Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Trackstar Quality Control

So... as i posted in another thread, i just had a BrassKnuckle built up by Trackstar here in NYC. This was my first experience with shop and i chose them for the build for a few reasons:

1. They had the frame in stock so they were actually able to size me on it (pretty important IMO). There are a few other shops (BikeWorks, Habitat) that deal EAI, but only custom order.

2. They offered the best value for cost of build of the three (little things like an EAI cog, color matched FSA headset were included without me even asking) and kept the cost under the price i asked them to by almost 50 bucks (build came to $760 and i told them i didn't want to go over 800)

3. They were really nice when i told them i was interested in the build, actually pretty decent costomer service the whole way through.

BUT, i've been riding the bike for a week and began to notice a bunch of things that seem to be half-***ed. such as: the stem wasn't aligned exactly with the front wheel, the front hub wasn't properly adjusted (minor play in the axel), the saddle wasn't straight, the frame wasn't clean (dirt/grease scuff marks on the seat tube).

Obviously, none of these things are major, and i've since taken care of all of them myself, but this should not happen when buying any stock bike, let alone dropping 8 bills on a build (or potentially much more). I guess this is less of a query and more of a warning.

an aside: the bike rides beautifully. anyone accusing these bikes of being too stiff needs to try one out, really smooth, Retem speaks the truth.

any reason why you didn't take this up with Trackstar first? That would be the logical progression of getting things straight instead of posting a warning on here.
I would have waited to post this here until you get a response from them. People do make mistakes and I am sure they would look into your findings and right the wrongs.

BUT, i've been riding the bike for a week and began to notice a bunch of things that seem to be half-***ed. such as: the stem wasn't aligned exactly with the front wheel, the front hub wasn't properly adjusted (minor play in the axel), the saddle wasn't straight, the frame wasn't clean (dirt/grease scuff marks on the seat tube).


You're somehow surprised that a place like trackstar is good at color matching and shopping for you but bad about actually making a bike work? Seems about like what I would expect from somewhere like that.

I guess the grease is pretty suprising though.

I mean, my LBS chips my frame when I leave it with them. The heads at Trackstar always do a great job and regardless to preconceptions, are the least pretentious of any NYC shop... They may be a bit taxed on some of their stock, but $760 isn't a bad price for a build. Just watch your elbows with aluminum frames, they will tend to get sore after a while... Friend of mine developed "tennis elbows" from riding an aluminum in the city.

Friend of mine developed "tennis elbows" from riding an aluminum in the city.

Not knowing how to fit his bike properly or find someone who did or maybe very very poor form are the real culprits not this guy
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/media/kossel-pics/Al.jpg

Dude, it's not like they took a **** on your rims. How off was your stem and saddle? Don't get all high and mighty with your 800 dollars; shops in the city sell bikes easily 10 times that cost and breaking out the droplines and laser levels isn't standard procedure.

any reason why you didn't take this up with Trackstar first? That would be the logical progression of getting things straight instead of posting a warning on here.
I would have waited to post this here until you get a response from them. People do make mistakes and I am sure they would look into your findings and right the wrongs.

i guess i just didn't think it was worth the time to ride my bike into manhattan to talk to them about it when i could fix them all in ten minutes at my apartment in brooklyn...anyway, the reason i didn't tell them imediately when picking up the bike is that i had to rush just to get there before they closed, and just paid the remainder on my bill and left, my mistake, i know...but still...

to dutret...i'm NOT surprised they are good at aesthetics, i'm just surprised that any shop that professes to be all about track bikes, would miss ANY adjustments, since track bikes need so few. but i do agree that the "pretentious" tag they get labelled with is completely unwaranted. they are really nice, and any pretention is toward the loads of LES hipsters that go in and out of there asking them assine questions, not towards anyone who is actually interested in doing business with them.

