Help, Need Advice!

lillywhite79

Hi

Ive just taken deleivery of a brand new specialized mountain bike, I bought it online and assumed rightly or wrongly it would be set up and ready to ride i.e handlebars would just need fitting, pedals fitting that sort of thing.....but

Its not set up at all, looks like all the bike shop did was send the box the bikes are delivered to them on to me. The brakes are not fitted, cables are hanging everywhere etc. reflectors not fitted, basically not been looked at all by the shop staff

Ive bought a couple of mountain bikes online before and they arrived boxed with front wheel off and handlebars off but the brakes were at least fitted etc. I did assume it would be the same this time as they say assumption is the mother of all f ups, but am I right to be pretty annoyed at this and what are my options, thinking about taking it to a LBS to have it set up and asking the shop to refund me for the cost? What would any of you guys do in this situation???

Ive just called them but the guy in charge isnt around and is gonna call me tommorow morning, would like to know where I stand is all!
Cheers

The Rookie

Sounds like an ideal opportunity to learn how to do some very very basic spannering (none of what I expect needs doing is beyond what you would do to service the bike anyway), you'll find all you need to know on Parktools, so dig out some tools and build the bike, you could then be on it tomorrow!

Simon

1mancity2

Depend what it says on the website, but usually they come with just the bars, wheel etc to assemble.

And as Simon says but if your not confident your local LBS is your best bet.

delcol

i would get building,, (but then i do build my own bikes)

strange one when i got back into biking a few years back when i ordered my bike all i had to do was front wheel on and bars and pedals....

it's not that hard to do you should only require a few allen keys and spanners,,
hopefully the headset cups are in and the bottom bracket is fitted to the frame, oh and the crown race and starnut on the forks...

look on parktools and youtube has some really good videos on bike mechanics,....

still complain to see what you can get out of it....
if you live near me i woul build it for you,,,,,,

lillywhite79

Thanks for the advice guys, doesnt say on the website either way.

To be honest i was surprised but decided to give it a go and set it up myself untill i found i need a t25 torx
which i dont have...so to do it myself ill need to get some tools too! Just a bit pissed Ive spent a fair amount of cash and now have to spend more. The cables need to be attached to the frame and cables cut to length etc and i dont want to balls it up on a new bike if you see what I mean

The headset cups are not fitted i dont think, ive found loads of parts ive not familiar with!

cooldad

Who did you buy it off? Sounds like you got a kit, not a bike. But headsets, BB's etc are fitted by the manufacturer, not the dealer.

supersonic

Depends what type of headset. If the stem isn't fitted though the bearings and wedge/cap maybe loose.
It always pays to read the small print or check first.

lillywhite79

I bought it from 'Freeborn Cycles' (online)

Think Im just going to buy the tools I need and bite the bullet, as supersonic says it does always pay to check beforehand but was so sure it would be built....lesson learned. At least by doinmg it myself Ill be learning some new skills, hopefully I wont balls it up. LBS wants 40 quid to do it so would rather DIY!

Will be searching youtube and visit the park tools website, cheers everyone for the advice

delcol

if the headset cups aint fitted you will need a headset press and they aint cheap, what about the crown race on the forks steerer tube and the star nut in side it oh and has the steerer tube been cut on the forks if not you will need a saw guide and if the bottom bracket aint fitted you need a tool for that..

if any of the above need doing it could be cheaper for the lbs to build it and pay the £40

then buy the tools as you need them when it comes to servicing your bike..

lillywhite79

Just an update

Called and spoke to the bike shop I bought the bike from yesterday

Was told that because it was a specialized bike they have 'special packing requirements' and the shop staff are not allowed to alter anything in case the bike is damged in transit, fella said would rather ensure it arrives undamaged even it means bike needs to set up by customer. I asked if this is there standard policy for mail order bikes, was told yes. Asked why it doesnt mention this on the website, they couldnt answer this. In general not much interest from the shop as I thought would happen, not surprised.

But not really buying this, have bought bikes before by mail order and brakes were set up, everything greased etc. and they were still very well packed and arrived with no damge at all.

Funny, I got an email first before I called the shop again, had to call them as it seemed like they didnt want to talk to me. In the email the guy said all i need to do is fit the handle bars, insert seatpost, and fit the pedals. When I said the disc brakes were not on the bike there was a pause, then was told the above cos its a specialized! I reckon they know that this wasnt right but are now lying to get out of it...cant prove it either way though.

To be fair to the guy did say if i took the bike back to them they would sort it out while I wait, but 140 mile round trip for me so I deemed it not worth it...

I took it to a local bike shop, Pedal On in Tadley who were very good indeed and gave the bike a safety check and fitted the brakes for me within a couple of hours at a cost of £30 which I think was pretty good. Upshot of this was that gears were not set correctly, nothing was greased properly, brakes not fitted. In general they told me that they are NOT allowed to send out bikes in this state and would like to know how the other shop gets away with it, they were behing me and said its quite shocking really.

