Incompetence and poor preparation

[Easytigers]

It's both my children's birthdays today (my birthday is 9 months earlier ). So...we're just going out for pizza to celebrate when I get a call from a colleague at work saying she's stranded with her friend and can I come and pick them up. I take one for the team, throw the cycle carrier into the car and go and get them (much to the annoyance of my two kids!!!). This the story...
Sonia (Son to everyone) buys a carbon bike from one of our friends...new Tiagra kit throughout and a bargain!!!. It's got deep section rims but only a 40mm valve on the tube...she goes to blow the tyres up for the first time and can't so she take it to a major bike and car maintenance retailer (I won't say which one but you can probably guess!!!) They fit the tubes and put the wheels back on. They set off for a training ride of 40miles as they're doing London Paris in a few weeks.Gears sounding like crap, she perseveres thinking it's just that she isn't doing something right or it's the new bike (I know...I know).
6.4 miles later (I checked Strava) and the rear mech shears off and lodges in her wheel!!! So I get a call!
When I pick her up, the bike is a mess and it appears that she has contracted Tourettes!!! (sorry if anyone has this...or knows someone with it but it's the closest thing to describe it that I can think...literally my car was turning blue from the number of expletives).
So we're heading back to Hal...oh sorry...the shop...and I'm like...Why did you take it there in the first place??? Don't you have tubes on you??? The answer...no!
So I ask...what did you bring...they both answer 'bananas and a pump'...they didn't even take a puncture repair kit!!!!
Laughed my way all the way there and back and had to share!!!
The shop have taken responsibility for not fitting the wheel properly or checking it and are repairing free of charge but won't be ready until at least Wednesday! To be fair, I thought they'd wash their hands of it but good on them for that (although they did cock it up in the first place!!!)

 

[Boris Bajic]

I have been that fool. Training ride with a plumber friend 15 years ago. 8 miles from home on the return leg, I punctured. He was on tubs, but I had tubed clinchers. He had all the gear he needed. I had a pump....

He rode home alone and came out in his van to get me. I still feel bad about it well over a decade later. The look on his face when he said "Don't go anywhere; I'll go and get my van" was full of meaning.

 

[Globalti]

One of the joys of cycling is that feeling of being self-sufficient. Mountain bikers are better at it because they are sometimes far from help and can easily damage their bikes. Mountaineers used to be self-sufficient but nowadays they just use their phones and call out a helicopter. On the road bike I carry two tubes, tyre levers, a pump and a multi-tool and I hope good preventative maintenance will head off any other problems.

Having been an enthusiastic hitch-hiker in my student years, if anything disabled my bike I wouldn't hesitate to shoulder it and stick out a thumb when a van or farmer's Land Rover came past. I've picked up a stranded roadie in the car and I'm confident good karma would get me a lift.

In a kar. Ha ha.

 

[dan_bo]

Incompetence and poor preparation


Should be my tagline!

 

[wiggydiggy]

I confidently stopped once to assist someone that had a flat, but no kit, and was rather embarrassed when I found I had left my 'pump nipple' at home and couldn't help them anyway

 

[fossyant]

There are some right idiots on bikes.

 

[dan_bo]

There are some right idiots.

 

[Globalti]

In the Army they talk about the seven Ps: Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P*ss Poor Performance.

So true in anything you do.

 

[jefmcg]

I had a friend, who I couldn't convince to learn to change a tube: she assumed there would always be a man to do it for her. I could convince her to carry a spare tube, just in case her knight was on a MTB.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

It only takes one episode of stupidity to really learn the lesson - the hard way.

 

[Boris Bajic]

In the Army they talk about the seven Ps: Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P*ss Poor Performance.

So true in anything you do.

Prior planning is overrated. I prefer to get the job done and then plan afterwards.

 

[Andy_R]

Has anyone missed the obvious here.........Hellfrauds failed to put a wheel back in properly? Just goes to show, they can't even be trusted to do something my 9 year old can do. Oh dearie, dearie, me...lesson here anyone?

 

[ufkacbln]

In the Army they talk about the seven Ps: Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P*ss Poor Performance.

So true in anything you do.

Whereas the Royal Navy gets it right every time naturally!

 

[User16625]

It's both my children's birthdays today (my birthday is 9 months earlier ). So...we're just going out for pizza to celebrate when I get a call from a colleague at work saying she's stranded with her friend and can I come and pick them up. I take one for the team, throw the cycle carrier into the car and go and get them (much to the annoyance of my two kids!!!). This the story...
Sonia (Son to everyone) buys a carbon bike from one of our friends...new Tiagra kit throughout and a bargain!!!. It's got deep section rims but only a 40mm valve on the tube...she goes to blow the tyres up for the first time and can't so she take it to a major bike and car maintenance retailer (I won't say which one but you can probably guess!!!) They fit the tubes and put the wheels back on. They set off for a training ride of 40miles as they're doing London Paris in a few weeks.Gears sounding like crap, she perseveres thinking it's just that she isn't doing something right or it's the new bike (I know...I know).
6.4 miles later (I checked Strava) and the rear mech shears off and lodges in her wheel!!! So I get a call!
When I pick her up, the bike is a mess and it appears that she has contracted Tourettes!!! (sorry if anyone has this...or knows someone with it but it's the closest thing to describe it that I can think...literally my car was turning blue from the number of expletives).
So we're heading back to Hal...oh sorry...the shop...and I'm like...Why did you take it there in the first place??? Don't you have tubes on you??? The answer...no!
So I ask...what did you bring...they both answer 'bananas and a pump'...they didn't even take a puncture repair kit!!!!
Laughed my way all the way there and back and had to share!!!
The shop have taken responsibility for not fitting the wheel properly or checking it and are repairing free of charge but won't be ready until at least Wednesday! To be fair, I thought they'd wash their hands of it but good on them for that (although they did cock it up in the first place!!!)

I know Hal, he works at a nearby Honda dealership. Good mechanic too. I know they do motorcycles and cars, but wouldnt have thought they were much cop when it came to bicycles tho. Hence the situation.

How did the rear mech end up in the wheel tho?

 

[Easytigers]

Update ! So...the shop said that they would replace the back mech and hanger free of charge. Was due to be picked up on Wednesday but they rang my friend and said that when it turned up it was the wrong size (is this possible?) and they had to reorder. They rang again today to say that the bike would be ready tomorrow. The guy at the shop said that he wasn't sure how the bike had been set up as it had a mtb cable for one of the brakes...not knowing much about it, is this a massive problem??? Anyway it's sorted but I said that she should ride it around the car park a few time before going home just to make sure it's ok!