I hate Evans Cycles!

kaybar007

It's been nearly three months since I submitted my forms for the Ride2Work scheme and I have had it with dealing with Evans Cycles. At first, there was a 6 week delay in receiving my vouchers in which time the bike I wanted sold out. I was really disappointed and emailed Evans and Raleigh and told to forget that model and buy something else. So I did. A few days later Evans emailed to say that my original bike is back in stock. I managed to change the order. A week later the bike was in the store (by which time the summer was virtually over) and I went to collect it (by now having spent already ages waiting around to order the bike... and it's replacement) and after waiting for 20 mins they finally wheeled out my bike and they'd put on the lock, the toddler seat and the lights onto the wrong bike.

I went back later that day and they had managed to kit out the correct bike, except it didn't fit me (there's another thread on here about my 2 fruitless trips to Evans to get it adjusted, and my third trip to Bike Works who sorted it in 10 mins) and there was no basket. I emailed Raleigh who said there should be, so several weeks later and Evans finally find my "lost" basket and said they'd fit it today if I dropped it off in the morning (which I did). I was told to collect it after 5pm. I've just arrived home after waiting for a bus because guess what? After waiting for the usual 15-20 mins they couldn't find my bike, and when they did they couldn't find the basket so obviously it hadn't been fitted!! They asked if I could come back in half an hour. It took all my willpower to not throttle the salesman.

I am beyond exasperated with this company! Every time I go there it takes ages to get served, when someone does serve you it takes forever to get a resolution and they just get it wrong every single time. Maybe if one of these things had happened in isolation I wouldn't care, but it's been every little thing - I've been in that store half a dozen times and 12 weeks after starting the process I'm still a day away from being able to ride out of there and never go back!

ARGH! Sorry to rant! :evil:

Coriander

Which branch are you dealing with? Sounds like a nightmare. I generally use the one on The Cut and they're lovely in there.

snooks

The wait from ordering your voucher to getting your voucher is a real pain...but I had some good news I got a better bike for less money cos it went on sale

The staff in all the shops I've been to have, on the whole, been really good...Ok there aren't enough of them and waiting time is usually a real pain...but name and shame the store

The only one I now avoid is the London Bridge branch, unless I'm meeting someone at LB station

+1 for The Cut. I found Them really good as well, but again not enough staff or just too many customers

biondino

Wiggle were great with the cycle to work thing EXCEPT for the fact my bike was out of stock. Fine, I knew this when I ordered it. But when the end of April (two weeks post-order) becomes the end of May becomes the end of July - and my entire justification for getting it, a charity ride to Paris, was taking place mid-July - I got a bit annoyed and changed my order, twice.

To be fair, they dealt with the confusion fine, they kept very much in touch, and although the sales dude was a little bit confused, I got some personal treatment from the mechanic who was making the changes I requested which made up for it. Although they didn't do any special deals to take away the sting of my disappointment (though they did up me to a Platinum customer), they did readily agree that I would pay the April price rather than the June price, which was substantially higher.

Since then, of course, I've spent £500 on bike gear from them, so it was very much worth their while

kaybar007

Sorry, I should've named and shamed in the first instance, my grief is with the SPITALFIELDS branch. Further to above, the very first time I tried to get my bike adjusted to fit me I arrived right at midday on Sunday (when it was meant to open). 15 mins later when the manager arrived to let everyone in the public were told to wait outside a bit longer while they set up the tills, eventually we were allowed in the store but for some reason all the men got served instantly, and I was left to wait despite being second in the queue outside: it seems unless yo're on a racing bike/BMX/high end Cannondale they're not interested. I've spent £560 in that store on bike and accessories and I resent it: I'd happily spend that in a shop where the interaction doesn't feel like so traumatic. Honestly, when I left their store tonite I felt like crying in frustatation and generally I don't get angry!

chaley

The woking branch is staffed by complete muppets!
Thought I'd share
Chaley

snooks

kaybar007 wrote:

Sorry, I should've named and shamed in the first instance, my grief is with the SPITALFIELDS branch

Waited 3/4 of an hour to get served in there...if it wasn't cos they had a range of bikes I wanted to look at and the cycle to work voucher in my bag I would have walked out long ago...In the end I went to The Cut instead