Warning: SpeedFun Furious dangerous hardware failure (swollen unit) and NO international warranty

[Juanp]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my experience with the SpeedFun Furious for the Fazua Ride 60 so no one else makes the same mistake, especially international buyers.

My unit worked for 9 months on my Pivot Shuttle SL until it physically swelled and deformed (internal hardware failure), causing dangerous power surges and jerks while riding.

When I contacted SpeedFun, their response was unacceptable:

They refused to honor the warranty via photos (even though the swelling is clearly a manufacturing defect).

They demand I ship the unit from Ecuador to Italy, paying for the shipping myself, which costs 70% of the product's price.

They even threatened legal action for wanting to share my customer experience.

BEWARE: If you live outside Europe, their warranty is non-existent. They also ignore the safety risk of shipping a physically compromised (swollen) electronic device by air.

Has anyone else experienced this swelling with SpeedFun?

 

[DylanJM]

What caused those two scratches/gouges on the outside of the body? Looks like it got pinched or crushed by something.

Does this device plug in and stay in the motor area of the bike? Did you make sure it was safely tucked away and not able to potentially get jammed againist the bash guard or similar?

 

[Juanp]

What caused those two scratches/gouges on the outside of the body? Looks like it got pinched or crushed by something.

Does this device plug in and stay in the motor area of the bike? Did you make sure it was safely tucked away and not able to potentially get jammed againist the bash guard or similar?

Hi DylanJM,


Thanks for asking. Those marks are actually where the device pressed against the internal motor housing after it started swelling.


The Fazua Ride 60 compartment has specific cable routing, and the device was safely tucked in a hollow area. It worked perfectly for 9 months with zero issues. If it had been 'pinched' or 'crushed' during installation, it wouldn't have lasted 200km+, let alone 9 months of mountain biking.


The swelling is internal (thermal expansion). As the component failed and generated heat, the casing expanded outwards, creating those pressure marks against the frame's interior. My main issue is that SpeedFun sees the 'result' of the failure (the marks) and tries to use it as an excuse to blame the installation and deny the warranty to an international customer."

 

[Weeksy]

To be honest, i put things like this which are bought from a random Ebay/shop/whatever down purely to guesswork and chance. I never consider warranty an option, it's not like they're a proper company, they're some random bloke working in his shed. If i get 6 months, i think i've done pretty well.

 

[Juanp]

To be honest, i put things like this which are bought from a random Ebay/shop/whatever down purely to guesswork and chance. I never consider warranty an option, it's not like they're a proper company, they're some random bloke working in his shed. If i get 6 months, i think i've done pretty well.

However, SpeedFun markets itself as a professional Italian company with a solid reputation and official distributors. If they sell a product at a premium price with a '2-year warranty' badge on their website, they should be held accountable.


The issue here isn't just the failure, it's the lack of ethics: threatening a customer with legal action for sharing a technical failure and making the warranty impossible to claim for anyone outside the EU. We shouldn't normalize companies getting away with selling defective, potentially hazardous electronics just because they are 'small' or 'random'.

 

[RickBullotta]

Hi DylanJM,


Thanks for asking. Those marks are actually where the device pressed against the internal motor housing after it started swelling.


The Fazua Ride 60 compartment has specific cable routing, and the device was safely tucked in a hollow area. It worked perfectly for 9 months with zero issues. If it had been 'pinched' or 'crushed' during installation, it wouldn't have lasted 200km+, let alone 9 months of mountain biking.


The swelling is internal (thermal expansion). As the component failed and generated heat, the casing expanded outwards, creating those pressure marks against the frame's interior. My main issue is that SpeedFun sees the 'result' of the failure (the marks) and tries to use it as an excuse to blame the installation and deny the warranty to an international customer."

View attachment 183230

More importantly, get some stain remover on that grease spot on your knee before it becomes permanent.

 

[Polar]

They even threatened legal action for wanting to share my customer experience.

Legal action is carried out in a slightly different way in Italy

 

[RustyIron]

Your story seems to leave out some details, so I remain unconvinced.

Foremost, the unit is obviously smashed. How do you know that the unit overheated, resulting in swelling that resulted in the "smashed" appearance?

The next part I don't understand is even though the manufacturer is refusing to warranty the unit, they're demanding that you send it back to them. Why do they want you to send it back?

 

[Juanp]

Your story seems to leave out some details, so I remain unconvinced.

Foremost, the unit is obviously smashed. How do you know that the unit overheated, resulting in swelling that resulted in the "smashed" appearance?

The next part I don't understand is even though the manufacturer is refusing to warranty the unit, they're demanding that you send it back to them. Why do they want you to send it back?

I understand your skepticism, but let’s look at the physical evidence:


1. Internal Expansion vs. External Impact: A 'smashed' unit would show cracks or compression marks from the outside in. This unit is distended outwards. If you look closely at the photos, the industrial potting resin (the yellowish substance) has leaked out through the cable entry. This only happens when internal components overheat to the point of liquefying the sealant. An impact doesn't melt resin; a thermal failure does.


