Should I call Trading Standards?

[dellzeqq]

did a Dr. Bike session today - and very worthwhile it was too. Setting aside the joy of meeting cyclists (mostly young) and standing on the Prom at Brighton being liberally supplied with tea by our hosts, the excellent Madeira Cafe, I think I did a good deed. I found four bikes with brakes dangerously slack. There was one other bike that was in such parlous condition (anything over 20psi and the tyre came off the wheel) that I advised walking home.

Two of the bikes with slack brakes are worthy of special mention. One had just been serviced by a local bike shop. The other was two weeks old. Should I call Trading Standards?

 

[gaz]

at minimum contact the said bikes shop and let them know that you have re-viewed there work and it is shoddy. time for them to buck there ideas up.

 

[Over The Hill]

Brakes will bed in from new (a bit) so they will simply say it is usual.

 

[fossyant]

I'm thinking of doing one for the cubs/beavers I help out at.....the state of some of the kids bikes worry me.

Well done you.....

 

[dellzeqq]

Brakes will bed in from new (a bit) so they will simply say it is usual.

this was a lot. Both bikes were unfit for use.

I think you may have pointed me in the right direction. I'll call up the shops and put it to them. If I get that kind of an answer I call Trading Standards. You never know with these things - it might be that Trading Standards have had similar complaints.

I'm thinking of doing one for the cubs/beavers I help out at.....the state of some of the kids bikes worry me.

Well done you.....

my motivation is pretty ordinary. I'm trying to reduce the risk of delays on the Martlets Hospice FNRttC

 

[rusky]

I would be interested to hear the responses from the shops.

Were the slack brake & 2 week old ones from the same place?

 

[MacB]

Well done Simon, sterling effort, I would contact the bike shops, I know they'll claim bedding in adjustment, but worth it anyway. No point in anything formal, but no harm in letting them think there may be.

I've been upping my fettling rate recently, a rash of puntures on the boys bikes hasn't helped. I had to give up on the brakes on the middle bike and took it to my LBS, where it was purchased. Mechanic couldn't get them any better than me, just poor quality and haven't stood up to the test of time. Fortunately I had a spare set of v's so is now up and running again. The scary thing is that it really wouldn't have been safe and, though not expensive, it's not a catalog BSO either.

 

[dellzeqq]

I would be interested to hear the responses from the shops.

Were the slack brake & 2 week old ones from the same place?

nope - you'd know both. One was in Hove and one was from the Brighton branch of a prestigious chain specialising in car paints....

 

[marinyork]

I would say no based on previous opinions. But there can't be any harm in doing Dr Bike sessions .

 

[summerdays]

nope - you'd know both. One was in Hove and one was from the Brighton branch of a prestigious chain specialising in car paints....

For the car parts one I would be tempted to call in trading standards ... I've seen plenty of bad versions of those - even as you say on brand new ones.

 

[beanzontoast]

If there's a local cycling group, I'd mention it to them and see if they will contact the shop. IME (a non-safety related matter - it was to do with discounts not being given) they can have considerable influence.

 

[rusky]

I got a bike from the Brighton branch, I needed a cheap bike to save my decent one getting knackered in the winter & had a discount voucher for them. I know how to work on a bike, just as well as the gears were awful. The brakes weren't good but serviceable.

Not sure which one on Hove as there are about 5, I haven't any experiance of them.

 

[rich p]

I got a bike from the Brighton branch, I needed a cheap bike to save my decent one getting knackered in the winter & had a discount voucher for them. I know how to work on a bike, just as well as the gears were awful. The brakes weren't good but serviceable.

Not sure which one on Hove as there are about 5, I haven't any experiance of them.

The one beginning with S in Portland Road has a reasonable reputation; the one with an H at the start in Blatchington Rd less so. I can't think of any others apart from W**** in Boundary Rd and he's old school and a star.

 

[Twenty Inch]

The one with H in the name should definitely be reported to Trading Standards, although as you are not the owner of the bike I doubt they will take it any further.

H issue a "Certificate of Roadworthiness" with every bike they sell. I was told this by a girl at the side of the road as I was putting the chainset back on to her 2 week old Carrera early one morning.

 

[rusky]

The one beginning with S in Portland Road has a reasonable reputation; the one with an H at the start in Blatchington Rd less so. I can't think of any others apart from W**** in Boundary Rd and he's old school and a star.

Do you mean H in Sackville Rd??

Agree with you on S*** & W****