Your Thoughts On This "service" From Lbs

kneemick · *by **kneemick** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:16pm*

A few of my friends are telling me that I should get over this experience, and was wondering what all you vorbii think

Story is that a few years ago, when I was just getting into mountain biking I went to my LBS and ended up buying a Specialized Hardrock. A few weeks later and my wife decided she wanted to get a bike but couldn't find one she liked so she started riding the Hardrock and I got a Rockhopper. The afternoon I got the Rockhopper I went back to the shop saying I didn't like it and their response was to ride it over the weekend and see how I felt about it after that (it was a Friday). On the Monday morning I was sitting in the car park waiting for the shop to open as I hadn't changed my mind about it, so essentially I was hoping the shop would take the bike back and I would get some alternative (there was no opportunity to test ride either bike prior to purchase, not even in the car park). The guy working in the shop looked at me as if I was stupid and said "The bikes used - why would we do that?" I tried to argue the point stating what I had been told on the Friday only to find out the shop assistant that had told me that had left and that the Friday had been his last day, however I am sure the person I was dealing with on the Monday was aware of what I had been told on the Friday.

So my question is am I mad to avoid using/purchasing at that shop again when it means I have to travel about 50kms to get to an alternative

happybaboon · *by **happybaboon** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:19pm*

Nope. If you had an agreement to be able to return it on the Monday and they pulled out of it... you got screwed man. Fuck them. That's highly poor behaviour from that shop. Buy online (see the vorb homepage), or travel. Don't go back to those muppets again.

pushbikerider · *by **pushbikerider** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:20pm*

Its only 50km's

I'd probably keep driving, at least for big stuff, if its been a while I would be tempted to give them a chance with smaller stuff and see how they deal with me, but I would be careful

znomit · *by **znomit** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:31pm*

kneemick wrote:there was no opportunity to test ride either bike prior to purchase, not even in the car park

Yeah thats the problem right there. I'd find another shop just for that reason.

Actually I had a similar experience buying my hardrock. I test rode an M and a L and ended up going for the Large. Somehow there was a mixup and I ended up taking the wrong one home. Took it back an hour later when I realised, no problems swapping (PP in Palmy).

MattV · *by **MattV** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:34pm*

What kind of a shop doesn't let you test ride a bike anyway (at least in the carpark)

RussS · *by **RussS** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:35pm*

Didn't see the 'few years ago bit'

Get over it :eh:

dented · *by **dented** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:36pm*

It was a few years ago? In the bike industry that probably means that there is nobody working there now that was working back when this happened. I say get over it and chalk it up to experience.

kneemick · *by **kneemick** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:45pm*

Staff are all the same still - have been in there recently as just moved back to the area and thats what prompted my question

dented · *by **dented** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:50pm*

In that case, drop in there at afternoon smoko time tomorrow, and casually ask if any of them like Toffee-pops and Corona? Then say "Yeah, me too. So long suckers!"

swtchbckr · *by **swtchbckr** on Thu 11/Mar/10 10:56pm*

fuck'em. they suck.

Oli · *by **Oli** on Thu 11/Mar/10 11:04pm*

I'm not trying to be a prick here, but generally I recommend choosing a bicycle before buying it - did you just randomly grab the Rockhopper without looking at it at all? What made you choose it and what didn't you like about it? If I'm spending hundreds of dollars I always make sure I actually want what I'm purchasing, I don't dither and decide later I've made a mistake and blame the person who sold it to me...

I think it was poor of the departing employee to tell you to think about it over the weekend but otherwise I can't blame the shop for not wanting to take a bike back because you didn't have a clue what you were after.

Kazmeistyr · *by **Kazmeistyr** on Fri 12/Mar/10 12:33am*

Oli wrote:I'm not trying to be a prick here, but generally I recommend choosing a bicycle before buying it - did you just randomly grab the Rockhopper without looking at it at all? What made you choose it and what didn't you like about it? If I'm spending hundreds of dollars I always make sure I actually want what I'm purchasing, I don't dither and decide later I've made a mistake and blame the person who sold it to me...

