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GeoMan Gear SUCKS!

16K views 111 replies 41 participants last post by  GraXXoR 
#1 ·
BELIEVE IT.

I bought these lights alot having to do with the recommendations here on MTBR but I'm literally at the point of taking my lights and running them over or doing a YOUTUBE video and smashing them with a sledge hammer. For over 8 months I've been trying to get replacement batteries for DEFECTIVE ones that potentially CATCH on fire spontaneously. So what happens? I fill out the paper work , get the forms filled out and the batteries disposed of properly - all signed paperwork...this in June 2011...still no batteries and every time I email to ask them they say they will get back to me in few days...that was in August, that was in December, that is now 10 days ago.

I thought this company stood for quality and good service but from what I've been dealing with they are absolutely terrible in following through with even their most minor promise of contacting me to give me an update.

I've officially given up trying to get batteries for this - I'll probably put these on ebay and start anew. I'm not sure but one thing I'm sure of, from here on in I'm going to make a point of telling everyone what a terrible experience I had with this company -and to warn others.

It's almost like they hope a certain percentage of people will just give up and they wont' have to deal with me.

GEOMANGEAR are you out there?????? Thought so.


:madman::madman::madman::madman::madman::madman:
 
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#16 ·
Rukuman - I just literally joined here and have been reading threads. I feel compelled, however, to say that you're a pretty rude person. I can totally understand Zs position. What you've highlighted doesn''t make anything a slam dunk and if you don't have anything constructive to say or at least put it in a polite manner - why are you even responding? Did you not kick your dog enough this morning? Geesh.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Where's the love CrankyPooper... where's the love?

Sometime I pick up my big fluffy ragdoll-long-hair-Siamese cat and give him a hug to cheer him up... he usually just farts on me.

What does this have to do with anything, not much...

but then again your comments don't have much to do with anything either.

Sometimes it's ironic - you're giving somebody a hardtime about giving somebody else a hardtime about something else... how's that go again?
 
#41 ·
It's pretty much confirmed.

Does anyone ride Joaquin Miller? I like that for a quick no hassle with (car) traffic ride during the week when I'm in the Oaktown area.
This was the first day since the race I jumped on my bike and did some JoaquinA Milla...nice to be back in the saddle. Just signed up for the next Boggs race. Thinking of going up before and riding it for the weekend. Jim wasn't kidding when he touted it as single track heaven!!!!
I have a friend with a set of DT SWISS Hubs and she wants to rebuild them but when I looked at them I couldn't figure out how to get them unscrewed...anyone have any suggestions on where I'd go for this information regarding the process, tools required, replacement parts needed etc?
Thank you so much in advance. :D;)
has anyone ever done an overhaul on one and if so can you direct me to overhaul instructions. I've gone to the DT Swiss website but still have a lot of questions. I"ve already been given some wrong advice on bearings.
Add in this and a couple more Geomangear threads, and you have a duplicate account.
 
#56 ·
It's pretty much confirmed.
Add in this and a couple more Geomangear threads, and you have a duplicate account.
'they' 'both ' don't apparently know how to quote who they are responding to - several posts in a row responding way back previous in the thread to someone - hard to follow when you have to click back and scroll just to piece it together :rolleyes:

Forum usage - learn it
 
#52 ·
All this over what, a $30 battery pack? Put your effort and frustration into resolving your problem and move on. Buy a new battery pack and move on with your life. If you do get your replacement, which you probably will, consider that a bonus and keep it as a spare or sell it.
 
#92 ·
I probably shouldn't post this but WTH...:devil:

"Z"ster....so G-man finally shows up and offers an olive branch. AFTER ALL THIS TIME!
Are you gonna sit there and take that? I guess you and him are bosom-buddies now. :D
Yep, old G-man put the smooth-move on you and now you're as quiet as a mouse. Such a nice little mouse now aren't we? Would mousy like some cheese?... good mouse, nice and quiet mouse. ( :devil::lol::lol::lol:...I know, I know, I just couldn't help myself...Me'sa sorry...:ciappa:
 
#103 ·
Thanks Geoman, I just got my replacement battery . I too, put off doing the form until mid December...
Frankly I felt a bit guilty as I got a good 2 seasons of use out of it (light use) and felt i got my money's worth.

I need to find something to buy from you again, whether I need it or not!!!!

