van Nicholas

[ayceejay]

van Nicholas make some beautiful but expensive titanium bikes. I have been looking at one for a while and at last decided to bite the bullet. I went to the spec page and changed a few things but the wheel selection did not contain anything that interested me. I e-mailed to ask if there were any alternative wheels or if I could source the wheels myself and van N supply the bike wheelless: I was told NO. The sales manager told me to buy the bike with cheap wheels and keep them as spares but he could not supply the bike without wheels and my only alternative was to buy just the frame.
Is this weird? Is there some export regulation driving this? van N give no details just negatives and I don't find this helpful when attempting to invest a wad of cash.
As an example of customer service I am no longer confident in buying from them as I find their attitude singularly unhelpful.

 

[jayonabike]

If your looking at a titanium bike I can recommend Enigma bikes. I bought one and love it, & I was able to supply my own wheels & saddle which I already had.

 

[srw]

Find a UK stockist - Corridori in Epsom were very very helpful.

I suspect they're so popular that they can afford to turn away custom.

 

[ayceejay]

"I suspect they're so popular that they can afford to turn away custom."
Their arrogant response does seem to suggest this, I must say.
I have had a quick look at the Enigma site and the choice they offer seems so obvious
that it is surely common sense to do it this way.
Since it is likely that they have more business than they can handle I can help them out there.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Could the shop's reluctance to sell incomplete be anything to do with the manufacturer's warranty? I do know a cyclist who recently had trouble getting van Nicolas to fully honour their warranty.

 

[PK99]

Find a UK stockist - Corridori in Epsom were very very helpful.

I suspect they're so popular that they can afford to turn away custom.

I bought my Yukon from Corridori, they were happy to take the wheels it came in with into stock at retail price and install a pair of hand-builts I sourced from Harry Rowland - plus mini bike fit and 6 week service included. (plus i got 10% discount via my club membership)

On a wider point: I can't speak too highly of Corridori, while some big name shops in the area have a reputation for "selling up" Corridori sell you what you need at a fair price and get lots of repeat business on the back of it.

 

[srw]

the choice they offer seems so obvious
that it is surely common sense to do it this way.
Since it is likely that they have more business than they can handle I can help them out there.

You can sell things more cheaply if you buy in bulk - van Nic have almost certainly done the sums and decided to stick with a small range.

And I see you're not in the UK, so a UK stockist probably isn't much help. That may also have swayed van Nic - why would they bother with the additional hassle of exporting to somewhere a long way away and outside the European customs union?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Ribble are the same. They specify multiple wheel options, but beyond that you're knackered.

+1 for deptformarmosets comments re: warranty IMO.

 

[New Horizon]

van Nicholas make some beautiful but expensive titanium bikes. I have been looking at one for a while and at last decided to bite the bullet. I went to the spec page and changed a few things but the wheel selection did not contain anything that interested me. I e-mailed to ask if there were any alternative wheels or if I could source the wheels myself and van N supply the bike wheelless: I was told NO. The sales manager told me to buy the bike with cheap wheels and keep them as spares but he could not supply the bike without wheels and my only alternative was to buy just the frame.
Is this weird? Is there some export regulation driving this? van N give no details just negatives and I don't find this helpful when attempting to invest a wad of cash.
As an example of customer service I am no longer confident in buying from them as I find their attitude singularly unhelpful.

They told me the same when I enquired about a Yukon last year (I already have an Amazon I bought direct from them, which had some issues on delivery, which they were, lets say, reticent about rectifying). Yet they'll sell bare frames and forks, which is odd. In the end I decided to put some new Yukon audax forks on the Amazon and, with some lighter wheels, its made a world of difference. The fork is noticably more comfortable and the whole bike is much more lively. I think the issue I found was that they are dutch, I am english, there's an inevitable slightly different approach and things can appear curt in emails. In your position I would source a frame and forks and get a lbs to build it up to your spec.

 

[black'n'yellow]

Yet they'll sell bare frames and forks, which is odd.

It's not odd - lots of bike brands do exactly the same, full bike or frame/fork only. Specialized is another example.

 

[dellzeqq]

van Nicholas make some beautiful but expensive titanium bikes. I have been looking at one for a while and at last decided to bite the bullet. I went to the spec page and changed a few things but the wheel selection did not contain anything that interested me. I e-mailed to ask if there were any alternative wheels or if I could source the wheels myself and van N supply the bike wheelless: I was told NO. The sales manager told me to buy the bike with cheap wheels and keep them as spares but he could not supply the bike without wheels and my only alternative was to buy just the frame.
Is this weird? Is there some export regulation driving this? van N give no details just negatives and I don't find this helpful when attempting to invest a wad of cash.
As an example of customer service I am no longer confident in buying from them as I find their attitude singularly unhelpful.

you're on to something there. At least one CCer has been treated disgracefully by Van Nicholas. When his frame broke the guarantee turned out to be not so 100% after all. It took months to get some, but not complete satisfaction. I wouldn't touch that mob with a ten foot pole. And, given the history behind Enigma I'd not go anywhere near them either.

People think of Specialized as a faceless multinational, and that's fine.....but when Agent Hilda's Ruby Pro had a hairline crack in the BB, not only did she get a new frame pdq, and she got free replacement parts where she needed them. And then Brixton Cycles did the rebuild for free. You won't get that from Van Nicholas and Corridori.

 

[PpPete]

I bought my Yukon from Corridori, they were happy to take the wheels it came in with into stock at retail price and install a pair of hand-builts I sourced from Harry Rowland - plus mini bike fit and 6 week service included. (plus i got 10% discount via my club membership)

On a wider point: I can't speak too highly of Corridori, while some big name shops in the area have a reputation for "selling up" Corridori sell you what you need at a fair price and get lots of repeat business on the back of it.

Very similar experience.
They offered to take the stock wheels off and give me the £.
In the end I decided to take them and put those on another bike, with the Yukon proudly sporting my own handbuilts..

Unfortunately Corridori are a long way from the OP !