Jipe

Of course not: your request was very clear, you asked for a tail light for a Birdy with hub dynamo to work together with the E3 Pure (and you even bought simultaneously, the front light and hub dynamo wheel from the same seller). You installed the 12V tail light because it looks the same as the 6V, you couldn't see that it was the wrong model.

Since you also bought for them the front dynamo hub wheel and front light, the shop cannot claim that your demand wasn't clearly a 6V tail light, that you could have asked for a 12V tail light.

The requirement for an unused, unmodified product to return a product is only applicable if you ask to exchange a product because you changed your mind (this is also a right in the EU, a customer has the right to return any product bought online within two weeks after receiving it, in this case the product must be unused, unmodified, undamaged).
But this is not your case, the request for exchange is because they shipped and you received a wrong product.

So, the shop is responsible and the fact that you installed the wrong model sent by the shop doesn't change that.

CEBEP

All above points are valid in terms of customer protection. If you paid by credit card you may also check with your bank if purchases are insured against fraud. If you ordered item A but received item B, which is apparently the case with your rear light, and seller refuses to send you correct one free or charge - it is fraud and your credit card company or bank may reimburse you for that item if you will file a claim. Just an idea for plan B if nothing else works.

Huggable

I guess it gets a bit tricky here, as I paid through an agent app (Wise) to Kemper's bank account. Furthermore they won't do shipping directly, and I had to arrange pickup from Singapore via UPS. And of course, whatever import taxes imposed by the Singapore customs (GST @8%).

If Kemper is liable to send me the correct item on their account, can I insist that they arrange delivery to Singapore? I am not keen to pay more given that it wasn't my mistake in the first place.

CEBEP

If you arranged delivery yourself they don’t have to cover shipping for replacement but to provide correct item free of charge on same delivery terms. You can pay for delivery yourself or just forget it and find cheaper/alternative rear light option.

Huggable

I’ve found out that the circuit in the 12V light uses a voltage regulator and the 3 LEDs are connected in series. However, in the 6V light, the 3 LEDs are connected in parallel with a resistor each.

I will modify the board to work with 6V. Just need a diode and three 180ohm resistors. Would be much easier than to get a new light!

Huggable

I’ve modified the 12V circuit board for 6V.


Managed to pack the resistors under the circuit board.



Testing and sealing the components with silicon before installing the aluminium case.



Breakthrough voltage is around 3V.



Maximum brightness at 6V.




Total cost under $1.

CEBEP

I think you were waisting your time with Supernova as apparently you can make bicycle lights yourself

Jipe

Seems you have a solution.

Bur if not, some ideas.

The price you paid for the shipment and customs was for the whole shipment, a big box with a wheel and the two Supernova lights in their huge metal boxes.

For the replacement of the tail light, you just need the tiny rear light that without the big Supernova luxury packaging is very small, weight about nothing and fits in an envelope.

So shipment costs should be very low.

Since it is a replacement part of a previously imported tail light for which you paid customs, you can declare it as such with a zero declared value.

UPS does the import custom clearance themselves and its possible to declare the gods as said above to them.

Huggable

I did suggested to the shop to send me the light only (minus the box and manual,etc) via postage to reduce the shipping cost. They did not reply me directly on this, but instead asked me to choose between paying for a new light and they refund me for shipping, or get the light free and I pay for shipping.

is there any law in EU against sending a bicycle light via mail to Singapore?

CEBEP

They may be restricted by supplier agreements (Supernova, R&M etc) limiting distribution to their own country only. in this case they are not allowed to sell to other countries. While you can pay from abroad, they are legally can not ship it out. But you can.

Huggable

I've replied the shop to ask them to send me the light (without box and accessories) via normal postage, at their cost. Hopefully they are agreeable to this arrangement.

Jipe

Within the EU, the manufacturer cannot forbid to sell to a customer of another EU country.

But a shop can decide to only ship to some countries and not to ship to some other countries for instance because of shipment costs that could make shipment to some countries not competitive.

This is what does Kemper: basically they only ship too neighbor countries, Belgium and Germany + Luxembourg because there are low cost shipment possibilities inside Benelux.

Outside of EU, manufacturers can establish exclusive importers and forbid seller from other countries to ship to such countries with exclusive importers.