Its a strange one as I cant seem to find anything that states what you can and cant expect when buying a mail order bike, and since their website doesnt say either way Im pretty much screwed I think. Would def ask the question BEFORE buying in future!!! Will prob ust live and let live and move on really, only £30 quid out of pocket but just feel like Ive been done over which isnt nice. A little thing called customer service would have been good

cooldad

Sounds like sh1t to me.

RevellRider

Sounds like the shop is spinning you a lie. If you look on a Specialized box there should be a little logo say Build Right which states that Specialized would like the dealer to build the bike.

I know where I work the bikes go out built, pretty much ready to ride. They're heavily wrapped and taped up with only the bars to turn to the side and the pedals to fit.

lillywhite79

Revell Rider, yes its on the box.

It also says ' warranty void unless built by an authorised dealer' on the box. Bit concerned by this as it was sort of built but not fully built if you see what I mean, brakes not fitted and nothing adjusted and greased etc. As I said I got it safety checked by qualified cycle mechanics at pedal on who went over it (probably the same procedure as the shop that sold it should have done) and fitted the brakes for me, so Im just happy it should now be safe and set up correctly now.

I pretty much called bullsh1t on the phone to the shop but they were not admitting any fault, adament thats how they send out all mail order bikes....question is what, if anything could I do? Trading standards or some over typre of recourse?? In light of it not saying on there website either way not sure where I stand. Dont want anyone else to have the same thing...

Really trying to keep a sense of perspective and aware I might come across as whining on a bit, but being lied to has made me even more angry! :evil:

free

You've been done over really, no question.

The warranty may be voided through no fault of your own (depends how specialised want to look at it if you had a problem with the bike). Call them, tell them you want the bike collected by their delivery guys and a new one returned built as it should have been in the first place.

lillywhite79

Free, your right thats what I thought I should be entitled to request

To be honest when I first took it out the box and realised I thought it must have been a mistake so called them to ask either for it to be collected and a built one sent to me, or for the money to get it built myself.

Was surprised when I was told me that how they send all mail order bikes!

After at least 5 minutes of very heated arguing bloke said no chance of them picking it up etc, basically said 'thats the service you get by mailorder' when I said the other two bikes came built and ready save for front wheel, pedals and bars he just said they do things differently! Had I had a clearer idea that I was being lied to (as I now feel sure I was) I would have been firmer and insisted but there was no giving in

Also another thing I just remembered, to add insult to injury I was then told that because i ordered mail order I would not be entilted to a free first service like shop customers! Like I would want to take it back there, but that takes the absolute p1ss!

RevellRider

Well to put your mind at ease, Specialized are really helpful should you ever have a warranty problem. I've never heard of them refusing a warranty claim for the customer assembling the bike.

As for their mail order practices, they sound bad beyond belief. Just really poor customer service

cooldad

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This

lillywhite79

OK, Cheers everyone for the advice...Will just put this down to experience now and more importantly get out and enjoy the bike, hopefully Ill never need to make a warrantly claim

Its a 2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc, Im coming from a 2010 Boardman HT PRO that I sold as I never used enough and felt like it was more bike than I needed really so I sold it, proceeds going towards this bike and the rest for chrimbo presents for the missus and kids!

So Ive 'downgraded' !!! but to tell you the truth Im pleasently surprised by the Specialzed. Had a Hardrock in 2005 which I always regretted selling and went for another this time as think the frame is pretty good and ready for upgrading should I feel like it in the future. Maybe its the slightly larger frame on the Hardrock but it just feels right, so Im pleased I went for it.

I think the Suntour XCM lock out forks are probably better than the Rockshox Dart 2's I had on a 09 Kona Cinder cone, they are not to bad at all and much better than I was expecting. Its about 30lb's I think but doesnt feel too heavy, nothing like my Boardman was though lol. The only thing I want to replace for now are the pedals, its come with plastic ones and theres no grip at all The only thing is it is VERY red but I quite like it

When I was in pedal on they had a £4000 Cannondale carbon fibre bike which was about 19lb, couldnt believe how light it was! But couldnt help thinking although it was very nice indeed and probably goes like a rocket it would be wasted on me, plan is to try and get out more on the Hardrock apart from rides round the park with the kids, to try and build some fitness by visiting Swinley Forest which isnt too far away from me as often as possible and just enjoy it.

Cheers

cooldad

Keep an eye on London Calling in Rides. We ride Swinley regularly, welcome to join for a pootle.

lillywhite79

Cooldad will do, thanks

Think thats what I need as well, to join some other like minded riders as that might help me get off my ars3 and do something about the veranda over the toy shop that has started to appear now Ive hit my 30's!!

Prob is none of my mates are really into riding so find myself mostly going it alone except for sunday afternoons with the kids (but it was bloomin cold today as my son kept telling me, the lungs were working overtime for sure!!) so cheers will keep an eye out in the rides section. Im not that fit though - can manage leisurley rides round swinley though so hope that isnt a problem!!

cooldad

We spend a lot of time talking and knitting and suchlike. Do a bit of riding in between. Not a problem.