Specialized USA

Dippydog3

I want to order a new saddle from Specialized. Silly this is that they do not sell it in the UK. I can order it from the US site, but it can only be delivered to a US address. How stupid is this!

Can anyone think of a way around this?

imposter2.0

Either a) move to the USA, or b) get it shipped to a US freight forwarder who will then send it on.

wishitwasallflat

What saddle?

Have you asked a Spesh Concept store?

Dippydog3

wishitwasallflat wrote:

What saddle?

Have you asked a Spesh Concept store?

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftb/sa ... phenom-pro

Yes. UK concept stores can not sell it I am told.

sirmol

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIALIZED-P ... 3a9fcc0610

Sorry thinks it's slightly different

Dippydog3

Sirmol wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIALIZED-PHENOM-PRO-SADDLE-143MM-/251789051408?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3a9fcc0610

Sorry thinks it's slightly different

Quite similar, but its the red/black one I am after. New for 2015 and seems to only be the Pro, or carbon railed S Works one that they are offering in that scheme.

Dippydog3

So it turns out a pal of mine is in New York for a few days. I can order and get it shipped to his hotel.

Then they tell me that their online system cannot accept a UK credit card. So I try Paypal.
Then they tell me they cannot accept UK paypal, even though I have a dollar balance I am using.

For one of the worlds largest bike companies their customer service rhymes with pit!

E commerce became easy five years ago for most of the world!

Anonymous

There are loads of things that are really cool and not available to the UK.
Things that really should get your goat, not a crappy (edit, it does look quite nice actually) saddle!

Odd thread as you love Specialized soooo much you want one of their saddles over something much better from a decent saddle manufacturer, yet you slag off Specialized :shock:

If their customer service is so sh1t why do you not dare to try one of the many, many other brands of bike that there is in the world?
Their 'fantastic' customer service is usually one of the first things people bring up when the brand is questioned.
There seems to be nothing wrong with Specialized USA's customer service anyway. You need to move to the US before you can bad mouth it

Is it a US specific color (see what I did there) of a saddle you have tried?
If not, why do you want it so bad? Because it has a 'Spesh' 'S' on it and no one else will have one (not entirely that sad )?
How do you know it will be any good for you? Or is that not important.

You Specialized obsessed fanboys never fail to amuse me.

On a more helpful note, is your friend in New York on business?
Could he get a colleague to order the saddle now and pay them via paypal, or in cash when he gets there?
Is there a store near where he is staying that he could pick it up from?
Failing that, just holiday in the States this year and centre it around the biggest Specialized concept store (assuming they have them) or whatever its called over there.

ayjaycee

Have recently converted from MTB to road bike, I have only been visiting this forum for a short while but I have to say that I am already fed up with reading anti Specialized rants from Carbonator. And, no

Dippydog3

Carbonator wrote:

There are loads of things that are really cool and not available to the UK.
Things that really should get your goat, not a crappy (edit, it does look quite nice actually) saddle!

Odd thread as you love Specialized soooo much you want one of their saddles over something much better from a decent saddle manufacturer, yet you slag off Specialized :shock:

If their customer service is so sh1t why do you not dare to try one of the many, many other brands of bike that there is in the world?
Their 'fantastic' customer service is usually one of the first things people bring up when the brand is questioned.
There seems to be nothing wrong with Specialized USA's customer service anyway. You need to move to the US before you can bad mouth it

Is it a US specific color (see what I did there) of a saddle you have tried?
If not, why do you want it so bad? Because it has a 'Spesh' 'S' on it and no one else will have one (not entirely that sad )?
How do you know it will be any good for you? Or is that not important.

You Specialized obsessed fanboys never fail to amuse me.

On a more helpful note, is your friend in New York on business?
Could he get a colleague to order the saddle now and pay them via paypal, or in cash when he gets there?
Is there a store near where he is staying that he could pick it up from?
Failing that, just holiday in the States this year and centre it around the biggest Specialized concept store (assuming they have them) or whatever its called over there.

Oh dear. Another reply from someone that thinks its fashionable to not like Specialized.

Anyway, here are some rational answers to your rant.

The reason I want the saddle is that I have another of that model and love it. This is just a different colour. Consider that fatuous if you want. We each get to spend our own money the way we want to. Nothing to do with being obsessed or having to have stuff from them or anything else.

Yes, there are other solutions to the problem, but when I can go online, order it, pay for it by paypal, pay for fedex delivery etc it really is no issue at all for them to pass the cost to me and my delivery address to fedex. That would be good service, not the whole raft of obstacles they put in the way of the process.

BTW I know the service is bad as I phoned them up, spoke to someone in customer services in California and even he admitted how stupid the process was!

MisterMuncher

Region specific colour schemes and models are a pain in the bum, but hardly new, unique to Spesh, or even cycling. It's annoying and stupid, but hopefully on the way out.

