I want some advice, to warn people and to moan.

[Crankarm]

Rose use DHL - I was impressed by them.

The bike was airfreighted from Germany and arrived in a box, but with no packaging, presumably because DHL can be trusted not to throw the package around.

I was able to phone the local depot on a landline and one of the DHL staff opened the box for me to check a query I had with the contents.

This being an internet forum, someone will be on in a minute to say DHL are rubbish.

But from my single transaction experience I rate them highly and would use them if I was sending a bike.

Yup, they are sh_te too. A couple of years ago I ordered two tents from Blacks as they were a very good price. DHL delivered them to an address in Lincolnshire and were adamant that I had received them despite me living 100 miles away in Cambridgeshire. Some total f_ckwit at the local depot maintained that the address they delivered it to must have the same postcode as me !!!!!! They then collected my tents took them back to their depot then promptly sent them back to the same wrong address. On their 3rd attempt I actually got them but the external packaging was badly ripped, but fortunately the tents were ok. I would only receive them as damaged, badly. Talk about employing absolute f_cking morons. DHL are right down there with SH_TTY LINK imho.

 

[Crankarm]

I'm surprised they didn't just leave it outside your house and forge the receipt of delivery. I've had this happen a few times by a number of couriers. I get a lot of deliveries so statistics play a part. Still, even once is unacceptable imo.

Always ask for a copy of the pod signature, date and time of delivery and name of delivery person. Then tell them you have CCTV so if they are lying they had better 'fess up pronto.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

http://www.teamcarbonbikes.co.uk/customer-services_2.html

Speak to 'em. It may be fixable.

 

[Cuchilo]

I asked my mate how much his repair was and it was just under £200 with painting . If he hadn't shown me where it was i would never have seen it . Even after he did show me i still couldn't see it .

 

[Cyclist33]

Hello everyone.

Recently I purchased a Giant TCR Advanced 3 through gumtree, and arranged a courier through Parcel Monkey to deliver it to me by using City-Link courier service. The purchase was made on Monday and I was due to receive the bike today.

As this was my first road bike, I ordered plenty of accessories online and they have been getting delivered in cribs and drabs throughout the week. Yesterday I was due to receive another parcel and City-Link were the sellers choice of delivery service. I waited in all day only to receive an email at 18:25 stating "our driver tried to deliver a parcel to you today, but there was no answer so he will return tomorrow". Clearly bemused by this, I emailed city link stating that I had in fact been in all day, and whilst I didn't mind the item being delivered the next day (today), I wanted to make sure that they had my correct address details, contact number AND gave them directions to find my specific flat. I also included reference numbers and every other possible detail they may require.

Despite a lack of sleep yesterday whilst waiting for said items, I went to work on a nightshift, and when I returned home I had an email in my inbox from Parcel Monkey stating that my estimated delivery time for the bike would be between 10:30am and 12:30pm. As I was rather (massively) excited, I decided it would be no problem sacrificing a bit more sleep in order to get my hands on my shiny new pride and joy!

The hours rolled by and at 1pm I started to get a bit jittery, so I called City-Link to politely enquire about my parcels. Despite waiting nearly 30 minutes to speak to someone, when I was finally connected I was made to feel like I was disturbing the woman who answered the phone. Despite this I politely informed her of the previous days slight error in posting, informed her of the email I sent and also said it was very very important that I receive the parcel today and that I wanted to double check the driver hadn't already attempted to post it to possibly an incorrect address. I was told that the driver was still in the process of delivering my parcel. So I happily thanked her, and waited for my toy! And waited. And waited. At 5pm, I tracked my parcel (for the 83rd time!) and the message had changed from "07:30 hrs: the driver is in the process of delivering your parcel" to "16:30hrs the driver attempted to deliver the parcel but no one was available to answer, so it will be delivered on Monday 12th may between 07:30 and 17:30". To say I was livid is an absolute understatement!! I called City-Link agin, waited 30 minutes to be connected again, informed the lady of my predicament and asked her to tell her driver to turn around because I was definitely in my house and had been all day! She then informed me that the driver had attempted this at 11am. 11am!!! I informed her that I had called at 1pm with assurances that the delivery driver had NOT attempted to deliver, and she said that her computers only get updated at 16:30.

So, still excited, but now thoroughly p****** off, I decided to make a 2.5hr round trip to pick it up from the depot, and request a refund and compensation for my time and petrol used at a later date. My priority is still my bike!!

I have just returned home. The bike is in my possession. And it has a crack in the frame. I feel truly deflated. I have started the undoubtedly slow process of informing Parcel Monkey that my delivery is damaged and am awaiting a response.

