Originally Posted by
pacificcyclist
I have no experience with Calhoun Cycles, but I think it is unfair to blame any online bike stores being at fault if it takes a long time for the package to arrive at your residence and the package to arrive damaged. That's the responsibility of the carrier, be it USPS, DHL, Fedex or UPS. As with anything in life, you have a choice between paying express service or regular mail.
I don't blame Calhoun Cycles
themselves for that fiasco. I really blame
myself for even buying a product online that was probably better handled through my favorite LBS. Let me put it this way. I would not have bought those same exact pedals (same condition) under the same circumstances from a store that I physically visited. I would have passed. I am about to order a sewing machine online through a established dealer. The shipping will be through Store Pick Up. I have the option of refusing the product should it be in a similar condition. I like that.
To answer the somewhat insulting comments from pacificcyclist, of course I discussed these options with Calhoun and was told by THREE employees there that the bike advertised on their website had the reduced gearing and was available at the price advertised. I told them what I wanted and asked if they had an ML6 with the 12% reduced gearing. I was told the only one in stock was the bike linked in the first post. I know what the cost of Brompton options are.
pacificcyclist seems to be an industry person from the nature of his posts but I thought I was quite clear on what Calhoun tried to pull. Sorry, but what they did was unethical if not outright criminal (bait and switch). We'd discussed the fact that the bike in question seemed to be priced lower than their competitors but they said they sold them for a bit less. It was THEIR OFFER TO SELL AT THAT PRICE that suddenly disappeared after they took my info and credit card number. Suddenly, the total was more than we had been discussing.
There is no defense or excuse for what they did. But the guy didn't even apologize if indeed all three employees were wrong, he just got rude and told me he had other things to do if I wasn't going to buy at the new, higher price. Had he come back saying they had made a mistake and apologized that would have been one thing, instead he just became rude when I asked what suddenly happened to the prices we had been discussing.
The employees might unconsciously feel that you are not "real' in the sense that you would give off if you were there physically. The phone provides a barrier or mask from usual proper forms of polite behavior & social cues. Don't give it another thought. Just pass to the next Brompton dealer. You are on the right path. I had similar trouble with locating purchasing my own Brompton until I decided to go the extra hundred miles-literally. I still have it and would not give it up for the world. The saddest, most laughable thing is......your money and your intent on purchase is
very real.
What I used to do before
my favorite LBS was even in business to take now care of my Brompton as a new Brompton dealer themselves of such and restored my Raleigh Twenty to it's present updated state:
I sometimes patronize
C M Wasson Company http://www.foldabikes.com/ (and still do for the most hard-to-find or even unique to this store Brompton accessories and components) before there were even Bromptons
offered in the Los Angeles area. This company was in business selling and shipping Bromptons
all over the USA long before anyone even heard of Brompton Folding Bicycles. This company was the one I was going to fly to to see about purchasing my present Brompton. I had my sister who lived nearby there at that time checked it out. Almost as good as myself physically going there. If you have to ship the bike, I would talk to them first. You will be treated very well.