CDT :thumbsup:
 
#104 ·
Thanks Geoman, I just got my replacement battery . I too, put off doing the form until mid December...
Frankly I felt a bit guilty as I got a good 2 seasons of use out of it (light use) and felt i got my money's worth.

I need to find something to buy from you again, whether I need it or not!!!!

CDT :thumbsup:
I think I remember Hearing that this hit them with a close to $700, 000 bill.:eek::eek::eek: They did right by all of us by doing this. it would have been great if it went real smooth and everybody got their battery's immediately. They did the best they could with the resources available to them.. Sure I had to buy 6 extra battery's just to get me thru the recall period but I dont hold Geoman responsible for that, If you want to be mad at anyone get pissed at Magicshine they are the ones that made the Sh*tty batteries to begin with, The moment Geoman realized there was a issue he did the right thing for his customers and went thru this process to remedy the Issue. Sure some have not received theirs yet but they will. and you will in fact get MORE than you paid for with this top of the line high quality replacement pack. I for one feel I owe Geoman a great big thank you for trying their best to take care of his customers
 
#4 ·
It's been almost a freaking year and they've just been like "oh, we need a few days and we''ll get back to you" and then months will pass or we'll have to check with our (I think it was) a third party company they were contracting out to keep track of all that - "and we'll get back to you" - another 4 months...it's "udderly" ridiculous that a company like this has treated someone who LOVED them, I mean absolutely LOVED them so terribly.

I used to sing high praises to anyone that would listen - I can't believe how poorly they've treated me.

CAVEAT EMPTOR
 
#5 · (Edited)
Wow what a bummer that you haven't got your battery yet, but what you describe is so totally out of character for Geomangear there has to be another side of the story .. I guess for every 500 successful claims there has to be one with issues looks like you won the lottery and not for the good.
If what you say is true and I have no reason to doubt you if your claim was sent in June it should have been processed a long time ago sounds like it got lost in the swarm of 20,000 other claims. I'm sure Geoman will make it right by you. remember they are just a couple of fellow mt bikers trying to sell some lights:thumbsup:
 
#9 ·
Going online and throwing vendors under the bus is a 2-year old way of handling it. It appears from my reading on here that they are responsive. Finally, its a sub-$100 lightset....sometimes you get what you pay for and assume that risk when buying to save money/online. This is the cruxt of the LBS vs. online debate. If you pay $300 at the shop for lghts and there is an issue, you can walk in and take it back. I would have just bought new lights and moved on. When the new batteries showed up I would have craigslisted it. I just spent $175 at Geoman for MJ-808s instead of >$300 at the LBS to save money. For that much, I assume that risk and won't cry if I get screwed b/c I made the decision to save money with a cheaper product. You can be pissed at them, but just handle it through them, not on here.
 
#10 ·
going online and throwing vendors under the bus is a 2-year old way of handling it. It appears from my reading on here that they are responsive. Finally, its a sub-$100 lightset....sometimes you get what you pay for and assume that risk when buying to save money/online. This is the cruxt of the lbs vs. Online debate. If you pay $300 at the shop for lghts and there is an issue, you can walk in and take it back. I would have just bought new lights and moved on. When the new batteries showed up i would have craigslisted it. I just spent $175 at geoman for mj-808s instead of >$300 at the lbs to save money. For that much, i assume that risk and won't cry if i get screwed b/c i made the decision to save money with a cheaper product. You can be pissed at them, but just handle it through them, not on here.
+1000
 
#11 ·
Zenmaster, I just wanted to touch upon the battery type you opted for. Due to the overwhelming response to their voluntary recall, Geoman was inundated. The free 4.5 mAh replacement option specifically was hardest to fill as it was free and just about everyone jumped on the band wagon. Consequently, a bunch of us opted for the 2nd option - a 6.0 mAh battery upgrade for US$25. The wait time for this was significantly less compared to the 1st.

As already mentioned, simply pick up the phone and give them a call. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll get everything sorted. In this modern day and age, emails and sms seem to have replaced the more traditional way of personal interaction. IME, especially when things don't go smoothly, voice to voice is the more effective conduit when addressing issues (proper etiquette definitely helps)

Good luck!
 
