New Bike has issues, what to do

[User65906]

If we added up the posts about problematic brand new bikes, and compared that to the number of CC members, I wonder what the ratio would be?

I am guessing it would be pretty low.

when I was in manufacturing, the only complaint allowed was the possabillity of
a customer having a different view over our pricing, and I think we all want to
haggle a bit for the best price, but we kept ours in line and

You missed my point. It wasn’t about the bikes being cheap/rubbish as that’s not my opinion. My point was that they pay less to keep costs down in order to sell their stuff at the prices that people are prepared to pay.

If what you’re saying about greed is to be believed, then these companies must be making increased profits over previous years, rather than trying to maintain the same profit level. I see no evidence of such chains making bigger profits recently. The opposite, if anything, is true.

Hi bpsmith, I do not think the Boardmans are bad either, nor are a lot of the bikes on sale in Halfords,
so agree with you, but as regards making profits, most companies like to see profits rise,
if they are not as you mention, there are reasons, lower sales volumes are difficult to deal with,
some companies increase their prices per item as sales drop, some try to produce the product
for less, some combine both tactics, Boardmans have crept up in price all the time, and if am not
wrong, I think profits are in fact no that great for this company, but Halfords will kill them if they
keep going they way they are, I see a lot of people not happy with bike purchases from them,
and I have now joined the ranks.
I once advised a certain group they would be better off making dog food, for they could hardly get
that wrong, and their customers could not complain, are you reading this Halfords.,

 

[PaulSB]

left it in Halfords until as I tried to arrange discount credits, during this time they started

To be frank therein lays your problem regarding staff and your earlier comments about them. Discounts come at a price.

I always support my LBS for any product provided they stock it. I never haggle with them over the price of a bike as I know the value of their experience and advice far outweighs any short term savings. With many products I’m allowed to take away and try.

For my retirement present I was given a £160 saddle.

Customer loyalty, in both directions, is priceless.

I sympathise with your original issue, in fact I posted the first reply which was basically take it back but decided my phrasing was poor and deleted the message.

However your repetitious criticism of Halfords I find unfortunate. My local Halfords are very good in any area I’ve needed help but I wouldn’t trust them with my bike as I know how hit and miss the stores can be. You would probably make far more progress by having a reasoned discussion with Halfords than repeatedly slagging then off on the internet

Halfords is a motor accessories store that sells bikes. If you go to an LBS you wouldn’t expect them to give advice on car parts.

 

[User65906]

@PaulSB
I had way too many discussions with them, each time they failed,
I asked for the bike not to be built, that was me talking, and Halfords not listening,
if they had of listened none of their further incompetence would have happened,
they did what they did.
Maybe you missed me stating I bought Three other bikes that were all very good, is this criticism in your eyes,
maybe you missed me stating the management was different at that time, but the new people are what they are, useless,
I am also not looking to make progress, am telling it as it is, hopefully others will learn to me more than cautious with
Halfords bike department,

And to be frank, Halford were my problem, I was a customer they could not care less about.

As regard to customer loyalty, what kind of a half witt would be loyal to a group who could not
even store a bicycle without damaging it, or fix that damage without causing even more damage.
Halfords are an LBS to me, and one I will be avoiding, for the reasons I posted here.

 

[cyberknight]

I am sorry you have had a bad experience with your local branch, as @PaulSB said you get good and bad stores and looks like you have found the dog turd in the rugh rather than the diamond.
My local is pretty good as the mechanic is a MTBer and have fixed stuff for me quicker the the LBS .
If you really like the bike have you considered getting a refund and taking your business to another branch ?.
As far as LBS go all i am saying is one local to me gets a good rep but i took my bike in before i went on holiday once and 2 weeks later it had not been touched as they had "forgotten " about it and im sure they have charged me for new cables in the past and i can see the old cable still there .

 

[User65906]

I am sorry you have had a bad experience with your local branch, as @PaulSB said you get good and bad stores and looks like you have found the dog turd in the rugh rather than the diamond.
My local is pretty good as the mechanic is a MTBer and have fixed stuff for me quicker the the LBS .
If you really like the bike have you considered getting a refund and taking your business to another branch ?.
As far as LBS go all i am saying is one local to me gets a good rep but i took my bike in before i went on holiday once and 2 weeks later it had not been touched as they had "forgotten " about it and im sure they have charged me for new cables in the past and i can see the old cable still there .

Hi Cyberknight,
@PaulSB mentions my criticism of Halfords, and me repeatedly slagging them off,
I posted the facts, so others would be aware of such problems, and avoid putting time into
researching a suitable bike, only to be let down again and again,
people commented on my posts, and if I repeated anything it was in response.

In any event, I told the truth, and now in order to put an end to my so called slagging,
I have contacted the admin and asked for my account and post to be removed.

 

[User65906]

@cyberknight
Thanks, I did like the bike, but, here I go slagging again, it was getting
damaged every time Halfords got their hands on it, so I got a refund.

I am looking for a bike now to do the same intended job as the ADV,
but am not going to be here so no point in asking advise.

Same cable, I bet that bike shop sent it off for analysis,
and it came back certified to fly for another 5000 miles,
you have to wonder sometimes what is really going on.

Thanks

 

[cyberknight]

Woah !
I dont get it the OP says he has problems and we try to offer solutions and he/she is cancelling their account ?

 

[User65906]

It has been posted that am slagging, not interested in being a part of this.