Ribble Cycles outstanding customer service.

bushyboy

I would like to comment on Ribble Cycles outstanding customer service.

I purchased a Sportive carbon bike from them in February 2010. I ride seriously and regularly do anything from 40 to 120 mile rides on weekends and chain gangs during the week. I always look after my bikes and get them regularly serviced at a top end bike shop in London.

When i was cleaning my Sportive about 6 weeks ago i noticed what looked like a crack on the non drive side chain stay near to the bottom bracket.

I was visiting the Lake District to do some final training for the Fred Whitton ride so dropped in to Ribble and showed them the frame. The guys in the shop (Matt and Ant) were very helpful but they were not able to give a final opinion on whether the frame was cracked or not (it was not 100% clear just looking at it) and they said that the mechanics would need to check it out. What was obvious was that it was not crash damage. During my visit Ribble arranged for it to be collected from the place where i was heading to in Scotland.

The frame wasn't going to give way immediately so I took the bike away and rode in the Lakes on Saturday and then went up to Scotland to ride more including the Bealach na Ba. Ribble picked the bike up from a hotel in Scotland during the bank holiday period, got it back to their shop near Preston, the mechanics checked it out, confirmed that there was a crack (which at that time was only superficial), changed all the components over from the old frame on to a brand new sportive frame, no questions asked. I then went to collect the bike as again i was driving past this time to do the actual FW ride (although they said they could post it). When i was picking it up there was a mechanic in working overtime on the Saturday so i gave them both my wheels and they tuned the gears and also adjusted the brakes.

The guys in the shop new that i needed the bike back for the 8th May and they did this despite only having a week or so.

All in all an outstanding effort from a great company which seems to get some very unfair stick. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another bike from them and am a regular user of their website for kit and clothing etc. If anyone is thinking of getting an exceptional 'value for money' bike with the customer service to match then look no where else than here.

If any one at Ribble is reading this - thanks very much.

Charlie

ajb72

What fantastic customer service - easy just to moan when things go wrong but seems they went the extra mile for you, and then some. Well done Ribble.

father_jack

Bit suspicious brand new poster. Have bought from Ribble a couple of times, although never needed to go back to them for a complaint and see how they react after they have your money.

bushyboy

You have to start somewhere on the posting front.

I use bike radar often but signed up so that I could comment on my point above.

Most people comment on things when they go wrong so thought I would mention this as it was very very good.

I am the god of hell fire

Great to hear they looked after you

On the other hand I have had appalling service from Ribble in the past
So much so that I will never buy from them again

Cheers

blueheeler

I have always had great service from Ribbles...prices are fantastic.

shane r

I'm in the middle of trying to buy a bike from them and can't get them to return my emails. Really frustrating. I'm mainly using email because I'm listing spec and working from their written quote.

This has been going on for weeks. Not impressed.

There is another thread around on the subject with similar stories.

vorsprung

I had some stuff being removed from the order- not charged for it but not sent- about 2 or 3 years ago

More recently they have always supplied what I asked, been quick and returns are no problem

And of course their prices are good. Unlike wiggle, the discounts they sometimes run do make a real difference to what you pay

navrig

shane r wrote:

I'm in the middle of trying to buy a bike from them and can't get them to return my emails. Really frustrating. I'm mainly using email because I'm listing spec and working from their written quote.

This has been going on for weeks. Not impressed.

There is another thread around on the subject with similar stories.

I had that once but over the Xmas period.

More recently they contacted me when they didn't have a certain size of glove available. Via email, I was able to chose another one and change the order, all the same day.

Even more recently I had a problem with my rear hub and I emailed my concerns to them and over the course of about a week we reached an amicable agreement.

Bazzowmb

I bought my road bike frame from Ribble and some components and have since purchased smaller items.

Don't know whether I've been lucky but they've always been really good, happily answering a number of questions regarding my bike build, before and after the purchase.

This thread has made me a little concerned about my frame though - the same one as Bushboy!!!!

ShutUpLegs

Bazzowmb wrote:

This thread has made me a little concerned about my frame though - the same one as Bushboy!!!!

Hmm yes

bushyboy

Well a Sportive frame is as likely to break as a Wilier Izoard XP as it is exactly the same frame.

