Bike shop damaged my crank - advice??

16simon

Three weeks ago, I went in to Biketrax in Brentwood, my LBS, to buy some stuff and to ask them to remove a seized pedal axle from my chainset. The chainset was a square taper sugino, old but good quality, from an LX spec bike. They clamped it in a vice, applied the hot air gun and then removed the pedal. Great, that was easy; I paid them for the stuff and for the removal of the pedal axle.

When I got home, I noticed that when they had clamped the chainset in the vice they had folded one of the chainring tabs inward, cracking it and making the crank unuseable. I took it back to Biketrax, and they agreed to source a replacement. I told them that I didn't want to gain anything from this, so if they could find some similar second hand cranks that would be fine. A week later, I hadn't been called by Biketrax, so I went in. They hadn't been able to find anything, so said that they would look for something new. Yet another week without any contact from Biketrax, so I went in again: they had got some cranks in, but they were cheap and nasty low end things, with a rivetted chainring. I explained that I didn't feel that this was an acceptable replacement, and we discussed alternatives; I stressed that I didn't want to gain anything from this, so I didn't mind if the replacement was as good as the damaged crank, just that it was of reasonable quality. I offered to pay for a bottom bracket if they had difficulty sourcing a square taper crank.

Anyway, another week without any contact from Biketrax, so I went in on Friday, exactly three weeks since they had damaged my chainset. The manager, Alex, who had been dealing with this throughout, was away on leave. He hadn't got anything in, and no one else knew anything about whether he had even done anything. They suggested that I came back next Friday... which would mean that my bike had been unrideable due to the damaged crank for a month.

I don't blame Biketrax for damaging the crank, they just made a mistake. However, I do blame them for not sourcing a replacement within a reasonable length of time. I feel that I've given them plenty of time to come up with a reasonable quality replacement crank, either new or second hand, but they've made no effort to do so, or to even contact me to tell me what they're doing.

Any ideas about how I can get Biketrax to do something?

camerauk

maybe worth getting them to fit a new one they have in stock that you are happy with and pay any difference in price if you and them agree a value for your old ones, but I would not pay a fitting charge for the new item

russ_gillespie

Have you taken steps to find a replacement crank yourself? Maybe you could then suggest somewhere they can buy it. If you can't find one, then there's your explanation for why it's taking so long.

stu8975

Ask them if you source a replacement, to pay for it. Other than that if they still fail to sort it, trading standards/legal action is probably your only course of action.

Anonymous

After it taken so long, I would look on ebay for the one to replace on your mtb or buy a new set and let them fit it on free of charge.

Avoid this shop after this drama especially how long they messing around.

Dirtydog11

There are plenty of square taper cranks available. 3 weeks is unacceptable and a steel ringed chainset is no substitution for what they have damaged.

I would drop them an E-Mail tell them that 3 weeks is more than long enough to source a replacement if its not sorted by the end of the week then you will reluctantly have to put something official in writing to them. Its not a path you wish to down but you have been left with no other choice and have now been left without a bike for 3 weeks and have had no indication as to when your going to get it back.

Elliot Ross

If i was you i would go into the bike shop and say if they didnt have one within a week, you will be taking the matter further! Put pressure on them and im sure they will get one in

carbonfiend

I dont actually know that shop but I do know the owner of Biketrax he is called Martin and a sound bloke I have ridden with him plenty of times. He is total MTB can I suggest you ask to speak to him about the matter

16simon

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I was thinking - regretfully, because it shouldn't have to come to this - about how to take it further/make it more official. I'll drop them an email, and mention that my next recourse is trading standards or small claims.

Carbonfiend, I have left a message for Martin but haven't heard back. Do you have an email address for him?

carbonfiend

sorry mate I havent he is just one of a group of trail riders I occasionally night ride with.

bomberesque

certainly I'd email the guy you've been talking to and copy this Martin guy politely explaining what's happened (actually, copy and paste your OP would be fine I think)

That will serve both to focus someone more senior on the fact that there's a customer who's not being sorted out aswell as providing a record of what's happened. If you did decide to "take it further" then you'll need this but tbh 15 minutes of a lawyer's time will cost you more than the cranks so I really wouldn't think this way about it.

tbh it rather sounds like they have in their eyes a minor problem to sort out (your crank) so they're putting minimum effort into it. After a month I think it is fair to take it to the boss. You need to impress on them that the crank may seem minor but that it has now kept you from cycling for a month and so is not minor in your eyes.

good luck, I would probably have given up, bought a Deore crank and just decided not to use this shop again about 2 weeks ago.