*RESOLVED!* Confused over forks VooDoo Bantu not 120mm

The Rookie

There was a post a while back where a poster blemd wiggle for a 'defect' on his bike that was actually exactly how it should have been anyway, that and the fact he was a total bell end, hence ever since we blaim Wiggle...if CRC ship the wrong thing, blame Wiggle!

I agree Halfords are resonsible, and have offered to sort it so all good, but that doesn't mean they are in any way to blame (morally) for the error and the bike getting to you as it did. Expecting a tech to notice it at PDI was really wholly unrealistic, it wasn't right, but that doesn't mean it was then right to blame the wrong people! If a new car has a fault people don't blame the supplying dealership but the manufacturer who engineered and built it, even though the supplying dealer is the one legally liable to correct it.

lighty89

The Beginner wrote:

There was a post a while back where a poster blemd wiggle for a 'defect' on his bike that was actually exactly how it should have been anyway, that and the fact he was a total bell end, hence ever since we blaim Wiggle...if CRC ship the wrong thing, blame Wiggle!

I agree Halfords are resonsible, and have offered to sort it so all good, but that doesn't mean they are in any way to blame (morally) for the error and the bike getting to you as it did. Expecting a tech to notice it at PDI was really wholly unrealistic, it wasn't right, but that doesn't mean it was then right to blame the wrong people! If a new car has a fault people don't blame the supplying dealership but the manufacturer who engineered and built it, even though the supplying dealer is the one legally liable to correct it.

Ah yeah I see your point pal.
Oh well, should be getting there now, Head Office rung and asked me take it into Store to swap the forks over!
Going give them a call when I finish work soon!

One lad in the store so he had noticed loads coming in like that, so makes you wonder how many are actually out there with the shorter forks!

chez_m356

The Beginner wrote:

How many base Lardrocks went out - including from Spesh's own concept stores - without the frame tabs for discs and with a freewheel isntead of a cassette? Thousands at a guess, no-one blamed the stores for that, blaming Halfords for a bike being delivered to them wrong is just being stupid frankly. I blame Wiggle.

isn't that called the Hardrock SE

The Rookie

Dunno, don't like Lardrocks (10 Sport Disc was the only decent one) but probably! SE= Special Economy!

Bike Radar's review picked up the error as I recall but that didn't stop them being sold like that for a year or so!

ElliesDad

I recently bought a Boardman FS Team from Halfords boxed and built it myself and also helped a mate build a Bantu he bought last weekend which was also boxed. I can confirm that both bikes needed little building to be honest. Just a case of putting the bars on, front wheel on, saddle post in and pedals on. Then just a case of adjusting the gears and brakes etc. so it's perfectly understandable that the tech in Halfords wouldn't check the fork travel, he would just assume the factory would have got it right in the first place!

Having said that, the OP is correct in that it is Halfords responsibility as the contract of sale is with them, however it sounds like Halfords are doing everything they can to rectify the situation so there isn't really a problem, is there?

The only real problem would be is if this is happening repeatedly and Halfords know about it, then they are willingly selling misrepresented goods!

lighty89

Well this got a little bit more confusing.

The bike manager in the store pumped the forks up to 200psi, and measured them on the sly quickly to say each they're fine. And then compared them to the one on display, which was massively different the other day. Today they were the same size. He said yeah the Bantu doesn't come with 120mm forks!!

He said it did before, and we occasionally get the 120mm forks in.
So I was like why are you still selling them as 120mm then!
He said because it is in a way.
I said you should remove them from sale if you mis advertising them and he wouldn't!

I kicked up a fuss. Apparently they don't make 120mm raidon no more, so they're ordering me epicon forks (win).
Just got wait till about next Wednesday for that (lose).

He did say though running 120mm forks on them will void the warranty... Big LOL.
I said you've got to be kidding me pal, you sold them as 120mm.
So spoke to customer services on the phone AGAIN just, and they said no it wouldn't.

So beware with Bantu's now.

bennett_346

Wow, just..

Wow.

Hope it gets sorted mate.

supersonic

While Halfords are wrong in this case, specs are subject to change. if you buy instore then the goods could be different. But if you buy online a specified bike then you are entitled to the spec listed.

