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In October I bought a Brompton electric bike for just under £3000. At first everything was fine but about three months before the two-year warranty expired, began to suffer from intermittent power issues.
It would work on the power assist and then it wouldn’t. As a result, I stopped using it.
I was very busy with work so I didn’t get to tinker with it for another few months – by then the warranty had expired.
I took it back to Evans, the shop I bought it from, who after checking for £40, has been diagnosed as needing significant repairs.
Despite its original price, he’s quoted just under £500 to fix it – with a 20% discount on the parts offered by Brompton and cheaper labor than Evans.
Given the problems that started during the warranty period, I don’t think this is a great deal.
JW, Herts
You may not be surprised to learn that you are not the only person who has had problems with their electric Brompton.
The company admitted that its early models, of which yours is one, had problems with the motors and battery connections, and there are many tales of woe on the internet. Brompton told me that the latest models have fixed these issues.
That being said, I asked him to look into your case, and after a considerable delay, which we will put down to some incomprehension, he has now agreed to take your bike from Evans and fix it free of charge. It should have been delivered to you two days ago.
Next time, don’t forget to take it back within the warranty period.
Meanwhile, for other Brompton owners who have one of its regular models but prefer electric, you can purchase an aftermarket kit to electrify it.
At just over £1000, Cytronex Brompton kits aren’t cheap, but they are very well reviewed and reliable.
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