Trek89

So i just got my first bike and i was ecstatic when i got it. As i was told by several of you it is best to support your local bike shop, so i figure i could save alot of money by buying the bike online and spare some cash and head to the local shop for gear. Well upon filling a basket with about 200$ in gear i realized i needed shoes. I knew this would happen and having little knowledge on what is needed i brought in my pedal so i knew what type of shoe to get that would fit the cleats for the peddle. I met a very kind and knowledgeable (or so i thought) associate on the subject and asked him to help me pick them out. So he said yes took a quick glance at the peddle and gave me the shoe he thought would best fit me. And it felt great on me. As soon as i got home i wanted to attach my cleats to my shoes well...........turns out i have SPD pedals and he gave me SBS shoes. So now im in a pickle cause now im out of money the cycle shop wont return them and i want to ride. Soi pose the question how well do the SBS - SPD adapters work? It seems to be my only option at this point.

Machka 

Why can't you go to the shop, and explain the situation?

Trek89

Well i tried and i got the reply well since their is no defect on the shoes they are not going to be able to take them back. I mean i like the shoes but i would rather just have shoes that fit the cleats instead of having to use an adapter. However i did find adapters online for 10$ but better than i thought.

hairnet

i think SBS is just the buckle that secure the shoe instead of using just velcro.


[edit] yeah, a quick google search confirms. So did you get 3-bolt shoes?

Trek89

Yeah i ended up getting 3 - bolt shoes

bhkyte

I don't know about American law but,

1) The shoes were not "fit for the purpose they were sold for"
2) You have received bad advise from an "expert"
3) It could be considered that you had a verbal contract that the shop seller was providing a shoe for the pedals you provided and he has failed to provide has part of such.

The shop should fund their own "mistake",mention that it will also affect any future purchases and if you get nothing still consider taking them to court?

Trek89

I definitely wont be purchasing anything from that shop again. Im a little leery on taking them to court, cause thats the last thing i need are layer fees. I think if the adapters arent that bad ill just go with those and file a formal complaint to the shop. I have been to good bike shops before though. This one has been the only bad one.

LorenzoNF

My god, the American propensity to sue everything that moves has found its way to the rest of the world.

To the OP: if they're 3-bolt shoes, you can use SPD cleats. Just bolt them on...

RacerOne

SPD bolts don't fit in three hole cleats, they're much narrower. Unless you mean to screw them right into the plastic (which I wouldn't do).

And to the OP, that's a bunch of crap from the LBS, you're telling me you brought in your pedal, they sold you a shoe that doesn't work with it and now they won't take it back? I'm pretty sure they'd take it back from me if I had to stand outside their door and tell every customer coming in about how they are treating you.

I think there's something more here.

hammy56

So you havent used the shoes...and you tried to return them within a day of purchase...and they wont let you?

I call shenanigans.

silversx80

I find it extremely difficult to believe that a retail bike store would not take an unused return... exchange, from a customer who just served them with business. At the risk of losing future business, I highly doubt that a bike shop would fret over exchanging a $100-$200 pair of shoes, which probably only have a profit margin of $50-$60 for the shop.

Go back, ask to talk with the manager. If the manager cannot help, speak with the shop owner. If the shop owner will not do anything, speak with the Better Business Bureau, file a complaint against the shop and then speak with the manfacturer of the shoes (whatever rep you can get ahold of). Explain the issue and perhaps they will exchange the shoes for a pair that suits your need, as well as reprimand the shop.

nahh

Or you could just get some SPD-SL road pedals and cleats, and they'll work with your shoes. Since you're posting in the road forums, I assume you're on a road bike. Might as well have road shoes too. They're better anyway, I've seen way too many people rip out of mountain cleats sprinting (they're not really designed for a lot of upward power)

buy some new pedals, sell the old ones on c-list or ebay or something.

bismillah

I know that in Florida, all good's are sold with an Implied Warranty of Fitness For A Particular Purpose.

Look it up, take them back. Then, never go back to that shop again.

SalsaPodio

I still ride and race with SPDs on my road bike and have never pulled out of them in a sprint. As long as the tension adjustment screw on the pedals is all the way in, I don't see a problem with using SPDs on the road.

DesnaePhoto

Try talking with the manager or owner. If that does not work, I hope you paid by credit card. Then you can appeal to your CC company. Takes a while, but if your story is straight (there are always at least 2 sides to a story), the CC company should help make things right.

kayakdiver

Another vote for bologna.

liquefied

OP is either a huge pushover or this is one of the worst retail stores in existence. Do what others have said. Ask for a manager. Tell them the salesperson sold you the wrong shoes.

bhkyte

There is a difference between "sueing" and threatening take a shop to a small claims court. The later usually cost nothing.

bhkyte

+1

Do not take a no from a person not in a position to say "yes". Then talk about the legallies of "miss-selling","fit for purpose", and so fourth.

banerjek

I'm thinking the same thing -- to not take a pair of unused shoes back after wrong advice was given sounds too bizarre to be real. In the one in a billion chance that it actually happened, ALL of the unused merchandise should be returned.

BTW, one of my buddies wears SPD cleats on road shoes. If your shoes allow a 2 or 4 bolt pattern (and I think many if not most do), you can mount the SPD's. If there are only 3 holes as it appears in this case, there is an issue.

surfengine

i bought a pair of shoes at REI. I used them on a 35mile ride and returned them the next day for a different size.
I felt a little odd doing it, but the clerk told me that its completely acceptable to do and ppl do it all the time.

MerckxMad

If the shop won't exchange the shoes or give you a credit, your cheapest option is to replace the pedals. Look-type pedals are far more common than SPD pedals for road bikes.

Rice923

+1 for pushover. Go back to the store and make some demands with authority.

REI has a great return policy. It feels like policy abuse sometimes, but it's the reason their gear is so overpriced. It's how they get their customers to come back for more

datlas 

I can't believe the shop won't give you store credit. They actually owe you an apology too. Grow a pair and go back, speak to the manager/owner as suggested above. Let us know how it pans out. If they still don't offer you store credit, consider posting the store name and phone number here so we can all harass them!

Shimagnolo

I once had a cleaners jerk me around for two weeks after they lost my dress shirts.
I researched what was required to take them to small claims court;
Then I called and gave them an option:
a) Have a check for the value of the lost shirts ready in 30 minutes.
b) See me in small claims court.

They chose "a".