Huggable

On a separate note, anyone knows how can I get this outside EU? Is our birdy bike using 45 or 53mm?

​https://www.bike-mailorder.com/sks-r...-spoiler-53-mm

I am thinking to retrofit the Pacific Cycles mudguard that I am left with to have a rear reflector. And install on my second bike.

CEBEP

Did you consider other options for reflectors or you want exactly this item? I assume it would be cheaper to have another reflector which you can source locally. If not this eBay listing seem to offer international shipping.you can also check with your local shops as SKS sells all over the world. My local Decathlon carries some of their products too.

Jipe

Its the 53mm which is mounted on my Birdy 3.

I didn't know that this reflector is a standard SKS part.

The advantage of this reflector is that it perfectly fit onto the Birdy original mudguard, its an excellent protection and its a very nice and clean mounting, I also prefer this one to any other.

Huggable

I will consider a reflector with integrated light, and can be powered by the E3 if there is such a product! For me (in SG) it is not economical to order the SKS reflector by itself, the item cost €6 but shipping cost €60!

I agree with Jipe that the SKS reflector looked best on our Birdy! . If only it has integrated LED bulbs as well.

CEBEP

Not sure if you have these in Singapore but B+M has rear lights with built in reflectors for standard mount, normally on rear rack which as I remember you do not have mount points on yours.

You can also use strap-on reflector mounted on seat post. SON also has new rear light model which mounts directly to the rear rack tube. They also have models mounting to the mudguard. On the same page you can see their other models along with reflectors/adaptors to couple with standard rear light mounts. These are not cheap though but top quality products. Here is the link

Huggable

I saw the SON rear light and thought it could be a good option. However I can’t info on whether it runs directly off the dynamo output (ac voltage) or 6V dc. Do you know any other website provides this info? I will definitely need a strap to mount it on the rear rack.

Ideally seatpost or saddle mount would be the best position to mount the rear light. But as I have to lower the saddle when taking the bike into trains/buses I’ve to consider the cable management when folded.

I will search around to see if there are local shops or websites selling the SON lights.

CEBEP

On SON website when you go on the main page it will show you rear lights in two sections, SON rear Light and SON rear light DC. DC ones are for electric bikes, so you need to check the first ones which would run off of dynamo. There are many suppliers offering SON’s products, www.bike24.com and www.starbike.com to name a few. If you are not sure about any particular model you can contact SON support over their website, they are pretty quick to answer.

Huggable

The SON rear light has capacitors for standing light too. Don't think it will conflict with the Supernova E3 power supply, but I'm sure the standing light time can be extended a fair bit.

I've found this Bumm lgiht that might be suitable for my bike too.
https://www.bumm.de/en/products/dyna...1-schwarz.html

As we drive on the left side of the road, I'm looking to wire the rear light on the right side of my bike for better visibility. For now, I will leave the E3 tailight on the left first.

Jipe

This is what I mounted on my Birdy Titanium. Its very small and fits on the right side (on the opposite of the rear swing arm catch lever pin).

Geoffroy2020

Good evening,

Thank you all for your suggestions. I had the bike serviced at Fudges. It has been taken care of well, just a bit too much oil on the chain the rest was fine. I found replacement bulbs for the front dynamo light and I am now in the process of making my bike more commuting friendly. The bike has a rear rack with threads at the either end for M4 bolts. These locations would be ideal for wheels. Would anyone know which wheel set would fit? I have found wheels with M6 or bigger bearings but nothing with that diameter. Am I missing something?
Also I have tried to improve my approach to folding the bike but I am a bit worried that I always end up scratching the mudguards a bit. Would there be a trick to ensure that the rear mudguard does not touch the ground when folding? I am worried I might be damaging the screw that attaches it to the frame and I am definitely scratching the plastic "bavette" at its end.

Any tips will be greatly appreciated.

Good night!!

Huggable

Thanks for sharing the mounting point for your light! As I'm using a rear bag as well, I think that I have to mount the light on the connecting rod for the rear rack, using some sort of a round rod clamp.

CEBEP

I have no idea how sturdy it is but this looks to be an adaptor which you can mount on the drive side that will accept any standard rear light. Here is the link

Could be paired with Bumm or SON lights which are very small and light:

CEBEP

In your setup doesn’t bottle cage interfere with fold?