2. The 9-Month Factor: If the unit had been 'smashed' or 'pinched' during installation, it wouldn't have worked perfectly for 9 months and hundreds of kilometers. Mechanical damage to a circuit board causes immediate failure, not a delayed thermal expansion after nearly a year of use.


3. The Warranty Loophole: You ask why they want it back? That is precisely the problem. They use their 'official procedure' as a barrier. They know that for a customer in South America, paying $70 in shipping for a $100 device is irrational. By demanding the physical unit instead of accepting clear photographic evidence of a thermal event (the leaked resin), they effectively avoid having to honor the warranty while technically 'not refusing' it.


It is a clever way to avoid supporting international customers

 

[RustyIron]

It is a clever way to avoid supporting international customers

Yeah, the digital camera flattens the image and it's hard to see the shape. I hear you about the practice of discouraging warranty claims by imposing difficult rules. There's a manufacturer of custom suspension linkages who tried to pull that on my buddy. But he's stubborn and got the defective item replaced. When they pulled the same stunt on me, I gave up. They won.

 

[weihlac]

TFB

 

[Plummet]

So you purchase a device that illegally over speeds your factory settings voiding the warrantee on your expensive e-bike then you are surprised when this company that provides illegal upgrades doesn't cover a warrantee?

Grow up a bit and take ownership of your spurious activities.

You ordered a dodgy online speed over ride. Be thankful the whole bike didn't catch fire and burn your house down with you in it.

 

[Juanp]

So you purchase a device that illegally over speeds your factory settings voiding the warrantee on your expensive e-bike then you are surprised when this company that provides illegal upgrades doesn't cover a warrantee?

Grow up a bit and take ownership of your spurious activities.

You ordered a dodgy online speed over ride. Be thankful the whole bike didn't catch fire and burn your house down with you in it.

You are absolutely right, and that is precisely why I am sharing this. I take full responsibility for my decision to install the device, and I’ve already paid the price: a fried motor on a high-end bike that I had to replace out of my own pocket.


My goal with this post isn't to argue about the legality of 'tuning' or to seek sympathy. It is to serve as a warning for this community. I made a mistake so others don't have to.


If you're considering a 'speed override,' look at my photos: internal thermal failure, leaked resin, and a company that disappears when things go south. Learn from my experience: it’s not worth risking a $10k bike for a few extra km/h. I’ve learned my lesson, and I hope this helps someone else avoid the same headache.


Safe riding to all.

 

[edruid]

Manufacturer of chip to derestrict legal bikes to non-legal setting turns out to be dodgy. That’s the headline

 

[TQFreak]

Manufacturer of chip to derestrict legal bikes to non-legal setting turns out to be dodgy. That’s the headline

The settings are legal and the device is legal too.

I would recommend to open it carefully and inspect it inside just out of curiosity since there is nothing to loose. That thing could be deformed from external heat from the motor. It looks like it was jammed quite snug inside the frame.

I never heard about this company. But I heard about Speed Box which makes derelicting dongles too and I use one for many years without issues. Maybe try Speed Box.

 

[edruid]

The settings are legal and the device is legal too.

I would recommend to open it carefully and inspect it inside just out of curiosity since there is nothing to loose. That thing could be deformed from external heat from the motor.

So this device does not allow pedal assist at speeds >15.5 mph?

 

[TQFreak]

So this device does not allow pedal assist at speeds >15.5 mph?

This device allows pedal assist at any speed just like your car allows you to use engine at any speed you want.

 

[edruid]

This device allows pedal assist at any speed just like your car allows you to use engine at any speed you want.

Your car which insured and taxed?

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

Your car which insured and taxed?

Arbitrary speed rules do not apply equally all over the world - something that makes your bike technically illegal in your country, does not make it so in another.

 

[ArmyOfEvilRobots]

I'm not gonna wade in on the legality aspect of increasing assist speed. I will say that if they can't afford to provide proper warranty coverage, and are hiding behind EU rules not being enforced overseas, then they likely can't afford a lawyer to chase you down.

But a simplistic 3d printed (I'd be equally disappointed if that was a piece of corrugated plastic hose they used) housing filled with epoxy like that is a pretty bad sign. You used to see a lot of stuff like that for aftermarket automotive junk, (maybe you still do; I left the aftermarket auto industry 20 years ago). I would expect a decent product to at least have mounting ears that matched some mounting points on the motor/frame. An aluminum housing that can conduct away heat would be good too.

Not too impressed with their 3d-printed "waterproof" covers when I browse the site, either. It's possible to make truly waterproof FDM prints, but only with post processing. There are always gaps in the layer lines that leak. They haven't done that.

TL;DR: Looks like stuff that's hacked together until it works, but that's not necessarily good engineering.

ref: been designing electronics, automotive controls, and mechatronics (including 3d printers) for nearly 30 years now.

 

[Barry.P]

Thank you for your post.
I think calling out a company... any company, for bad or good business practices helps us all.
It is up to members to decide if they want to be a patron to that business or not.