Q for those with trade experience - how is a bike supplied from the wholesaler and what happens before it's sold?

[Jenkins]

The mail-order source would be SPA cycles and I know they have a pretty decent rep.. however I also appreciate that they're probably very busy, most likely look to spend minimal time on their builds (given their very competitive pricing), that every member of staff has a different level of ability and botheration, and everyone has their off-days. I'd rather just avoid all of that if possible by just doing it myself.

I've also had a bike from Spa and, like @vickster , mine was perfect apart from them fitting a 10 speed cassette instead of an 11 speed one. I think they build each bike as required and spend a bit more time on it than you'd think.
Mine turned up boxed, requiring minimal assembly..

 

[wafter]

If Spa are building from frameset, can’t they just send you that and all the parts and you can build? Phone and ask them?

Sorry; missed this first time around. I've not asked them to do this specifically, but they were vague about answering essentially the questions asked in this post. I think bike shops are reluctant to let stuff straight out in case there's an issue that they can't verify wasn't the customers fault, and then potentially could be held liable by the manufacturer in the face of a warranty claim, for not confirming the lack of issues prior to dispatch.

i.e. I buy a boxed bike, put it together, ride it, the wheel falls off causing me to career into a nursery that then inexplicably bursts into flames - who was at fault? The bike shop have no evidence to prove that it wasn't them if the bike was not inspected before release.

And on that note, almost every cyclist in the history of cycling does the following...
View attachment 504715

Halfords, legendary for its cycle 'mechanics'.

Absolutely


So, things have got marginally more interesting. I can (so far) apparently get last year's 853 frame (flat mount calipers, 12mm thru-axles, slightly too-bright-for-my-tastes-but-thankfully-not-neon red colour scheme) for *EDIT AGAIN* £680. Add to that £500 for the complete 105 hydro groupset (which is a bit inferior to the 2020 built bike as this has the clutched GX rear mech) gives £1180; leaving £420 of theoretical head room for the rest of the build; so what; -saddle, wheels, tyres, bars, bar tape... this possibly sounds do-able, although I know from past googling it's hard to pin down the spec / value of the OEM wheels - and I guess other bits of "finishing kit" too).

All that said I suppose to be fair if I'm going with 105 throughout this is more comparable to last year's CdF 30 model I've seen for £1509... so let's call the remaining budget £310 after frame and groupset.

This little research project should keep me out of trouble for the rest of the weekend though

 

[wafter]

I've also had a bike from Spa and, like @vickster , mine was perfect apart from them fitting a 10 speed cassette instead of an 11 speed one. I think they build each bike as required and spend a bit more time on it than you'd think.
Mine turned up boxed, requiring minimal assembly..
View attachment 504716

Thanks - I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'd love to be able to just trust them (or anyone else for that matter) by default; however whenever I've just told myself to "stop worrying and get on with it" in the past, has usually when things have gone most awry so I've learnt to be cautious.

What required doing when it got there - pedals, seat, wheels and bars?

 

[Jenkins]

Thanks - I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'd love to be able to just trust them (or anyone else for that matter) by default; however whenever I've just told myself to "stop worrying and get on with it" in the past, has usually when things have gone most awry so I've learnt to be cautious.

What required doing when it got there - pedals, seat, wheels and bars?

I think it was just a case of fitting the pedals, turning and rotating the bars, and raising the saddle as it had been set at the lowest point for transport - mine wasn't a stock order (different chain ring ratio from standard, handbuilt wheels, different seatpost, non-standard cassette).

 

[Vantage]

Regarding the wheels. I've 2 wheels sets from Spa, each from a different builder.
The first set were perfect, never went out of true and were bomb proof.
I can't say the same for the 2nd set unfortunately. They were true granted, but constantly going out of that true and often at the slightest bump. I've since rebuilt the rear myself.
So a bit hit and miss in my experience but by all other accounts I've read, very good wheelsets indeed.

