Chainreaction question

311

Hello ,after reading the sticky above I found some stuff on chain reaction cycles. I was wondering how their deliveries are handled here ,GLS or an post?

E@gle.

Delivery is pretty quick from chain reactions

311

Thanks for the replies ,sds I take it is an post. Good stuff:)

Membrane

_Brian_ wrote:

sds I take it is an post

I've no experience with CRC, but I wouldn't make that assumption. My experience with the UK's ParcelForce service is that they use An Post for smaller packages, for bulky stuff they use GLS.

I much prefer An Post's handling of parcels to GLS's.

Trojan

Chain Reaction are brilliant. I've gotten about 2k worth of stuff from them at this stage, great shop.

Raam

Trojan wrote:

Chain Reaction are brilliant. I've gotten about 2k worth of stuff from them at this stage, great shop.

I'll second that. Top notch service from em.
The range of jerseys ain't great though.

I wish they'd get more road/team stuff

Itsfixed

I'll third that. Very good service, speedy postage. Good value. Would also like them to do more roadie stuff but its my first choice for MTB stuff.

blorg

Don't bother with the paid/express delivery. With the free delivery longest time I have had to wait was 48 hours. If you order early in the day you will likely get it next day. Great shop.

rubadub

My normal post usually takes 2-4days. It is coming from the north so there is much less delay than a UK one where is has to go on a plane or boat.

If you buy enough stuff then the courier service is free, I think they might have recently upped the limit. The odd time I did need something in a rush, so rather than pay the extra for the courier I just added items to get the price into the range for free post, e.g. buying spare tubes that I will need sometime.

E@gle.

King Raam wrote:

I'll second that. Top notch service from em.
The range of jerseys ain't great though.

I wish they'd get more road/team stuff

pro bike kit is good for the road/team stuff

blorg

E@gle. wrote:

pro bike kit is good for the road/team stuff

I've bought from these guys too, only a water bottle cage, but good price and free and quick delivery.

mcgratheoin

I've had some great service from chainreaction cyles - even down to the level of sending me out 2 pairs of shoes so I could try them on and send back the ones that didn't fit. Absolutely first class.

Ghost Rider

I've had overwhelming positive experience with CRC too. A couple of tyre tubes I got from them were, I think, a bit dodgy, but that was about it. Everything else was precisely as described and their free delivery service to ROI is brill.

ThOnda

I am always going there in person :-) Saves some time :-P

Itsfixed

Although CRC are great, I think Cyclesuperstore.ie in Tallaght is now matching them for prices and value.

eg. Sora STI 8 speed (double) shifters €96 in CRC, but €82 in Cyclesuperstore.

Free postage to ireland also.

But if you're living in Dublin, you can actually call in to cyclesuperstore.

Ghost Rider

Good to know.

Itsfixed wrote:

Although CRC are great, I think Cyclesuperstore.ie in Tallaght is now matching them for prices and value.

eg. Sora STI 8 speed (double) shifters €96 in CRC, but €82 in Cyclesuperstore.

Free postage to ireland also.

But if you're living in Dublin, you can actually call in to cyclesuperstore.

daymobrew

Itsfixed wrote:

Although CRC are great, I think Cyclesuperstore.ie in Tallaght is now matching them for prices and value.

When you use the free CycleSuperStore Loyalty card, the prices are even closer, sometimes cheaper.

ruprect

Itsfixed wrote:

eg. Sora STI 8 speed (double) shifters €96 in CRC, but €82 in Cyclesuperstore. .

Will keep them in mind, never knew they had free post. I checked those and it looks like they are €93 in CSS. For 8 speed double.

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=3619

Still cheaper but CRC have nothing off. I like the fact that CRC show correct RRP prices and the discounts are all genuinely off the RRP. Also CRC have the price match, they hounoured in on 2 occassions for me, and refused on another. They do include postage from the other store though, but if you send from an anonymous email address they will presume you are in the UK. On my second time they knew I had an account and only matched the other stores price including post to ireland (a few £ more).

They gave no real reason why the other price was refused to match, but it was down from £20 to £12. They said the other company did not sell to Ireland, but they do, you have to email for post costs though.

CRC have the big advantage that they should be getting stuff at wholesale prices for the UK RRP which is less than in Ireland, due to VAT and I guess better distribution in a bigger country. But if buying from CSS at least the VAT is being collected by your own government.

Free post is a big plus for me. I would pay the extra to have stuff posted for the convenience. I have also returned stuff to CRC with no problems, they charge a restocking fee to cover initial "free" post but it is very fair. Only charged £2 for a pair of shoes I returned.

Itsfixed

ruprect wrote:

Will keep them in mind, never knew they had free post. I checked those and it looks like they are €93 in CSS. For 8 speed double.

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=3619

Yes, sorry my mistake. The €82 is for the triple version. Funny I thought that would be more expensive than the double.

ruprect

Itsfixed wrote:

Yes, sorry my mistake. The €82 is for the triple version. Funny I thought that would be more expensive than the double.

Yeah seems odd. I can only figure that the double is the best seller so they are churning them out and they are cheaper due to economies of scale.

I noticed I could have got my tyre cheaper than in CRC, only €2 or so, but it is best to bear in mind that the € price shown on CRC will have a little extra added due to exchange rates and C/C fees, I wish they also took € like cdwow do.

Ideo

Itsfixed wrote: »

Yes, sorry my mistake. The €82 is for the triple version. Funny I thought that would be more expensive than the double.

Kind of off topic/on topic, and sorry for dragging up an old post but does anybody know if the bikes from chainreactioncycles come assembled, or are they flatpack so to speak?

blorg

From what I can gather (I bought a Trek 5000 from them) they come in the box as a bike shop would get them, e.g. I don't think Chainreaction touch them at all. Mine had something inside about being assembled in Germany IIRC. Assembly was not difficult (attach bars, front wheel) but the gears were pretty out of whack. I wasn't able to fix this myself due to inexperience but Belfield Bike Shop was happy to and did a very nice job of it; fixed a few other things I had got wrong also. Some of their bikes have disclaimers about more assembly than that being required.

Ideo

Would it similar in assembly to this?

penexpers

I wouldn't order a full bike from CRC for the reason that blorg pointed out above. They do no setup on it at all and possibly don't even check what's in the box before sending it on to you.

Looking at CSS they do require a good deal of setting up too.

Best place I've bought a bike online from is Evans. All I had to do was turn the handlebars and fit the pedals. Everything was setup perfectly.

blorg

Ideo wrote: »

Would it similar in assembly to this?

Yes, it was something like that.

From what I gather some online shops (e.g. Wiggle, Evans according to penexpers) actually assemble and test-ride the whole thing before sending it to you.

trek climber

blorg wrote: »

From what I can gather (I bought a Trek 5000 from them) they come in the box as a bike shop would get them, e.g. I don't think Chainreaction touch them at all. Mine had something inside about being assembled in Germany IIRC. Assembly was not difficult (attach bars, front wheel) but the gears were pretty out of whack. I wasn't able to fix this myself due to inexperience but Belfield Bike Shop was happy to and did a very nice job of it; fixed a few other things I had got wrong also. Some of their bikes have disclaimers about more assembly than that being required.

I too bought the Trek 5000 from them and I have to say that it was nearly fully assembled when I got it. If I remember correctly, all that had to be done was to tighten the handlebars, attach the saddle and then put on my own pedals. For somebody who would b fairly ignorant in bike assembly, it was very straight forward.

Ideo

Cool thanks for the replies guys. Think I'm going to go for the one I had in mind, will let you know how I get on!