The new sportive frame is also exactly the same as the De Rosa R848 - it is made in the smae factory in Taiwan.

So if the Ribble's break, chances are someone who also has a much more expensive version of the same bike will get a broken frame.

These things happen.

Check the photos out on google.

shane r

Emailed Ribble several times a day for 3 days straight now, BEGGING them to let me buy a bike. Not one of these emails answered.

Trying again today with a direct email of someone there, supplied to me by someone in my club. Fingers crossed!

Avezius

Direct emails might be a good idea.

I have been waiting for a response for a few days (want to change my delivery address for my bike that's hopefully being made as we speak/type). Must be really busy - cyclescheme vouchers from the new tax year maybe???

Previous communication was surprisingly good/quick when discussing options over past few months. I knew that there was always potential risk of slow response but thought it was worth it for the Ribble "bang-for-buck". Havent changed my mind yet.

shane r

Just checked my sent items. I have emailed them 20 times in 3 weeks. They responded once, to say 'the information is all on the website'.

If I hadn't already applied for the cyclescheme voucher, I'd definitely now be gone elsewhere.

Still no response from direct email sent at 9 this morning. Also copied in Sales email. No response there either.

thegreatdivide

bushyboy wrote:

Well a Sportive frame is as likely to break as a Wilier Izoard XP as it is exactly the same frame.

Scroll down http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 2056239127

Similar but not the same. And the Izoard XP is made from a different carbon fiber.

alfablue

This is why Ribble lost my £1k and Planet-X got it instead. I really wanted a Ribble, but they couldn't be bothered to sell me one!

ShutUpLegs

shane r wrote:

Just checked my sent items. I have emailed them 20 times in 3 weeks. They responded once, to say 'the information is all on the website'.

If I hadn't already applied for the cyclescheme voucher, I'd definitely now be gone elsewhere.

Still no response from direct email sent at 9 this morning. Also copied in Sales email. No response there either.

I notice Wiggle posted on their twitter this morning 'we are very busy'

giant_man

bushyboy wrote:

Well a Sportive frame is as likely to break as a Wilier Izoard XP as it is exactly the same frame.

The new sportive frame is also exactly the same as the De Rosa R848 - it is made in the smae factory in Taiwan.

So if the Ribble's break, chances are someone who also has a much more expensive version of the same bike will get a broken frame.

These things happen.

Check the photos out on google.

Hmm I don't think so either .....

Mozza1

To the OP: Cangrats on the good service from Ribble.
To balance that out a bit: 5 working days later still waiting for a refund on my wife's card.
A two minute job. Disgusting service!!!! :evil: Despicable as they're clearly holding money in their account instead of returning it to the customer. :evil:
Won't be much longer before I pull the plug on using them.
There, feel a bit better now.

shane r

No response to emails on two addresses.

No response to messages on Facebook page.

No response to messages left on Twitter page.

skyblue337

Bought lots of stuff from them over the past year including a New Sportive and had no problems at all. Only a couple of minor annoyances - they could do with a more realtime order update system since I regularly seem to get shipping notifications days after actually receiving the shipment; secondly I think it's a bit tight that they only offer the statutory minimum 7 days to return something - they ought to match up with the standard 28 days for me.

shane r

Finally got a reply. 4 weeks for a bike build. Totally gutted. 

FransJacques

They are simply amazing. Prompt and accurat order filling. Not as cheap as they used to be though for certain items (Shimano chains and other drivetrain parts) but on a basket-basis, they're not too bad.

B/c I have 6 ageing bikes and just added a new Sportive Bianco for the little lady I've made 6 or 7 multi product orders in the last 3-4 months.

They are amazing. All frames are inspected, faced and chased before being sent and it showed -> I screwed both BB cups all the way on with my fingers and only used the spanner for final torquing.

They fill all orders right away and don't hold up an entire order for 1 part. They mail it separately. Many very annoying places hold up an order.If they look at me on an aggregate basis i've probably spent £5000 there in the last 6-7 years so maybe that gets me more pro-active service, i don't know...

They always slip a Vittoria or Campy or Castelli or Elite catalogue into the box as well.

If anyone from Ribble is reading this, please keep it up!