Dude, it's not like they took a **** on your rims. How off was your stem and saddle? Don't get all high and mighty with your 800 dollars; shops in the city sell bikes easily 10 times that cost and breaking out the droplines and laser levels isn't standard procedure.

dude, seriously, this is a stupid statement. are you saying shops should take more pride and perfection to more expensive bikes? that's horrible business, for any field. i managed a bike shop and worked as a mechanic for three years and would never let even a $250 Trek 800 Sport out the door with loose hubs. that's not professional, no matter the cost. i'll let the alignements slide (i guess) but loose hubs? we're talking basics here...

i guess i just didn't think it was worth the time to ride my bike into manhattan to talk to them about it when i could fix them all in ten minutes at my apartment in brooklyn...anyway, the reason i didn't tell them imediately when picking up the bike is that i had to rush just to get there before they closed, and just paid the remainder on my bill and left, my mistake, i know...but still...

to dutret...i'm NOT surprised they are good at aesthetics, i'm just surprised that any shop that professes to be all about track bikes, would miss ANY adjustments, since track bikes need so few. but i do agree that the "pretentious" tag they get labelled with is completely unwaranted. they are really nice, and any pretention is toward the loads of LES hipsters that go in and out of there asking them assine questions, not towards anyone who is actually interested in doing business with them.

your problems could have been things that just went unnoticed by them during installation but would have been (and were) noticed by you on first ride. if that is the case then why would you leave the shop with such an investment and not give it a once over in store (and maybe a quick test ride outside) to make sure everything is as it should be? I don't know the people at trackstar but I bet that they wouldn't have minded adjusting those things for you even if they were about to close for the day.

your problems could have been things that just went unnoticed by them during installation but would have been (and were) noticed by you on first ride. if that is the case then why would you leave the shop with such an investment and not give it a once over in store (and maybe a quick test ride outside) to make sure everything is as it should be? I don't know the people at trackstar but I bet that they wouldn't have minded adjusting those things for you even if they were about to close for the day.

you're absolutely right. that's why i said in my first post that it was a word of warning and have said a few times that i'm sure they would have fixed it had i not taken care of it myself.

dude, seriously, this is a stupid statement. are you saying shops should take more pride and perfection to more expensive bikes? that's horrible business, for any field. i managed a bike shop and worked as a mechanic for three years and would never let even a $250 Trek 800 Sport out the door with loose hubs. that's not professional, no matter the cost. i'll let the alignements slide (i guess) but loose hubs? we're talking basics here...

If you are a mechanic why let anyone build your whip to begin with?

If you are a mechanic why let anyone build your whip to begin with?
DING DING DING!

your problems could have been things that just went unnoticed by them during installation but would have been (and were) noticed by you on first ride. if that is the case then why would you leave the shop with such an investment and not give it a once over in store (and maybe a quick test ride outside) to make sure everything is as it should be? I don't know the people at trackstar but I bet that they wouldn't have minded adjusting those things for you even if they were about to close for the day.

The real question is why didn't THEY take it for a ride or if they did why didn't THEY notice?

Really I don't understand all of this "let the business make it right before you let others know of there incompetence" BS. If a shop is sloppy a shop is sloppy and while they may be able to fix your specific problem what about the noob who gets a loose headset but doesn't realize it? Maybe if he had heard about a few of the other problems from the shop he would have not purchased from them or would have been worried about the knocking he felt.

Sure everyone makes mistakes and one misaligned stem probably isn't reason to avoid a shop. That doesn't mean that it is OK as long as they are willing to correct their error or that it should be kept hush hush out of respect for thier accommodating yet possible incompetent mechanics.

If you are a mechanic why let anyone build your whip to begin with?

i have neither the time nor the space at this point in my life to do this (unless i want it to take a year). sad and unfortunate, but true.

fix your stem, wipe off your seat tube and go ride your fackin bike!

everybody has an off day. this stuff is pretty minor. if they sent you home with a bike that didn't have the brakes connected or the wheels tightened in the drops and ends, than that would be major - seriously unsafe.

when i adjust my saddle and stem, i need to tweak several times before i get it right. that stuff just isn't easy to eyeball - at least for me anyway.

the misadjusted front hub, well, that's too bad. but that's thirty seconds with a cone wrench and some knowledge.

everybody has an off day. this stuff is pretty minor. if they sent you home with a bike that didn't have the brakes connected or the wheels tightened in the drops and ends, than that would be major - seriously unsafe.

when i adjust my saddle and stem, i need to tweak several times before i get it right. that stuff just isn't easy to eyeball - at least for me anyway.

the misadjusted front hub, well, that's too bad. but that's thirty seconds with a cone wrench and some knowledge.

Wow I missed the loose hub. It sounds like they didn't check the bike out at all.

What if he hadn't had the knowledge to know something was wrong? These are serious issues and all of them on one bike are evidence of ****ty mechanics. Maybe it was someones off day. It's still good for all of us to hear about this off day. Maybe there will be more of them and it will turn out just to be the rank incompetence or indifference that plagues most LBSes.

