Warning - International Cycle Components / Bike Bits UK

Slow1972

Anyone ordered items from this website before?

I ordered a Campag Ultratorque chainset on 20 March from them. They sent an acknowledgement the same day and since then I've heard nothing.

Telephone goes straight to answerphone and my emails asking where my chainset is haven't been responded to.

I'd avoid this retailer like the plague if I were you.

andyp

By law a company has 28 days to fulfill an order placed via mail order. I think you should give them a bit more time before you start slagging them off on the internet.

Slow1972

I'm not talking about whether they have or have not breached any statutory obligations or their standard terms of sale and I have not suggested they are.

Who on here would bother buying a chainset from an online retailer if they said "we may take advantage of our statutory obligations and take 28 days to deliver it"? There's no obligation for me to reply quickly to my clients by law but I wouldnt expect to have many if I didnt bother.

What I I'm talking about is their customer service in that their website states:

"All this backed up by fast delivery, typically 2-3 working day despatch to UK mainland address."

and their terms say:

"Goods supplied within the UK will normally be delivered within 5 working days of acceptance of order"

I accept they do not accept liability for consequential losses for delays in delivery but in terms of customer service and meeting the legitimate expectations that their website creates and failing to respond to my emails, their service is below the level that I expected or would recommend to anyone. As such, I stand by my comments that I would avoid this website.

Chip \'oyler

I've had problems with them in the past as well - I wouldn't recommend them.

old-scrotum

I recently bought a pair of Ultegra SL SPD SL pedals from them, good price and rapid delivery.

I ordered another pair from them at the end of March; they took payment and sent an e-mail stating that they had been posted - 11 days on still no pedals. E-mailed them, no response!!

The pedals have now been removed from the website.

dilemna

Perhaps they are in financial difficulties or have ceased trading. There is alot of it about now. If you paid with CC and the value of goods were over £100 you can make use of s.75 of the Conusmer Credit Act and get a refund from your credit card provider.

Slow1972

Just an update.

Over a month has gone by, no delivery and no contact - just sent them another email giving them to the end of the week to refund. Less than £100 so not covered by CCA, if I don't find any insolvency advertisements I'll just stick in a claim form if they've not paid up by then.

The website is still up and running and has been updated in the interim so there is still some activity.

Upshot is I would still definitley recommend that everyone avoids this seller like the plague.

Slow1972

old-scrotum wrote:

I recently bought a pair of Ultegra SL SPD SL pedals from them, good price and rapid delivery.

I ordered another pair from them at the end of March; they took payment and sent an e-mail stating that they had been posted - 11 days on still no pedals. E-mailed them, no response!!

The pedals have now been removed from the website.

By the way, sounds like your second order was placed around the same time as mine - you received anything yet?

canoas

I'm a little worried now I ordered a Tommasini frame where ICC are the sole importer and paid a 3rd deposit £500, it's been over 2-3 months now. ICC have never telephoned me back of recent weeks, no updates. I mean Tommasini frames are rare and are one of the world finest hand made bikes. I just can't wait much longer. I will be so upset if frame never arrives. Looks like I need to approach Visa soon.

Chip \'oyler

canoas wrote:

I'm a little worried now I ordered a Tommasini frame where ICC are the sole importer and paid a 3rd deposit £500, it's been over 2-3 months now. ICC have never telephoned me back of recent weeks, no updates. I mean Tommasini frames are rare and are one of the world finest hand made bikes. I just can't wait much longer. I will be so upset if frame never arrives. Looks like I need to approach Visa soon.

My problems with ICC involved a Tommasini frame. It's a shame such a lovely frame builder are solely represented in the UK by a lascklustre company.

Slow1972

I finally spoke to someone there the other day after I had sent a strong worded email.

He had the cheek to have a go at me for threatening recovery action despite the fact that I'd not had my goods, refund or any communication from them since the order (mid March). Said he ran a professional business and started asking if I was an expert in consumer law etc, I said no, but my concerns were a complete lack of response to my earlier (more agreeable) emails or customer service. I said how did he expect me to react when I didnt know what, if anything was going on. He bumbled over that by becoming even more aggressive.

