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Chancers in bike shops

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13

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    #62
    MojoMaker
    Registered Users Posts: 4,652 ✭✭✭MojoMaker


    REDEACTED? My experience has been good in there, but I see how it could be patchy. The pressure on upselling must be huge on young staff working in any of those kind of places.

    Post edited by CramCycle on


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    #63
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,412 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118846651#Comment_118846651

    it's a difficult one to juggle. a lot of complaints are along the lines of 'he said she said' and hard to stand by were a shop to object. plus, if you allow trusted posters to complain, it's very difficult to draw the line with posters who aren't well known and who may not be trusted in the same way.

    recently, a poster was allowed (and asked first!) post a warning about an online vendor, but the fact that he had a clear paper trail was important in the post being allowed.



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    #64
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,785 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Not naming anywhere, but to be clear, the staff were not young, one was a good few years my senior and she seemed more annoyed I called in and didn't just leave, so maybe they were covering. The other, he was my age if not a few years older. Obviously had worked there for awhile but I suspect started there as a family member (could be wrong) rather than any love of the bike. His Uncle/Father/Owner seemed very nice but he wasn't. I'd argue sometimes maybe that's how you have to be but the likes of Joe Dalys never tried to screw me over and always came across decent when you heard them talking to people who were new to bikes. Same for Harrys, Everest etc.

    Freemans was always a decent old school shop, but I haven't been there in years. Sold me a bike where I only paid for the wheels as someone had traded in the frame and he needed space. Think Bike were also always very good to me when I first moved to Dublin but haven't been around that way in a good few years.

    Post edited by CramCycle on


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    #65
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,987 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Easily identifiable from the * Southside locations given a few posts ago.


    *edited to remove links



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    #66
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,785 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    I've edited out the posts, drop me a message if I have missed anything



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    #67
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,987 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118848299#Comment_118848299

    You'd need to edit the bit you quoted from another poster!



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    #68
    DaveyDave
    Registered Users Posts: 6,243 ✭✭✭DaveyDave


    When the big shop with the cafe tries to tell you your bike with barely 1,000km needs a new chain and cassette you know it's time to move on. Or maybe it was because they tried charging for a warranty spoke replacement on a new set of Zondas that have been trouble free for 6 years after. As someone who has done basic maintenance for a decade, being spoken to like I'm an idiot didn't help either.

    My local shop is great. Swapped a turbo tyre for me for free when I broke my wrist and when they say something will be a few days because they're busy it's only ever 2-3 days and not a week like bigger shops, who always made me sound like a burden for bringing something in. Not to mention bigger shops always half arsed stuff and I can half arse it myself for free.

    My local shop really can't be beat for tubes, gels, misc tools etc and their servicing is very reasonable too. Main reason for buying online is just better choice, i.e Michelin or Pirelli tyres, SwissStop brake pads etc.

    Post edited by DaveyDave on


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    #69
    byrnem31
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭byrnem31


    Well after all that the bike is being sold tonight to a guy who states he is very capable with bike mechanics. So we will see what he thinks of it. Its up on adverts if you want to have a look on hold. http://www.adverts.ie/26444049

    I put it up for 1300, haggled to 1100 and it was sold in an hour. Im sick selling it but im buying a home and need the money. I sold myself short letting it go for that but i did not think there would be that much interest. I was getting txts with offers of 1200 but a deal is a deal to the first guy who offered 1100. I hope the new guy enjoys it.

    Anyway, i remember the shop i started the thread about. I was going to buy a cube attain gtc and the salesman tried to convince me the alloy wheels were carbon. I knew they were not. What new carbon fiber bike with ultegra comes with carbon wheels for 2k? Anyway, i asked another salesman and he confirmed they were alloy wheels. Some of them think you were born yesterday.

    Post edited by byrnem31 on


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    #70
    coach22
    Registered Users Posts: 518 ✭✭✭coach22


    I think you are giving it away at that price. It’s a lovely bike. Would you not just keep it and cycle it instead of dreaming about buying other bikes. 1100 isn’t going to go far on a house purchase.



