LBS making excuses?

[Inertia]

Hi guys, a colleague at work has asked me if I think this is normal and I said no but just in case I wanted to just see what you all thought as Im no expert :-D

She bought a bike two months ago from a LBS, she had problems with it and took it back, the guy there said she had wore the middle cog out because she didn't use the other gears. This sounds like bullsh*t to me but his argument was that its an expensive bike and the metal is 'soft'. It sounds like he basically making her feel like she is riding it wrong as she doesn't use it for its normal purpose (she commutes to work on it)

She has only done about 400 miles.

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain/sport/skye/skye_sl/#

 

[fossyant]

No way, 400 miles would not wear a chain ring - I assume it's the chain ring ?, if it's a cassette sprocket (on the wheel), then it's possible that the sprocket has worn if it's been run full of crud.

If it had seen 400 miles 'real' off road, and been poorly maintained, then it's a possibility.

Taking the wee wee.

What is the 'problem' with the bike ?

 

[Hawk]

Oh yeah, absolute crap, "riding on the same ring too much" isn't an excuse for mechanical problems on an old bike or a new one. What problems was she having?

 

[musa]

What about those who ride singlespeed or fixed? Brake cables maybe but this

 

[Inertia]

HI Fossy, her description was pretty difficult to follow "I pedelled and RAWR and ..no power" Ive been to look at it now and myself and another colleague think its been set up badly to begin with. It sounds like the chain is slipping off the cog.

She stays in the front middle cog and the smallest ring on the cassette most of the time. It is this rear cog that is going and NOT the front chainring which is what she said at first. I couldn't see much wear in it though.

She has said that they are going to replace it now but she wanted to know if they were trying to blind her with science.

[EDIT]
She told them she always stays in that gear to maybe that gave them an excuse.

I got to the bottom of the 'soft metal' thing, she argued that surely they should last longer. He replied with the explanation that Halfords cogs last forever because they are steel and these are made of aluminum to make them light so they dont last as long.

 

[simon.r]

She obviously needs a singlespeed

32:11 on 26" tyres is as near as makes no odds the 'standard' 44:16 on 700c tyres!

Seriously though, there's something wrong if she's wearing an 11t cog out in 400 miles. Though having said that, it's not good practise to stay in that gear all the time - see if you can persuade her to change gear from time to time!

 

[ohnovino]

I vote bull****. Sounds like the gears aren't set up properly and the guy from the LBS is trying to shift the blame.

BTW, Trek are very fussy about how their bikes are sold (e.g. you can't get a Trek via mail order, you have to buy it in person). I'm sure they'd be interested to know that one of their dealers was spouting nonsense about their products.

 

[fossyant]

The cassette is steel. I suspect the limit screw isn't set right for the smallest sprocket or the indexing. TBH she needs to learn to use gears. Better off on big ring and middle sprockets

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sittingduck]

I vote for name & shame the LBS!

Agree with Fossy about her learning to use gears properly though. Will benefit her, in the long run.

 

[musa]

that'll help her

i doubt they will even replace it and if they do it will still be set up badly..tell her to get it done over again by a COMPETENT 'mechanic' not a salesperson

 

[Inertia]

Thanks for the replies all, sounds like I was right which is good to know

I agree on the advice she should use more gears and I mentioned that already, I will emphasize it even more though. I was surprised she was in the smallest ring myself, Its good advice but still shouldn't have caused this.

I don't know the LBS its near to her she said but id be reluctant to name and shame having not experienced the service myself and only have the information second hand.

The cassette is steel. I suspect the limit screw isn't set right for the smallest sprocket or the indexing.

Fossy, do you mean her cassette is steel? On the information I found it only said the lockring is steel

 

[fossyant]

On a £450 bike, it's steel. On a £5k bike its usually steel/titanium - sometimes alloy or a mix of 3.

Most cassettes are steel - only DA/Record have the mix.

 

[growingvegetables]

its an expensive bike and the metal is 'soft'.

ROFL - remind me to buy the cheapies then!

 

[the snail]

I think the LBS guy has a point. It's not unusual to wear a chain/cassette out in 1500 miles, using all the gears. If she rides on the smallest cog all the time, then all the wear is concentrated onto one cog. A small cog will wear out quicker than a big one, and middle ring/smallest doesn't give the best chain line, so it's not really surprising if the components didn't last very long.

 

[mr Mag00]

true but 400 miles?