The Condor experience

Rich158
Rich158 Posts: 2,348
edited February 2010 in Commuting chat
What a joy it is buying a bike from Condor :lol: I've heard people rave about them, but haven't experienced such good service for years

I popped along this morning with the intention of having a look at some frames and their sale bikes, and seeing what they would be willing to do on the Cyclescheme. The salesman couldn't have been more helpful, talking me through the various frames, their respective geometries, and their strengths. Once the grouset etc had been choosen it was then on to the sizing jig to check the size, seatpost length, stem bar width and any of the many other variables.

Compare this to buying my Madone last year where I pretty much selected the size myself, and if the bars stem etc needed changing then it was a case of buying a new component at full price to see if it felt right. And this in my LBS where I have spent thousands over the years.

Guess where my custom is going in the future
pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

Revised FCN - 2
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Comments

  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    fAbelEs0EO37Vr1.jpg
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Rich158 wrote:
    What a joy it is buying a bike from Condor :lol: I've heard people rave about them, but haven't experienced such good service for years

    I popped along this morning with the intention of having a look at some frames and their sale bikes, and seeing what they would be willing to do on the Cyclescheme. The salesman couldn't have been more helpful, talking me through the various frames, their respective geometries, and their strengths. Once the grouset etc had been choosen it was then on to the sizing jig to check the size, seatpost length, stem bar width and any of the many other variables.

    Compare this to buying my Madone last year where I pretty much selected the size myself, and if the bars stem etc needed changing then it was a case of buying a new component at full price to see if it felt right. And this in my LBS where I have spent thousands over the years.

    Guess where my custom is going in the future

    Good show, I had a similar experience when buying my Trek, they even let me leave the store with almost flat tyres and gears not set up :evil:

    Condor is a great shop, I'm in there once or twice a week :oops:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    How do they work it on the cycle to work schemes? I see all the prices on the website are just for frames which would take up most of the £1k people typically have. Will they sell you a frame for your voucher amount then the groupset separately outside of the scheme?
  • I had a completely opposite experience at Condor, went in to enquire about a bike, I forget which, but one of their range. The salespeople were unfriendly and unhelpful, and I got the general impression that they'd rather I just b*ggered off.

    They're also obscenely overpriced for just about everything, have a very superior attitude, and really don't seem to give a monkey's about women's cycling.

    I won't be back.
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Rich, must have just missed you! :)

    I was in this morning to pick up some spokes for another wheel I'm building. Apart from being cheaper than most online stores for the same spokes, the whole experience was very positive (as usual). Plus, always good fun to browse at the kit on offer.

    p.s. Rich, what build are you looking at?
  • I worked opposite to Condor for five years and took my bike in there for servicing every 3 months, have bought a lot of stuff there.

    I agree with lit, they are basically muppets.

    When they see someone coming in about to drop several K - then sure they act nice. But let me tell ya, I've eaten lunch in the local cafes and overheard the management's conversations and these are some cynical people. Not very nice.

    They do have good gear though and I have and continue to buy from them just don't really trust them...
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    pastryboy wrote:
    How do they work it on the cycle to work schemes? I see all the prices on the website are just for frames which would take up most of the £1k people typically have. Will they sell you a frame for your voucher amount then the groupset separately outside of the scheme?

    I got a brompton from them on the scheme.. two bills; one for 1k and a seperate one for me for the difference.. noice.

    I've always been very pleased with the service there and that's probably why I've got 2 of their bikes
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    I worked opposite to Condor for five years and took my bike in there for servicing every 3 months, have bought a lot of stuff there.

    I agree with lit, they are basically muppets.

    When they see someone coming in about to drop several K - then sure they act nice. But let me tell ya, I've eaten lunch in the local cafes and overheard the management's conversations and these are some cynical people. Not very nice.

    They do have good gear though and I have and continue to buy from them just don't really trust them...

    Care to elighten us, what sort of things have you heard?

    @Rich - congrats, what you get?
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778

    When they see someone coming in about to drop several K - then sure they act nice. But let me tell ya, I've eaten lunch in the local cafes and overheard the management's conversations and these are some cynical people. Not very nice.

    but isn't that managment everywhere for nearly any walk of life???... "Customers are know nothing fu<kwits"
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Roastie wrote:
    Rich, must have just missed you! :)

    I was in this morning to pick up some spokes for another wheel I'm building. Apart from being cheaper than most online stores for the same spokes, the whole experience was very positive (as usual). Plus, always good fun to browse at the kit on offer.

    p.s. Rich, what build are you looking at?

    Wheel building you say, very interesting! I was only just looking at my lovely hand built open pro front wheel and thinking wouldn't it be nice to have a matching rear, even better to build my own :shock:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    Roastie wrote:
    Rich, must have just missed you! :)

    I was in this morning to pick up some spokes for another wheel I'm building. Apart from being cheaper than most online stores for the same spokes, the whole experience was very positive (as usual). Plus, always good fun to browse at the kit on offer.

    p.s. Rich, what build are you looking at?

    I got the Accaciaio with an 08 Centaur carbon groupset and Khamsin wheels. Maybe not the newest kit on the market but all nicely reduced and more than adequate for what will be a second bike :lol:

    LiT, it sounds like you had a similar experience to many I've had at the hands of Evans. I guess every shop has good and bad salesman, I know some people rave about my LBS but I've always found them extremely unhelpful, even when I've had a valid warranty claim!
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Rich: Accacio - nice! Very nice indeed. Pity about the Campag ;).

