LBS took my bike out for a ride.
09-07-11, 01:59 PM
#26
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Let me offer a different view. People post here all the time about mounting new tires and feeling a bump or wobble. Tires aren't perfect when made. The only way to see if you got good ones is test them out at high speeds.
The shop may have taken some liberties with adjusting your bike - barke pads should almost touch the rims; maybe the mechanic thought your bars slipped and adjusted them so the levers are perpendicular to the ground; not sure about the seat.
But if someone wanted to take a ride on your bike, they wouldn't go through all that trouble to make it feel good for them.
The shop may have taken some liberties with adjusting your bike - barke pads should almost touch the rims; maybe the mechanic thought your bars slipped and adjusted them so the levers are perpendicular to the ground; not sure about the seat.
But if someone wanted to take a ride on your bike, they wouldn't go through all that trouble to make it feel good for them.
09-07-11, 02:06 PM
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Let me offer a different view. People post here all the time about mounting new tires and feeling a bump or wobble. Tires aren't perfect when made. The only way to see if you got good ones is test them out at high speeds.
The shop may have taken some liberties with adjusting your bike - barke pads should almost touch the rims; maybe the mechanic thought your bars slipped and adjusted them so the levers are perpendicular to the ground; not sure about the seat.
But if someone wanted to take a ride on your bike, they wouldn't go through all that trouble to make it feel good for them.
The shop may have taken some liberties with adjusting your bike - barke pads should almost touch the rims; maybe the mechanic thought your bars slipped and adjusted them so the levers are perpendicular to the ground; not sure about the seat.
But if someone wanted to take a ride on your bike, they wouldn't go through all that trouble to make it feel good for them.
This is like taking your car in for an oil change, told it will take all day, then finding out the mechanics have been out joyriding in it all night. There is no excuse for that. They screwed up the fit - which some people pay a LOT of money to get, did adjustments they shouldn't have done, and wore a flat spot into brand new tires.
09-07-11, 02:18 PM
#28
Vandalized since 2002
I'm onto a different city tomorrow morning. The shop is over an hour away and I'd have to inconvenience someone for a ride. I'd rather spend that last evening with my friends than fighting with a bike shop. I've only spent $100 there and it's my word against their techs. Going by the brands they carry, it's obvious that I wouldn't be a big spending return customer. I picked up a new torque wrench from Home Depot and everything is back to as it was.
The bike's an argon 18 gallium pro. It was a tiny, dirty bike shop that had a trek 2.something or other entry level bike in the window as their marquee road bike and a half dozen gary fisher MTB's
Lesson learned... no overnight stays in foreign bike shops for my bikes anymore.
The bike's an argon 18 gallium pro. It was a tiny, dirty bike shop that had a trek 2.something or other entry level bike in the window as their marquee road bike and a half dozen gary fisher MTB's
Lesson learned... no overnight stays in foreign bike shops for my bikes anymore.
09-07-11, 02:18 PM
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You could call the shop and talk to the manager ... at least let them know what happened.
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09-07-11, 03:08 PM
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I "had" the brakes setup toe in with about 2.5 mm of clearance on each side. I like leavers to move a bit before contacting the rim surface. When I got the bike back, there was about a half mm of clearance on either side with no play in the leavers.... front and back. The flat spot was probably the least annoying thing about this experience. I'm pedantic about my bikes and notice everything. The flat spot was inconsequential and most people probably wouldn't have noticed... not like someone locked 'em up at 30kph, more like a fast stop ending with short skid.
I called the shop. The manager/owner is only in on Friday and Saturday. I was able to speak to the tech who did the work and he claims they had to move the saddle to so it could be clamped in the stand and neglected to move it back. He said they made no adjustments to the brakes or handlebars and it most likely happened during transport from the bike shop. I started questioning why you'd move it out of the way and torque the bolts down rather than just leave it loose and move it back... something didn't add up. He basically told me to pound sand and talk to the manager when he's in if I had a problem with the free service.
I called the shop. The manager/owner is only in on Friday and Saturday. I was able to speak to the tech who did the work and he claims they had to move the saddle to so it could be clamped in the stand and neglected to move it back. He said they made no adjustments to the brakes or handlebars and it most likely happened during transport from the bike shop. I started questioning why you'd move it out of the way and torque the bolts down rather than just leave it loose and move it back... something didn't add up. He basically told me to pound sand and talk to the manager when he's in if I had a problem with the free service.