...i didn't tell them imediately when picking up the bike is that i had to rush just to get there before they closed, and just paid the remainder on my bill and left, my mistake, i know...but still...



In a hurry eh?

Wow I missed the loose hub. It sounds like they didn't check the bike out at all.

What if he hadn't had the knowledge to know something was wrong? These are serious issues and all of them on one bike are evidence of ****ty mechanics. Maybe it was someones off day. It's still good for all of us to hear about this off day. Maybe there will be more of them and it will turn out just to be the rank incompetence or indifference that plagues most LBSes.
If the OP only noticed them after a week of riding I'd hardly call them "serious issues." It's easy for a stem or saddle to be off by a millimeter or two. It's also easy to have a wheel in the shop that didn't have the axle properly aligned at the factory (and is just as easy to miss this).

While yes, I'll agree these things shouldn't happen, it seems to me like you're more interested in flaming trackstar for seemingly no reason by blowing things out of proportion.

What do you have against trackstar?

Wow I missed the loose hub. It sounds like they didn't check the bike out at all.

What if he hadn't had the knowledge to know something was wrong? These are serious issues and all of them on one bike are evidence of ****ty mechanics. Maybe it was someones off day. It's still good for all of us to hear about this off day. Maybe there will be more of them and it will turn out just to be the rank incompetence or indifference that plagues most LBSes.

thanks for the sane comments... seems as though everyone else in the thread is willing to let anything slide.

besides, what is the point of the message board if not to make people aware of these things? I would hope anyone having a bad experience with a LBS would say something. those of us who can tell when things haven't been done well should be making those who cannot aware.

What do you have against trackstar?

I despise the ethos of conspicuous consumption that surrounds that ****hole.

Really though this isn't about my disgust with trackstar or those associated with it but rather that I don't understand the "you can't complain till you've given them a chance to make it right" mentality of this board. If a shop does sloppy work it's good to know about it whether or not they are willing to fix their mistakes. Rational people will understand that one incident shouldn't be held against them but if every incident is suppressed there is no way to discover a trend.

I despise the ethos of conspicuous consumption that surrounds that ****hole.
Have you ever been to trackstar? Because I don't really get the feeling that that's their ethos. The people who own it really really love bikes.



Really though this isn't about my disgust with trackstar or those associated with it but rather that I don't understand the "you can't complain till you've given them a chance to make it right" mentality of this board. If a shop does sloppy work it's good to know about it whether or not they are willing to fix their mistakes. Rational people will understand that one incident shouldn't be held against them but if every incident is suppressed there is no way to discover a trend.
I agree with this to a point, however there are plenty of people (the OP is NOT one of them) who complain loudly about absolutely nothing. Those people should really take the "issue" up with the shop/manufacturer before spouting off on a forum (For example, the "My Velocity rims failed!" thread about a guy who hit a car, or the "King Kog's quality sucks!" thread about a guy who bought a distressed-printed hoodie without knowing what distressed means).

In the case of this thread I think the OP had a right to post about his issues with trackstar in the way that he did.

Have you ever been to trackstar? Because I don't really get the feeling that that's their ethos. The people who own it really really love bikes.


I agree with this to a point, however there are plenty of people (the OP is NOT one of them) who complain loudly about absolutely nothing. Those people should really take the "issue" up with the shop/manufacturer before spouting off on a forum (For example, the "My Velocity rims failed!" thread about a guy who hit a car, or the "King Kog's quality sucks!" thread about a guy who bought a distressed-printed hoodie without knowing what distressed means).

In the case of this thread I think the OP had a right to post about his issues with trackstar in the way that he did.

The velocity thread was absurd and that came out pretty quicklu. I think the King Kog one was reasonable as his complaint went beyond the hideous design but that it wasn't visible on their crappy website and the overall quality of the garment was lacking.

Trackstar's DQM bikes say it all. I don't see anyone who just really really liked bikes doing something that boring yet over the top. though it does appear that I had their website confused with king kogs,

Trackstar's DQM bikes say it all.
The Trackstar/DQM bikes were meant as an art pieces and weren't really for sale. Most of them were built for specific people (the owners of trackstar, Dave of DQM, etc.) and were displayed in the shop for awhile. Right now most of them are being ridden.