#12 ·
Not a spam issue because they respond to me....

my emails are getting to them - they're getting to them because I get emails like the one below and then nothing for months on end:

On Tue, Aug 16, 2011 at 08:05, <contact@geomangear.com> wrote:

While we wish we could, we are not sending out confirmations that we received customer's claims or the status of the replacements because that would add another expense to this already overwhelming cost and reduce the money we would have to buy more batteries.

We have hired a very competent, expert recall administrator and are working our way through the thousands claims received so far and as of 7/21/2011 have completely finalized and shipped 35% of all approved claims.

We continue to receive more battery shipments and send out large numbers of claims each week, but it will take a couple months to complete this recall process.

Here's more information on the recall timeline:

Recall Timeline : GeoMan Gear, The best products, the best prices, & Lightnin Fast service!

Thanks,

Geomangear
 
#15 ·
my emails are getting to them - they're getting to them because I get emails like the one below and then nothing for months on end:

On Tue, Aug 16, 2011 at 08:05, <contact@geomangear.com> wrote:

While we wish we could, we are not sending out confirmations that we received customer's claims or the status of the replacements because that would add another expense to this already overwhelming cost and reduce the money we would have to buy more batteries.


We have hired a very competent, expert recall administrator and are working our way through the thousands claims received so far and as of 7/21/2011 have completely finalized and shipped 35% of all approved claims.

We continue to receive more battery shipments and send out large numbers of claims each week, but it will take a couple months to complete this recall process.

Here's more information on the recall timeline:

Recall Timeline : GeoMan Gear, The best products, the best prices, & Lightnin Fast service!

Thanks,

Geomangear
Your kidding! Right? HE DIDN'T GET BACK TO YOU. you act he was your best friend and stole your girlfriend.
You will get your batteries give it a rest. They are doing more for you that any other Magicshine retailer would.
 
#14 ·
I'll have to check on how much but are you saying that how much I spent on my lights should matter on how I'm mistreated? If I buy anything and I mean anything from REI or Eddie Bauer - something goes wrong with it and they will replaced it. Whether it's a $10 item or $1000 thing - it matters not. Are you saying that GeoManGear doesnt' carry that standard? If so then that's my bad for trusting word of mouth but seriously who does that and expects to survive long-term?
 
#20 ·
Retailers rarely promise convenience with warranties..especially online ones. Did they promise a timeframe for a replacement, or just a replacement?
 
#21 ·
That's a really good question TiGeo....Z? I think though it's weird that one would have to ask for that and be kept on the "line" as it were...I mean if Z is an active biker and likes to ride the night shift...how do you do that with a battery-less set of lights?

Z do you have another set of lights?

I just posted a question to the forum on their top 3 light companies related to quality of product and customer service...I'm about to plop some $ down on lights and definitely willing to pay a little more for good - actually really good customer service...

Too bad Eddie Bauer doesn't sell bike stuff - I'd be all over that. Their customer service really rocks!
 
#23 ·
I just posted a question to the forum on their top 3 light companies related to quality of product and customer service...I'm about to plop some $ down on lights and definitely willing to pay a little more for good - actually really good customer service...
Gretna Bikes/Lupine Lights;

Geomangear for everything else except the battery recall (if you read the couple thousand posts on this to-date, you'd understand better what's gone on and why the majority on MTBR still support them despite the battery 'challenges');

Dinotte;

Baja Designs;

Gemini and Gloworm looks promising for both light designs and service, but I don't know if they can be considered 'proven' yet?

and some others...
 
#24 ·
Cranky, how better do you think Geoman could have handled this? He has to recall and replace ~10K batteries. This takes time in processing, manufacturing, etc. Again, convenience isn't always guaranteed; he will get his battery, it will just take a long time. If he got an email a week saying "We still don't have them" I bet this guy would still say "GEOMAN SUCKS". If this were me, I would have purchased the better battery for a whopping $25 (less than tank of gas) that was available faster and called it done. You can buy a complete battery/light for $75. Problems happen, deal with them and move on.
 
#26 ·
I don't know about you guys

but waiting 9 months and not even getting confirmation that they had all the appropriate paperwork (or did I misunderstand?) and being kept in the dark -that's pretty dang lame.

Apparently they subcontracted out to a company to help them...how hard would it have been to create a table which I'm sure they have of the people who have submitted the paperwork and are in the cue? They could even through a simple script create a pw - based webpage/table so you would only see your information and keep others private. I'm a NOVICE programmer and I could do that in my sleep with both hands tied behind my back.
 
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