xraytech

Elektron | Tern Folding Bikes | Worldwide

Bocsh Driven Folding Bike





and... Discuss...

tds101 

As long as their frame issues are resolved, I think it's a fantastic idea. Mid drive, battery low and centered, etc. Looking like a possible winner.

icedmocha 

Looks neat. Too bad I do not see an email sign up list.

blakcloud

Interesting looking bike. I'm not so sure you could actually carry it because it is going to weigh 40 pounds but it looks great. I think they will have a winner here.

GTizzy

@icedmocha US page has email sign-up: Elektron | Tern Folding Bikes | United States
@tds101 according to this article the frame has an updated joint (OCL+) so looks like issues might be resolved Tern launches the Elektron | Electric Bike News & Opinion

tds101 

After all the claims by Tern of resolving the frame breakage issue, then having it occur on other bikes in their lineup, and Tern trying to SILENCE people via locking out their forums? I'll not trust them until proven otherwise. I own a Tern Joe P24, and I still worry about the frame breaking. Are my concerns/fears warranted? I hope not,... But, they're not a trustworthy company, so I'll remain cautious all the same. Updated joint or not.

northernlights

Wow look at the size of that battery pack. And those cranks, looks like there's a motor in there. It's practically a moped. Looks like it could go 40mph. Looks like its made for some serious speed. But I wouldn't want to go that fast, that kind of speed seems rather dangerous on a bicycle platform lol.



All the recalled models seem to involve their first gen bikes. If and when customers start
reporting frame problems with the 2nd and 3rd gen models then we'll really have to be
worried for sure because it shows they haven't fixed anything.

tds101 

How do you know it was first gen bikes? This isn't a fact that any of us have seen, unless you've decided to form your own opinion on it. The same as not believing that the Tern frames just snapped in half, and it must have been the owners fault. Originally Tern stated problems occurred with frames produced in 1 specific factory. Then, after their statement, other frames broke that were most like produced in OTHER factory facilities. And, it was definitely more than 1 bike model.

There's 2, or even possibly more, threads on the subject here in the forums. And there's worldwide forum coverage of it as well. Tern, as a company, when it comes to their customers, is horrible. And I personally would not purchase a bike from them again. Because their business practices are deceptive, deceitful, and highly suspect.

As for the drive train,...it's a mid drive. Look them up, as there's tons of information available about the tech in the forums, as well as online. I don't understand how you think it will go 40mph , as it's simply a mid drive designed to be integrated into the frame. There's numerous companies switching to this type of electric bike design, but utilizing different companies. The USA is just slow to follow.

northernlights

That's what it says on the recall notices so its pretty obvious. They had two recalls to date, and both were for frames made in 2011 and 2012. The company was founded in 2011 according to their website, so you can tell just by the date they are first gen models.


Product alerts | Tern Folding Bikes | Worldwide

2013

S- and X-level Verge and Eclipse frames manufactured between September 2011 and March 2012
Click to read notice

2014

Select batches of Link frames manufactured between August 2011 and April 2012
Click to read notice

badmother

:

northernlights

I'm just going by how it looks. The 40mph number was more joking than serious. It could be just 25-30mph, which is still really fast for a bicycle. Or it might be just 15 or 20 mph for all anyone knows they don't say. I don't think it would be safe or even legal in most places to travel faster than that which is about the speed an average person can go on their own power. Because then it would be more like a moped than a bicycle.

tds101 

And there lies the issue. Tern continued to sell defective frames as recently as THIS YEAR, and only older models were listed in their recall. There are STILL frames on undisclosed numbers of bikes that were NOT in those lists. Tern, as quite a few people know by now, is bad news. As recommended, look at UNOFFICIAL sources for more information. Their most likely is/was a design flaw concerning their bikes. And NOT ALL MODELS have been disclosed/listed.


This bike, as most of these types are concerned, will top out at no more than 20mph. Speed pedelecs top out at about 28mph. This will be a legal commuter, and will be (or should be) more concerned with distance.

As for the moped thing, it's thrown around in the Electric Bikes section of the forum all the time. Even a sloooowwww ebike gets tagged that by people who hate ebikes. Just sayin,...

tds101 

Hey,...save me some!

icedmocha 

Thanks

northernlights

Do you know of any customer(s) that have reported a frame problem with their 2nd or 3rd gen bike? You can tell because the owner will mention the date or time frame they bought the bike and in every case I have seen it was before the 2nd/3rd gen models were out. Maybe there were some problems with 2nd or 3rd gen frames who knows all I'm saying is I have never seen it reported anywhere. Do you know of any specific cases?


Well that's good to know. Having the frame suddenly snap on you at 20 to 30mph or
whatever the top speed is would not be very fun. Serious injury or death would be the likely outcome.

tds101 

Sadly, there were many different instances of this happening, but a large number are suspected to be swept under the rug. Most likely we'll never know the exact truth,...

I'm hoping they've gotten their act together, and this is a move in the right direction. I honestly luv my Tern folder,...but I'd like to know that if something ever failed on it, due to a manufacturing issue, I'd be taken care of. And, that others wouldn't need to suffer a possible disastrous fate. Let's wait, and see how this goes.