 

[Oxford Dave]

I know of at least one perfectly good bike shop in Oxford - I bought my (used) Dawes Super Galaxy from Warlands on the Botley Road recently and they were perfectly able to change things to suit me while I waited - they appeared to have a proper workshop and knowledgable staff.
I usually park at Halfords and walk down to them

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Having bought a Genesis through my LBS in the last 2 weeks, and having considered Spa, and had the same worries, I have some experiences and thoughts on this. Give me til morning when I've had some sleep and some tea (and maybe sausages), and I'll share.

 

[wafter]

I know of at least one perfectly good bike shop in Oxford - I bought my (used) Dawes Super Galaxy from Warlands on the Botley Road recently and they were perfectly able to change things to suit me while I waited - they appeared to have a proper workshop and knowledgable staff.
I usually park at Halfords and walk down to them

Thanks - they're just down the road for me and thankfully not on my sh*tlist, although unfortunately neither are they listed as Genesis dealers. Top marks for appropriate use of the Halfords car park

 

[I like Skol]

If you f'it up then you are on your own!

If, like me, you practically strip a new bike to correct any assembly issues before you ride it and you know what you are doing then warranty issues won't be an issue.... See HERE.

 

[PaulSB]

I'm fortunate in having a very good LBS who will adapt my bikes, suggest ideas etc. to suit me. One of the significant benefits of using the same place for 20+ years. I know if they damaged my bike it would be fixed.

I can't help but feel your solution is simple, buy online and assemble yourself if possible. This of course doesn't eliminate the issue of the bike arriving damaged. A decent retailer will solve this and it sounds likely you would quickly spot a problem.

If buying from an LBS, the better option in my view, the solution is obvious. When you take delivery inspect the bike closely before leaving and if you find damage refuse to accept the bike. I can't see a problem here which isn't easily solved.

When I get a new bike the first thing I do is inspect it thoroughly.

 

[Pale Rider]

I've seen several bikes from the likes of Cannondale and GT unboxed at my local bike shop.

They usually arrive with the front wheel out and the bars twisted, but fully built in most other respects.

After assembly, the shop doesn't do a lot more than index the gears and give the bike a general once over.

Increasingly, disc rotors arrive bent.

Not sure why, but there has been so many the shop has invested in a hand tool for disc straightening.

An exception is Brompton, which arrive fully assembled and usually require no work other than unboxing and unfolding.

I bought my expensive Riese and Muller ebike direct from the wholesaler.

It needed nothing doing other than straightening the bars.

Riese and Muller say each bike is road tested - it arrived with four miles on the clock.

Fair play to them, it needed nothing doing to it in terms of pre-ride fettling.

In your case, a simple solution would seem to be buy the bike as normal, take it home in the car, then do as much take down/reassembly as you need to.

No warranty worries, because what you do in the privacy of your own workstand is your business.

 

[Milkfloat]

If you don’t even have the tools for basic servicing what makes you think that you will do a better job than Spa? They are a company that thrive on their reputation.

 

[biggs682]

Go down to one of the ports and see new cars being taken off a boat and then loaded on a car transporter then follow that same car to a main dealer and watch it get pdi'd and road tested before being handed over to its lucky new owner .

On a serious note the bikes arrive at shops with normally fr wheel removed , bars disconnected from the stem , pedals and saddle in a small box within the big box , then hopefully a bike mechanic will re assemble it but do they get a road test ??

I would like to think someone like spa and other big names take a bit more care .

 

[PaulSB]

.........but do they get a road test ??

A good friend spent £4-5000 on a Canyon which was delivered from Germany. One thing which convinced him to buy online - I advised against this - was Canyon's claim every bike is fully built, test ridden, disassembled and packed for despatch. Sounds great.

Bike received and minimal building up was required. Attempting the first test ride the Di2 wouldn't work.........the battery was missing from the delivery!!

As my friend pointed out there wasn't even a checklist in the box to help ensure all the components were packed or anything to suggest there had been a test ride.

He had to wait a week for the battery to arrive as Canyon wouldn't credit the cost and allow him to buy one in the UK.

LBS for me...... every time.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I've also had a bike from Spa and, like @vickster , mine was perfect apart from them fitting a 10 speed cassette instead of an 11 speed one. I think they build each bike as required and spend a bit more time on it than you'd think.
Mine turned up boxed, requiring minimal assembly..
View attachment 504716

Fook that's really ugly,looks crap to ride too