Lots of ebikes sold online claim to be delivered “90% assembled,” or something to that effect. What does that mean for you, and does that mean your new ebike is ready to ride?
In short, no.
Most consumer-direct ebikes are assembled in factories that specialize in assembling bikes, not tuning them. Historically, these bikes should be shipped to a bike shop where a trained mechanic unboxes them, performs final assembly and then fine-tunes all the systems. With the proliferation of online brands, most have let these critical steps fall by the wayside and placed the responsibility for final assembly and tuning on the rider. This can compromise performance and comfort at best; and at worst, lead to danger for riders.
At Vvolt, we don’t think this is acceptable. So our team of bike nerds carefully inspects and tunes every bike before it ships out.
Yes, we have true bike experts checking your ebike. Folks with collective decades of experience tuning bikes, and who ride to work every day in Portland, Oregon. We have high standards as riders and it’s important to us that your new Vvolt is not just assembled, but properly tuned up. We align your brakes, grease and torque safety-critical fittings, ensure wheels are true and even align your seat and handlebar controls for ergonomic comfort. But that’s not all. For every step in our checklist, we assess and adjust fasteners and fittings to make sure your ride is smooth, quiet, and safe:
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Seatpost
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Ensure post inserts smoothly with no excess friction or scratching from improper seat tube honing
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Apply Grease
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Check seat clamp torque
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Front axle
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Check Alignment
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Ensure Axle Threads Smoothly
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Front Wheel
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Check Spoke Tension
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Check Alignment
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Ensure Wheel Is True
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Check Rotor True & Bolt Torque
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Front brake
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Check Caliper Bolt Torque
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Check Caliper Alignment
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Check Lever Action For Smoothness
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Paint/accessory bolts
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Check Paint Quality
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Ensure Accessory Bolts thread in and out smoothly
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Frame Alignment
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Verify frame is straight and axle attachments are properly aligned
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Cable Routing
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Ensure All Control Cables/Wires/Hoses Are Correct
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Crankarms
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Check Torque to axle fitting
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Ensure Pedals Thread Smoothly
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Chainring
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Check Bolt Torque
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Check spider lockring torque (where applicable)
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Pedals
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Ensure Minimal or No Bearing Play
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Belt
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Check Belt Tension
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Rear Axle
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Ensure Axle Nuts Are Tight
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Ensure Tensioner Properly Oriented
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Ensure Tension Nuts Snug
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Rear Wheel
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Check Spoke Tension
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Check Alignment
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Ensure Wheel Is True
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Ensure Rotor Is True
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Check Bolt Torque
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Kickstand
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Check Bolts For Tightness
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Confirm Lock Washer + Flat + Loctite
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Rear Brake
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Check Caliper Bolt Torque
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Check Caliper Alignment
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Ensure Lever Action Is Smooth
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Brake Levers
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Check Brake action
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Adjust Lever Angle for ergonomics
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Ensure Levers Are Equidistant From the End Of the Bar
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Saddle
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Check Clamp Bolts For Torque
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Ensure Saddle Is Centered/ Nose Up
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Stem
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Ensure Front/ Rear Bolts Are Tight
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Ensure Stem Centered Over Wheel
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Headset
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Ensure Smooth Turning
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Ensure No binding Or Play
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Handlebar
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Check Centering Alignment
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Check Rotational Alignment
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Grips
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Ensure No Slippage On Locking Grips
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Ensure ergonomic grip position
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Check For Bar Plugs if needed
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Handlebar Display
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Test Power Up
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Test Walk Mode/ PAS Levels
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Ensure the screen Is Fully Functioning
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Motor and motor controller
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Check operations
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Update Firmware/Software If Needed
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Bell
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Check for DING DING DING
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Battery
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Test Power-Up
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Test LEDs
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Test Power-off
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Charge Port
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Test-charge battery via external port
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Battery Lock and safety latch
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Ensure Smooth & Easy Action
Happy Riding!
We go the extra mile to ensure your first impression is excellent and you can start riding as soon as possible. Unbox, install your front wheel, pedals and handlebars, then charge up and adjust your seat height…know your bike will be perfectly tuned and safe from the go. No need to take it to a bike shop for a “new bike tune-up” like with other online-purchased ebikes. Vvolt is different…and dare we say better.
We stand by our ebikes with an industry-leading 3-Year Warranty and pride ourselves on our stellar customer service. We are here for you if there is a problem, issue, question, or suggestion.
Happy riding!