Richardson Bikmart. This is the straw.
 

So I've been cycling for quite a bit of time. Been to pretty much every shop in Dallas and some in FW.

But I usually hit up Richardson BikeMart because they are close to me. Been going there for years. Generally good staff (if you can get them to help you.) Good mechs ( if you don't mind the semi-high costs and long wait). But this time, this is the straw that broke the camel's back.

But what happened to me this week was the straw when it comes to this place.

A few days ago I went to the Richardson shop to have the mechs check out a fairly pricey zipp bottom bracket, that was acting up, attached to a carbon track crankset. I went into the shop at around 2pm and asked one of the mechs to take a look at my bicycle to see what was wrong with it. I decided to stay in the shop while he tooled around. So 15 mins later i went back to counter and your mech said he fixed it. Okay. He said they replaced it. That's one of the issues. I don't know if it was misunderstood what i said, but generally it's known that you don't put a part in a higher end bicycle without the consent of it's owner. So i went along and asked him what the out in there? It was a much lower end and a part I wasn't very crazy about. The part in question was even told by the shop in Frisco, i ride the veladrome, to be a sub-par component.

I then went to ask the mechanic about the part. He told me all about it. So i accepted that he was a professional, and i looked up exactly what he was saying on my iPhone from the RBM website. Even though I was hesitant and surprised i went with it.

I rode that night, nightly rides in downtown, and in fact the part was of a much lower quality then the shop had stated. I then looked up the part again on the RBM site, compared to the manufacturers site. And what the mechanic told me was false. Also. As i looked at my receipt he had over charged me as well.

Next day, i went back into the shop to return the part. Not only were the mechanics ignoring me, but they were very rude. When i asked them to return it i felt as if they were becoming very confrontational. Even when i brought up the information about how they gave me was misleading, the overcharged they became very defensive. These were only suggestive criticisms.

When they took my bicycle back to remove the BB, one of the mechanics started to do the return, and then refused to return the service installation costs AND wanted to charge me for removing it as well!! I never asked them to put the part in. I also wasn't very happy with how the mechanics decided to put in a part that they had no clue about. (**as a side note. I contacted the manufacturer of the new part. And they were 100% that the information i received from the mechanics and site were incorrect.)

I was finally able to get the shop to give me a return in full which was nice, but when they brought my bicycle out they rolled it out with the chain hanging off the bicycle scratching it and rubbing against the floor and the chain stay. Very unprofessional. I would expect more from a shop of that caliper. The bicycle also has grease all over it.

They handed me my crank set in a plastic bag. This was a fairly brand new carbon crank set. When i took it out of the bag. I noticed Chips and scratches in the carbon arms. I know for sure that this was not me. I clean my bicycle after every ride. Also i had taken pics of her for this forum. And they are only 2 weeks old. As well, there were scratches on the frame that were not there the night before. *

This was an awful experience. From the customer service to the insulting yet belittling attitudes shown to me from the mechanics.

The points:

-Awful customer service.
-Damaged my Carbon crank arm.
-Damaged my frame (which is a handmade/painted keirin Japanese frame)
-Overcharged

Overall this entire situation has left me with a very sour taste in my mouth. I take cycling very seriously. And I've defended RBM for many years against people who talk badly towards it.

I know there are good people in your shop because ive worked with them over the years. But this has been a very disappointing experience. **

This may sound like a minor issue. But it's important to me.

I've had some issues with them in the past, but I've let it not get to me. I can maybe understand due to the massive volume of customers they get. But enough is enough.

Kinda just sucks.

I've emailed the owner and the GM with no response. Oh well.

Sorry for the long post. Just need to vent.
I baby rigs because I really truly love to ride. Take every precaution to make sure they are okay. They take care of me so i take care of them right?

Anyway. I'm done with RBM.

Socks

With all that fancy carbon fiber stuff you are talking about, you should invest $100 in a set of tools and fix your bike, yourself.

you're right... I prob should.
But I trust that a bike shop can do their job correctly.
100 bucks sounds so much better than having to replace carbon.... :(

socks

I read this thread with great interest since I have used RBM (all locations but the main store and White Rock Lake store most often) for nearly all of my biking needs for several years. Some weeks I'm in and out of there 2-3 times and I live over 80 miles away from the closest store! In all of the years I've been going there I have NEVER experienced ANY of the problems discussed in this thread nor any of the other complaints that I've seen voiced in some other threads on this forum. In short, all of my trips into RBM have been enjoyable. From Jim and Rhonda on down through Woody, Jack and any of the mechs I've delt with, as well as Mark and some of the other sales staff, I've never had an experience like any described here.

