Hello - Help needed - Evans Cycles damaged my ride

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littlefraggle

New Member
Location
Kent
Hello from commuter world!
I ride a Montague X90 Swissbike that I bought from Evans last year and have had it serviced and maintained by them. It has had cause to go back to them on numerous occasions as they have fitted the wrong incompatible parts at times.
However my bike is a folder as I need to use a train too; and the mechanism started to sieze after the last service. It was returned and in attempting to take the mechanism apart - they have damaged it - the importers have said beyond repair. The unit is a sealed unit. Evans have been "dealing" with this now for 6 weeks and today I get an email saying that it is my fault as salt corrosion has led to damage. The report from the importers clearly states a "less destructive means of removal should have been applied" and "damage has occurred during servicing"...
Evans are seeking to blame my lack of maintaining a completely sealed unit, that they damaged.
I have bought many bikes from them in the last 10 years.
I'm absolutely staggered they'd do this...
Any ideas will be gratefully received.
Thanks
 

jdtate101

Ex-Fatman
I'd start by contacting their head office with the evidence from the manufacturer. If they try the brush off, state that you are not happy and you will take them to the small claims court to recover the costs for repair/new bike. The manufacturers report is far more reputable in the eyes of the court than a chain store which employs teenagers to service people's bikes. I would ask for the training record of the person who did the service to see if they were cytech accredited, if they were not, you have another angle to attack them. In short you should be able to use the court to recover the costs, but I'd always use this as a last resort and still try the head office route 1st.

best of luck.....
 
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littlefraggle

New Member
Location
Kent
It actually went to the shop and then Evans directly. The UK agent states that the damage was caused by wrong method in removal of part that was corroded. The manufacturers schedule shows no method of lubricating this sealed unit so I was unae to conduct the maintenance that they say I should have undertaken.
 

sabian92

Über Member
At the end of this I would suggest you get it serviced at a different Evans store. They're normally 100% top notch but this is shocking.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Got your receipts from the servicing ? Take them all in, with the UK agent's advice about damage caused to the part. If it's a non serviceable part it should last longer.

Dare I ask what your general maintenance/cleaning shedule is like ? I've seen new bikes look very tattered in a few months of winter commuting if not 'looked after' - my mates bike was a right mess after just a few months - rusty etc.
 
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littlefraggle

New Member
Location
Kent
The frame is aluminium and the folding mechanism is steel. This will cause galvanic corrosion.
I wash and clean my bike weekly but am doing 100m per week on it so it's not going to last forever. My issue is that after servicing I wanted a part lubricated and in taking it apart - they broke it. Unfortunately taking a wet bike inside is never going to help but it is a strong sturdy bike and the manufacturers maintenance regime as supplied makes no mention of even yearly lubrication of the sealed part that Evans has broken.
 

Cycling Dan

Cycle Crazy
If they reuse to sort it all even after head office. You can phone up trading standards(they have like a unhappy customer number cant remember it though) and report the company/store. They should sort it out for you if you find your having trouble. Also the citizens advice bureau will also be able to give advise regarding court or other possible action,
 

MissTillyFlop

Evil communist dictator, lover of gerbils & Pope.
CEO's email address: nick.wilkinson@evanscycles.com

May I suggest that you send a polite, but to the point email, with a copy of the evidence and that you WILL be calling on trading standards and Watchdog, should this issue not be resolved.

I have emailed several CEOs about issues with their companies and it usually gets sorted out ina day (after weeks of banging my head against the brick wall that is customer services)
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
I can see Evans' side here too.

You admit the component was rusty, you asked Evans to remove it and Evans broke it during the removal process. Is that Evans fault? You state that you do 100miles per week and you have owned it for at least 8 months so the bike must have done at least 3,000miles. Not an inconsiderable number of miles.

Components do wear out, and sometimes need replacing. I'm not sure Evans are as bang to rights here as some forumites suggest.

Any way good luck with your case.
 

Lee_M

Guru
"The unit is a sealed unit. "
" I wanted a part lubricated and in taking it apart - they broke it."

Am I missing something, its a sealed non-serviceable part, you asked them to take it apart and it broke and now you want to blame them?

I must have misunderstood, because if my interpretation is accurate how is that their fault?

Just wondering if I've misunderstood
 
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littlefraggle

New Member
Location
Kent
I didn't ask them to take it apart, they chose to do it. The bare metal on the inside if the flange is superficially rusty. The unit seized after it was serviced but the Manufacturer states that part does not require lubrication or servicing. I asked Evans to establish why it was seizing, they tried to take it apart and the report says the wrong method and too much force was used. I'm not sure how I can be expected to maintain a part that the manufacturer explicitly states does not need maintenance - even their website service manual for yearly services makes no mention to this unit.
(having read my previous post it says I wanted it lubricated when I meant I wanted it to not be seized up, I only established after the event that it doesn't need servicing at all)
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Get the small claims form from the county court and fill it out. Send a photocopy of the form along with your engineers report and tell them that if you don't get a positive response within 7 days you will lodge the papers with the court. Point out that in light of the report you have that you fully expect to prevail on court.
 
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