    ITB: You should give it a bash, not all that difficult. My first wheel was quite bad, but the few I've built since seem much better.
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    Back when I worked at PC World our trainer said that whenever he wanted to buy something expensive and electrical he'd normally not shave for a couple of days and put on his scruffiest clothes. That way if/when a salesman did approach him he knew it was because they wanted to help him rather then just assuming he isn't going to spend a load f money.

    I also once did have a customer ask me where something simple (I wouldn't say cheap as this is PC World!) such as a USB cable could be found. After I'd taken him over to the cable section on the other side of the store he then wanted help to buy some more expensive items :-)
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  • So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    But but but but I WAS the customer looking to spend a fair whack of cash on a bike and they were still mean to me!
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    My experience of Condor is the same as Lit's - if you're not an obvious lean mean racing type who will spend lots and knows all there is to know then they are dismissive, snotty and uninterested.

    Evans, however, whatever everyone says about them, are always uber-helpful and friendly to me.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    But but but but I WAS the customer looking to spend a fair whack of cash on a bike and they were still mean to me!
    Okay, well you clearly have to work on your presentation. :D
  • So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    But but but but I WAS the customer looking to spend a fair whack of cash on a bike and they were still mean to me!
    Okay, well you clearly have to work on your presentation. :D

    Should I buy a new suit and start shaving on a daily basis? :P
  • Coriander wrote:
    My experience of Condor is the same as Lit's - if you're not an obvious lean mean racing type who will spend lots and knows all there is to know then they are dismissive, snotty and uninterested.

    Evans, however, whatever everyone says about them, are always uber-helpful and friendly to me.

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle.
  • stuaff
    stuaff Posts: 1,736
    So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    There is another view. Someone buys a gear cable or other small part, wants a niggle sorted.... Gets good & helpful service. Thinks 'I'll get my next service done there'....and so on. Just because you don't want to buy the uberbike today, doesn't mean you won't a few weeks/months/years down the line. I haven't bought anything major from Velocity, but they've had £1k+ business from me in the last year on servicing and small parts because of their friendly, quality service. If/when I get a Maxima or equivalent (OK, when....) they're going to be first choice.
    Dahon Speed Pro TT; Trek Portland
    Viner Magnifica '08 ; Condor Squadra
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  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    Coriander wrote:
    My experience of Condor is the same as Lit's - if you're not an obvious lean mean racing type who will spend lots and knows all there is to know then they are dismissive, snotty and uninterested.

    Evans, however, whatever everyone says about them, are always uber-helpful and friendly to me.

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle.

    You've got to admire initiative. :)
  • Coriander wrote:
    Coriander wrote:
    My experience of Condor is the same as Lit's - if you're not an obvious lean mean racing type who will spend lots and knows all there is to know then they are dismissive, snotty and uninterested.

    Evans, however, whatever everyone says about them, are always uber-helpful and friendly to me.

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle.

    You've got to admire initiative. :)

    'twas v funny. Took me a couple of weeks to notice it was there though.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle.

    man-slag-tastic !!!
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Lit, cori it's possible like Evans (some good some bad) it's possible the salesman in condor was just a bit of a tool?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Lit, cori it's possible like Evans (some good some bad) it's possible the salesman in condor was just a bit of a tool?

    Oh, undoubtedly, but that would mean every one of them is a tool - I've been in there more than half a dozen times and my experience has been the same each time.

    That level of service, combined with what I (as a inexperienced bike kit buying person, admittedly) see on the shelves does make me wonder why they have this mythical status as the best bike shop in London, if not the world. If someone could explain it to me, I'd be grateful.

    Is it a classic case of, oh what's the phrase I'm looking for, it's on the tip of my tongue, where someone says something and others, not wanting to seem a fool, agree with him even though they know he's wrong and so the myth grows. A bit like thos photos of Sarah Ferguson having her 'toes sucked'. If you look at the photos the guy is quite clearly kissing the sole of her foot, which is a whole different thing, but nobody ever points that out.
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    Coriander wrote:
    A bit like thos photos of Sarah Ferguson having her 'toes sucked'. If you look at the photos the guy is quite clearly kissing the sole of her foot, which is a whole different thing, but nobody ever points that out.

    Ah, I remember why I read the Independent in the 1980's.

    No royal stories.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle].

    I love the idea of a Hipster working at Evans - Hipster Fail?
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle].

    I love the idea of a Hipster working at Evans - Hipster Fail?

    They make the team Rapha condor domestics work in the store sometimes, those guys look totally pissed off :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    So, wait, there is a shop out there with staff who get more excited when a customer talks about spending two grand on a bike than when someone comes in and asks about a replacement gear cable?

    Shocking. Lets all slag them off.

    But but but but I WAS the customer looking to spend a fair whack of cash on a bike and they were still mean to me!
    Okay, well you clearly have to work on your presentation. :D

    Should I buy a new suit and start shaving on a daily basis? :P
    LiT - the bearded lady...

    Another thing I have learned from my esteemed lady boss. It seems that if you wear outdoor gear like a goretex jacket and/or a fleece in a shop, security follow you around.

    Can't say I ever noticed, but I am learning so much in this job about what posh people think.
  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056

    I think some Evanseseseses are good and some bad. The one just north of Oxford street near the BT tower is a bad one, super-dismissive hipster dudes who actually work with one jeans leg rolled up. The one at victoria is a good one, friendly, helpful, chatty staff. Same for the one at fulham, even if the guy who sorted out my old fixie did sellotape his number to the underside of my saddle].

    I love the idea of a Hipster working at Evans - Hipster Fail?

    I wouldn't even think of going there when Cavendish is just up the road.
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)