- Active Topics
- Forums
- Create Topic
-
What all the keyboard warriors don't understand is that the guys doing the work are on their feet all day long with they hands holding tools and not a mouse.
I have more respect for a person that swing a spanner than those who push a mouse.
Understand that the quality of the work comes first and then the communication. Yes, communication is important but would you prefer they sit online all day long or reply to every whatsapp and email you send.
Put yourself in the shoes of the people doing the work instead of bashing them online in a vain hope of getting a faster resolution to your problem.
So if you read my last reply, yes my post did lead to a resolve with this problem I had. Myself and Jarqeus came up with a solution, he definitely went out his way and my problem is sorted. I will even do future work with him.
As for the rest of your post, I myself don’t push a mouse around. I work daily with my hands and do manual labour. So yes I know a thing or two about communication when it comes to main contractors or private clients. Communication is key and resolves 95% of all problems and helps with amicable solutions.
Don’t tell me a job done perfect 3 weeks after your deadline is suddenly going to make your already pissed of client happy? Real world problems right there.
Anyways you do you. My problem is sorted.
Thank you Cogent.
2
Ok. So I got a call from Jarqeus at Cogent.
We came to an agreement which I am very happy with. He was super apologetic and after talking to him I can see where the problem came in and he does admit he could have updated me sooner or just kept me in the loop.
Apologies accepted from my side. Given the agreement we reached there isn’t any bad blood and I’ll give them a try again in the future.
Thank you for sorting this out Cogent Industries.
You are right our communication could be better. I was planning on touching base with you as I got the shaft back on Friday and not happy with how it fits so we are doing another.
Our whole aim with this was to help out and save you from buying a new shock by making a quite intricate part to replace your shaft with a hairline crack that we did not pick up initially.
Unless things have changed very recently those shafts are still not a part you can order, they do not exist on the spares list and the guys from RockShox confirmed to us that they are unavailable to order as a part.
I do not make any money on this and doing it purely to help and our way of trying to make something work instead of scrapping it. Hoping we can have anodizing finished this week and have your shock back to you.
So great, I get some feedback. Now you do know I had to buy a new shock because there was no communication from your side? So now you going to slap me with a price and I am going to look like a d@@s if I don’t pay?
Also the shaft takes a close to a month, suddenly it arrives on Friday, its not up to speck and you getting a new one made and anodized by end of the week? Hmmmmm, you told me 2 weeks give or take.
I just find it strange that I didn’t receive anything for close to a month, then after having to post it publicly, the shaft arrived on Friday, which you didn’t send me a mail to let me know.
Also, still no email or any communication concerning this.
It amazes me that one can respond to an online post questioning their service levels in 2 hours but can't respond to their client in the better part of a month.
Boggles the mind.
Personally, I would prefer that a shop does not offer a service to me, rather than respond to my reasonable annoyance with a flippant "guess we could be better at communicating" and then writing a paragraph going on about how I should just be grateful that they are doing this for me.
Agree 100%
Rockshox shock right?
I know cause those shafts aren't available, trust me I've seen Jacques custom make those shafts to help people out who have those monarchs on their bikes
Send it to trail tech or RBC, youre likely going to pay the same or more and wait just as long
If I guessed your shock right you can trust what I'm saying
Yip it is a monarch.
It’s definitely not a price issue, or even the wait issue as I said, it is what it is. Unfortunately nothing can be done about this.
Problem lies with keeping me in the dark. All it takes is one email or phone call. That is my issue. It’s plain and simple.
Like I said, I even asked for a price on a replacement monarch or something similar. But not coming back to a customer is not a good business model.
4
BUD, have you tried sending your stuff To RBC in PE?
I have heard good things about them. My brother in law sent his DVO fork there and got it back within 4 days, perfect, no hassle.
Definitely worth looking into that for my next service.
Ok, so this might be a once off experience from them or it might be usual thing. I unfortunately had "THE" experience, and it still going.
So I booked in my rear shock at Cogent Industries for a service on Monday the 4th of November. Took the shock in as it was stuck and I could hear oil in the air chamber.
So here is the timeline of what has happened so far.
1) Monday 4th November, take shock in and get told 24-48 hours under usual circumstances, bit longer if there is anything out of the ordinary. All good, or so I thought
2) Wednesday, no communication thus far so I call to get an update, get told the seal kits delivery was delayed and should be there on Thursday, no worries as I will be up and riding by the weekend.
3) Friday morning, I phone again and get told the seal kits are being delivered today only. So nothing to worry as they are doing the service today and the shock will be ready on the Friday afternoon, great.
So this is where it all started going South.
