Evans

thelawnet

Just went into Evans for probably the third time. What a useless shop.

First time I went in they ignored me, and I walked out.

Second time they tried to ignore me, so I approached them and asked about a bike for the Mrs. for £250-£300 they said "we wouldn't have anything to suit, you'd better look on our website"

Then went into today with my son to buy a rack pack, we struggled to get our bikes through the door, it was very quiet, and I made a point of wandering around like I needed assistance, mouth agape at the £100 MTB shorts, after several minutes of being ignored I walked out - again.

What is wrong with them? THey seem to have the attitude that if you're not encased in lycra and looking to spend £80 on a carbon fibre water bottle cage they're not interested in your custom.

I haven't experienced this anywhere else, except possibly Halfords.

And I bet Halfords won't charge £12.50 to fit a water bottle cage (truly: http://www.evanscycles.com/servicing/wo ... price-list)

il_principe

thelawnet wrote:

What is wrong with them? THey seem to have the attitude that if you're not encased in lycra and looking to spend £80 on a carbon fibre water bottle cage they're not interested in your custom.

I haven't experienced this anywhere else, except possibly Halfords.

And I bet Halfords won't charge £12.50 to fit a water bottle cage (truly: http://www.evanscycles.com/servicing/wo ... price-list)

Well a lot of their stores are cack IME.

Also if you need to get someone to fit a bottle cage then you deserve to pay!

thelawnet

Il Principe wrote:

thelawnet wrote:

What is wrong with them? THey seem to have the attitude that if you're not encased in lycra and looking to spend £80 on a carbon fibre water bottle cage they're not interested in your custom.

I haven't experienced this anywhere else, except possibly Halfords.

And I bet Halfords won't charge £12.50 to fit a water bottle cage (truly: http://www.evanscycles.com/servicing/wo ... price-list)

Well a lot of their stores are cack IME.

Also if you need to get someone to fit a bottle cage then you deserve to pay!

Possibly, but their attitude seems to be that if you aren't a bike geek you can f*** off.

Don't see why some old granny shouldn't buy a bottle cage and ask them to fit it for her.

biondino

Did you actually speak to anyone? Yes they should have noticed you wandering around but you didn't do yourself any favours!

thelawnet

biondino wrote:

Did you actually speak to anyone? Yes they should have noticed you wandering around but you didn't do yourself any favours!

No I didn't, they were 'busy' putting things on shelves and stuff. I expect the salespeople to try and do some sales.

I've been in other shops and even when they're having a chat/working on a bike they'll take 5 seconds to ask if you need some help.

If they don't want my business (which is what they said last time I went in there and waited for someone to offer to help before eventually having to ask someone) then I'm happy to shop elsewhere. Not a problem.

gb155

thelawnet wrote:

biondino wrote:

Did you actually speak to anyone? Yes they should have noticed you wandering around but you didn't do yourself any favours!

No I didn't, they were 'busy' putting things on shelves and stuff. I expect the salespeople to try and do some sales.

I've been in other shops and even when they're having a chat/working on a bike they'll take 5 seconds to ask if you need some help.

If they don't want my business (which is what they said last time I went in there and waited for someone to offer to help before eventually having to ask someone) then I'm happy to shop elsewhere. Not a problem.

TBH I hate it when I go shoppong if I get pestered with "you ok sir?" "can I help" etc by every assistant I pass, I can see where they are and if I need help I will ask for it.

DonDaddyD

I like to be left alone when shopping.

When dealing with Evans staff, or any staff member from any shop, there is always the chance that I may know more about the product (they're selling) than they do. In those instances it may feel like poor service butthe person may be trying to help to the best of their ability...

always_tyred

Hang on - you think that Halfords are elitist as well? Were you in the car stereo section?

roger_merriman

perosnaly as a shopper i like to be left alone being pestered of hung around by hungry sales staff is sure way of making me take my busness else where. the local evans is good about that so i do from time to time pop in to have a look at things sometimes to buy sometimes to just look.

tardington

I like them to ask, I guess. But if I say 'just looking thanks' woe will come to any secondary askers...

Gazzaputt

Poor Evans can never win!

Agent57

I hate to be approached and asked if I need help. If I need assistance, I'll bloody well ask for it, now feck off and leave me to browse in peace! Bloody sales people.

amnezia

Why would you need someone to fit a bottle cage for you? :?

Slurp

Like many others, I prefer not to be harassed by sale staff when I pop into a shop. OTOH, I might actually want help and would like a sales assistant to be available, not studiously ignoring customers.

