Am I being unreasonable ?
 

Went to the little bike shop here yesterday, had not been there in a while. I needed a set of SPD pedals.

I seldom go to the shop anymore, usually ebay is my first stop for bike stuff. I was the only customer in the store.

The shop owner was friendly and he had exactly the pedals I needed, he said they were take offs, quoted me a good price. Fine, sign me up.

and then I spotted this wonderful coffee cup ! which I just had to have. Set it down on the counter, it was FIFTY bucks ! Fifty Bucks !

But, not wanting to appear a cheapskate - I paid for both items and returned home.

Put the pedals on, and when I was reducing the release tension - the clamping piece snapped ! Pow !

It has been a long time since I've broken a part. I like to think I have a good "feel" for parts and tools.

And then this morning - I put coffee in the cup, and the handle got so hot I could hardly touch it. The cup is metal, with a porcelainized finish. So it can't go in the microwave either.

anyway the whole experience just left me feeling bad. I do not want to go back and ask for a refund - but I was very disappointed with the products I got.

am I being unreasonable ?

/markp

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...146278a0d7.jpg

Just my $.02: The cup is what it is; if you didn't realize that when purchasing, that's on you. And you've already used it.

The pedal broke. Return them.

Almost every consumer transaction these days is a variant of the above.

This is why I have decided to forgo worldly possessions and become a Zen-master.

I'm down to 13 bikes in the garage, now.

We all make mistakes. It's okay to feel bad about it. I too would just rack it up to tuition fees for the school of life. Maybe put the pretty cup up on the shelf or use if to hold miscellaneous bolts and screws in your shop.

Campagnolo might should put a caution on it advising not to be used with hot beverages. Last time a decade or so ago when metal cups were the fad at all the restaurants, I too burned my lips on the lip of the cup filled with hot coffee.

I agree with you ! But by now I thought I had paid off the student loans on my PhD from that school

thanks all

/markp

The cup is what it is. You don't buy Campagnolo merch for total practicality you buy it because of what it says on there I use my Campy espresso cups purely for decoration and really nothing else (though I also don't drink coffee). In terms of the pedals I would take those back and get them replaced or warrantied or whatever. That is something I would generally cover unless it was clear it was consumer damaged or was many years down the line or something but a new product or new to me product breaking they should cover that.

If you do have an issue with the Campy mug I would reach out to Campy and say hey my mug is tough to use. I generally avoid the "camping" mugs because of that problem so I just use them for cooler beverages or room temp stuff.

I learned way back when that metal cups are not good for hot stuff and retaining skin on lips (camping with boy scouts, did you know you can make a fire hot enough to melt glass)

Two Bad Purchases... Just try to think of how often you have been satisfied with your purchases. All in all it may have just been

Your Turn...

I'd return the pedals. And I would have declined the coffee cup. For $50 that cup should have included a roll of bar tape and a couple of inner tubes.

I would have the shop warranty the pedals.


Those would come in handy for insulating the handle.

Just wanting to understand your expectations. Despite its lack of practicality, the mug is not a regular dollar store mug. How much did you expect it to be when you put it on the counter?

its a mug with paint on it. $12 - $15?

I would also say this. The last time I was in the bike shop, I got bad service. I spoke up and explained the situation directly when I picked up my bike. The head mechanic diagnosed and fixed my problem immediately and explained that he wished he's gotten my whole story from the beginning.

The reason I say this is because if you don't say something, the shop may assume that you are happy with your purchase. They will also likely continue to sell the mugs at $50. I understand venting on the internet, but there actually is/was a better way to handle this.

Stay out of Dick's sporting goods. A shirt with paint (not stitching) and a team/player name was $130.

My custom bike builder sells boutique titanium mugs for $40.

Not wanting to appear a cheapskate is entirely self-curable.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363343193532
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334608466834

boutique company selling a boutique item.
stop your whining, nobody forced you to buy it.

Well, there's your problem!
You care what other people think.

That's an expensive personality trait.

OTOH, the Campy bottle opener is cool accessory. See if they have one of those when you take the pedals back.

Yeah, it wouldn't hurt to go back to the shop and ask about the pedals. I'm not quite sure which part it is that snapped. But maybe if it's easily replaceable, they have some other takeoffs or slightly used pedals in a bin that they can get the part off of. And maybe depending on the brand, there is a warranty still in play.

Campy upcharge is well known. Ever price their corkscrew? I don’t think not looking cheap is a great reason to buy something.

As for the pedals, take them back to the shop and I’m sure they’ll try to make it right.

That just might be the whole problem, it is not a coffee cup, it is a wine cup.

I have the corkscrew and it works very well !

I paid I think 200 bucks for it. It is a precision instrument.

thanks for all the advice gang !

/markp

Sometimes aging turns it to vinegar.

Buy a $200 Abby Hanger Alignment Gauge. You will feel better.