1) Friday 6th November, receive a message, please call Cogent industries. Ie a "please call me"
I call only to hear there is an issue with the shaft of the shock itself, so the seals were replaced, but after a pressure test there as a leak and on disassembly the shaft sheared off, according to Cogent it had a hairline fracture and it sheared off. Ok. NO RIDING on the weekend
2) Solution is to get this shaft machined and replaced, as RockShox doesn't make replacement parts. We try make a plan for other shocks but nothing that can fit. Bummer.
3) So I ask Jarqeus at Cogent for a quote on the new machined shaft, a quote on a similar shock and even a replacement shock.
4) Call Trail Tech cycles, get a quote within 30 minutes, nothing in stock so it will need to be ordered.
5) No riding on the weekend, but it is what it is.
6) Monday 9th November, call Jarqeus and tell him we need to go ahead with the machining of the shaft, so send me a price in this, and also the quote for the replacements.
7) 25 November send Jarqeus a WhatsApp, stating my name, shock and the problem with the shock, message got read, but no reply.
So today is the 7th December, still no answer, feedback or even the quote on the replacement shocks, in the meantime I had to buy a second hand shock so I can ride.
Am I the unfortunate guy to get the worst service from Cogent or is this a pretty normal happening and no-one says anything? Problem is that Cogent is delivering a service that only a few guys can do, including the bike shops which send the shocks to Cogent anyways.
Must say I am very disappointed at this whole situation, it just sucks that it has had to come to this but honestly I am gatvol, just a phone call or an email would make it better, any feedback at least. I am not unreasonable, if there is an issue with the machining, lets explore other options, if I needed to buy a new shock, well then I had to. But not replying, or communicating PISSES me off.
Please by all means reply to this, maybe I am out of line but really, a month with nothing?
3
The huck era was a double edged sword I think,
1) It proved what could be done on a bike and pushed the industry into that direction of making bikes strong and rideable. Those bikes were highly over engineered and absolute pigs to pedal. We now have bikes with usable suspension and geometry that works for a broader spectrum of riding.
2) It sucked. One hit do or die. Look the dudes that dropped the big stuff and basically paved the path to what we know today as freeride need to be given respect for what they did, but it was a bad time. Yes it started a movement but it was a circus, an act, or perceived as it. Look at the older Crusty Demons of Dirt MX videos and the New World Disorder videos, notice a trend?
It wasn’t until the whole ride, party, get laid thing kinda fizzled out, then it became more mainstream. And in term became more acceptable and the industry changed there bikes accordingly.
This comes from a 40 something year old who has a bit more experience than back then. But man being in my early 20 with a DH bike dropping of anything was fun! Being a goon in the veld dropping into erosion ditches was awesome.
out of interest would a boiling pot of water also work .... this for the shoes with metal bits on them?
Put the oven on 200. Heat them up gradually and feel them as they get warmer. Water won’t work, if there is any leather on the shoe it shrinks a bit as it dries.
This technique hasn’t failed me. I had a pair of Vans that killed my feet, so bad that they started to burn and were basically unwearable. Me being a cheap skate and not wanting to buy new shoes I did this about 4 times after each cooling( I don’t recommend this, it should work after 2 times) but I got them so good I could go skating with them without and numbness or burning. They lived there days out getting dragged across griptape.
I have high foot arches and almost anything I buy off the shelf gives me numb outer toes on the bike. I Need more support Under my foot. If you have a pair of shoes with lighter soles that are lekker worn in...have a look inside or take the inner out. Compare to below. If it looks anything between high and normal you probably need more support inside your shoe under your arch. My right foot is even worse than that ‘high’ pic...it has a clean break between the heel and toes. Most shoes come stock standard with “platvoet” inners. I know for a fact the spaz ones do because i’m using the greens inside my clipless spaz shoes and thats two levels up from stock. (They come in stock(black or red aftermarket), blue(med), green(high).
So here is something to try, Vans run a little tight in the toe box area, so and I have done this for the past 15 years with all my skate shoes, microwave!
Put the shoe in the microwave for about 20 seconds, be careful, don’t do it if the shoe has steel eyelets, wear a thick pair of socks and loosen the laces. After the 20 seconds, it must be hot, not warm. Put your foot in and tighten the laces as normal. Jump up and down a bit. You can do it 2 times if needed. You can use the oven too but takes a bit longer, 200 degrees.
Like I said I have been doing this for years, I have high arches so I need a little extra support in the arch area. Also my feet are a bit wide so this is why I microwave them. Sounds crazy but it works.
Try it. It does nothing to the shoes structure or durability it just makes your foot mould to the inner.
The downhill suited the poorer riders... for the 30th placed qualifier to win and no one in the top10 even making it onto the podium in the downhill is not what i would call a decent race.... The rainbow jersey is unlikely to be seen on the podium for another year... ai yai yai
Reese Wilson pitched up and rode at his best, he didn't cheat. So how can you say that? Yes he isn't top 10 but saying he doesn't deserve it?
