Customer service, the good.... And the bad.

[Saluki]

That looks a nice bike.

 

[Profpointy]

If you're in London and after an audax bike, the Condor Fratello might be worth a look if it's within budget.
I've got their Tempo, which is the same bike built as a fixed gear - and have been delighted with it. (my) service from Condor was exemplary, though not everyone has such a good story. I've moved the handlerbars down about 5mm but other than that it's exactly how they set it up on their adjust-o-tron bike frame when I ordered it.

 

[Dragonwight]

It pays to be a regular in your LBS, mine even lend me their tools saving me the expense of buying tools for a one off job.

 

[Berties]

My lbs is sound in the way it treats me ,not always been plain saling,I couldn't get on with one chap,he had al the information but was so hard work getting it from him,if you went in and he was watching a race on the computer ,well you might not have even bothered,I complained to the boss ,who did sort the situation out ,but it's people that make a buisness ,it's those who go a little further,went in yesterday ,I get my bike sorted straight away and even a cake....

 

[MarkF]

Might have posted this before............went to my LBS to buy a Giant Defy. I asked the sales guy to pass down, from the top display rack, an L framed model. He wheeled out from the the floor level display, a M. I asked, again, for the L, he said M was my size. Eventually..............he replaced the medium and reached up and removed the L as if he was removing his teeth, one by one. I sat on it, as the guy rolled his eyes and shook his head, I wriggled about a bit and he said "Place your hands on the hoods" just at the very same instant that I was reaching for the brakes (I have short fingers). "No, no no" he said with a triumphant tone, "T.h.e.s.e are hoods".

No sale.

 

[AlanTh]

One of the most important rules in selling is "Listen to the customer".

 

[Supersuperleeds]

It pays to be a regular in your LBS, mine even lend me their tools saving me the expense of buying tools for a one off job.

Not that I spend much time at my lbs , but I get a cup of tea when I go in

 

[vickster]

I've had a few bikes from Pearsons, including the Pave. They are my LBS. I have gone off them a bit due to cost and I am not a fan of some of the current staff. Also ended up having to put the correct sized bars and new tape on the Pave which cost a sum I didn't feel I should have paid if they'd got it right in the first place (although they did fit for free). I don't think the salesman who sized me up works for them any more (although he might be in Sheen)

One chap is always happy to chit chat though when I do go in looking for something specific

I doubt I'd buy from them again as other than Pearson bikes, they only seem to have Specialized and Trek. They used to have a few more interesting brands (that might be Bike+ or sister shop?)

All that said I'd definitely buy a bike from them rather than Evans or Cyclesurgery, although I buy rather more from Evans nowadays on price (and the local branch is decent). Condor bikes are lush or buy a frame

I won't ever go to Corridori again for a very specific reason but they can have interesting things (if you can get past all the Specialized)

Although I've never bought from them, GB Cycles in Croydon have some very lush Italian stuff

 

[robotron]

Good service:
On Your Bike (Charnock Richard)
I've had 3 bikes from them, and a very good discount off list price on each. One was a brand new model and they knocked 22.5% off the RRP without much haggling. After sales service was good when I had a creaky bottom bracket, and I got a free chain stay protector for my very first MTB after I made the chain jump off.

Ribble Cycles
Turned up at their warehouse/store all sweaty after riding in on my MTB on a hot day last summer. They measured me up, went through all the options and answered all my questions and I ordered my very first road bike. Was quoted 2 weeks build and just over a week later I got an email saying it was ready. Picked it up and it's been great ever since and pretty much replaced my MTB.

Merlin
I bought some shorts via their web store, and then didn't try them on for 6 weeks. They didn't fit so I took them back to the actual store and they swapped them over with no hassles and had everything else to hand to try on.

Harry Hall
Bought a bike in the sale, had a problem with the shock. They turned the fix/replacement round in week which seeing as how they didn't stock the parts was pretty good.

We're blessed in the North West with very good service at cheap prices.

I'm struggling to think of who I've had bad service from, even Halfords round here have been decent.
Must just be luck on my part!

 

[Crankarm]

Thanks for the welcome. Well the nice shop was Pearson in Sutton. Credit, where credit's due, they were excellent, patient, helpful and I actually had a nice time there. I will almost definitely get their easy come easy go. The bad, was also in London, and they do very, very well, and don't need my business for sure. I'm sure if I'd been approached by a different salesman to begin with, the experience would have been different. As I said, it's not fair to judge on one salesman and my one experience, which is why I won't name them, but it's not an experience I want to repeat and I don't have to. Luckily, with cycling, there's still a healthy network of local dealers, so we have the option to vote with our feet.