I'm sure that at some point in time someone there has said something or done something that a customer has been upset with, I own my own business and I know that a confrontation with SOMEONE is unavoidable and bound to happen sooner or later. I just don't think that we're hearing the whole story here because I'm fairly sure that RBM would most likely have a somewhat different story to tell....I'm not saying that Shortsocks didn't have some type of experience that he deems to be less than satisfactory but I AM saying that PERHAPS there is another side to this story that would tend to shed a little more favorable light on the RBM side of the events.

I don't know Shortsocks and I'm very sorry that he's had a problem with getting his favorite new ride performing up to his expectations, but I DO know the owners and most all of the RBM staff and have found each and everyone of them to be gracious, friendly, helpful and dedicated to making sure that I'm enjoying each and every minute that I spend in their stores and on my bikes! I have been in bicycle stores and shops all over the United States and I have yet to find one that stocks a better range of products than RBM does, nor a store that has a staff more dedicated to a great shopping/service experience than they do. Again, sorry for your experience but I think a visit with Woody or Jim would perhaps go a long way to correcting your perceived views of the folks at RBM and answer your questions about their dedication to serving their customers and riding friends.

I generally like to do my own work too. I've known the folks at RBM for probably 20 years and I go in there when I need to, I've always had good service there. I think you should have taken this up with the shop owners, I think they would have given you good service.

Yeah, I wonder too, but I've never used their service department, so can't really pop up and certify how it is.

Listen. Ive had mostly good service from RBM. Not outstanding but very satisfactory most of the time.

I know Quite a bit of the People that work there as well. Ive ridden with them too.
I emailed Woody and Jim. With no reply. Woody and Jim are great guys. As well as very honest cyclists. They themselves weren't the ones who wronged me and by perception it may seem to be im blaming them but im not. Im saying that some of the staff was at fault.

Youre right. No store Ive been to in Texas stocks as much as RBM does. Thats 100% true. As well as very little stores support cyclists and good causes as much as RBM do as well. This store has many great positive sides.

Their White Rock and Frisco Store are excellent as well. Specially the Frisco store. Very knowledgeable when it comes to Track bikes.

But in this case. And a few others that I need not explain (not needed at the MOMENT). This was unacceptable to me.
Everyone has their own exp with that shop, some better than worse, in your case better.

But dropping names of people at RBM, who I know as well, doesnt strengthen your argument that RBM has done me wrong. Ill be happy to drop the names of MANY other owners of MANY diff shops in DFW that I know too but that doesnt get us anywhere. That doesnt solve anything.


Many cyclists I know will not even Step foot in RBM. But for years Ive defended RBM because of a good job that they've done in the past. But over the years RBM has slowly gone down hill. I will no longer defend this shop.

Its done.

Socks

Not sure about Woody but Jim's with the Trek people in Wisconsin right now....not name dropping, just referencing about the people that I know there and have worked with there. Sorry you had the bad experience.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience there and it sounds like it was made worse by what you percieve as a lack of response from management. Sometimes emails and voicemails get lost in the shuffle, placed in the spam folder or never received at all. I know you're frustrated with the shop and probably not eager to return but you might find the situation easier to resolve if you went to the shop to speak with a manager in person. You could call first to determine when a manager or owner will be on hand.

FWIW I've only been cycling in Dallas for a year so do not have a long history with any LBS in Dallas. I rarely go to the RBM in Richardson but frequent the Garland Road store. I've found them to be honest and friendly. I've had nothing but positive experiences with their service and sales staff. I know the manager of the Garland service department and he strikes me as the kind of guy who genuinely loves bikes, loves riding and wants to help foster that love in others. And this is (IMHO) often the case with guys who have been working at the LBS for a long time - it's not like they do it for the money!

Anyway, my point was, before I got sidetracked, going to be this: it sucks that you left the shop on such a sour note. I think the management team would and should hear what you have to say and work with you to find a mutually agreeable resolution. And sometimes the best way to make your point is in person.

Post your experience on their Facebook page, 590 members. Sometimes the best way to get a response is to make it public.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/...7023027&ref=ts

My experience has been similar, for the most part RBM staff (Richardson location ) can't be trusted and are shady, imo. They oversell and over promise all too often. Not saying they're all bad there but I've had more bad than good experiences. I try to do most my shopping and service work with Plano Cycling and Fitness, they just seem like they care more.