Yes the track deteriorated fast after his run and the others had a hard time, but that's racing.
It was easy to see as the race was won or lost in the woods, the riders all tried to make up time in the top section to make up for the forrest, and it wasn't like they guys were 10 seconds up after the first split either, it was close all the way up until the forrest. The weather was against everyone, same as the forrest. Nobody could control the weather.
Personally I think he rode well and deserves it, like I said, he gave it his best, and won.
Why is it impossible for these companies to produce a proper flats riding shoe with a boa closure shoe?
Do I HAVE to look like a kid who's lost his skateboard?
Think its a different market.
Some people don't want to wear full XC shoes. Also it you have to carry your bike or walk back up a hill, those carbon XC shoes are ****. Not to mention wearing them all day.
I think the market can offer 2 different styles of shoes but it think they catering more toward the "casual/skate shoe" and most of the current clientele will kick against the XC shoe.
So get loose, stick that foot out and drift that corner Bro, its only shoes
Flats. Flats. Flats.
Clipped in you get lazy, you learn to bunny hop wrong and jumping suffers too. That being said I have seen guys jumping huge clipped in.
Flats for the party!
3
Heard via the grapevine that it is due to the landlord changing his mind.
Apparently the vibe was all civil and they were given grace till October or some time to get back on their feet, even considered reducing the shop size as it was way too big for them anyways and then the rent could be adjusted accordingly.
And then out of nowhere, in the middle of last week it all broke down, thus forcing them to close up shop with minimal notice.
Tough times.
I think the trails and restaurant will continue as-is. Which sucks in a sense, because as far as I understood it was the guys from Trailwolf Cycles themselves that developed the trails in the first place to set up the vibe.
I can believe the grapevine talk,
The landlords family, who is the facility manager is useless in maintaining the place, we have asked and told him we can help but with ZERO feedback and has a plain sh!t attitude. They spent allot of money last year to build one flow line, and NEVER maintained it since then, it has literally gone down the drain. The standard excuse is that they are waiting for the rain but the rain is what caused the issue in the first place. I was riding there after the rainstorm and saw the damage to the trails and flow line, while the sand was still soft it could have been fixed but it just got left to get ridden out.
Honestly the main focus of the whole park has shifted from cyclists to runners, hikers, dogs crapping everywhere. Also the new building is a coffee shop, and a gym. Also heard they are planning a wedding venue which will pretty much screw it up for everyone, read park closed during weddings, ie weekends.
So basically Trail Wolf was bound to fail, due to interest change, landlord issues and the park management not catering for cyclists anymore.
Due to the unkept trails it isn't fit for a beginner really, terrain aside, its fine for the more experienced riders but the new people find it way too hard and super tech, which unfortunately becomes an issue when trying to get new faces on bikes. A bit of care and clean up, which we have offered, will go a long way. I am not saying make it a tar road but really there are berms that haven't seen maintenance since beginning 2019, rocks are getting exposed everywhere and corners are being ridden out wider and wider.
If the facility manager had any interest in the place for cyclists he would use our help, which has been offered on numerous occasions, to make it more fun for cyclists. Just add some bumps, jumps and new features, that goes a long way.
This has also added to less cyclists coming back, as a comparison look at Rosemary Hill and Cow house, super flat and easy (terrain is more forgiving that WS), lots of people coming back. RH and CH is way out of the way for allot of frequent visitors but they keep coming back so that says allot, Wolwespruit is smack in the middle of a built up area, super accessible, massive possible clients and should be a goldmine. it has become a goldmine for every other activity other than cycling due to sh!tty maintenance. Trail Wolf suffered directly due to this.
Sorry rant over but I have seen this coming for about 6 months pre covid, covid only sped up the process.
I do however wish all the guys from Trailwolf the best, that are all super nice people and always willing to help. May it go well with them on their future plans.
11
Can confirm they are open.
The place was build by Dirtlab, was seriously well thought out and the riding is top notch. The trails were a bit neglected during lockdown but from what I have heard its getting sorted and the trail crew will be doing maintenance on the trails in the coming weeks.
I know tons of people that ride out into that direction, marathon riders, so I think its a good place to learn some extra skills as opposed to a dirt road.
Also has a super good jumpline for the jumpers, big tabletop jumps and a really good ender, the road gap. Also has a massive skills area, drops, bumps, berms and flow lines. Its pretty cool.
It doesn't have the vertical assent of Wolwespruit, if climbs are your thing, but honestly the trails will actually teach you some skills. So go ride it.
Scammer List
in Fraud Alert
Posted
Had 2 scammers from Nigeria, Olivia Edwards,+234 8086790448 and Pamela Hubert, +234 8037789127.
Classic MO, satisfied with the product, get courier to collect etc. this was from Gumtree and here.