I am extremely disappointed with my experience at The Path Bike Shop regarding the purchase and…read moredelivery of my 2027 Orbea Wild.
I placed a 20% deposit on the bike on July 13. On August 11, Dorothy informed me that the bike was built and essentially ready to go, except that they were waiting on one part from Orbea/Avinox that I was told Brian had personally ordered.
More than a month later, on September 14 at approximately 1:00 PM, I received a text from Raul telling me that my bike was completely finished and ready for pickup.
Unfortunately, when I arrived, there was absolutely no proper delivery or setup process for a high-end e-bike of this complexity. Nobody walked me through the Avinox system or helped me sync and set up the bike with my phone, even though the Orbea Wild with the Avinox system must be properly connected and configured before use. Nobody adjusted the suspension for my weight, and there was no indication that the bike had received a proper final setup, safety inspection, or test ride.
When I attempted to ride the bike for the first time, I discovered numerous problems that should have been identified before I was ever told the bike was finished and ready for pickup.
The front fork had only approximately 50 PSI in it, while the HSC, LSC, and rebound settings were turned to their highest settings. The rear shock also had the rebound and LSC turned all the way to maximum. The RockShox hose clamp that secures the front brake line was missing. The front fender I had ordered was also missing, despite the bike having sat at The Path for approximately six weeks.
Even more concerning, the rear derailleur was not functioning properly. Not all gears could be used, and the drivetrain was extremely noisy. None of the batteries on the bike were charged above approximately 30%.
Most seriously, the brakes did not appear to have been properly bled. The brake levers could be pulled almost completely to the handlebars. Delivering a new e-MTB to a customer in that condition raises a serious safety concern.
What makes this situation even more frustrating is the reason I was given for the six-week delay. Brian and Dorothy repeatedly told me they were waiting for a specific part. Eventually, I sourced the required part directly from TRP myself. I ordered it and had it delivered to my home within two days. I then personally brought the part to The Path on September 13 so the build could finally be completed.
Based on that experience, I have serious concerns about whether the part I was repeatedly told had been ordered was actually ordered or actively being pursued. Had I not located and purchased the part myself, I have no reason to believe my bike would have been completed when it was.
This was not an inexpensive bicycle or a simple build. A 2027 Orbea Wild equipped with the Avinox system is a sophisticated, high-performance e-MTB, and I expected a professional build, proper suspension setup, functioning drivetrain, properly bled brakes, charged batteries, installation of the parts I ordered, a complete Avinox setup, and a final safety inspection before the bike was handed over to me.
Instead, after waiting more than six weeks, I was told the bike was "finished" and "ready for pickup" when it clearly was not properly set up, inspected, or prepared to be ridden.
For a shop with The Path's reputation and experience, this level of service and quality control is unacceptable. My biggest concern is not simply the delays or missing parts--it is that I was handed a brand-new e-bike with multiple setup problems and potentially serious safety issues and was told it was complete.
I expected far better communication, accountability, workmanship, and attention to safety from The Path Bike Shop. All I hope for is for my bike to be fixed accordingly.