Conversation generally degenerated from that point when i asked him if he was going to give me a refund to which he basically replied maybe, when he feels like it, he hung up when i said he obviously ran his business on the principle of service with a smile....

I sent him another email confirming he hadn't told me when he was going to refund the money his business has had the benefit of since the day of order and giving him a deadline to refund which has now passed. He's also now had over 30 days since my original request for a refund.

He's now taking the proverbial p**s and is in breach of his own terms and conditions so I'm going to issue a claim in the small claims Court. Issue costs aren't very substantial and at least it means I'm going to cause him as much inconvenience as his sh*t service has caused me.

ICC are a complete joke, the guy I spoke to is an embarassment and Tommasini should carefully consider whether ICC are capable of fulfilling the role of being their UK agent and giving the service you would expect for a product of that quality.

I'm glad my exposure to these sh*sters is limited to £70.

LBS / Wiggle and Chain Reaction in future I have to say

robmanic1

http://www.cyclingforums.com/archive/index.php/t-378155.html

Hmmm, from your posts and the above link I'm wondering if this company has any connections with you-know-who (DHC).

giant_man

Chip \'oyler wrote:

canoas wrote:

I'm a little worried now I ordered a Tommasini frame where ICC are the sole importer and paid a 3rd deposit £500, it's been over 2-3 months now. ICC have never telephoned me back of recent weeks, no updates. I mean Tommasini frames are rare and are one of the world finest hand made bikes. I just can't wait much longer. I will be so upset if frame never arrives. Looks like I need to approach Visa soon.

My problems with ICC involved a Tommasini frame. It's a shame such a lovely frame builder are solely represented in the UK by a lascklustre company.

I totally agree! Surely they could find a better distributor. Such fine bikes ...

Slow1972

Agree, is a big shame

Looking at the problems people are having with delivery I wouldnt be at all surprised if the root of the problem is that ICC have cash flow problems and aren't actually carrying stock but receive orders and bank the cash before they then order the goods from their suppliers. All conjecture of course but I can't see why else you would offer such poor service in a such a competitive market where service is going to be a big factor in whether people are prepared to buy off you again.

Realise that things are slightly different with the Tommasini issue, but again ICC seem to have no idea whatsoever just how much they could improve their customer service by keeping customers informed instead of giving them a wall of silence.

If I had shelled out for a Tommasini frame and the UK distributor had taken a big deposit off me and then wasn't responding to me I think I'd be checking with Tommassini directly that they have received the order and the frame is actually somewhere in its production programme. It may give you a bit of comfort you're unlikely to get from ICC and Tommasini may start to realise they have picked a cr*p distributor for the UK

giant_man

Well yes they might do, if I were in the market for a Tommassini frame I would go straight to them direct. I don't know if you can do this, but it's got to be better than through an outfit like this.

Chip \'oyler

giant mancp wrote:

Well yes they might do, if I were in the market for a Tommassini frame I would go straight to them direct. I don't know if you can do this, but it's got to be better than through an outfit like this.

I think you can. It's just a case of ringing the factory up.

My ICC/Tommasini story went like this:

I phoned up asking about the Velocista frame. Said I was very interested and would like to order one. I sent him measurements etc and asked him for a total build price assuming that after doing this he would then need a deposit. I kept getting in touch with him for the build price over the next few weeks. I eventually got a response mentioning that some of my build spec was no longer available. No problem as I sorted some alternatives - I then waited more weeks for the build price. As I hadn't sent him a deposit I was getting cheesed off that I'd never receive the bike and I was still waiting for a price. So I walked into my LBS and looked at some Viners. He gave me a build price there and then. So I walked back home and decided that I didn't trust ICC and wouldn't bother with them and order a Viner instead. So I emailed him to tell him not to bother with the build price. He got back to me saying I couldn't cancel as the frame was already built and waiting to be painted and he demanded payment!