...And I can't stand it when RBM turns their lights off like 15 minutes prior to close!!!! drives me crazy and makes me want to put down everything i have in my hands to purchase!!

"Take it public" ISN'T the answer to resolving a PERSONAL problem with ANY business. I own my own business and if I have a problem to solve the last thing I want is to have the other party try to turn the general public against me too....at that point I may as well stand my ground, the damage has been done....sort of like taking a problem public on a bike forum!

As to "turn the lights off" I haven't experienced that in RBM....but I HAVE experienced them letting me in for service work 30 minutes BEFORE they even open!

I guess everyone's personal experience with a business is sort of, well, personal! I can only say, once again, that none of the RBM stores have ever given me any reason to be disappointed in their products, service, or staff....I CAN'T say the same for several other area stores which I will NOT call out here on a public forum but have discussed with a few of them in person.

There are always a few people on a staff that I/you/us may not jell with and a guy or two at EACH of the RBM stores fall into that catagory for me....but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't be someone else's favorite person to work with and it doesn't mean that they treat me poorly, it just means that I don't stand around an BS with them...I say HI and head on back to find my favorite person to work with. I guess it's funny, too, that so many people on this forum seem to prefer working with the guys out at the Frisco store while of the three locations that one is my least favorite to visit! Nothing bad going on out there but the atmosphere in there doesn't seem as cozy and friendly as the other two locations, probably not them, probably me!

@ trophyoftexas

it is the last thing businesses want, and that's why it is the first thing customers do :) i agree it is not the ideal solution BUT when a customer feels they must take it public it highlights a fundamental problem with the business and how they treat and respond to customers, customers should not have to take things public because businesses should be more responsive and willing to please customers...Comcast completely reworked their customer service division after a dissatisfied customer posted a video on youtube of a comcast tech asleep on their couch (1.5 million views), Comcast now has a dedicated staff member searching the internet and responding to negative reviews, tweets, etc trying to make things right with customers, they are also leveraging these reviews and complaints to further improve their business processes

...and the damage hasn't been done on the internet, it continues to damage and damage as long as google picks it up and customers find it in search results

i do agree though, different strokes for different folks

My recumbent club has attempted to address several issues with RBM over the years to no avail, costing them tens of thousands of dollars of business almost from myself alone, given the frequency with which I buy bikes. I am very appreciative of their efforts in supporting local charity rides, but won't be giving them any of my business after the way they treated my wife and my friends. Ever. But it's been obvious they never wanted our business to begin with, so it won't be a shock to them.

more money than sense.


fix your own bike, if it means that much to you.

That's a sad commentary.

Well. It's been two weeks, give or take. Never received and I still haven't received a email from RBM's management.
After this entire ordeal. My cycle groups have all dropped their RBM jerseys and any if not all business with that shop. That makes at least 217 riders. As also, emails have been all been sent out, also spoken too, everyone who I know that rides with me.

It's pretty bad when almost every rider I know was on the verge of leaving that shop anyway. Guess I didn't have to do much. But 217 riders, for each one, will eventually over time, tell other new riders not to visit that shop as well.

HHH this year will ne interesting as well as MS 150, because a lot of us raise money with or on behalf of RBM.

I realize that this won't put a dent in RBM's wallet at all but it's nice that there is a forum here and "out there" that consumers can use to air their experiences.

Socks

I'd speak directly with Jim Hoyt, owner. If he doesn't make it right then I'd post something on BF.

Hey path. I tried. Called him. Left him a message. And left him two emails. Must be busy with HHH. He's a nice guy from what exp I've had with him. Oh well. I'm sure he has quite a heavy load on his shoulders....

Socks

I loathe RBM, but not nearly as much as I hate that lying POS Clarence at Mad Duck.

Correction, "taking it public" IS in fact in support for the greater interest of the CYCLING CUSTOMERS who shop service at RBM. A large retailer like RBM which sells top-brand bicycles should have mechanics that are qualified to do high quality work and thats the bottom line. I expect a mechanic to work on my bicycle as if it were his own and i would NEVER push my bike around with the chain dragging on the floor. From what I read above, if that was my bike, I would be highly upset as well. I have nothing against RBM. I bought my Specialized Roubaix from them and some of the nicest people work there. If there's a problem with service, the company must be informed and the public MUST KNOW.

Not taking it public seems to go against everything Texas is about.

