spurdy

Had to brag. Caught the bug for one and test drove the 9 speed front suspension model this weekend. Drove it through pretty thick gravel, and felt steady. Tried out the mini, but that was just too small for me.

May be going to Kuwait soon however, and decided the internal hub was the way to go. After seeing $299 on the HN, I couldn't resist. Hope it comes soon!

Disclaimer- The following thread was about me having an issue with Downtube which has since been resolved amicably.

UPDATE- My faith in the world has been restored! Yan found an 8HN for me! Apparently he had responded to my last offer with one that had been shipped but returned. Crazy internet losing my messages!

mulleady

Wish you luck. They are very versatile bikes and very easy to work with and upgrade in the future.

Dynocoaster 

Congrats, Mine should be here tomorrow.

golden_foldie

Muriel will be jealous, Dynocoaster!

Good for you, spurdy! You're going to love it!

dBill

Beat you to it; mine arrived on Wednesday. So far, it's been a great little bike, I don't understand the folks that go out of their way to knock it. It's a $300 utility bike, not a custom wonder-bike.



Other than the cockpit being a little small for me (already easily corrected) everything lives up to my expectation (or better).

spurdy

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm pretty excited overall. It seems like a solid bike, though I'm sure I'll modify it overtime. I've seen some nice bullhorn setups that seem just the ticket for speeding it up a bit. (or at least making it look that way!) But I'll enjoy it for a while before I go spending more money on it. I think I'll bring the bike to more events now that it's so easy.

Dynocoaster 

I have parts ready to modify mine when it gets here.

spurdy

Dynocoaster- I was just happy my wife thought I should buy it since it was on sale! I'm not going to push my luck on replacement parts yet. I'm really just cheap. Damned if I didn't stare at the sale page for like 5 hours before shelling out the money for it.... And still feel guilty! Recession be damned!

golden_foldie

Hey, spurdy, be glad you stopped looking and bought one -- I was just over at the Downtube site and the 8HN is no longer one of the bikes offered. Man, those sold out fast! Forget the guilt and consider yourself lucky!

Dynocoaster 

I just looked and it is still there by the Mini.

Dynocoaster 

Refreshed and it was gone.

spurdy

Well, apparently I was not quick enough to get the bike I ordered and paid for. After getting an email saying it had shipped, I received another email saying they had ran out of these bikes, and me plus 2 others were receiving a refund.

To say the least I wasn't pleased with this, and emailed Yan to try and come up with a compromise. He did offer me the 9 for the same price, but I declined for two reasons. One, as stated before I may be heading to Kuwait, and don't want a derailleur in that much sand. Second, I don't believe the 9 is truly comparable. While the prices match up, the components don't. Offering the 9 at a $30 discount, versus the 8HN, which was a $100+ discount when I purchased it.

I tried to suggest a more amicable solution, trying to suggest the 8H (current price $429) for $365. This would have split the $130 difference between the 8H and the 8HN I purchased. I figured that was a fair deal, but he declined saying he would sell these out before the end of the summer and wouldn't reduce them.

I understand mistakes happen with inventory, but this has left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. He accepted my money, and I received a "your item has shipped" email. To me, if you accept my money, then you have entered into an agreement to deliver. If you fail to hold up your end of the bargain, then you should be willing to rectify that in a mutually agreeable manner. I probably won't be ordering from downtube after this experience.

I would like to state that Yan did respond to my emails in a timely fashion. I've heard such good things about Downtube, and am pretty disappointed by this whole experience. I imagine this won't change anyone's opinion of him or his company, but it's my $0.02 at least.

Dynocoaster 

Because it was a holiday weekend that may have been a problem. I am sorry you werent able to get it.

oboeterry

um, is July 4th (American Independence Day) a holiday in the UK?

p.s. I'm sorry that you weren't able to get the 8HN, spurdy; it looked like a pretty cool bike...

Terry

Great3

Spurdy, sorry you didn't get the 8HN. I been comtemplating that bike for the great price it is, but looks like it's too late now also for me. So, looks like my decision been made for me.

I understand you got an email saying the bike has been shipped. That would be the part that frustrated me most. I understand accepting an order, and than canceling becausae of no stock. But to accept the order, and even informed the bike is being shipped, that nuts. Until Downtube can verify they have it in stock, and actually shippped it, that email shouldn't have good out to inform you, only to tell you later its actually not in stock. This scenario I don't understand.

I can understand your frustration about all this, I would be frustrated too. But don't be too rash on your decision, even though you got sour by this experience, as downtube is probably still an excellent value comparatively speaking.

