need some help service gone wrong LBS

Lee5768

took my Large GT avalanche 3.0 2010 to a bike shop for a service and its came back with more problems than it had to start with

gears also out by a mile

the guy messed with the headset when I got it back it had play in it
took it back again for him to sort it

when he sorted it it sounded really gritty ( at this point I must stress I didn't have any problems with the headset before hand)

I left the shop in the end and told him he was rubbish

got home and found he had over tightened the stem and snapped it (that confirmed it)


I need to replace the stem don't know what to get ?

want the same one that's currently on it or a little upgrade to it but i really don't want to spend on his end stuff at this point


anyone know what steam i need for the same rise and reach.

I think its time to learn about bikes I am sick of being robbed by these bike shops
going to service myself the headset while its apart too.

thanks

nicklouse

got home and found he had over tightened the stem and snapped it (that confirmed it)

dont think so.

snapped a bolt? stripped thread? or.....

links in sig for learning.

Lee5768

don't think so ?

he snapped the stem itself where the bolt goes in headset end ..on the bottom bolt


didn't notice till today. pointless going back he is so arrogant anyway have no doubt he will just blame me

supersonic

It might say the dimensions on the stem. If not, look the bike up on the GT website.

cooldad

Or measure it.

CraigXXL

Will probably be around 100-110mm with a 6 degree rise oversize. Mine was 110 on a large and 100 on my mates medium. I dropped mine down to 90mm no rise and made it feel much better.

The Northern Monkey

get the shop to replace it like for like...

Lee5768

if its measured from the centre of the head set to the centre of the handle bar it will be 100mm its the rise I want right

GT site is really rubbish can't find specs for last years bikes at all


some people still selling it say its Stem is "GT ATB, threadless 25 degree rise with four bolt alum CNC face plate for 31.8mm "



don't look 25 degrees might be just me lol

CraigXXL

6 degrees

supersonic

http://www.gtbicycles.com/bikes/archive ... lanche-3-0

You don't have to get exactly the same - though the bar clamp must be 31.8. Many stems are 6 degrees rise, which will be a little lower down.

Lee5768

sonic any recommendations of replacement mate I really am lost in this.


here is some pics of the guys handy work

btw it had paint on it by were the head set cap sits before he got a hold of it

tri-sexual

which branch of halfords did you take it to?

most stems today have their specs printed/ stamped somewhere, you just have to look for it and understand what the markings mean - sometimes have recommended torque settings printed also. this is usually in a string of numbers which state the stems length and rise.

if there are no markings then remove the stem and take it to a shop where you can match it with another one.

it is possible to measure your stem but much easier to match like for like when removed from bike

nicklouse

Lee5768


was the shop a GT dealer?

I would be very very tempted to send those pics to GT UK with a covering letter as that is beyond belief.

Lee5768

can't say how gutted i am mate

this was the place

http://www.thebikeshedonline.co.uk/

The Northern Monkey

how did you not spot that before you left the shop?!

supersonic

Anywork done comes with a guarantee of workmanship. Looks like the bolts have been overtightened.

Problem is can you prove the shop did it?

Lee5768

I was to busy arguing with the guy i noticed the paint missing from the top of it but
didn't notice the crack till today when i lifted the bike up


its the lower bolt so its hiddenish

supersonic

Write a letter to the shop - but consider contacting the CAB first for info. Small claims caught maybe the way forward.

Lee5768

supersonic wrote:

Anywork done comes with a guarantee of workmanship. Looks like the bolts have been overtightened.

Problem is can you prove the shop did it?

that's it I can't the guy denied any wrong doing of the headset then tried to charge me to fix it
so he's not going to admit that he did this


I know he did it just his word against mine

move on buy a new one and never go back is my only option

supersonic

I have a 31.8mm stem, 85mm in length. Will fit.

If you want it, PM me.