I don't really see any conspicuous consumption there, at least no more than anyone else who gets their frame painted.

The Trackstar/DQM bikes were meant as an art pieces and weren't really for sale. Most of them were built for specific people (the owners of trackstar, Dave of DQM, etc.) and were displayed in the shop for awhile. Right now most of them are being ridden.

I don't really see any conspicuous consumption there, at least no more than anyone else who gets their frame painted.

They were meant as "art peices"? Quite frankly I respected these people a ****load more when I just thought they wanted to show off how cool they were and how much they could blow on a bike that wasn't functionally suited to any task(the definition of conspicuous consumption) rather then considered those boring cliches works of art.

oh man I can't stop laughing at how completely devoid of originality or artistic vision you would have to be to consider this art.

http://www.razorapple.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/trackstar-dqm-trackbike-collab.jpg

It's hilariously pitiful.

Um, whatever dude. I really try to have discussions with you but it's obvious that you only want to Troll.

I'm done.

I pity the shop that dutret goes to... God help you if a detail slips your attention while working on a bike that is only one of the 50 you have to do that day; you will instantly be labeled a "sloppy shop" and slandered on the internet.

Seriously guys, an out-of-line stem, and a loose hub? Those are the big complaints? I shudder to think about other grievances you air on the internet... "Went to Wendy's, my chicken sandwich came without mayo even though I specifically asked for mayo."

if you had said they considered them good advertising or something you might have made a point but if they really do confuse ostentation with art you are just proving my point.

Seriously guys, an out-of-line stem, and a loose hub? Those are the big complaints? I shudder to think about other grievances you air on the internet... "Went to Wendy's, my chicken sandwich came without mayo even though I specifically asked for mayo."

despite the simplicity of the problem and the ease of fixing, a loose hub is a loose hub, and when you are in the business of building and fixing bikes, this is poor performance and speaks to credibility, like it or not.

half of marketing yourself in business is doing your job correctly so pleased customers can send their friends, it's not just about making eye catching high end bikes, but about doing proper maintenance to ensure repeat customers. I know as an architect i am trying my hardest on even the smallest design jobs in hopes of a pleased client returning with a bigger project down the road. this is no different.

dutret= bike critic/art critic.
you posted a picture of something that you think is "devoid of originality or artistic vision".
Please post a picture of something that you think is original and has artistic vision.
i'm truly curious to see where your tastes in art lie.

Seriously guys, an out-of-line stem, and a loose hub? Those are the big complaints? I shudder to think about other grievances you air on the internet... "Went to Wendy's, my chicken sandwich came without mayo even though I specifically asked for mayo."

A loose hub should be a big complaint. It could easily trash the bearing surface or allow the axle to bend. All of the stuff combined suggests mechanic who didn't bother to ride the bike or give it a thorough check before it left the store.

As I said before letting things slip on rare occasions is human and not much should be inferred from one account. However if every single experience is kept secret there is no way to discover a pattern of sloppiness.

if you had said they considered them good advertising or something you might have made a point but if they really do confuse ostentation with art you are just proving my point.
It was good advertising. They had them on display in their shop for awhile had a party for the "opening" and got everyone drunk.

And if you confuse having fun with ostentation then you are just proving my point.

despite the simplicity of the problem and the ease of fixing, a loose hub is a loose hub, and when you are in the business of building and fixing bikes, this is poor performance and speaks to credibility, like it or not.

half of marketing yourself in business is doing your job correctly so pleased customers can send their friends, it's not just about making eye catching high end bikes, but about doing proper maintenance to ensure repeat customers. I know as an architect i am trying my hardest on even the smallest design jobs in hopes of a pleased client returning with a bigger project down the road. this is no different.
Question for the op:

what have you done to contact trackstar about the problem/ and what has their response been?

that should tell everything.

It was ... and got everyone drunk.




Yoshi!? Did you fall off the wagon? WELCOME TO THE DRUNK SIDE (aka, reason 2312431 I'm not racing this week...again)

Question for the op:

what have you done to contact trackstar about the problem/ and what has their response been?

that should tell everything.

he said it wasn't something they needed to be contacted about and it shouldn't tell anything unless they refused to do the job they originally agreed to.

he said it wasn't something they needed to be contacted about and it shouldn't tell anything unless they refused to do the job they originally agreed to.
well i think that tells us everything.

half of marketing yourself in business is doing your job correctly so pleased customers can send their friends, it's not just about making eye catching high end bikes, but about doing proper maintenance to ensure repeat customers. I know as an architect i am trying my hardest on even the smallest design jobs in hopes of a pleased client returning with a bigger project down the road. this is no different.
We hear your point, it just that it's being extracted from one customer experience. You could buy a complete bike from any shop in the country and find something wrong with each of them. Are they all crappy stores? Not likely. Sounds like you may have gotten a bad apple of work, and as bad apples go, that's a pretty ****ing good apple.