I looked at the spa audax (online) it does look a cracking deal, but despite also having family in Harrogate, I'm unlikely to go there more than once a year, so I will stick to the more local.... Also checked out hewitt and thorn, but again, being relatively local, Pearson make more sense to me.

Can't see why you are trying to defend bad service. Name and shame that's the only way to get things improved these days.

I had rotten service from Grafham Cycles. They binned a pringled wheel of mine without my permission despite me telling them to keep it, so I now have no evidence for MIB/insurers. They maintained I didn't need it as they had never known of this causing a problem with insurers who never inspect damaged bikes. They totally failed to understand it was still my property. They damaged my bike by sliding the bike upside down on their racking/floor so the saddle and front Rixen and Kaul bracket were significantly scratched. The manager then tried to claim it was already like this and was in a worn condition which it was not. They then tried to charge me more than the price we had agreed to build the replacement wheel. They also didn't do what I asked in not providing a report of damage to my bike. They missed other damage until I pointed it out and were reluctant to include it in the report. The manager maintained I should pay £50 for the report which was never mentioned when I asked them to do one, but the manager then told me they would waive it. After me continuing to complain the manager gave me £20 toward a new saddle and let me have a new rear replacement tyre for free - cost £25. Then after only 4 days riding to and from work the new hand built rear wheel went drastically out of true it was not rideable and on inspection I discovered one of the spokes was about to fall out it was so loose. The manager claimed this was to be expected with new hand built wheels. No it fecking isn't! So after a few pointed emails it was back again to them to get the wheel sorted out - more time, fuel and hassle. When I arrived as advised the manager was no where to be seen and the guy who built the wheel never appeared from the workshop. Not so much as an apology from anyone while I waited. Unsurprisingly I have not been back since.

However I can highly recommend the guys at The Bicycle Ambulance in Cambridge in particular their wheel builder who built me a front wheel which is strong and still running very straight and true as the day he built it. He will at some point rebuild the rear wheel that Grafham Cycles built for me as it is still not quite right and the dishing is out.

 

[Saluki]

Although I've never bought from them, GB Cycles in Croydon have some very lush Italian stuff

I read that as "very lush Italian staff" and was about to ask you for the address

 

[Holio cornolio]

Can't see why you are trying to defend bad service. Name and shame that's the only way to get things improved these days.

I had rotten service from Grafham Cycles. They binned a pringled wheel of mine without my permission despite me telling them to keep it, so I now have no evidence for MIB/insurers. They maintained I didn't need it as they had never known of this causing a problem with insurers who never inspect damaged bikes. They totally failed to understand it was still my property. They damaged my bike by sliding the bike upside down on their racking/floor so the saddle and front Rixen and Kaul bracket were significantly scratched. The manager then tried to claim it was already like this and was in a worn condition which it was not. They then tried to charge me more than the price we had agreed to build the replacement wheel. They also didn't do what I asked in not providing a report of damage to my bike. They missed other damage until I pointed it out and were reluctant to include it in the report. The manager maintained I should pay £50 for the report which was never mentioned when I asked them to do one, but the manager then told me they would waive it. After me continuing to complain the manager gave me £20 toward a new saddle and let me have a new rear replacement tyre for free - cost £25. Then after only 4 days riding to and from work the new hand built rear wheel went drastically out of true it was not rideable and on inspection I discovered one of the spokes was about to fall out it was so loose. The manager claimed this was to be expected with new hand built wheels. No it fecking isn't! So after a few pointed emails it was back again to them to get the wheel sorted out - more time, fuel and hassle. When I arrived as advised the manager was no where to be seen and the guy who built the wheel never appeared from the workshop. Not so much as an apology from anyone while I waited. Unsurprisingly I have not been back since.

However I can highly recommend the guys at The Bicycle Ambulance in Cambridge in particular their wheel builder who built me a front wheel which is strong and still running very straight and true as the day he built it. He will at some point rebuild the rear wheel that Grafham Cycles built for me as it is still not quite right and the dishing is out.

Well our experiences were quite different. You appear to have been comprehensively and irresponsibly shafted by a shop and justifiably have an axe to grind. I on the other hand went in to a shop, cold, and had a minor tiff with a single salesman. Having had time to cool off, I can say, not without prejudice, that the guy did a poor selling job.... but nobody got hurt or ripped off, and the only damage was that the shop missed out on an almost guaranteed sale. But enough people have sung the praises of the shop in question for me to assume that I drew a bad lot that day. I have no reason to defend them, but I also have no particular reason to frighten other people away with my personal prejudice, gleaned from my own experience.
Also I'd probably have a price put on my head by the notoriously passionate ######ati, for daring to disrespect their beloved shop!!