A good lbs can be a big help. There's always a way round it. Have you tried any continental dealers?

mamba80

i would try australia, i bought a spesh seat post from there a while back that wasnt available in the uk, they accepted uk CC and/or a bank txfr.

jordan_217

MisterMuncher wrote:

Region specific colour schemes and models are a pain in the bum, but hardly new, unique to Spesh, or even cycling. It's annoying and stupid, but hopefully on the way out.

Yep, shame that this was only sold in the US:



Though I think Gulf were the problem, not Cannondale.

tangled_metal

I understand the principle of something being so right for you that you would only ever get the same thing (unless it is no longer sold of course). I had the same thing with fell shoes from Montrail. The one model just fitted me like a glove and lasted longer than any fell shoe ever lasted me. Then they stopped making them without replacing with anything close to it.

What I do not understand is why not get it in a colour that is available to you? I accept it it your prerogative to waste your time looking for a way round getting exactly what you want but IMHO I question whether it is worth it. Is your bike an unusual colour that needs this exact colour saddle or it would look awful? I must qualify things here in that I have never been into fashion and things that look good for lookingh good's sake. This saddle fits you well but it seems the US only version is you real desire for pure cosmetic reasons. I guess it is kind of like a lass going to New York just to get a particular pair of Jimmy Choos shoes. I don';t understand that nor your obsession with this colour of saddle. I do think you should have the means to get it so for that Spesh USA are being truly difficult. I feel sympathy for your plight but not your desires. If that makes sense.
PS my bike is a black Spesh crosstrail with red detailing. The only colour the shop had in stock in mhy size. I could not care a jot, I'd even have taken th plain white one if that had been the only option. I do like my bike and it has performed well. A specialized fan but only for my one bike from them.

MisterMuncher

jordan_217 wrote:

MisterMuncher wrote:

Region specific colour schemes and models are a pain in the bum, but hardly new, unique to Spesh, or even cycling. It's annoying and stupid, but hopefully on the way out.

Yep, shame that this was only sold in the US:



Though I think Gulf were the problem, not Cannondale.

The exact thing I was thinking of. The two SRAM builds that never made out out of the states, the gulf and bumblebee paint jobs, were the best looking CAAD10's in memory. Still could be got, but for a price I wouldn't pay.

Geo555

Would a spanish dealer be ble to send it to you?

http://cicloslasalud.com/en/sillines-sp ... lores-team

MisterMuncher

I think they have to under EU law.

Dippydog3

Geo555 wrote:

Would a spanish dealer be ble to send it to you?

http://cicloslasalud.com/en/sillines-sp ... lores-team

Great, thanks. And they say they have stock.

So much for "customer services" saying they are not being sold outside the US.

zak3737

I agree re Carbonator, his anti-Specialized venom is regularly spouted on here.

Yes, we know that some of the bigger brands offer perhaps 'less value' than some of the more niche makes....but his assumptions that anyone who rides a Specialized is somehow less 'intelligent' or able to consider other brands is quite pathetic really.

I have a Roubaix, and so does the boss of a very good friend of mine, .....a Chap who is not only a Multi-Millionaire, but who also has so many bikes, its untrue. Some at home here, some at his Villa in Majorca......he's spoiled for choice for what to ride, and all are maintained immaculately, nah....obsessively.
He says, without Reservation, that his Roubaix (S-Works I imagine) is quite simply THE most comfortable bike he has EVER ridden, and he'll never part with.

Clearly Specialized are doing summat right !

ayjaycee

Totally agree on the Carbonater issue. A shame that he can't just stick to constructive comment or advice when someone is asking for help rather than getting back on the same tired old bandwagon - the last time I checked, this was the 'Road Buying Advice' forum and not the 'Bitching about Specialized Again' forum.
That Cannondale colour scheme is very cool.

Velonutter

I deal with the USA on a daily basis, making sometimes as many as 15 calls a day, they can be a real PITA to deal with by email, but I tell all my clients, Pickup the Phone and talk to them directly, emails aren't every ones choice, neither are texts, just do it the good old fashioned way of talking directly, you'll probably find that they appreciate the call and will be happy to advise, if not then you know where you stand.

tmg

Have you tried speaking to Spesh UK (0208) 3913500, they might ship one over for you

Dippydog3

Velonutter wrote:

I deal with the USA on a daily basis, making sometimes as many as 15 calls a day, they can be a real PITA to deal with by email, but I tell all my clients, Pickup the Phone and talk to them directly, emails aren't every ones choice, neither are texts, just do it the good old fashioned way of talking directly, you'll probably find that they appreciate the call and will be happy to advise, if not then you know where you stand.