Dannyboy95

WTF Carrera vulcan priced at £379.99 with hydraulic forks my trek £575 with a F-ing coil spring someone help me out here what am I missing. Im assuming hydraulic is better or am I wrong?

bennett_346

Slow down, start again.

What do you want to know? Hydraulic what, brakes? Forks?

cooldad

Dannyboy95 wrote:

WTF Carrera vulcan priced at £379.99 with hydraulic forks my trek £575 with a F-ing coil spring someone help me out here what am I missing. Im assuming hydraulic is better or am I wrong?

Hydraulic means liquid - so in relation to forks normally means damping (oil). Which is better than no damping.
Spring will be either coil or air, but not hydraulic as you can't compress liquid which is why it's used in hydraulic brakes.

heez29

lighty89 wrote:

Well this got a little bit more confusing.

The bike manager in the store pumped the forks up to 200psi, and measured them on the sly quickly to say each they're fine. And then compared them to the one on display, which was massively different the other day. Today they were the same size. He said yeah the Bantu doesn't come with 120mm forks!!

He said it did before, and we occasionally get the 120mm forks in.
So I was like why are you still selling them as 120mm then!
He said because it is in a way.
I said you should remove them from sale if you mis advertising them and he wouldn't!

I kicked up a fuss. Apparently they don't make 120mm raidon no more, so they're ordering me epicon forks (win).
Just got wait till about next Wednesday for that (lose).

He did say though running 120mm forks on them will void the warranty... Big LOL.
I said you've got to be kidding me pal, you sold them as 120mm.
So spoke to customer services on the phone AGAIN just, and they said no it wouldn't.

So beware with Bantu's now.

Ask em to swap the forks on display.

lighty89

Bit of an update.
Can't swap the forks for the epicon as they use a different quick release axle.
So they're sending mine off to the distributer to have a look at and to rebuild into a 120mm fork.
This mixing and matching of parts will be interesting...

More than a bit shit, but can't seem to get anywhere with their useless staff.
Pissed off with the whole thing!

And yet Halfords and still selling the Bantu as 120mm travel air forks, even though they don't exist no more.

zx6man

Money back and go elsewhere?

The Rookie

Many 100mm forks are just spaced down 120's anyway, not sure about your's.

Still selling tham as 120mm is a bit naughty though, I agree.

anj132

lighty89 wrote:

Bit of an update.
Can't swap the forks for the epicon as they use a different quick release axle.
So they're sending mine off to the distributer to have a look at and to rebuild into a 120mm fork.
This mixing and matching of parts will be interesting...

More than a bit shoot, but can't seem to get anywhere with their useless staff.
Pissed off with the whole thing!

And yet Halfords and still selling the Bantu as 120mm travel air forks, even though they don't exist no more.

What store is this? Seems really shoot.

Can you go to another local store see if they have a Bantu with the correct forks? If so, get a refund on the current bike (I don't know if this is possible with SOGA etc) and get another Bantu with the correct forks? This way you shouldn't be out of money, got a new bike with correct forks with less waiting around?

But if all Bantu's are being sold with 100 forks and it's still 120 online.... ehm

Yeah I think they might be spaced down Beginner

jolmes

Just some more input, built up a Bantu last night from my shop and after reading this noticed straight away that the forks were x3's, so measured them and they came through at 130mm travel... Was confused for a bit so checked it all out on the system and it seems the bike is going through a full spec overhaul which is disappointing because no one actual tells us that this is happening, we only find out when we notice that the bikes are very different to what is on display and end up chasing after head office to get the right specs and point of sale display etc which is a nightmare sometimes.

In this instance however, gave the customer a phone to tell them of the change and that they could pick between the old spec and new spec, as the forks were a completely different colour scheme and it just looked weird, btw the one on display also measured in at 120mm travel with raidon forks, they weren't x1/x3 though I know that for sure but yeah its irritating to us as staff when we cant do anything about it and have to fanny about waiting for someone further along the line to process stuff and get the right details back to us.

Anyways, in your case lighty, it seems its been handled very poorly, would have been much simpler to swap the forks for the one on display as heez29 said without going through all this shit and you being without bike for ages! Which Halfords is it anyway?

supersonic

And yet Halfords and still selling the Bantu as 120mm travel air forks, even though they don't exist no more.