The poster has every right to share his story, if the owners and/or managers of this bike shop feel the need to defend themselves then they are free to post on here. However it seems that there is more than one customer who has received bad customer service from this bike shop.

-Nate

Shortsocks shared a lucid account of his experience with RBM; sharing information is good for all cyclists. I've had good experiences with RBM but my experiences should not detract from Shortsocks' particular event. For those that know RBM management by name I would suggest they encourage someone from RBM to respond to Shortsocks. A simple "sorry for your experience; please give us another chance" would at least indicate they were paying attention.

There are other forums where the manufacturers and shop owners monitor the comments and are quick to communicate their awareness and concern about a particular problem. A simple response goes a long way to acknowledge that problems / differences do occur but the company wants to do their best to minimize these events. No acknowledgment or response communicates indifference. Isn't sharing information and providing support for our fellow cyclists the primary function of the forum?

This is just a recount of my recent experience...just one newbies word...take it for what it's worth...

I recently purchased an '08 Dahon Speed TR from an eBay auction (mainly because by the time I had saved the money up for it...it was gone from Thor's site :( )...but anyway... I know I likely won't be having a warranty due to not buying from an "authorized" dealer...but I still wanted to get a PDI done by a dealer that had experience with Dahons if possible. Well...it looked like RBM was this area's Preferred Dahon Dealer, and being not too far from my home, I thought I'd try to do business with them if possible. So I looked up their Richardson location phone number and gave them a call. Here is a rough transcript:

"~5:00 PM - Call and right away someone picks the phone up and answers. "Great!" I thought... The guy on the phone says, "Hello, Richardson Bike Mart. How can I help you?" I reply, "I'd like to speak with someone from your service department please." "Sure, hold on one second and let me get someone to help you," is the response I get. I'm thinking to myself that thus far that RBM seems pretty responsive and ready for service. At this time I get placed into the ever-repeating Cycle Trivia phone trap (I'm on hold...and they have this nice gentleman repeating cycle trivia over and over again. Not a bad thing...they just need a wider variety :) )

~5:25ish... - By this time, I'm a bit disgruntled and very tired of hearing about Floyd Landis, "The Lion King", and whatever other cycle-trivia-drivel I'm getting over the receiver... Finally, a gentleman picks of the phone and asks, "who were you holding for?" I respond, "I thought I was holding for someone from your service department..." "Give me just a second and I'll get someone to help you over there," he says. Well...I heard that one before... But this time it was true. Some young man picked up the phone with a somewhat curt and rushed, "can I help you?"

At this time, I explain to the young man that I recently purchased a bike from an Internet dealer and that I would still like to do business with RBM and have my service performed there if possible. I also communicated my desire to have a PDI performed by their shop if possible. "Ok. Sure." was the response. I said to him, "I don't expect to receive the bike until Wednesday, but I'd like to have it ready as soon as is possible." "Ok. Well you can bring it in and it'll be ready in a few days," is his reply. I reply with, "I don't need an appointment? Don't you want to take my name and phone number perhaps? I'd like to bring it in on Thursday perhaps." The response is, "Uh...ok." Well...I think...don't get too excited to tell me expected price or how nice it is that you'd like to do business with us or anything...but I realize I might be expecting a bit too much and proceed to just go ahead and give the young man my name and phone number and that I'll be in on Thursday.

That was that. Not super negative experience in my opinion...but I wouldn't say that it was a very positive first impression. Every customer's experience with a business is unique and each interaction is independent and important in its own right. My entire experience from first hitting the website to hanging the phone up...could have just as easily been the experience of a customer who has had years of interaction with the owners and all of the other personnel in that business...and for them...such difficulties or un-professionalism might be just be written off as a one-off bad experience, but for myself and countless other new customers...it's the only brush with which I have to paint a company. That's why customer service has to be more than just lip service...it has to be something engrained with the utmost importance into every employee, every day, and in every interaction no matter how low the employee or how "unimportant" the interaction. That one experience could be the only first impression a customer ever gets...

Oh well...just my two cents. Perhaps I'll just go to REI or head over to Bikes Plus in Coppell. They're both a bit closer anyway...

My girlfriend recently stopped in RBM (although I advised against it) and was met with the poor/horrible customer service. She hates the places now as well, almost as much as Mad Duck with its lying POS owner, Clarence.

We highly recommend Bicycles Plus in either Coppell or Flower Mound.

Bikemart has been nothing but good for me... sorry that happened to you. I've purchased four bikes there with nothing but great service. Bikes Plus is another good shop there.