I am very angry against Alpkit. I do not recommend buying from them.
On 20 May I ordered a Santiago touring bike, after several email exchange because I wanted custom options (they claim to accept any kind of customization):
- Continental tyres instead of WTB
- TRP Spyre brakes instead of Avid BB5
- FSA Omega 46/30 chainset instead of Gossamer 48/32
They said everything OK, and announced 15 workable days (3 weeks) to build the bike. I paid 100%.
After 3,5 weeks, they contacted me as they couldn't get the tyres. I found it weird because the reference I want is available basically everywhere, but as it was a minor issue I gave up. I asked about the status of the build, it's only then that they told me they couldn't get the chainset either (NB: it was available from several dealers when I ordered).
Then they proposed to order separately the chainrings and swap them on an Omega chainset, but I would have to pay for that. Of course I refused, and they said they accept to swap the rings without additional cost for me.
Last Monday they said the rings would arrive on the following day, and that they could build the bike. Today I received a notification for despatching, so I asked confirmation.
And they answered they put a Gossamer 48/32 ! Without even telling me first !
Of course you could say that 48/32 is not that different from 46/30, but the point is that they couldn't satisfy my order and they even lied to me. I have 20 years of experience of buying stuff online, and this is the first time I see such a thing.
It is also clear that when they announce 3 weeks for the build, it just means that they would not have a single look at the order before 3 weeks. This is hard to accept, especially when the customer has to pay 100% of the order from the very beginning.
Now to my understanding my bike is on the way to me, but I'm really afraid that other specifications would not match what I ordered.