The 120mm forks do still exist. It seems that a batch of bikes have been fitted with the 100mm, including yours.

lighty89

jolmes wrote:

Just some more input, built up a Bantu last night from my shop and after reading this noticed straight away that the forks were x3's, so measured them and they came through at 130mm travel... Was confused for a bit so checked it all out on the system and it seems the bike is going through a full spec overhaul which is disappointing because no one actual tells us that this is happening, we only find out when we notice that the bikes are very different to what is on display and end up chasing after head office to get the right specs and point of sale display etc which is a nightmare sometimes.

In this instance however, gave the customer a phone to tell them of the change and that they could pick between the old spec and new spec, as the forks were a completely different colour scheme and it just looked weird, btw the one on display also measured in at 120mm travel with raidon forks, they weren't x1/x3 though I know that for sure but yeah its irritating to us as staff when we cant do anything about it and have to fanny about waiting for someone further along the line to process stuff and get the right details back to us.

Anyways, in your case lighty, it seems its been handled very poorly, would have been much simpler to swap the forks for the one on display as heez29 said without going through all this shoot and you being without bike for ages! Which Halfords is it anyway?

Since seeing the ones on display the adviser has told me they are only 100mm:-S

It's the Fenton!, stoke on Trent store.
Don't suppose you got any ideas to help me get somewhere, getting calls from store and customer services bit saying different things.

lighty89

Just pure confused over what to do! They are a nightmare to deal with!
It's been a fight to try and get them to do anything, and now they want to "mix and match" forks and stuff!?
What the fuck is that about, I just want what I was sold!

Trading standards are aware now and somebody will be calling me within the next 5 days, I have told customer services that I have contacted them and they don't seem that bothered!

Along they now plod selling 100mm forks as 120mm forks, knowing they are wrong - but not telling customers.
I have since rung and asked about it as if I was a normal customer, and the Bike Manager (who said we only do 100mm forks on these now) said "yeah they're 120mm travel air forks".

Also, this technician says that all forks in store are pumped up to 200psi.

supersonic

Deal with the store, as dealing with multiple people will confuse matters.

Specs are subject to change. As I said earlier, what is in store is unrelated to what is available online, it even says that in the Halfords terms (if you have read them). However as you bought online and picked up instore, you can expect the advertised goods. 3 months later though and it could be deemed you have accepted the goods anyway, no fault has occurred.

If they have offered to extend the forks then take it. Stop worrying about what they are selling, and concentrate on your own case.

Jimx26

zx6man wrote:

Money back and go elsewhere?

This.

Exactly what I did after my third Boardman had bb30 problems then it was put back together by an idiot, I asked for a refund.

supersonic

He's got no rights for a refund. Yet.

lighty89

supersonic wrote:

He's got no rights for a refund. Yet.

What would be rights for refund mate?
Thanks for the advice.

supersonic

If there is a problem with the bike that does not conform to contract ie in this case the fork does not have the travel as indicated, then the retailer has the right to remedy the situation. This should be done in a reasonable amount of time. I'd give them 2 weeks from the day you reported it to them. I would not however keep on asking different people in the company what they would do, as it might vary depending on store (one might replace, one might repair, depending on what is available).

Keep with the store, and get them to supply a 120mm fork. If they cannot (either replace or repair), you may be entitled to a refund.

lighty89

supersonic wrote:

If there is a problem with the bike that does not conform to contract ie in this case the fork does not have the travel as indicated, then the retailer has the right to remedy the situation. This should be done in a reasonable amount of time. I'd give them 2 weeks from the day you reported it to them. I would not however keep on asking different people in the company what they would do, as it might vary depending on store (one might replace, one might repair, depending on what is available).

Keep with the store, and get them to supply a 120mm fork. If they cannot (either replace or repair), you may be entitled to a refund.

Thanks!
So these 100mm forks I have... Do you reckon it will be an easy job for them to make them 120mm?
Perhaps swap dropper or whatever it is.

supersonic

If they are extendable, yes. Many are.

Woodmonkey

They are changeable, posted a link earlier on!

supersonic

Some OE ones are not, have to open them up to find out really.

97th choice

lighty89 wrote:

supersonic wrote:

He's got no rights for a refund. Yet.

What would be rights for refund mate?
Thanks for the advice.

You need to give them a reasonable time to remedy the problem,
and then they need to fail.

Unfortunately you cannot exactly define 'reasonable'