Time to for some venting.
So, many of you know I was taken out by an 88 year old dude and his Outback wagon last summer... High impact crash. Flew threw the air. Landed on head and shoulders. Bike landed on me. Shattered helmet. Totaled bike. Ambulance ride. Month of pain...
They are not contesting fault and I'm working to sort out some sort of settlement. Last month they asked for an insurance estimate from a bike shop so I made an appointment with one of the well known Boston area shops that deal in higher end bikes and took the bike in, left it a week, and got an estimate for $2585. Gotta say the customer service was pretty poor, not worth rehashing. No energy for that...
When I went to put the pile of bent steel away today I noted the perfectly fine Ultegra 6600 front derailleur was missing. WTF? I called them and they told me "they would look for it." WTF??? Probably some employee pulled it during the week for a "project." You know, "Broken Window Theory."
I don't have the energy to battle them over a used but functional front derailleur, but WTF? Don't they realize someone with a totaled bike and a forthcoming insurance payout might want to get a replacement of similar quality? Eventually I will get that replacement but it won't be from Wheelworks.
I'm through with feeling some sort of misguided guilt for buying my parts online and doing my own wrenching.
Bike shops.
Typically, the "higher end" the bike shop, the worst I find the customer service. That's just my personal experience. I also find them steering customers to the wrong bikes...but that should be a different post.
As far as as the missing front derailleur. Screw looking for it...get me a replacement. The damn thing didn't fall of the bike, someone took it off the bike.
I'm lucky enough to have a very good shop to deal with just blocks from me. I used to buy all my parts for my builds online but the my last three builds I've bought all of the components from them. I've gotten burned on Ebay twice now. One was on a set "Lightly Used" Ultegra 2 x 10 flight deck shifters...lightly used my @$$, they were worn out!
Serious, a front derailleur may not be a big expense but I would press the issue.
Forgot to add that when another employee rang me up he glanced over at my bike and said "What'd ya do? Forget to take it off your roof rack and drive into your garage???" I tell you, I'm looking for some closure on this event and, though physically healed, am not the same mentally. This doesn't help.
The shop manager had the opportunity to make it right. If I have to force him to it won't be worth the effort. I'll probably write a letter to the owner and leave it at that.
Perhaps you are onto something with "higher end" theory. Pisses me off. This winter I needed a crown race pressed onto a carbon fork and took it to a shop around the corner that specializes in BMX and $300-500 bikes. They were great don't stock the stuff I need so I never go in otherwise.
On the whole, I've been lucky w/ ebay. Some of the deals I've gotten more than offset the questionable. For example, I got a Dura Ace 7700 crankset pulled from a new bike for about $130, a new (old stock) S-Works Stumpjumper frame for about $140, etc... I have been burned selling electronics though.
Aw yeah....Don't get me wrong about Ebay. I have gotten some great deals like my Litespeed Ultimate Ti frame.
The shifters and then a wheelset that turned out be counterfit kinda took the wind out of my sails. When you consider that those two items can be the most expensive part of a build, your savings can be washed out pretty quick.
My latest build, a Monster Cross, is completely brand new. Outside of the frame, everything was purcahsed at my LBS. He cuts me an excellent deal...that helps. I priced him against Universal Cycles and he came in a good $200 less. (Not including the frieght from UC or the tax from the LBS)
What people are charging for shipping cost on EBay is crazy. This alone wipes out the savings on the smaller $ stuff.
The frame was purchased from Black Mountain Cycles.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
I'm really sorry to hear this. There is a reason we drive past 3 shops to get to "our" LBS...they are small and their selection is not great (I've never been able to test ride my road bikes prior to purchasing...especially with my 2nd one, since 48cm men's/unisex frames aren't in high demand), but I can't in my wildest dreams imagine them pulling shit like that. Some of the shops closer to us...yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of shady stuff like that.
That sucks. And it's a tough way to learn that lesson. Are there shops near you with good recommendations?
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
I was about to write the owner but did a little googleing first and realized the "manager" I dealt with was one of the four owners (youngest guy in photo) so I don't see what good that would do.
So, wrote up a factual review and posted it on the most trafficked review sites. I also posted "find my derailleur yet?" on their facebook page.
I'm going to leave it at that and move on. My time is too valuable to waste any more of it on this. I'm sure there are some good people there but I've got to go elsewhere from here on.
In other news, the insurance company has been calling to get the settlement done. A couple family things, including airfare for next year's Disney Half that I'm signed up for, will have a go at that small settlement before any bike stuff. That said, I like toys and hope to have a little left over for some.
Tonight my son and I will be installing my new garmin speed cadence sensor. I'm looking forward to getting some measurable data on the trainer. Of course, if it says I'm riding 24mph I'll still be logging it as 17 or 18 depending on effort. No mileage inflation is going in my log!
It just struck me that giving reviews can be a perilous adventure.
Last year our zoom-zoom Mazda3 lost a fight with a truck bumper. The shop that fixed it did a fantastic job with the body work but did a crappy job with the a paper work. I had to unnecessarily get involved to get them to do what they were supposed to do. So, when I got the call for the (I thought anonymous) review I told them that. Just the facts. Little did I know I'd have the manager calling me the next day telling me what I and the insurance company did wrong and, therefore, should change the review because I just cost him his week's bonus. Eff him man! He wouldn't have liked the changes I would have made after that jackass pompous call.
OK, done venting on unrelated things...
Thanks for the update.
Seriously though, for you it's the principle...the bike went in with the front derailleur it should come home with it. While the bike is in thier posssession it is thier responsibility. Thier cost of a front derailleur is nothing.
Keep us posted...I'd like to know if they make it right.
Thanks for the update. Seriously though, for you it's the principle...the bike went in with the front derailleur it should come home with it. While the bike is in thier posssession it is thier responsibility. Thier cost of a front derailleur is nothing. Keep us posted...I'd like to know if they make it right.
Don't drop this. You could be saving the time and hassle for the next guy. If they have employees that are "STEALING" parts off of customer bikes, that guy needs to be gone. Maybe the manager/owner is the guy that took it and the other owners are not even aware that anything crooked took place. If you just leave it alone now, they will forget about it before you do.
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
You guys are absolutely positivity right.
In my younger years (and I'm not old) I would have taken up the crusade. I've got so many battles, issues, and activities in life right now. (Running and biking are my outlets and indulgence.) I'm not eager to take on another one that involves stress. I'm allowing some time vent and complain about it but really don't want it to invade my hobby/outlet more than it already has. If they told me to come get a replacement derailleur I'm not sure I'd want to take the time to go fetch it. They'd have to mail it to me. I hope my google, yelp, mbtr.com, and other reviews help potential future customers make more informed choices.
I hope my google, yelp, mbtr.com, and other reviews help potential future customers make more informed choices.
It amazes me in this day that any business would not be hyper-vigilant in making sure that as many customers as possible are as happy as possible. All it takes is one particularly scathing review of mistreatment and/or deceit to make me look elsewhere.