To cut a long story short after this - I sent him a Special Delivery letter worded by a lawyer friend of mine, explaining the laws of long distance selling. I've never heard a dicky from him since - and I'm the proud owner of a superb Viner Maxima.

As I've mentioned before, the Tommasini brand is being represented very badly by this company. A frame builder like that should have a better awareness in the UK - ICC do bugger all promotion of the brand and really put people off them.

I think a few of us should perhaps contact Tommasini?

giant_man

I see the crap you went through now - really not the way to do business is it - and not the way surely Tommassini would like to be represented.

A letter sounds a great idea, love to help if I can Chip.

Slow1972

Be interested to hear how Canoas is getting along with his order

Your explanation of how things went with ICC fits in exactly with how I was ignored and then when I did finally get to speak to him the problem was nothing all to do with his miserable (or should I say non-existent) customer service but mine for actually expecting to get delivery of the goods I ordered and not knowing telepathically that there was no problem and he would eventually (if he ever felt like it) despatch them.....

Tommasini probably think there isn't much of market in the UK rather than that they've got a joker costing them sales... (yours definitely being one at least!)

Anonymous

It is interesting as I am looking at getting a steel framed 'lovely day' bike built up and was very tempted, rang them up, no answer, then read this thread!

I'm probably going to go with a Colnage Master X Light now...

Chip \'oyler

Napoleon - if you're after something along the lines of the Tommasini Sintesi etc - have a look at the Milani Replica

http://www.milanicycles.com/
http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/htdocs/ ... tem_id=919

I met Mr Milani in the Ronde van Vlaanderen Museum the day before this years Sportive. He was a fantastic bloke - very friendly and very passionate about his bikes. Someday in the future I would love to get a frame off him. He's represented by Mosquito in London. I hear their reputation is somewhat better than ICCs

Anonymous

Oh no.

Why did you do that?

I'm all of a tizz now!

Chip \'oyler

NapoleonD wrote:

Oh no.

Why did you do that?

I'm all of a tizz now!

Glad to be of service

Nice isn't it!

giant_man

I saw Milani cycles at the London bike show last year. Very nice that Replica, to see it in the flesh great sight!

The young Italian lady on their stand was lovely to talk to as well, lol probably his daughter

canoas

Long posting ago - In the end my Tommasini arrived, which I must say is a fantastic looking bike, carbon is Mizuno sourced from Japan, put together in the Tommasini factory, paint job is fantastic. With all the complaints of IBC it's worth going through the crap to get the frame, the bike is fast and I did hear that Tommasini use to build bikes for Merckx in the 70's, they are much like Colnago and that the style and frame build never dies. When I arrived at IBC the guy was helpful enough. If you like great frames get one. Also whilst your bike is been made, the Tommasini staff in Tuscany are in contact with your order to IBC.

Long wait well worth it! Customer service would help.

Chip \'oyler

What model did you go with?

jandm

Its funny that you only look to see if others are having issues after being burnt yourself. I recently tried to buy tyres from this web site.

The web site is still running, although it sounds like nothing has improved.

Straight away he sent an email tellilng me that I need to pay more money for shipping to Australia. Ok, I need the tyres so i replied that day saying yep go for it. A week or 2 later I sign back in to see that the tyres were still in "being processed' I sent another email saying please send. Weeks later, still nothing, I send another email to say please refund and cancel order as I dont trust this site anymore. He then replied straight away giving me all sorts of excuses and telling me that pbk etc were more expensive (although they werent)...I still havent got my refund (or my tyres)

Anyway I would much rather spend 10% more to get reliable good service.

Avoid BikeBitsUK.

Pokerface

By law, aren't businesses supposed to NOT charge you until they have the item in stock and ready to ship, etc?


FWIW - I have ordered from BikeBits before with no problems - but it's worrisome hearing other people's stories.

Sammyw23

The golden rule is to pay on credit card then the CC company will refund you for any non delivery of product. Annoying tho.....

daveydave43

perhaps it might be worth complaining to Wiggle about this...
they'll probably have the answer