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    #71
    byrnem31
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭byrnem31


    I have a cube agree c62 ordered for june paid for in full and a lovely set of hunt carbons to go on it.

    We unexpectedly are deciding to sell our home. We thought we did not have enough to move but a mortgage advisor has told us we have well enough. The €1100 will pay for an engineer and ber cert. Ill be sad to see it go but i dont want to break into our savings.

    My kids have no friends on our road as they go to school at grans so we are moving there to where all their mates are.



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    #72
    byrnem31
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭byrnem31


    Sold the defy tonight. Your man checked it over and said it was mint. He took my hand and all he did. I nearly cried selling it. I have a €100 felt hybrid to do me till june but needs be.



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    #73
    fat bloke
    Registered Users Posts: 5,849 ✭✭✭fat bloke


    I'll give you a grand for the cube! 😁



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    #74
    ARX
    Registered Users Posts: 586 ✭✭✭ARX


    That is a lovely bike - in my size too ...



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    #75
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Knocking sound and squeaking coming from my bike on a spin the last few spins. I also want to remove two stuck pedals and put on new ones. Booked into a large cycling superstore in Cork that I have had very mixed experience with in the past. I have a newborn and two toddlers so didn't have time to go to my regular LBS and this place is close.

    Booked in on Tuesday and the girl on the phone asked me what level of service I wanted - bronze, silver or gold. Told her the bike had been recently serviced and it was just this specific job I needed done. She seemed a bit thrown by this but booked bike anyway.

    Brought bike in yesterday and met the mechanic and he can't find any record of my bike being booked in. I explain that I'd booked it in but he's not having it. He's aggressive and cranky from the off.

    Asks me what's wrong with the bike and I explain and immediately he's looking down his nose at me. Takes the bike out the back, returns and says the wheel is 'fucked' and throws the bike back at me. I explain it's only six months old and I'm surprised. He mutters something about the free hub and needing a new wheel again. At this point he's done with me and does not want any more to do with me. I ask about the pedals and he says there was no issue, he took them off and put them back on.

    I explain that I wanted them off as I couldn't get them off myself without a pedal wrench. He asks me if I still want them off, and I explain I do. He grabs a pedal wrench, takes them off in 10 second and barks '7.50e' at me, looking very smug and happy with himself.

    I was in such a daze after being treated like a piece of crap by this guy I actually went up and paid the money. Needless to say I'll never go back to this place again. Ironically, the last time I was in I dealt with another mechanic and he was sound and did a fine job on the bike.

    As for the wheel, I rang by actual LBS, spoke to the mechanic and he said it's most likely just loose and can be repaired or he will replace as it's under warranty. Should never have gone to the cycling superstore in the first place. Waste of time I don't have and treated like a piece of crap.



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    #76
    GandhiwasfromBallyfermot
    Registered Users Posts: 415 ✭✭GandhiwasfromBallyfermot


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118864150#Comment_118864150

    If its the same place I'm thinking of in Cork a lot of people I know have had difficulties there, you're definitely not the only one. They have a bit of a reputation for being nasty. I hear you would be at the edge of your wits dealing with them.



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    #77
    byrnem31
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭byrnem31


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118860157#Comment_118860157

    Only if you take the hunt carbons with it. They are taking up too much room.



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    #78
    gn3dr
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭gn3dr


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118864333#Comment_118864333

    Ha ha. I'm guessing that's a subtle one



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    #79
    DJB030244
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭DJB030244


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118864150#Comment_118864150

    That’s incredible, never ceases to amaze me how people like this stay employed .it’s like you are the problem, and are even lucky this guy will entertain you. Does the owner know he goes on like this or give a dam. When you employ people there are 2 types , people with a good attitude and people with a bad attitude, sadly you got the later here . I’ve worked with people like him . They bring the whole place down ..



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    #80
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,412 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i complained once on the facebook page of a local bike shop; the owner did respond to it and i left it there.

    got chatting to him one day while in the shop, about a month later and mentioned 'i was the guy who left you a negative comment on facebook a while ago', and he almost recoiled. turns out someone else had left a very profane and abusive message about a week after mine, and he briefly thought i was confessing to be that person. anyway, we left on good terms.



