carry on as if they ARE true. i saw yer other (malicious) topic, also...you've yet to contribute anything to this topic except flame...but, as it's been noted by others, you speak of that which you do not know, and you seem to be taking some amount of pleasure in smearing people you have never dealt with. i dunno the reason for the bug up yer tailpipe (ahh, i saw that "dig"...maybe personal against me...again, why?)...but you're having a bit too much fun at this, and you border on embarrassing yerself.

maybe you think that the correct approach is to "force" resolution thru tough consumerism...well, save it for the crooks who need forcing. i re-assert that all GEBE needs is information!

LP: my offer to help remains open...if you want to take this to (whatever) resolution, i'm telling you how we can get there.

the way i see it, it's pretty much in the OP's hands, now. i'm content to move on until i hear from him. until i know GEBE knows what's happened, and i'll know by being able to forward the full story (name, parts, dates, amounts, etc), i'll not (i can't) take this any further.

NOTE: Golden Eagle Bike Engines sponsors my racing project. (i hope) i am going to be a (cash & carry) regional distributor with my own local support system in place. i'm not an employee...i provide support services because i'm genuinely grateful to be associated with such fine folks.

 

[augidog]

noone has proven any statements here to be facts, yet.

if i make my offer to help yet a 3rd time, will that be enuff for you? maybe you should be riding the OP a bit to respond to my offer?

i can't reply to the topic in question, because it was also deemed malicious and frivolous by staff, & locked.

 

[RATRODER]

noone has proven any statements here to be facts, yet.

if i make my offer to help yet a 3rd time, will that be enuff for you? maybe you should be riding the OP a bit to respond to my offer?

i can't reply to the topic in question, because it was also deemed malicious and frivolous by staff, & locked.

Well said, hopefully this will put an end to M.Mans pot stirring.louis

 

[psmcd]

Wow!

I'm sorry you've had such a negative experience with Gebe. Mine has been the opposite. I ordered my kit at June end and received it within 3 weeks, a bit long but okay, given. I later ordered HD wheel and other parts. An extra $20 was tacked on by Paypal for shipping which I noted in order notes to Gebe and it was immediately refunded.

More savage growth troubles at Gebe; I ordered two belts and they only shipped one, billed for two. I emailed Gebe once I discovered the discrepancy and requested a belt, not a credit. They immediately shipped the belt. I have nothing but evidence they respond.

I am completely satisfied with my experiences with Gebe. It's obvious many vendors are enjoying a surge in sales and I know from personal business experience it's a big challenge. Gebe has promptly responded to my requests and resolved them.