CraigXXL

I love the fact that they advertise they are Cytech, the cycling experts trained. Obviously not the ape that worked on your bike.
Write a letter of complaint in and copy to Cytech and trading standards.

blablablacksheep

it very simple the rules of the law and im sure they will sort it out.

you put bike in for service, you got a recipt for the service/type of service correct??

IE evans might class a service as either 1 or 2 or fork service ect, just tells you what service is going to be done.

If you got recipt of service and they have done work, then they should of contacted you about the work that needed doing and how much it costs and apox time scale for how long it will take and costs.

Then once you had the work done , allways check bike over in the shop, this is KEY, if you dont check bike over in shop you get problems

if there are issues the recipt of work should cover you.

if not trading standards simple as that.

Lee5768

CraigXXL wrote:

I love the fact that they advertise they are Cytech, the cycling experts trained. Obviously not the ape that worked on your bike.
Write a letter of complaint in and copy to Cytech and trading standards.

well to be honest that's why I went there...i looked on the Cytec site and its listed them
as the closest

haha while I was arguing over the problems after the service one of the guys claimed that he is "one of the most qualified in Liverpool" so obviously this was a i know better
than you.


got a new stem on the way and will sort it myself from now on.

Tonyp_iom

He has obviously overtightened the stem and not used a torque tool. You can prove it was him quite simply because you took the bike back for him to adjust the headset, it might have been at this point he did it as he has to loosen them bolts to tighten the headset. Also If he didn't do it, he should have called you to advise you that you need a new stem. For him to have played with the headset "officially" once he has therefore played with the stem and should have advised you that your stem is hazardous and for you not to ride it,

getonyourbike

you don't even need to be a trained mechanic or need a torque wrench to not do that to a stem. It's just common sense. I can do all that work myself and not do something stipud like that. The guy working on your bike was probably too stupid for McDonalds. How did he get to work in a bike shop. Nobody knows. I hope you get it sorted, mate

d3matt

Was the guy doing the service the owner of the shop? If not, then you should really write a letter to the owner. Trouble is proving he did it. But at least the shop owner will get the complaint and if he gets more, he might think twice about employing this guy. But then I see on the website that is a family run business, so it's probably a family member.

getonyourbike

d3matt wrote:

But then I see on the website that is a family run business, so it's probably a family member.

that expalins why he got a job there if he couldn't one in maccy Ds

dynamis_dk

Like d3matt suggests, I'd write to the shop and see what happens. If you have recipts to show the work carried out, most shops would prefer to cover the cost of replacement bits rather then have there name as a store tarnished.

If that doesn't resolve the matter i'd take it up with citizens advise as this clearly isnt on as the store has a responsibility and its not down to the general consumer to quality check the work carried out before they leave the store. Its not like checking your change when you leave a shop - the whole point in you taking it into a bike shop for the service is because you don't have the skills required to carry out the work. If you write to the shop i'd highlight this point because they can't possibly argue its too late bacause you didn't see it before leaving the store.

---

Just wanted to say, a shop near me is called bike-shed also (http://www.bike-shed.com/) so I hope people don't confuse the two as the one is Scissett is a very nice place with great staff - wouldn't want them looking out based on the name

Lee5768

the guy who done the service was the younger guy who claims to be the best in liverpool


the guy who did the stem is the shop owner


I think any complaint is a waste of time...the guy wasn't exactly helpful when I took it back
and tried to get more money out of me. I already know he will just blame me and say I must have done it :roll: s he tried to blame me for the headset being loose 30 mins after the service.

d3matt

Then all I think you can do is do your best at warning others. You should definitely add a review on their GoogleMaps entry. A couple of similar warnings on there already too.

bellys

i would take the stem back to the shop with your bike and the 1st thing you need to ask them is why did they not tell you the stem was damaged/foooked before working on the bike also they should not have touched it if it was in this state when you took bike in to them with out informing. : 2nd i would tell them that if they dont sort for you then your going to tell the world on a open forum about there work.

oppp's you have dont the 2nd thing

but as you said he might say you have done it :x