Yes, I did call them and speak to, (what in my experience is typical of US based customer services) a very helpful, but powerless and under-informed chap. He didnt know why they didnt accept UK ards. He was the one who suggested I use Paypal, which didnt work either. He said it wasnt sold in Europe, and it is.

tmg wrote:

Have you tried speaking to Spesh UK (0208) 3913500, they might ship one over for you

Yes I did.
No they wont.

Anyway, a good friend has bought one for me while there on a business trip. What a palaver!

Anonymous

Zak3737 wrote:

He says, without Reservation, that his Roubaix (S-Works I imagine) is quite simply THE most comfortable bike he has EVER ridden, and he'll never part with.

Clearly Specialized are doing summat right !

I would hope that the Roubaix is THE most comfortable he has EVER ridden, as Specialized certainly make a big deal about comfortable road bikes.
As he is getting older I doubt he will ever get rid of it (except for a newer one).

Personally I do not think 'comfortable' (bouncy suspension) road bikes are actually a great thing.
Surely he would have much better road bikes (a Tarmac perhaps?) in his millionaires collection if he is really into road cycling?
The thing Specialized really do do right is promote their own brand extremely well IMO..

I do not want to question someone who has loads of bikes and can make an informed choice between them all, but do still wonder if the comments are more because of the brands self promotion and perceived kudos from having a high end Roubaix, than actual riding preferences.

The comfort of a frame (as opposed to riding position on it) only becomes noticeable over higher milage per ride, or extreme ride terrain.
Even if I had a Roubaix and loved it for high milage rides, I doubt it would be the bike in my collection that I loved the most.
Surely you would love the faster/better handling one/s over shorter distances.

I am not that anti Specialized, and certainly do not feel my comments are 'venomous', so sorry if they come across that way.
Its just peoples odd reaction to the brand I find annoying.
Are there similar threads about other brands to the Specialized ones I have commented on?
Has anyone been outraged at not being able to get a Bianchi saddle?
Has anyone started a post about the Cannondale cross pond discrepancies that have been mentioned in this thread?

I concede that its annoying when someone comes on and does something other than directly answers the OP's question (although I did also offer advice, but that gets overlooked in a similar way to when I praise Specialized) but that happens all the time on here.
When people ask for advice on getting a road bike to ride on the road, or a better group set, or stiffer shoes, or lighter bike, or better wheels, or going from MTB to road pedals, or decent bib shorts etc. etc. etc. there is always someone quick to shoot them down in a negative manner, generally because they do not have it.

If I am anti Specialized to any degree, it has bugger all to do with 'fashion'. Its my own personal experience and feelings, and I am mentioning it not just out of frustration, but also to try to point out that cycling does not start with 'S' and end with 'D'
So ultimately its meant to be positive, but I can see why some just do not want a bad word said about the brand and its supporters.
To many the brands reputation that they have bought into is far more important that how the bike/kit functions.
To me, cycling is the direct opposite.

I will comment no further on the brand in anything other than a direct answer to question type way.

I hope the OP will post a pic of the saddle on his bike when he gets it, as I did say it looked visually very nice, and I genuinely hope it 'bling's' up/personalises his bike well and he enjoys the bike all the more for having it

Dippydog3

Dear Mr Carbonator.

No offense taken. If you don't like Specialized that's fine. I just got my internet goat up at the term "Specialized obsessed fanboys". No worries. Good job we don't all love the same things. Can you imagine what it would be like in a nightclub if we were all after the same boy or girl? I can empathise as I wonder why everyone drools every time a picture of a Colnago is posted. Sorry, but I really do not think they are in any way special and I really dislike their logo. I think it spoils the frame. So much so that I would never buy one.

Comfort is a strange topic. I have a Roubaix and it is comfortable. Suits me as I often ride four hours on quite bumpy roads. It's not as comfy as the Diverge though. In both cases I think the frame has very little to do with it. To get comfort I think the first thing is position (that gives body comfort) then tyres (that gives road feel comfort). Any additional flex from the frame has very little difference on a road bike IMHO. My very firm Time changes enormously in feel from 23mm tyres at 120psi to 25mm at 90psi, and my Bianchi became so much more comfortable when I altered the stem.

I will post a picture when the saddle arrives, but TBH these things are really only for the owner. No one else really sees my saddles as I am sitting on them.

PLuKE

Feel for the OP! Hope you find your saddle!

I don't like Specialized, but I do like S Works.

Luke

Dippydog3

Picture as promised. I am sure loads will hate it, but I love it. Nice and light, full carbon and very comfy.

And it matches the summer bike plan as well.

snakedoc

Looks great - plus it'll be the only one over here so exclusive!

rudivoller22

Looks fantastic on that bike. Love the colour scheme.

Dippydog3

snakedoc wrote:

Looks great - plus it'll be the only one over here so exclusive!

Thanks.

What's the bike in your Avatar?