Cyclist0383

I understand that; what Trek could have done is put pressure on the shop to do the right thing. It wasn't a frame fault, it was human error, most likely from the shop. Trek doesn't want shops carrying their products screwing over customers, and will often work to find a solution between shop and customer.

Mr. Beanz

Doesn't surprise me. I emailed Trek after my frame snapped. I asked if they had any history of frequent failures cause I was worried as a heavyweight. Mentioned I had seen several post about failed frames, my model or othrwise like FX or other models. They said they had never heard of any problems, but I read them here in this forum.

I lucked out cause they upgraded my frame and fork. Maybe they were worried that I would get hurt and sue since I had snapped one already. I'm just shocked they didn't take care of you. But the LBS is even worse. I know thru past riding partners!

Like the other guy, I think it would only be right by Trek to put some pressure on the shop!

Mr. Beanz

BTW, does your shop carry Cervelo? I saw a real nice model at the beach stop. The carbon frame had a HUGE bottom bracket area. Perfect for a Clyde! I'd opt for one but too rich for my blood.

Iamkar33m

Ha! I wish... I dont think RnR carries Cervelo, even if they did I think it'd be a little too much for me at this point in time. I want to stay under 3k for my first race style road bike.

Neil_B

I agree. As for Trek's customer service, they've replaced a spring in the fork of my Navigator with a stronger one simply because I asked about getting more of a full lockout on the suspension. Not a penny's cost to me.

Neil_B

Agreed. I gotta go with Trek here. The shop's service to the OP is at fault.

Wogster

I think it has a lot to do with high gas prices, right now, bicycle shops and companies have bikes flying out the door, faster then they can get them in. So getting new customers is easy right now, but the typical rule in business is that for every $1 you spend to keep a customer coming back, it costs $10 to get a new customer. I expect in a couple of years, when the people willing to make the switch, have made it -- some people will want to drive even if it costs $40 a gallon -- and business starts to drop off, the same situation, might get a very different response. Some bike shops also realise that for every $1 you spend on a low profit bicycle, you will spend $3 on high profit accessories, clothing and maintenance - usually as impulse purchases in the same shop.

Pinyon

There are great bike shops out there, and there are terrible ones. The major local Trek dealer around here has a great service staff, and they are much better about honoring warranties and stuff than the OPs shop, but they often treat people that just bought a new bike like they have never seen them before (like never seen you before in their lives 2-3 days after you buy the bike). They always fix the bike properly, and really tell you what is wrong, even if it is their fault, but you have to push pretty hard to even get them to "remember" that it is covered under their warranty. If you push, they always come through. But their primary focus is on fairly high pressure sales for new bikes, fancy gear, etc. Lots of slick and charismatic sales people that only care about their sales numbers.

I demand a lot more from the LBS that I give my business. Biking is huge here, and there is a lot of competition. There is one LBS that has stellar customer service (Peleton Cycles, in Loveland, Colorado), and they make it pretty clear that they will bend over backwards to fix anything that goes wrong with a new bike with as little cost and hassle to the customer as possible. Even if it was your fault, if you bring it in within the first 6-12 months purchase, they will AT LEAST sell you the parts at cost, and give you a great deal on the service fee. I hear about them doing special things for people all the time. Things like rebuilding rear wheels for just the cost of the rims and spokes for heavier/commuter riders, replacing seatposts for free after somebody cracks their carbon seatpost by trying to hang a full touring rig off of a seatpost rack (nice Thomson aluminum one too), etc. Nice place. You can tell that they depend on repeat customers for a bulk of their business.

R&R sounds like a nice bike shop. Drop the other one.

Tom Stormcrowe

Threads like this make me really appreciate the LBS I deal with.

Hodson's Bay in West Lafayette! They've always taken great care of me.

Trek/Specialized/Giant dealers.

dprayvd

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dprayvd

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bdinger

I'll state for the hundreth time how lucky I am to have my shop, Cycle Works in Lincoln, NE. When I had problems with my Trek, they went above and beyond to get it taken care of, and Trek honored the warranty. A year and another bike later, they treat me great, to the point where I'm probably going to use them exclusively for everything, markup or not.

That being said, I won't buy another Trek. I have about 1200 miles on my Surly now, and I've had some minor problems with it, but they are just that - minor. By this point on my Trek I'd gone through three wheel builds and a frame (and a rear tire, but not their fault). I really loved my Trek FX and truth be told, I wouldn't mind still having it around because it served a good purpose. However I won't spend money on one again, just because I've had four bikes since I started cycling. A old Raleigh MTB, my Hardrock, the FX and my Surly. Out of the four the Trek has, by a long shot, spent the most time in the shop.

