Cycle Republic online purchase- Buyers beware

Posts

• acmarketonl Posts: 1

  December 2019 edited December 2019

  meggiedude64 said:

  Lo there.
  I am not a bike newbie - have a few bikes, some bought via LBS and some online.
  I am normally a roadie, but I wanted to try Gravel Biking and wanted a cheap'ish gravel bike that I could get through Cyclescheme.
  Last month before the Black Friday deals I took the plunge with Cycle Republic and ordered a discounted Boardman ADV 8.8 online - as I do not have a local store.
  Having said that I had tried one out in my local Halfords store.
  I would have got it from Halfords, but the don't do Cyclescheme, they do their own Cycle-2-Work scheme., plus the ac market apk Cycle Republic price was much less.
  For those who don't know - Cycle republic are owned by the Halfords group.
  
  The first bike turned up in a massive box, with minimal internal packaging - bizarrely with the gear side pedal fitted, which was sticking out the side of the box!!!, and the rest of the odd'n'sods which should have been in a another box inside - rattling about the main box.
  The other pedal was missing (probably disappeared through the pedal hole), the front wheel was incorrectly fitted, so the disc brakes were way out when it was refitted. Cabling was also bad.
  Apparently Cycle Republic ship all their bikes with the gear side pedal fitted - first time I've seen this.
  I asked for this to be returned.
  
  The next bike came.
  This time it looked OK, however the stem was faulty, but this hadn't prevented their fitter trying to lock the from plate in place, but it had been waggling around in shipping - and the handlebar finish was down to the metal. Oh, and the brake cables weren't fitted at all well - in some cases not clipped in place.
  
  For the third bike I requested (demanded), the bike be sent, unbuilt, to my local Halfords and they fit it for me.
  Cycle Republic agreed, but two weeks later I hadn't heard from my store, so when I chased them, they phoned CR head office and were told me the 3rd bike had been sent to the wrong Halford store. ARRRGGGHHH
  
  To be fair my local Halford store have been great and when I finally got it from them I couldn't fault it. So big it up to Halfords Rugby.
  
  Cycle Republic however......................Jeez.
  Their customer service try their best, but they are dealing with poor, poor packaging, and really bad fitters.
  Just so peeps are aware.
  
  Merry Xmas.

  Thanks for this

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• bonzo_banana Posts: 256

  December 2019

  I thought I'd read in the past that when ordering a bike from Halfords it came in the factory spec box just like when it came off the boat but it reads like Cycle Republic try to partially assemble the bike for their customers before sending. Personally I prefer the Halfords system either do the final assembly yourself or have it sent to store for assembly by the staff there. As fantastic value as some of Halfords bikes are the staff skill level is pretty random it seems and unless you know your store has competent staff better to assemble it yourself. It's slightly off-putting that Cycle Republic seem to be trying to partially assemble it (badly) before re-boxing it or at least that is my interpretation of what they are doing.

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• meggiedude64 Posts: 2

  December 2019 edited December 2019

  Bonzo_banana, your assessment is correct. Speaking to the Rugby store, they say the bikes from the Boardman line come well packaged ready for assy, and as you say the buyer can have it delivered like this and assembly it (what would have been my preference), or the store do it for you.
  You don't have this option with Cycle Republic, which is bizarre really, given the state the bike is in after it's been "assembled" by their fitters, and "packaged", and given they all the same company.
  I showed the pics of the two bikes I rejected to the local Halfords store customer service, and they were shocked.

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