General FAQs

What if my question is not here? True – I can’t think of all the good questions. Text or ring us on 021519920 or email kiaora@kiwiecycle.com

Do you have financing available? Yes, we have a few options including Humm and Pactum Pay. Get in touch and we can have a chat about it.

Can I test ride a bike? Sure thing, get in touch anytime to arrange a test ride. kiaora@kiwiecycle.com

Can I borrow a bike? Sure. We think it’s wise to try out your commute and be sure that an eBike is a good solution for you.

What if I don’t live in Wellington, how will I get that personal service? We have contacts around NZ. Wherever you are we will make certain that you are well looked after for any after purchase queries. We may be based in Wellington, but our the Kiwi eCycle whanau is far and wide.

Do you supply fleets? Yes, we supply fleets for businesses, small or large, bike hire companies, hospitality; you name it. We can design a bike to suit your requirements.

Can I become a dealer for Kiwi eCycle? We’d love to hear from you.

eBike FAQs

Do I have to pedal? Yes. Our electric motor works by sensing the pressure on the pedals. A rider can set the level of the assist from 1, being a little, or 5 being a lot. It’s up to you how much assistance you want.

If I use it to commute will I work up a sweat? You only need to work up a sweat if you wish to. Set the assistance on a high level to arrive in style and use less assistance on the way home if you wish to. If you have to go uphill at the end of a long day, get up it with ease. Let the motor take you home without a slog.

Does it have a ‘walk’ mode? Yes, it has a walk mode. Push and hold the – button and the bike will begin to move along at 5Kms p/h. Use this function if you have to walk your bike up a hill or over a difficult patch on your ride.

Do I have to keep the battery charged? Yes. They like to stay charged. It’s recommended that the battery gets charged at least 1x a month. It helps prolong the life of the battery. Don't let it go too long (ie; months) without being charged.

How do I charge it? The charger looks like a typical laptop charger. You can charge the battery while it’s on the bike or you can remove the battery and charge it indoors.

How long will one charge last? Depending on the size battery and motor the charges last between 70 to 90kms on the flat at medium to low level assist. This is very difficult to measure as there are so many variables, wind, terrain, the strength of the rider, level of assistance etc. But it will take you for a full day’s ride and it will get you to work and back for the average commute.

What is the life expectancy of the battery? It depends on how you treat it but in general it should last over 5 years. Up to 7 or 10 depending on use and maintenance. They like to stay charged so plug it in all the time when you have finished riding. that will keep it happier and healthier than going down to low charge often.

How much does the bike weigh? Te Waka weighs about 19kg.  Whetu and Marama and Rua Tekau weigh 23kgs. Roimata weighs about 32kg. The motors and the batteries both weigh around 5kgs. If you remove the battery before lifting that shaves a bit off the overall weight. Rua Tekau has a handle under the seat which makes it easier to lift.

Can I ride in the rain? Yes, you can ride in the rain. Keep in mind that it is electric, so saturation can cause interference with the electric motor, or any motor for that matter. Be sure to use your lights and hi viz gear so you are easy to see in bad weather.

Will it rust? It is as susceptible to rust as any bikes, scooters or cars in NZ. The chain is stainless steel and the frame is coated but a gentle rinsing away of the salt and grit will help keep the rust from getting a stronghold of your bike.  There are a lot of resources for looking after your bike. 

Does it come assembled? If you are collecting the bike from us or we can deliver it will be fully assembled. In the case of couriers, it’s generally safer for transport to take some bits off. We send bikes in a strong box slightly disassembled. You don’t need to be a bike mechanic to put it together. We can talk you through it over the phone. Put the handlebars in the stem. All cables are fully attached and in place. Attach the pedals with a socket wrench. Put the front wheel on. The front wheels are quick release so it’s easy to put it into the forks. Adjust the seat height. Give the tires a pump and make sure the battery is fully charged and you’re off.

How do I work it? We will talk you through everything you need to know about the bike. It’s pretty straight froward. Push and hold the on button. I always recommend engaging the brakes in case of a small electrical surge. Adjust the gears as per a non-electric bike, be sure to do this only when the rear wheel is spinning.  To set the power lever use the + button and set the level to one or up to 5. Use the – button to change the assistance back down to level 1 or no assist at all. It is very easy to change power levels while riding. As easy as it is to change gears.

Does it have gears? Yes, our bikes have between 7 and 9 gears, one in the front and the rest on the back.

What about the brakes? All models have Hydraulic so apply soft pressure. They are strong and only need a gentle squeeze. The Rua Tekau is the only model with mechanical brakes as that’s all it needs with its smaller wheel size.

Can I add carrier racks? Yes. The frame comes with four threads to add drink bottles, pumps, carrier racks – whatever you wish. Just like any bike you can gear it up to suit your needs and style.

Does it have a bell? Yes. It’s a classic old-school style bell with a satisfying ‘Ding”.

 

Support
What support do we offer after you buy our bikes? As much as we possibly can. 

We are always here to help. If anything happens - ring us JoElle 021 51 9920 or Pete 027 224 2840.

If you are in Wellington or nearby of course you can come to us or we can come to you. We have a van so we can pick up and deliver.

In many cases we can help you over the phone. If you are not local we can assess the situation and put you in touch with someone we know in your area who can help further.

We can service your eBike and help you find an accessory you want.

We work closely with existing bike shops. If you are too far for us to service your eBike we will recommend a shop near you for after-market sales and servicing or you can ring us. 

We have some parts on hand and can courier them out right away, but most components are available at your local bike shop. We can tell you exactly what to ask for.

For electrical parts like batteries or motors we have backups here. For those beyond the Wellington region, we can work with a mechanic near you to get everything sorted.

Our bikes have a full 18-month warranty and in the case of any major issues we will replace the parts without a fuss in the case of manufacture defect, not so much for user neglect.

Below are links to some issues that occurred and how we dealt with them.