Any emails with ordering instructions?
Has anybody gotten an email or learned anything about tomorrow's ordering process? I haven't seen anything.
u/Thescubadave — 3 days ago
▲ 20 r/ALSOmicromobility
Customer Service notes on fenders, Trail Mode, and more
I was emailing with a customer service person today and learned a few things that might be of interest to some of you. I am shortening the CS response where useful.
Q: Can I save my gear shop credit for later when more items are available?
A: "Of course you can! The credit you received is good for anything in the Gear Shop. Alpha Wave pre-orders will be live in the near future and you'll be able to secure one then. Items in the Gear Shop will also be available for pre-order in the coming weeks, so you'll have your pick either way."
Q: Can fenders be easily removed?
A: Yes, they can be easily removed. They have mounting points that do not require wheel removal or loosening the axle bolts. They have a couple of hex bolts of their own with mounting points on the fork and read chain stay.
Q: Will Trail Ride Mode be available for Road versions in the future (software update or unlocking)? Are the knobby tires easy to swap with road tires if I buy Trail Raid Mode?
A: Trail Ride Mode is exclusive to the All-Terrain bike and CS couldn't say if it will ever by available for road bikes. The tires are pretty standard, but can be a small amount of effort to removed because they are 24". Have a lot of plastic levers and patience. Shouldn't be a problem for an experienced biker. The tire has an inner tube and a Schrader valve.
Q: Does having an early reservation give me any advantage in placing my order compared to somebody who reserved yesterday?
A: "Your spot in the queue is definitely determined by the speed at which you place your pre-order, but for now, I can't say whether or not it's tied to the reservation timing. There are multiple factors that go into ship date such as location and configuration. We have to custom pack each order with its specific components, and based on availability and warehouse processing, it's a big factor. Location matters too, and being that you're in CA it bodes well for your spot in the queue. For now, all I can say is, keep an alert for emails from updates@ridealso.com and be quick to pre-order day-of. I understand that's an unsatisfying answer but it's all I know for now." CS couldn't say when the order system will turn on, but from what he knows, it'll be early in the morning on 8/18 (I would guess that means California time).
u/Thescubadave — 7 days ago
▲ 14 r/ALSOmicromobility
Is a Class 3 e-bike (like TM-B) too limiting on where I can use it?
I test rode the TM-B and loved it, but now that the order date is approaching I am concerned that having a Class 3 e-bike is too limiting on where I can use it. From what I've looked at, I can't take it on many/any paved bike trails with my Class 2 friends. I'm not sure that I could use it in state/national parks, even if I have Trail Mode (limiting it to Class 1 or 2 performance) if it says Class 3 on whatever regulatory sticker it has. Being in CA, the rep says that throttle mode would be geo-locked to not work, but I'm not sure if this matters. It would be great on the roads, which is good since it seems that is the only place that I can use it.
Do any of you have concerns on this topic? Perhaps I am misunderstanding something.
u/Thescubadave — 3 months ago
▲ 76 r/fatFIRE
John Adams said something similar to “I studied war so my kids will have the liberty to study engineering. They will study engineering so their kids can have the liberty to study philosophy, whose kids can have the liberty to study art.” I read the column from Morgan Housel linked below and it made me think of some of the estate planning discussions that I see here and on other subs about how much to leave your kids. Often the plan is to leave a small enough amount such that they have to struggle to "build character" like their parents (the message posters) have developed (or perceive themselves to have developed). This column made an interesting point that one's easy (or difficult) life is relative to the hardship of one's parents. Our kids feel spoiled relative to our own childhood, but we are spoiled relative to our grandparents (polio anybody?) who were spoiled relative to their own grandparents (starvation and your children often dying young) and continuing back into history. What might seem "spoiled" for the future of our children is only relative to our own trials.
For myself, my goal is not to make my child struggle, but to allow them to have a fulfilling life that they choose. Looking back, I could have see myself in a career as a teacher or graphic designer, but it wasn't reasonable to change from my career path as an engineer and make less than half the money. My child will not have to choose such a path. I'll focus on raising a good human who pursues their interests and contributes positively to the world and then facilitating them choosing their preferred path without the limitations that I had (or the polio that their great grand parents might have worried about).
Long Term Money by Morgan Housel
You might check out some of Morgan's other columns or his books. I find them interesting and thought provoking.
u/Thescubadave — 4 months ago