I think it was poor of the departing employee to tell you to think about it over the weekend but otherwise I can't blame the shop for not wanting to take a bike back because you didn't have a clue what you were after.

What a load of pompous shit.

If the LBS had done the right job he wouldn't have left the shop with the Rockhopper in the first place. And without being allowed even a test spin around the carpark, i do not think it is unreasonable for him to return later that day unsatisfied and expect the oppurtunity to at least swap or try another bicycle - after all, he was spending hundreds of dollars.

Wobbler · *by **Wobbler** on Fri 12/Mar/10 7:33am*

Oli wrote:I'm not trying to be a prick here, but generally I recommend choosing a bicycle before buying it - did you just randomly grab the Rockhopper without looking at it at all? What made you choose it and what didn't you like about it? If I'm spending hundreds of dollars I always make sure I actually want what I'm purchasing, I don't dither and decide later I've made a mistake and blame the person who sold it to me...

I think it was poor of the departing employee to tell you to think about it over the weekend but otherwise I can't blame the shop for not wanting to take a bike back because you didn't have a clue what you were after.

lol serious?

Guy didn't know what he want, went of the bike shop recommendation (thats what they are there for....) couldn't ride before hand and asked if he could return it if it worked out pooze. Then shop is all like gnar gtfo.

If there was no agreement about a return in place then it would be a different kettle of fish, it was clearly discussed.

Clearly its his fault :rolleyes:

Nick_K · *by **Nick_K** on Fri 12/Mar/10 8:08am*

happybaboon wrote:Nope. If you had an agreement to be able to return it on the Monday and they pulled out of it... you got screwed man. Fuck them. That's highly poor behaviour from that shop. Buy online (see the vorb homepage), or travel. Don't go back to those muppets again.

Whateva bol.

No where does it actually say they either recommended the rockhopper or had an agreement to take it back after he thrashed it for a weekend? The way I read it he bought a rockhopper, later on decided he didn't like it and went back to the shop were they advised him keep riding it as it might grow on him. After a weekend of hucks and skids he still doesn't like it so wants to return a now second hand bike (no doubt for a full refund)

kneemick wrote: The afternoon I got the Rockhopper I went back to the shop saying I didn't like it and their response was to ride it over the weekend and see how I felt about it after that (it was a Friday). On the Monday morning I was sitting in the car park waiting for the shop to open as I hadn't changed my mind about it, so essentially I was hoping the shop would take the bike back and I would get some alternative (there was no opportunity to test ride either bike prior to purchase, not even in the car park).

I'd still avoid the shop anyway, its only 50k.

Oli · *by **Oli** on Fri 12/Mar/10 8:21am*

Kazmeistyr wrote:
Oli wrote:I'm not trying to be a prick here, but generally I recommend choosing a bicycle before buying it - did you just randomly grab the Rockhopper without looking at it at all? What made you choose it and what didn't you like about it? If I'm spending hundreds of dollars I always make sure I actually want what I'm purchasing, I don't dither and decide later I've made a mistake and blame the person who sold it to me...

I think it was poor of the departing employee to tell you to think about it over the weekend but otherwise I can't blame the shop for not wanting to take a bike back because you didn't have a clue what you were after.

What a load of pompous shit.

If the LBS had done the right job he wouldn't have left the shop with the Rockhopper in the first place. And without being allowed even a test spin around the carpark, i do not think it is unreasonable for him to return later that day unsatisfied and expect the oppurtunity to at least swap or try another bicycle - after all, he was spending hundreds of dollars.

Hey, it's not pompous shit, it's my reasoned opinion. I'm not saying the shop gave him great service - it certainly doesn't look like it was top drawer - but I still maintain that there might be two sides to this story, or is that too unreasonable a POV for you to digest?