Hello - Help needed - Evans Cycles damaged my ride

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RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
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

Why wouldn't it be a warranty issue given Evans sold you the bike? It also seems to me that the corroded unit that broke (by Evans) is a part of the folding frame in any case, which according to Montague's UK site is warranted for the lifetime of the original owner (you?).

In addition, irrespective of whether the unit is part of the frame or whether it is warranted for your lifetime, given it is a sealed unit not referred to in any maintenance regime you have extraordinarily strong argument that irrespective what the contract or they say UK statutes (see tab 12, SOGA) cause them to be liable to remedy it for you for up to 6 years.

I am very surprised Evans is fighting you in this case; it seems to me they haven't got a leg to stand on. Tell them* what the warranty and the law says, and let us know how it goes. Good luck!

* IME the way to do it in practice is to approach the staff with the details and get them to agree to fix it, if they disagree ask for the contact details of their line manager, i.e. going up the chain until you get to one who says yes (IME usually immediately after you asked for the contact details of their line manager). The reason why it works is because it shouldn't take long to encounter one who really doesn't want his/her manager to think he/she is in incompetent arse. Much quicker and far less trouble than (threatening to ) go to court, which has to be the last resort.
 
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littlefraggle

New Member
Location
Kent
Well update folks is that the UK CEO (email provided by MissTillyFlop - thanks v much) has responded very rapidly and will be dealing with this matter going forward. I will provide an update when I have one. Lots of good advice thankfully received and acted upon. Thanks all.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
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)

Spot on advice there Misstillyflop, as the reulsts show.

Well played.
 

Peowpeowpeowlasers

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't place that much faith in the manufacturer's report. Topeak (maker of tidy-looking but utterly-shoot bags) once claimed that I'd abused a zipper, causing the zipper handle (the little black thing you pinch to move the zipper) to break in two. Never mind the fact that every single Topeak bag I've bought (about 3) has fallen to bits in less than a year.

The damage isn't really the issue here. Simply put, you should expect your bike's folding mechanism to work without fault for several years. If it requires no maintenance and has seized or broken, as Evans sold you the bike, Evans are responsible for fixing it. If they won't fix it without charge, take it elsewhere, get it sorted and sue Evans in small claims for the cost.
 

gb155

Fan Boy No More.
Location
Manchester-Ish
I will never understand why people go to Evans for anything mechanical.
Evans on deansgate in Manchester are superb, my front mech cable broke mid ride, on a Friday lunch time, it was really sunny and hot, I swung by Evans and they had me sorted in 20 mins, £11 and I finished my 50 mile ride, can't argue with that

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bicyclos

Part time Anorak
Location
West Yorkshire
In this day and age of internet guides and reasonably priced tools I can never udnerstand why any abled person would pay someone to work on a bike.

So true, and that applies to other trades as well. I was brought up in a world where I had to learn and repair things myself because the money was not there to pay for it fixing. You cant beat being hands on and do it yourself !
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I will never understand why people go to Evans for anything mechanical.

I have been to Evans for three mechanical things over the years - x3 bikes and quite a few accessories. I have no complaints.
 

Rob3rt

Man or Moose!
Location
Manchester
Evans on deansgate in Manchester are superb, my front mech cable broke mid ride, on a Friday lunch time, it was really sunny and hot, I swung by Evans and they had me sorted in 20 mins, £11 and I finished my 50 mile ride, can't argue with that

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In the past I would have agree'd, Craig especially was very good, there was also a few other decent lads in there. But when did this happen? Last time I was in clueless doesn't do it justice. The lad serving my girlfriend didn't know how to put a bike on a turbo, he then couldn't get the back wheel off to change the QR skewer (not sure why he wanted the wheel off though tbh, I never take the wheel off my bike to switch the skewer). Looks mostly like new staff.
 

gb155

Fan Boy No More.
Location
Manchester-Ish
In the past I would have agree'd, Craig especially was very good, there was also a few other decent lads in there. But when did this happen? Last time I was in clueless doesn't do it justice. The lad serving my girlfriend didn't know how to put a bike on a turbo, he then couldn't get the back wheel off to change the QR skewer (not sure why he wanted the wheel off though tbh, I never take the wheel off my bike to switch the skewer). Looks mostly like new staff.
Was no more than 6weeks ago


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Rob3rt

Man or Moose!
Location
Manchester
Was no more than 6weeks ago

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In the past they have always been great (I have been a customer in that store for about 4-5 years) and also done some odd jobs for me for free (because they didn't have the tool I needed in stock for me to do it myself), for which I am thankful, so I do like to give them business, but this sales lad was beyond poor!
 

gb155

Fan Boy No More.
Location
Manchester-Ish
In the past they have always been great (I have been a customer in that store for about 4-5 years) and also done some odd jobs for me for free (because they didn't have the tool I needed in stock for me to do it myself), for which I am thankful, so I do like to give them business, but this sales lad was beyond poor!
Was he a newbie? Any of the old guard there?

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