I'm glad you're an architect and that you try to do good work. Have you ever put out a drawing that had a typo on it?

Question for the op:

what have you done to contact trackstar about the problem/ and what has their response been?

that should tell everything.

as i posted many times in the first page, i have no problem with their customer service at all. they were very nice, responsive, built what i wanted to my specifications, and i'm sure had i not fixed the problem myself they would have gladly made the repair.

I had a two hour long meeting awhile ago covering the 90+ bugs I have to fix in the software I'm working on.

Just sayin'.

dutret= bike critic/art critic.
you posted a picture of something that you think is "devoid of originality or artistic vision".
Please post a picture of something that you think is original and has artistic vision.
i'm truly curious to see where your tastes in art lie.


http://www.poster.net/star-wars/star-wars-episode-ii-yoda-4004521.jpg

Seriously guys, an out-of-line stem, and a loose hub? Those are the big complaints? I shudder to think about other grievances you air on the internet... "Went to Wendy's, my chicken sandwich came without mayo even though I specifically asked for mayo."

A loose hub is not the same thing as a crooked stem. One is easily noticed and can be easily and quickly adjusted by anyone with tools that pretty much everyone has. The other is a problem that many inexperienced riders wouldn't notice that could potentially lead to a ruined piece of equipment. I'm sure that the folks at Trackstar would be the first to tell you that a bike leaving their shop with a poorly adjusted hub is absolutely, 100% unacceptable under any circumstances. They're good folks, they run a good shop.

I'm sure that the folks at Trackstar would be the first to tell you that a bike leaving their shop with a poorly adjusted hub is absolutely, 100% unacceptable under any circumstances. They're good folks, they run a good shop.

perhaps, but the hub was loose... and it left the shop. but i do agree that it is 100% unacceptable.

perhaps, but the hub was loose... and it left the shop. but i do agree that it is 100% unacceptable.
uhh..mcatano is agreeing with you..but yes

I think it's really easy wheel with a loose hub to leave a shop. Most wheels are not built at the shop, they are built in a factory. The shop will probably inspect them (at least I hope they will) but a loose hub is easy to miss unless you ride on it.

I'm not saying it should happen, but it's something that very easily could happen, even at the best shops.

I'm glad you're an architect and that you try to do good work. Have you ever put out a drawing that had a typo on it?

that's not an good analogy because the drawing is not our end product, it's a building. but yeah, if i draw something that directly leads to something being damaged or broken i get sued. i pay insurance premiums to cover this that skyrocket should it actually happen, so yeah, i try to avoid errors at all costs. not mention that i'd lose a client forever.

I think it's really easy wheel with a loose hub to leave a shop. Most wheels are not built at the shop, they are built in a factory. The shop will probably inspect them (at least I hope they will) but a loose hub is easy to miss unless you ride on it.


How? You grab the rim and shake. Should be part of checking every adjustable part on a bike before it leaves.

i haven't been to this forum in a month, i come back and nothing has changed, your still *****in about the same **** that has nothing to do with you.

I despise the ethos of conspicuous consumption that surrounds that ****hole.

Really though this isn't about my disgust with trackstar or those associated with it but rather that I don't understand the "you can't complain till you've given them a chance to make it right" mentality of this board. If a shop does sloppy work it's good to know about it whether or not they are willing to fix their mistakes. Rational people will understand that one incident shouldn't be held against them but if every incident is suppressed there is no way to discover a trend.

dutret! what the hell are you talking about? trackstar gives used/beater stuff away to people all the time, fixes things for free a lot of the time (particularly if they're not busy or if you bought the thing or a bike from them in the first place) and has a pretty wide price-range of gear.

the DQMxT* bikes were graphic design projects.

i haven't been to this forum in a month, i come back and nothing has changed, your still *****in about the same **** that has nothing to do with you.
http://sw.deri.org/~matteo/fun/ie.jpg