09-07-11, 03:12 PM
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09-07-11, 03:16 PM
#34
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I "had" the brakes setup toe in with about 2.5 mm of clearance on each side. I like leavers to move a bit before contacting the rim surface. When I got the bike back, there was about a half mm of clearance on either side with no play in the leavers.... front and back. The flat spot was probably the least annoying thing about this experience. I'm pedantic about my bikes and notice everything. The flat spot was inconsequential and most people probably wouldn't have noticed... not like someone locked 'em up at 30kph, more like a fast stop ending with short skid.
I called the shop. The manager/owner is only in on Friday and Saturday. I was able to speak to the tech who did the work and he claims they had to move the saddle to so it could be clamped in the stand and neglected to move it back. He said they made no adjustments to the brakes or handlebars and it most likely happened during transport from the bike shop. I started questioning why you'd move it out of the way and torque the bolts down rather than just leave it loose and move it back... something didn't add up. He basically told me to pound sand and talk to the manager when he's in if I had a problem with the free service.
I called the shop. The manager/owner is only in on Friday and Saturday. I was able to speak to the tech who did the work and he claims they had to move the saddle to so it could be clamped in the stand and neglected to move it back. He said they made no adjustments to the brakes or handlebars and it most likely happened during transport from the bike shop. I started questioning why you'd move it out of the way and torque the bolts down rather than just leave it loose and move it back... something didn't add up. He basically told me to pound sand and talk to the manager when he's in if I had a problem with the free service.
09-07-11, 03:16 PM
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09-07-11, 03:18 PM
#36
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I'm not justifying their actions, not at all...but people might consider that there could be more to it than that. Even the best LBS owner has to have employees, and in a small town, that can be hard. I have had cases in my own (non-cycling) store where an item in for repairs was mistaken by a well-meaning but dense employee for used gear that he then tried to sell (that was his job, after all.) If that had happened in this case, the adjustments now make sense-someone said "hey, that's a repair" but by then no one remembered the original positions.
Again, I'm not saying no wrong was done; I am saying that it's best to reserve the anger for when all the facts are known. Plenty of the voices above sound like those people that made me decide to close my business. People who come in with guns a-blazin' are almost frequently wrong. If a business does you wrong, and you deal with it in a mean way, you will always lose. If you are polite and positive, you will often come out better in the end. I would suggest to the OP that he write to the store owner directly and explain what happened, without being rude of course, and see what they do. If they DON'T try and make you happy, then tell us the name of the shop at the very least.
I used to know a guy who wrote down all of his bike measurements and stuck the paper in his handlebar. After seeing this, I think I'll do the same once I get my new bike truly dialed, since I also travel with my bike.
Again, I'm not saying no wrong was done; I am saying that it's best to reserve the anger for when all the facts are known. Plenty of the voices above sound like those people that made me decide to close my business. People who come in with guns a-blazin' are almost frequently wrong. If a business does you wrong, and you deal with it in a mean way, you will always lose. If you are polite and positive, you will often come out better in the end. I would suggest to the OP that he write to the store owner directly and explain what happened, without being rude of course, and see what they do. If they DON'T try and make you happy, then tell us the name of the shop at the very least.
I used to know a guy who wrote down all of his bike measurements and stuck the paper in his handlebar. After seeing this, I think I'll do the same once I get my new bike truly dialed, since I also travel with my bike.
Last edited by Old Whitebelly; 09-07-11 at 03:23 PM. Reason: spelling
09-07-11, 03:50 PM
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I work as a tech and if we are having issues clamping a bike in a stand we will mark the saddle height with electrical tape, raise the seatpost, perform the work, and then move it back to it prior position. At no point should you have to move the saddle fore/aft to clamp it in a stand.
09-07-11, 03:59 PM
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Stay calm and collected. Give the LBS store manager a call and ask them to describe the normal policy as it relates to your service. Then share the facts on your bike as you saw it in action. Give them a chance to respond and make it right.
IMO this is unacceptable but not telling the store manager is also not helping the next guy or the shop owner who may/may not be aware this is happenning.
IMO this is unacceptable but not telling the store manager is also not helping the next guy or the shop owner who may/may not be aware this is happenning.