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    #81
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,987 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868181#Comment_118868181

    Perhaps he was the owner!

    I had dealings (not cycling related) with what I thought was an abusive rogue employee of a transport company a few years ago. I contacted the company later that day and spoke to the owner. Turns out he was the one giving me the abuse and then proceeded to give me more! 😁



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    #82
    531
    Registered Users Posts: 509 ✭✭✭531


    The place in Cork.....they had a tool I wanted listed on their website so I called in to get it, they looked but couldn't find it. They were polite and said they would order it in and get it for me at the same price as listed. I left them my number but they never got back to me. I since got the tool online. it makes you wonder if they want the business or not.



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    #83
    Wildly Boaring
    Registered Users Posts: 3,645 ✭✭✭Wildly Boaring


    Bought my last bike off them and couldn't be more helpful.


    But I mean that's a fairly straightforward transaction and maybe that's what they want??



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    #84
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868628#Comment_118868628

    My wife has ordered three different pairs of running shoes off them and never got a call back on any. She just buys online now. Each time she went with the intention of buying shoes and spending in an actual shop but they never had the sizes and obviously just never bothered to order them in.



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    #85
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868633#Comment_118868633

    I think that's it. They are just shooting fish in a barrel and don't seem too keen on people like me who will leave a bike in for 50-60e of repairs twice a year.

    I've dealt with them four times now in about four years and three have been a disaster but the one that went well, went really well.



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    #86
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868444#Comment_118868444

    He wasn't the owner. The owner took the money off me at the counter. Not sure if he had heard what had gone on but he charged me 7e on my card instead of 7.50e. I'm sure had I not been so dazed and reasoned with the owner he would have waived the fee.



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    #87
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868372#Comment_118868372

    In this case, I had awful dealings with them when buying a bike three years ago. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and they dealt with it terribly. However, after a few years I decided to give them a second chance and five weeks ago I brought a bike in, the mechanic was really nice and did a good job. I left them a five star review on Google.

    Then the above incident. I'm not a vindictive person and my family has its own business in Cork so I know how tricky dealing with the public can be and how fraught reviews can be, but it's annoying me that there's a great review from me up there. I could edit it but I think I will email the owners/management instead.



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    #88
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868067#Comment_118868067

    Off topic, but which Hunts did you get? I am looking at a set of carbon 40/50s at the minute for just under a grand but haven't pressed fire yet.



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    #89
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868102#Comment_118868102

    LOL, I missed that first time. Very subtle.



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    #90
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,412 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868372#Comment_118868372

    i never mentioned the reason for the complaint; wasn't being overcharged or being told a bike needed work that it didn't need. i went in looking for bright orange bar tape (which i'd bought in that shop previously) and was told by a smarmy shop assistant that they'd never stocked it and that i was wrong to look for it anyway, that i really wanted black bar tape, why would i want orange bar tape? i then spotted a wax chain lube for sale and asked about the instructions - it said that every 600km you were to strip the chain completely clean again and reapply from scratch. so i asked was this no better than oil-based lube; and the same chap proceeded to slag me about not knowing about chain hygiene, that i must run an incredibly dirty chain. real alpha male, i can slag you about anything sort of stuff. so i cut him off mid sentence and just left.



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    #91
    PokeHerKing
    Registered Users Posts: 4,321 ✭✭✭PokeHerKing


    I haven't been on the bike much the past two years due to wfh. Just leisurely cycles with my wife etc. Got a puncture a few weeks back and haven't gone near it since.

    Back in the office a few days a week from next week so decided to book it into Halfords in Tallaght to get a service and puncture repair.

    Similar story to many others on this thread. Booked in over the phone, arrived down to some cranky employee telling me you can't book a service over the phone and theyre having huge problems with their CS. Basically told me to fcuk off, so I obliged.

    I've booked into Joe Dalys based off recommendations on here, it's near the office anyway so suits me.



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