In praise of Merlin Cycles

I just wanted to post in praise of Merlin Cycles.
Have used them more and more over the past 2 years or so.
Great prices, ( recent Castelli sale is v good example) , prompt efficient delivery.
Had to return an item recently as not needed by my son for his birthday. All done with no fuss and money back into account.
Have been a long time Wiggle person and before that Evans Cycles before take over. Wiggle have been good, but Merlin becoming my first’ go to’ !
Sigma have always been great too.
We sometimes read of complaints so just thought would spin this round with some positives!
( And not in any way an employee/ shareholder/ director etc etc of Merlin! )
Well done Merlin Cycles!

Comments

  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,205
    +1 Merlin are great.
    Look to have some decent offers on too, the 10% off big brands offer in conjunction with already competitive prices makes some very good deals.
  • Yep. They're mint. Similar situation with no fuss/question returns and quick refunds. Delivery is always spot on as well.
  • I find Wiggle terrible now, the hell I went through for 1 tyre recently was unbelievable
    Merlin have always been great
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,776
    Ive had two decent bikes from Merlin. Great service each time.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • Again I ought to add that I have no financial connection to Victorinox and I’m not a social media influencer whatever that is! 😊
  • Just not as good as a leatherman ;)
  • molteni_man
    molteni_man Posts: 461
    edited December 2022

    Just not as good as a leatherman ;)

    I knew that debate would come up! 😂
  • Yup, me too. Wiggle was my go to for a long time but now Merlin and Sigma and more often that not where I'm buying from these days.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,898
    edited December 2022
    Merlin and Sigma generally my first ports of call here too, excellent service from both, and Sigma offer free returns.

    Still shop with Wiggle / crc on occasion though.

    Keller Sports, Alpinetrek, Bikester and Lordgunbicycles are also top drawer.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • Wiggle is getting more expensive than Merlin, Sigma and others mentioned here. They are still using Evri (Hermes) who are so unreliable that their name has recently been mentioned in UK Parliament. Shame.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,898
    What I will say about Evri, it wholly depends on who your local couriers are - some are excellent, and some are not.

    One way to mostly get around this issue, is to redirect the parcel to a drop off location, usually a convenience store, then you just rock up with some ID to collect.
    To be fair, their tracking app generally works pretty well.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • katani
    katani Posts: 140
    Sigma are great. Have helped me recently to get a yellow colour BOA replacements for my Mavic shoes, which I haven't even bought from them. Those yellow BOA dials aren't easy to source. They first sent me a set of black ones by mistake, but when I emailed them they said "apologies for the error, you can keep those". They are £25 per set in retail. Then sent the yellow ones to me shortly after.
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,636
    Not had problems with Evri and DPD. UPS & parcelforce however suck balls.
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,610
    I think daniel is right about Evri - out local guy seems pretty good but that feels like luck of the draw.
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,052
    daniel_b said:

    What I will say about Evri, it wholly depends on who your local couriers are - some are excellent, and some are not.

    One way to mostly get around this issue, is to redirect the parcel to a drop off location, usually a convenience store, then you just rock up with some ID to collect.
    To be fair, their tracking app generally works pretty well.

    My circumstances are the complete opposite. The delivery depot loses stuff on a regular basis while the delivery woman is a delight. She has to receive the package first though.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • katani
    katani Posts: 140
    seanoconn said:

    Not had problems with Evri and DPD. UPS & parcelforce however suck balls.

    UPS I agree 100% suck a fat one. Salomon use them exclusively at their online shop. They will let you have your parcel delivered to an access point then will drop it off at a different one miles away and refuse to re-deliver to the correct one. Had to drive 16 miles recently because of that. Completely pointless. Trying to get through to speak to someone on their customer service phone line is an impossible task too.

    Evri are very reliable in my opinion having had lots of deliveries done by them in the past couple months, except one of their drivers a while ago had a strange habit of leaving parcels at the doorstep. Visible to everyone who happened to be walking or driving past my house. Once it was a £200 Di2 rear mech. But somebody in my area must have reported him as it was some 6 months ago and have never happened since then.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,418
    I've had no issues with Evri and our local ladies are excellent.

    Had an Amazon box left in front of the front door in the pouring rain all day earlier in the week, yet within 2 feet is a large plastic box for such items, adjacent to our post box. Fortunately the item ordered is in a jar so undamaged. Kicked off to Amazon online about it.