09-07-11, 04:03 PM
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Last edited by tcwayne; 09-07-11 at 04:12 PM.
09-07-11, 04:40 PM
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Edit: Uh... fail...
Edit: Uh... fail...
09-07-11, 04:46 PM
#42
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My LBS took my bike out for a ride when I had them install new tubes after I double flatted.. but they also adjusted my rear hanger and both derailleurs (all at a cost of 12$ including tubes).. I actually encourage them to go take it for a spin usually.. however they do not move my seat/bars .. hell they dont even wear road bike shoes..
09-07-11, 04:49 PM
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Edit: Uh... fail...
Edit: Uh... fail...
09-07-11, 04:49 PM
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Edit: Uh... fail...
Edit: Uh... fail...
09-07-11, 07:59 PM
#45
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Maybe they were letting some customers try it out.
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09-07-11, 08:31 PM
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09-07-11, 08:49 PM
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Where are u? withby?? London or something like that? 
I'm kind of pissed. Normally I do all my maintenance myself. I'm on vacation in an unfamiliar area and cut the sidewall on my front tire. I stopped by a bike shop on the route and picked up a set of new Zipp Tangente for a reasonable price. They said all prices include installation, so I figured what he heck, left the bike and called for a ride.
I went to pick up the bike this morning and it's obvious that the setup has been changed for a different rider. The seat was slammed all the way back. (I use a short 100mm stem), the barrels on the brakes were set so the pads were almost touching the rim and the handle bars were tilted up slightly from where they were when I left the bike. I could also tell that someone had ridden on the new tires and locked up the back wheel causing a small flat spot.
I understand someone taking a bike for a short test ride when they are working on the drive train... never for simple tire replacement. I've never heard of a shop changing seat/handlebar/brake position unless it's a fitting.
I'll likely never be back in this area riding, so I'm not going to bother going back to complain to a manager. Just seems odd that the "highly trusted" LBS with no bikes in a hick town of 2,500 people would mess with a bike setup. I should have figured something was up when they said they needed the rest of the day to install two tires. I could have done it myself in ten minutes.
I went to pick up the bike this morning and it's obvious that the setup has been changed for a different rider. The seat was slammed all the way back. (I use a short 100mm stem), the barrels on the brakes were set so the pads were almost touching the rim and the handle bars were tilted up slightly from where they were when I left the bike. I could also tell that someone had ridden on the new tires and locked up the back wheel causing a small flat spot.
I understand someone taking a bike for a short test ride when they are working on the drive train... never for simple tire replacement. I've never heard of a shop changing seat/handlebar/brake position unless it's a fitting.
I'll likely never be back in this area riding, so I'm not going to bother going back to complain to a manager. Just seems odd that the "highly trusted" LBS with no bikes in a hick town of 2,500 people would mess with a bike setup. I should have figured something was up when they said they needed the rest of the day to install two tires. I could have done it myself in ten minutes.
09-07-11, 09:09 PM
#48
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I'm onto a different city tomorrow morning. The shop is over an hour away and I'd have to inconvenience someone for a ride. I'd rather spend that last evening with my friends than fighting with a bike shop. I've only spent $100 there and it's my word against their techs. Going by the brands they carry, it's obvious that I wouldn't be a big spending return customer. I picked up a new torque wrench from Home Depot and everything is back to as it was.
The bike's an argon 18 gallium pro. It was a tiny, dirty bike shop that had a trek 2.something or other entry level bike in the window as their marquee road bike and a half dozen gary fisher MTB's
Lesson learned... no overnight stays in foreign bike shops for my bikes anymore.
The bike's an argon 18 gallium pro. It was a tiny, dirty bike shop that had a trek 2.something or other entry level bike in the window as their marquee road bike and a half dozen gary fisher MTB's
Lesson learned... no overnight stays in foreign bike shops for my bikes anymore.
09-07-11, 09:12 PM
#49
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Maybe it's not your bike -- some other guy is out there complaining, "I went to pick up my bike and somebody must have ridden it. The seat was slammed all the way forward and the barrels on the brakes were set so the pads were too far away from the rim. The handle bars were tilted down slightly from where they were. I could also tell that someone had swapped out my favorite tire that had the lucky flat spot."
09-07-11, 09:25 PM
#50
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thats just weird. i can't imagine any LBS doing that! I would be interested to hear what their explination was for this.