3D-printed Superstrata bike manufacturing halts amid customer complaints

Arevo, the Silicon Valley-based company behind the much-discussed Superstrata 3D-printed bike, is said to have terminated all operations in its Vietnamese manufacturing base. 

According to Vietnamese media, the Superstrata base that was set up in January 2021, when Arevo made an investment of $19.5 million (£15 million) in the cutting-edge factory, has been closed.

Arevo is known in the cycling world for its Superstrata bike, which was dubbed the “world’s first custom 3D-printed unibody carbon-fibre bike” when it was announced back in 2020. 

> Superstrata unveils "world’s first custom 3D-printed unibody carbon-fibre bike"

Now the company, which raised over $7.5 million through crowdfunding campaigns to produce the 3D-printed bikes, is reported to have ceased making them amid numerous customer complaints.

Saigon Giai Phong News reports, “The reason for the termination of Arevo Vietnam's operations is the investor's inability to produce carbon materials, which has led to increased costs and non-competitive finished products in the market. Furthermore, due to the pandemic, the company is no longer able to sustain its research and development team.”

The Superstrata raised Arevo over $1 million on Indiegogo within the first 24 hours and $7.5 million within three months, from around 4,559 backers. In February 2023, the company said it had fulfilled 96 percent of the crowdfunded bike orders. 

Despite those early successes, Arevo's ambitious venture was hit with some roadblocks early on. In 2021, we reported how numerous backers voiced their dissatisfaction with the bike's quality and long delivery times. The frames, priced at £2,220 for the classic model and £3,172 for the e-bike, were expected to be flawlessly 3D printed for a perfect fit, catering to individuals of all heights and coming in a range of personalised builds. 

Based on the customers' experiences, in many instances, the Superstrata did not meet the expectations. On a social media group for Superstrata backers, many people have expressed their experiences with Superstrata customer service. One comment said: “I've sent "Heidi" [Superstrata customer chat agent] three requests over the last 3+ weeks for any kind of update on the completion of the eBikes ordered and paid for in November of 2020”. 

Another point of frustration has been the discrepancy between the promised and delivered bike components and design. Some customers have had their bikes delivered with 160mm brake rotors instead of the 180mm that would fit the callipers, and for many the weight of the bike wasn’t what was promised. Superstrata claimed the Classic model would weigh 7.5kg, but most have reported it to tip the scales at more than 11kg. 

The recent reports from Vietnamese media indicate that it was these customer complaints that made the firm’s manufacturing reach a tipping point. Despite the high price tag attached to the product, these issues were allegedly met with silence from the company, leaving customers without a clear explanation about the status of their order, complaint or the company itself. 

road.cc has approached Arevo for a comment.