You can't really expect Downtube to cut down their price of the 8H, although that would be nice given what happened to you. You got your full money back, and that's all you can expect. I would perhaps expect a small discount on the 8H, like maybe the $30 he offered you for the 9, but unfortunately since Yan doesn't see eye to eye with you on splitting the $130, I do think its within his right not to lose money on a sale (granted - I don't know the profit margins, whether it would be a lost or not). Please see this from the other side also. And no, I don't have a downtube, just considering their products. I actually still waiting on Dahon TS061 being shipped from China to me.

Great3

spurdy

Great3- I definitely think it's his right to not offer me a discount on the 8H. Legally, all he had to do was give me a refund and all is done. I personally don't like businesses that do that though, so even if it means going for another company that's more expensive, that's really my only recourse at this point. I think buying something from him now would be saying what he did was fine, and I don't believe it was.

Stock control is a pretty basic task for an internet company. There should have been some control that didn't let me order it in the first place, let alone actually charge me and say it was shipping. At that point I consider my end of the transaction complete, and if he backs out of his end there should be some type of reconcilliation. He offered me a bike that didn't fit my needs, and I counteroffered for a bike that did. He didn't accept that, and wouldn't make another offer, not even -$30 on the 8H. I don't like that method of doing business.

If I pay for something with a check, and the check bounces; the company has the right to charge me a fee for not holding up my end of the bargain, even if I give them the cash later. Why is it that the other way around is just "these things happen."

Sammyboy

This isn't a UK thing, I don't think. The 8HN was not being offered for sale in the UK. Plus, wherever the order was placed from, Yan is in the US, so the holiday issue still holds.

Great3

Spurdy, I hear you. Point well taken. I been eye-ing the Xootr Swift in addition to the duwntubes. Just hard for me to justify the extra cost at this point since I am only a recreational rider, but I am sure the quality would be great.

You mentioned going for another company that's more expensive, and if I was in your shoes, I would probably do the same thing, so long as you can save up for it and afford it. If money/cost is still a factor, I still think downtube is an excellent choice. Perhaps Yan didn't counter on same $30 off the 8H because he doesn't think you will accept and doesn't want to anger you anymore than you already all. If he offers $30 off the 9, I would think he can concede $30 off the 8H as well, maybe you just need to bring it up first, instead of waiting for him.

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending Yan / Downtube, and would probably do the same thing you are doing, but don't like that make you go spend much more money than necessary above your budget, if understand what I am trying to say.

Regards,
Great3

Dynocoaster 

I was wondering if it was the 9ns that he was offering you at the same price only because it also doesnt have a suspension and it would have been a $50 difference.

spurdy

Great3- Right now the folder isn't a necessity, so I can save up for a little while until I found out where I'm going for certain. I hadn't thought to counteroffer for the $30 off of the 8H, I'll have to think about it. Right now, I'm just a little soured. He did say the 8H would sell out before the end of the summer, and that's why he's not willing to offer a better price on it. That annoys me only since he's willing to make a concession that only benefits him, and not me. But we'll see.

Dynocoaster- It's the 9 silver with front suspension. So, based on the sale price, it's a $30 difference. Sorry I didn't mention that.

BikeBloke

spurdy, i can feel your pain on that one - i'd be gutted in your position.

but when you buy stuff in internetland you always run the risk of coming up against stock problems (especially with smaller companies) that you wouldn't face when you're in a physical shop - where you can see that the goods are either there to buy or they aren't. it's a risk you take.

i think that taking your money, then refunding it due to lack of stock is disappointing, but it's not all that uncommon on the web. but yeah, i have to agree that it's adding insult to injury to also tell you it's been shipped! that sure ain't professional.

nevertheless sh*t happens, and yan does seem to be a reasonable and honest guy, so if you can work out your differences and agree a deal, i'd urge you to reconsider a downtube, initial disappointment notwithstanding, cos they are indeed fine bikes for the price.

just my tuppence worth. hope you get yourself a good bike you're happy with, whatever you decide.

jur

spurdy - sorry to hear about this. At sucks when things seem to be successful and then get a knockback for something you were looking forward to.

I suspect the sale price for that bike attracted so many buyers at once that they lost track of exact inventory.

Bummer.

bikinbob

Spurdy -- I really screwed up a deal, and Yan bailed me out when he didn't need to. So I'm surprised things went so south on you. At least on my situation, there was inventory available.

There is a good folder out there waiting for you.

bikinbob

REPLACING SUSPENSION FORK on DT 8 FS

All,

I want to replace my stock fork with an adjustable one. Is this thing 1 1/8 threaded, or what?

Any suggestions as to make / model? And source?

(( Nope, don't have the $$ to do a complete manu kea makeover (or whatever that most delicious all-mod bike was). ))

Thanks,

Bob Gruber
Dallas, Tx

Dynocoaster 

Downtube has them on sale in the featured products column. It is 1 1/8.