IF MY STORY HASNT CONVINCED YOU YET I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY FIRST BIT OF ADVICE IN CYCLE CHAT - PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE USING CITY LINK AS A COURIER FOR BIKES OR ANY OTHER VALUABLES!!

And now I would like some advice from you lovely guys please. I am left with a broken frame, but good components (shimano 105's etc). I am an absolute novice with bikes. Would it be a huge challenge to just buy a frame and add my non broken bits to it? Any advice on this matter would be truly appreciated.

Sorry for the essay.

Nick

i think "think twice before buying a posh carbon bike unseen via gumtree" would be much better advice.

i must admit im struggling to see how the damage could be laid at city links door... it looks from the photo like its been there a while, as do the surrounding marks which you say are from city link banging it around but to me look like chain slap or scrapes from someones cycling shoe.

call me a cynic but my first hunch in such a story would have been that the seller flogged you a damaged bike. i just find it very hard to believe that a courier however incompetent could possibly have caused that specific type of damage.

 

[TheDoctor]

As well as 'avoid CityLink', I think the message here is 'avoid second hand carbon bikes on Gumtree'
I do wonder why someone wants a carbon bike if they don't even know what the seat stay is called...

 

[vickster]

As well as 'avoid CityLink', I think the message here is 'avoid second hand carbon bikes on Gumtree'
I do wonder why someone wants a carbon bike if they don't even know what the seat stay is called...

Maybe because he wanted to buy the "best"/lightest/prettiest/highest spec road bike for his pennies and only wanted to buy one bike and not find himself needing to change/get N+1 in a short space of time

My first roadbike was carbon (which was N+1), I wanted something special that I would want to keep as my f'best' bike and not be constantly changing and taking the hit in depreciation (that has come since )

The OP should get the bike inspected by a Giant dealer, see what they think without giving the full story and see if it is cosmetic aand livable if no joy with CityLink or structural and repairable

 

[Cuchilo]

I didn't know you had to know the components names to own a bike . Personally i couldn't give a flying f*** what things are called and i have no intention of finding out as it really isn't something i need to know .
Personally i would look forward and see what i could do to fix the bike . Get it in for a quote on a repair . you may not get your money back from the seller or courier but you may get them to pay for the repair . Even if you don't you will still have a bloody nice bike that you can ride .

 

[Cyclist33]

I didn't know you had to know the components names to own a bike . Personally i couldn't give a flying f*** what things are called and i have no intention of finding out as it really isn't something i need to know .
Personally i would look forward and see what i could do to fix the bike . Get it in for a quote on a repair . you may not get your money back from the seller or courier but you may get them to pay for the repair . Even if you don't you will still have a bloody nice bike that you can ride .

there could be other unseen frame damage though. if, and i stress the hypothetical, if the seller damaged that bike and saw fit to flog it, that is suggestive of the possibility.

i really hope it gets resolved to the buyers satisfaction but i hope more that they learn some lessons from this, and not just a "moaning britain" attitude of "city link are shite", but maybe a) ask questions first, b) dont buy carbon second hand unseen, c) dont buy a ferrari 458 for your first foray into sports cars.

 

[vickster]

c) A sub £1000 bike is hardly a Ferrri 458 - he didn't buy a 10k bike

My first carbon roadbike cost double what he paid, albeit from a shop. But yes point b) definitely

 

[yello]

Recently I purchased a Giant TCR Advanced 3 through gumtree

I had alarm bells sounding just reading that...

 

[Road Rasher]

Wow, lots of nice and not so nice people in here!

I'm currently revising my bike phrases ready for a comprehensive test of all the component names of a bike. So far I've learnt about something called a saddle, a wheel and something called handlebars. I feel I'll be ready for a bike soon.

And when that time comes, I'll make sure it's the Austin Allegro of bikes for no more than £80.

 

[Road Rasher]

 

[Road Rasher]

There are worse examples of the damage to the box, but the photos include my name and address and if there's one thing this experience has taught me, it's don't trust ANYONE!

So I'm pretty convinced it's the fault of city link

 

[GrumpyGregry]

i just find it very hard to believe that a courier however incompetent could possibly have caused that specific type of damage.

I've seen baggage handlers do worse. In fact I've seen a bike owner do worse dropping his carbon when getting it down of his roof rack. Thus I think it would be possible for a courier to snap a seat stay. I fear though that our Mr Gumtree may have flogged a broken bike knowing full well it was broken.