Couldn't let me try a bike...

[Milkfloat]

To be fair I don't think I would be taking a Sturmey Archer to them to get a new thrust spring fitted.

 

[classic33]

I think it is more your loss as you are the one who forked out £££ to get there .

They lost a £4,000 sale. Ticket down cost £10. Eventually bought from a man who said I was nuts, over Irlam way.

 

[gavroche]

They lost a £4,000 sale. Ticket down cost £10. Eventually bought from a man who said I was nuts, over Irlam way.

Fair enough, I take it back then.

 

[palinurus]

Years ago, like over 10 years ago, a certain bike shop refused me a test ride.

I've still got a cob on about it.

 

[NorthernDave]

Evans do seem hit & miss.
I've had exceptionally good service, and then stood around chatting about bikes in general for a good 10 minutes from one member of staff, but have also been ignored and then lied to (or perhaps misinformed might be a more generous way of putting it) by another, so who knows?
It's all part of the fun of dealing with real live people...

 

[PaulSecteur]

Try a decathlon. When i go there at the weekend i usually get run over a few time by people trying out bikes.

 

[classic33]

Years ago, like over 10 years ago, a certain bike shop refused me a test ride.

I've still got a cob on about it.

Mine was the only shop selling what I wanted. Never bothered with them since.
If you arrange a test ride with a shop, why shouldn't you expect to be able to do what was planned?

 

[jefmcg]

My experience of test rides at Evans was not good. I was shopping with my wife, who wasn't sure if she needed the small model. It was the display bike or nothing. Actually, it was the display bike or pay us money to unbox a smaller sized bike. We left immediately.

There may have been a misunderstanding there. Evans charge £50 to get a bike in for you, but if you come in an ride it, you get the £50 back. This is presumably to stop time wasters ordering tests rides and never turning up.

But as said, Evans go from bad to brilliant. Canary Wharf has twice tried to give me a full service I didn't need, rather than doing the urgent repair that I have bought in. Wimbledon, on the other hand, have gone out of their way to be helpful, especially the guy (Raphael?) who checked over and straightened up @vickster's bike after a crash and carried it to her car for her, all for free.

 

[Dogtrousers]

There may have been a misunderstanding there. Evans charge £50 to get a bike in for you, but if you come in an ride it, you get the £50 back. This is presumably to stop time wasters ordering tests rides and never turning up.

There may well have been. My memory of the conversation was that they would take a charge just for unboxing a bike they had in stock. We were actually in the shop at the time. But then, I am an idiot and often get the wrong end of the stick.

 

[HLaB]

The only chains Ive been other than Hellfrauds and I don't know if the count as bike shop, the original Edinburgh Co Op and Rutland Cycles. With the Ed Co Op I found some of their staff great others just too busy. In fact they were the first bike shop to offer me a test ride without me asking. Never bought anything major from Rutland just gear cables and tubes as they are open on a Sunday, my group rides have started using their Peterborough store as a base. The staff have never complained when Ive brought the bike in.

 

[SteCenturion]

Years ago, like over 10 years ago, a certain bike shop refused me a test ride.

I've still got a cob on about it.

Good on ya ...

I love a good seeth.