Servicewise, I've usually had pretty good service from the Evans in Hendon on the sales/customer-sensitivity front. I was less than impressed, however, when they failed to connect the rear brake after investigating a problem I was having with the gears. When I needed a full service, I took it to the Cyclesurgery near my office instead.

attica

Haha, £12.50 to fit a pair of "mudguards (clip on)"

Really though, the staff in Evans aren't nearly as bad as the staff in Halfords who can often be best described as "a waste of skin", wouldn't hurt them to ask if they can help occasionally though, I've had similar treatment when dressed in full lycra wheeling my carbon bike around, so don't take it personally!

prawny

The people in Evans in brum won't leave me alone, Does my head in apart from the lady girl who works there, who is a; Gorgeous and b; Works in a bike shop. She doesn't bother me at all. 8)

thelawnet

amnezia wrote:

Why would you need someone to fit a bottle cage for you? :?

Maybe if you are old and have arthritis?

Aguila

thelawnet wrote:

amnezia wrote:

Why would you need someone to fit a bottle cage for you? :?

Maybe if you are old and have arthritis?

If you were old enough/had bad enough arthritis to not be able to fit a cage I doubt you'd be doing much cycling in the first place.

chriskempton

£12.50 to fit a bottle cage really is funny. You have to hand it to them. I wonder if anyone actually takes them up on it? I had to check that it excludes the cost of a cage, and yes it does.

biondino

I think it's fair enough! If you really don't have the nous to figure out how to attach a bottle cage or raceblades (which come with instructions, ffs) then by all means, pay for it. It's like people who buy ready-grated cheese.

attica

biondino wrote:

I think it's fair enough! If you really don't have the nous to figure out how to attach a bottle cage or raceblades (which come with instructions, ffs) then by all means, pay for it. It's like people who buy ready-grated cheese.

Haha, or pre sliced apple "snack packs"

prawny

Attica wrote:

biondino wrote:

I think it's fair enough! If you really don't have the nous to figure out how to attach a bottle cage or raceblades (which come with instructions, ffs) then by all means, pay for it. It's like people who buy ready-grated cheese.

Haha, or pre sliced apple "snack packs"

or ready buttered soreen, FFS its twice the price of a whole loaf!

the_hundredth_idiot

The staff in the Evans near my office (London Bridge) always seems friendly and helpful - right balance of being helpful but not too pushy. I tend to walk the little further to go there in preference to On Your Bike (which is closer to my office) as the OYB staff seem more of a mixed bag - some decent ones but some others who seem to go out of their way to p*** me off.

il_principe

Very helpful bloke in Mosquito last night, considering he'd just been fixing a puncture on a BSO and was wanting to close!

Great staff in Condor this morning as well. There's no need to use Evans in London, plenty of other good shops with good staff.

biondino

Il Principe wrote:

Very helpful bloke in Mosquito last night, considering he'd just been fixing a puncture on a BSO and was wanting to close!

Wow - that's like taking your Mini Metro* to an Aston Martin dealership for a replacement big end!

*do our younger readers even know what this is?

DonDaddyD

I like the service in Evans on Clapham Highstreet.

They're good for a use of their pump or to buy a tube, lights, bars or something needed immediately when I'm in need.

When I bought a helmet from them the guy freely admitted he didn't know much about helmets. Now its been established that I know what I'm talking about its more a conversation than them trying to sell me stuff.

always_tyred

DonDaddyD wrote:

Now its been established that I know what I'm talking about its more a conversation than them trying to sell me stuff.

That's what he wants you to think. Its the art of being a good salesman. He actually still regards you as a clueless idiot, but understands that you are now liklely to spend more.

Agent57

One day, I will go to the Holdsworth shop in Putney. I feel I should go there at least once. I've had their name on my musette for 25 or more years (at was a hand-me-down from my uncle, so I assume it's from the 70s or so), and I still use it regularly (though it's getting quite tatty). I understand the Penge shop no longer exists.

tgotb

The one near me (Farringdon Rd) is totally useless. I went in to order a Brompton component (which is in their mail order catalogue) and they categorically told me that it was only available direct from Brompton. Popped down to Action Bikes instead, and they had a whole box of them!
They've been sitting on the deposit I gave them for a new Dynamo, for about 4 months. Must get round to going in and asking for my money back...

PinkPedal

The problem is that between different shops levels of helpfulness vary.

For example I find the Ludgate Circus Evans poor. I had them fix a p*nct*re (when I was feeilng REALLY lazy :oops: ) and they clearly didn't remove whatever had caused it, even after me requesting that they made sure that they did, as I had a slow flat shortly after. Then I gave a £50 deposit to try out a couple of bikes and when I arrived to test them they hadn't even put pedals on! Obviously I took my custom elsewhere.

However the Evans on the Cut have always been super helpful - fitting a bottle cage I bought for free (they offered - I didn't ask) and dealing with all my random questions on tyres to sort me out with some cx tyres plus letting me use their floor pump and also showing me how to use it when I first started commuting!

lost_in_thought

I have to say, the Evans in Fulham are great - couldn't be more helpful.

The one just off Oxford Street, OTOH...