ALSO Tours TM-B Demo Bikes While Pre-Order Customers Wait — SkimNews
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- ALSO launched its "Test Spin Fall Tour" running September through November, starting in Portland with stops in 15+ cities including Philadelphia, Boston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Nashville, Detroit, and Dallas, bringing TM-B demo bikes for public test rides.
- TM-B Launch Edition pre-orders priced at $4,500 were originally promised for spring 2026, slipped to summer, then September, and now delivery waves stretch into early November, with self-described day-one reservation holders on Reddit still reporting they haven't received individual delivery dates.
- ALSO Head of Product Saul Leiken posted a lengthy Reddit apology citing supply-chain issues with PCBs and certain integrated circuits — partly driven by AI-boom demand — that forced engineers to source and requalify alternative materials rather than simply swap parts.
- TM-B's removable battery supports USB-C Power Delivery at up to 240W, exceeding existing regulatory guidelines and requiring ALSO to work with standards organizations on new safety and testing protocols, per Leiken.
- ALSO's DreamRide pedal-by-wire drivetrain requires high-precision production and a slower manufacturing ramp to maintain quality, according to Leiken's Reddit explanation.
- Multiple customers who visited bike shops listed on ALSO's site as official service partners found staff there unaware they were considered service partners, adding to rollout concerns.
Why it matters: ALSO has enough functional TM-Bs to send demo fleets on a nationwide tour, yet some day-one reservation holders who paid $4,500 nearly a year ago still have no delivery date — a contrast that creates a reputational optics problem on top of the delay. The fact that listed service-partner bike shops don't even know they're partners signals ALSO is still building the support infrastructure for the bike, not just the bike itself.
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