LBS lied to make a sale - why so short-sighted?

[Accy cyclist]

I bought a bike in July from a local bike shop. It's not the one down the road with dirt cheap labour costs i go to for repairs, as they only sell mountain and hybrid bikes. I posted a thread about this shop a few months ago. I asked for a triple chainset to get me up the hills around here. They talked me into this bike with a double chainset that they said would be just as effective as a triple, I soon found out it wasn't. I've had the cassette changed now to make it a bit easier but that's no thanks to them! Why did they sell me a bike that wasn't fit for purpose? I went into that shop with the intention of spending around £1000 and i asked them for good advice as to what to spend my money on, but they took advantage of my lack of mechanical knowledge and sold me a bike they'd probably been after getting rid of for a while. I feel cheated! They knew i was going to spend money in their shop so the money was more or less guaranteed to them, but they took the piss and took advantage of me. Ok they got shut of their bike but i must've told about 30 other cyclists what cheats they are. These other cyclists will think twice about spending money in that shop and also spread the word, So that shop might've got rid of a bike they'd been trying to get rid of for ages but how much will they have lost through me bad mouthing them! If they'd sold me what i'd asked for i'd have gone back for services and parts but i wont be going back ever again!

MOD EDITED - some details Removed

 

[screenman]

It sounds a bit like you are taking the poison and hoping the other guy gets ill, let them know you have a problem. I would suggest a genuine mistake in answering your question.

 

[Cuchilo]

It's not a BMC Time Machine is it?

Shiv Elite .

 

[Profpointy]

I bought a bike in July from a local bike shop. It's not the one down the road with dirt cheap labour costs i go to for repairs, as they only sell mountain and hybrid bikes. I posted a thread about this shop a few months ago. I asked for a triple chainset to get me up the hills around here. They talked me into this bike with a double chainset that they said would be just as effective as a triple, I soon found out it wasn't. I've had the cassette changed now to make it a bit easier but that's no thanks to them! Why did they sell me a bike that wasn't fit for purpose? I went into that shop with the intention of spending around £1000 and i asked them for good advice as to what to spend my money on, but they took advantage of my lack of mechanical knowledge and sold me a bike they'd probably been after getting rid of for a while. I feel cheated! They knew i was going to spend money in their shop so the money was more or less guaranteed to them, but they took the piss and took advantage of me. Ok they got shut of their bike but i must've told about 30 other cyclists what cheats they are. These other cyclists will think twice about spending money in that shop and also spread the word, So that shop might've got rid of a bike they'd been trying to get rid of for ages but how much will they have lost through me bad mouthing them! If they'd sold me what i'd asked for i'd have gone back for services and parts but i wont be going back ever again!

MOD EDITED - some details Removed

Although it's annoying, I'm inclined to give 'em the benefit of the doubt . A good many serious cyclists consider that a so-called compact double gives a good range of low gears and is a better bet than a triple so the shop's advice wasn't totally off-piste.

I totally disagree with this view personally and think it's nonsense for many of us and would always buy a triple, which is harder.to do as the manufacturers are rather phasing them out - but I suspect the shop was advising in good faith

 

[pclay]

To the original poster, out of interest, what bike did you buy and which years model (i.e colour)?

 

[Oldfentiger]

To the original poster, out of interest, what bike did you buy and which years model (i.e colour)?

Info sent via pm.

 

[pclay]

hmm, yes it does seem that the OP has purchased a 2013 model.

 

[Oldfentiger]

hmm, yes it does seem that the OP has purchased a 2013 model.

Thanks for verifying.
I'm not on a witch hunt, so I won't name the establishment.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I don't see what you're worrying about. It's not like buying a car where the year of manufacture (Or more accurately registration) has a major influence on the future value. You knew the spec when you bought it and it does the job you require, just move on and ride it.

Who cares what year it was made?

 

[Markymark]

MOD EDITED - details Removed

As true as I am sure it is, I am very surprised posts like these are not banned/removed from CC as there's no right to reply.

Other forums I have been on have a very strict no-names policy.

 

[Cold]

I bought a bike in July from a local bike shop. It's not the one down the road with dirt cheap labour costs i go to for repairs, as they only sell mountain and hybrid bikes. I posted a thread about this shop a few months ago. I asked for a triple chainset to get me up the hills around here. They talked me into this bike with a double chainset that they said would be just as effective as a triple, I soon found out it wasn't. I've had the cassette changed now to make it a bit easier but that's no thanks to them! Why did they sell me a bike that wasn't fit for purpose? I went into that shop with the intention of spending around £1000 and i asked them for good advice as to what to spend my money on, but they took advantage of my lack of mechanical knowledge and sold me a bike they'd probably been after getting rid of for a while. I feel cheated! They knew i was going to spend money in their shop so the money was more or less guaranteed to them, but they took the piss and took advantage of me. Ok they got shut of their bike but i must've told about 30 other cyclists what cheats they are. These other cyclists will think twice about spending money in that shop and also spread the word, So that shop might've got rid of a bike they'd been trying to get rid of for ages but how much will they have lost through me bad mouthing them! If they'd sold me what i'd asked for i'd have gone back for services and parts but i wont be going back ever again!

MOD EDIT - details Removed

Why did you buy it if you knew it was wrong for you?

 

[Oldfentiger]

I don't see what you're worrying about. It's not like buying a car where the year of manufacture (Or more accurately registration) has a major influence on the future value. You knew the spec when you bought it and it does the job you require, just move on and ride it.

Who cares what year it was made?

Fer christsakes
How many times?
I'm perfectly happy with the bike, whatever year it is. I just don't like the fact that the LBS misrepresented this particular detail, and I don't understand why they felt the need to.
There's no spec differences that matter to me, in fact I prefer the 2013 colours to the 2014 colours. (I only found out these details when doing my retrospective research)

 

[blazed]

As true as I am sure it is, I am very surprised posts like these are not banned/removed from CC as there's no right to reply.

Other forums I have been on have a very strict no-names policy.

Who does the no names policy apply to? If someone had a bad experience at their local Halfords or Evan's, is it ok to publicly post about that?

Is it just the small independent shops who need to be mollycoddled?

 

[Markymark]

Who does the no names policy apply to? If someone had a bad experience at their local Halfords or Evan's, is it ok to publicly post about that?

Is it just the small independent shops who need to be mollycoddled?

It seems a little unfair that anyone can come online and slate a LBS (or anything for that matter) - saying they are awful and should be avoided....when the LBS has no right to reply.

 

[Dayvo]

Just seen that Oldfentiger and Accy cyclist live close to each other.

Not the same shop, was it?