Poor assembly/quality

elusiveguy

I recenty got a bike on the btw scheme. I'm not a cyclist and know feck all about bikes and only got the bike to commute

I live in south Kildare, the shop is in east Wicklow, the only on my workplace uses.

I placed the order on a Thursday and collected over a week later on a Saturday.

2 items were missing, a very minor part of the bike and a jacket.

On the following Monday, first cycle, the forks to handlebar connection was loose and I couldn't select the biggest gear on the front sprocket. Figured out how these worked and fixed them. Also the mudguard sold to me obstructs how the bike folds despite the proprieter insisting this was the only that wouldn't

Yesterday the clamp on the handlebars came loose, again easy fix for me to do.

Today, the pedal tore it's threads. It only tore half the thread so I assume it had come a lose but either way, the cranky bit between the pedal and cente of the sprocket is destroyed.

Rang the shop, have to go down tomorrow. I'll be wanting a fix while I wait as I don't fancy another 2 hour round trip to collect it.

From people who know bikes and deal with bike shops, can I expect a quick fix and is this normal level of service from the industry?

It's a Dahon jack if that makes a difference but nothing that came loose is part of the folding procedure.

All advice and help greatly appreciated

Tonyandthewhale

That sounds like poor service to me. Buying a bike in a shop you expect it to be properly built and adjusted, that's supposed to be the major advantage of a bricks and mortar shop, prompt and expert service.

We're all human so you have to expect some mistakes some times but a litany of problems such as you described seems a bit much. The pedal thread could be down to quality control at Dahon as much as poor build in the shop but any good shop should ensure that the handlebars are properly attached to the forks.

triggermortis

I don't really know what is normal service for bike shops - the one's I've used are quite good - but it sounds to me like they got your bike out of a box and handed it over without too much being looked at.
I'd be very concerned at the loose handlebars - that's a risk to personal safety and the pedal situation is not much better. If the pedal thread has gone, that's a small fix but if the crank arm thread is stripped that's another thing altogether.
It sounds to me like you've picked a place that is happy to offer shoddy customer service and I personally would be insisting on quick repairations or I would be taking my business elsewhere - after naming and shaming the shop involved

kona

elusiveguy wrote: »

I recenty got a bike on the btw scheme. I'm not a cyclist and know feck all about bikes and only got the bike to commute

I live in south Kildare, the shop is in east Wicklow, the only on my workplace uses.

I placed the order on a Thursday and collected over a week later on a Saturday.

2 items were missing, a very minor part of the bike and a jacket.

On the following Monday, first cycle, the forks to handlebar connection was loose and I couldn't select the biggest gear on the front sprocket. Figured out how these worked and fixed them. Also the mudguard sold to me obstructs how the bike folds despite the proprieter insisting this was the only that wouldn't

Yesterday the clamp on the handlebars came loose, again easy fix for me to do.

Today, the pedal tore it's threads. It only tore half the thread so I assume it had come a lose but either way, the cranky bit between the pedal and cente of the sprocket is destroyed.

Rang the shop, have to go down tomorrow. I'll be wanting a fix while I wait as I don't fancy another 2 hour round trip to collect it.

From people who know bikes and deal with bike shops, can I expect a quick fix and is this normal level of service from the industry?

It's a Dahon jack if that makes a difference but nothing that came loose is part of the folding procedure.

All advice and help greatly appreciated

If they are busy, there is noway they will do that on the spot TBH. You should ring up and tell them what you expect.

elusiveguy

@Tonyandthewhale the thead on the screw on the pedal ripped the thread out of the hole in the crank arm

I really don't wanna have to trek to this place a third time

@triggermortis the only way I can go elsewhere is to now use the BTW scheme

coastwatch

elusiveguy wrote: »

It's a Dahon jack if that makes a difference but nothing that came loose is part of the folding procedure.

Are you sure removing the pedals and handlebars is not part of the folding procedure?

elusiveguy

coastwatch wrote: »

Are you sure removing the pedals and handlebars is not part of the folding procedure?

Thats the old model, on the newer one the pedals fold while still attached and it was the clamp on the cross piece which came loose, not the one used to fold the bike

kona

Relax and let them fix the bike, its a simple fix, its not like your bike snapped in two.

Even after you tightened the Bars they came loose again, perhaps there is an manufacturing issue with them?

The threads on the crank will always always go first (unless you cross thread, then your just destroying everything), cranks are made of softer metal.


My advice, as somebody who works in a bike shop, is to call and calmly explain, they will try their best to arrange for it to be fixed on the spot if you explain, if it needs parts such as a handlebar, you will have no choice but leave it to go back out.

Dont go on a mad one, theres only one way I deal with these over hyped drama queens, Bottom of the que.
If your sound about it and let me get on with it, Ill sort you out and maybe even throw in something for free as compesation.
Then again thats just me, there are some arseholes who will just fob ya off.

elusiveguy

I do understand what you're saying Kona but at the same time its a 160km round trip if I have to go back for it, its not just a case of nipping in and out. I'm not gonna go off on one, never do but at the same time I don't think its acceptable to force me to spend taht much on fuel when its either a manufacturing flaw or poor assembly....

kona

elusiveguy wrote: »

I do understand what you're saying Kona but at the same time its a 160km round trip if I have to go back for it, its not just a case of nipping in and out. I'm not gonna go off on one, never do but at the same time I don't think its acceptable to force me to spend taht much on fuel when its either a manufacturing flaw or poor assembly....

I know it sucks, but its not the bike shops fault that you live so far away. It may be their fault for the problems or it may not.
TBH you could just bring it to your LBS and pay for it, may not be ideal but could be cheaper than taking essentially your day off work and petrol. Its a option, and not the ideal one.
Another is to drop it in on your way to work, I doubt your employer was dumb enough to do a deal with a bike shop couple hundred miles away.
They cant have any control over what businesses decide to just send their staff there. Neither do they have control over where their customers live, buying that far away ya may aswell buy online TBH.

This has the potential to blow up into something bigger than it is, my advice is to avoid this. Also how were you going to bring the bike back for its free tune up?

dancecatz2000

To make things easier on yourself and the Mechanic thats going to be fixing your bike, drop it in and tell them how annoyed you are, go off get a coffee, come back in half an hour, you could bring them back at packet of biscuits, and if its not done you know were to put them biscuits.