Just sayin'. I could be paranoid, but about the only other two bikes I want are made by other manufactuers, and Trek doesn't make a model that fills those needs (Allez and Karate Monkey). And even if they did, I'd be hesitant to buy one, after I've heard of lighter people than I having problems with their Treks.

Don't mean to flame, and don't get me wrong here - Trek did great on their warranty service, and my LBS went far above and beyond, I just don't like having to even DO warranty repairs.

wrk101

From what I have heard, no one stands behind what they sell better than REI. So I guess my next new bike will be from them. Add the spring sale coupon, and the pricing gets pretty attractive.

heckler

I pick my brands of bikes based on the shop, i have had to bring bikes in quite a bit and never get charged and normally get taken care of while i stand there even when they are backlogged. There may have been better brands or better buys out there but in a mere few months the shop service has paid for any costs i could have saved going elsewhere.

I am also on treks side, authorizing a dealer doesn't mean they are trek employees, If they replaced every repair when they did nothing wrong would seem to me like you are trying to take advantage of trek for a LBS taking advantage of you.

But defiantly send a complaint to trek about it. If complaints about a shop accumulate they Will drop the store. It seems to me like you went to trek saying something was defective and they told you "no", which was right. Maybe go to them more with a more complaint against an authorized dealer angle?

is there any thing you can file with a better business bureau in town against the shop...civil court (seems like over kill if it was just the drop out and chain)?

heckler

wrk101 hit it dead on...REI has a ridiculously good return policy... i truly don't know how they stay in business with it. alot of people i know abuse it. something can be 2 years old abused and with no receipt and they take it back. I have ripped clothing and they take it back. (this is for REI brand stuff, not sure how they do on the other stuff they carry)

The "department store" feel works out better in way of service because the policies are or a large corp that is well diverisified, but the bike area is as experianced as a LBS. Best of both worlds.

EasyEd

+1 for REI. I bought a Randonee recently. The guys in the bike dept were great. I'm sorry you got hosed by your bike shop. When you buy your new bike at the other shop, make sure to ride it by the shop that screwed you and show them what a big wad of cash you just spent at their competitors shop. Make sure they understand how much they screwed up by chasing you away with their lousey service.

Iamkar33m

Technically it's not just the dropout and chain... my seatstay was chewed up by the RD cage, my Ultegra RD is toast, and my Bontrager Race Lite rear wheel has a couple spokes chewed up. All in all it'll cost $500ish to get it back to working condition (that wont even cover the scored carbon fiber seatstay).

I am just cutting my losses and dropping the LBS like a red-headed stepchild. I will be working with Rock N Road to fulfill my biking needs in the future... they take EXCELLENT care of me.

AdrianFly

One LBS in my town.. that's it. They primarily sell Trek. Lance Armstrong posters all over in that place. Trek and Lance Armstrong.... Trek and Lance Armstrong... that's all you get when you go in there. You want to win? Well.. Lance won.. and he did it on these Treks in here. Trek Trek Trek! Lance Armstrong!

It works though. Recently dozens of new commuters that haven't ridden in 20 years have went out the door with $1700+ Trek's. Yeaahhhhh Lance Armstrong! Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

devildogmech

Three words for you "SMALL CLAIMS COURT". I had to sue a gentleman who F'd up a classic Chevy truck I was trying to build.... It didn't matter that the judge didn't know anything about trucks, the defendent was in the wrong, I had all the necessary info (pics of the improper paint job, paint over rust.....) and the price quote.

It only costs about $80 and you will get that back if you win. They F'd up your bike and refuse to fix it... make em'! And the best part? NO FREAKING LAWYERS!!!!

jmho

77midget

I have been on the fence lately about what my next bike will be. I had it down to Specialized, Trek, and Surly. I ride a trek right now, but I am thinking of taking a harder look at the Surly, because of stuff like this. My buddy is about to buy a specialized, so I will let him test that out

Cyclist0383

QBP, which owns Surly, have excellent customer service.

bdinger

+1000. They're great guys at Surly, and respond to emails very quickly.

Iamkar33m

Hey guys... get this. On Friday I emailed Trek to file a complaint against the bike shop. No response to this moment. Are they really trying their hardest to lose their customer? Because they're succeeding thus far.

bdinger

I would say so. I emailed Surly before, and had a response every time within hours. Specialized took a day, but eh, I emailed their general support address.

Then again, they could have a guy like me answering emails. Lots of emails, and a 7:30-4:30 schedule .

Iamkar33m

Heh, yeah... I hope they do eventually get around to responding to my email. I'd hate to have to drag BBB and FTC into this deal, but I WILL do it. I've done it with Sprint before, it wasn't pretty.