Shimano Agent Suck!

[philip.maree]

Hmm... So in staying with the scenario above you are loosing out on R100,000's because you are not able to cycle (?) You cant equate the loss of sale of a 50 buck spoke to the financial implications of a server being down...

 

Still feel your pain though.

Not really the point though, whether it's R50 or R500 or R5000, service is service.

 

Whether it's online trading of just someone wanting to post a photo on a site. Financial implication should not be part of the equation when providing a service.

[Niner]

I agree with OP, Coolheat has never given my good service...a few of my friends also had not so good dealings with them.

[Sharkie 2]

I always order a couple of front wheel and rear wheel spokes with my new wheelset, so then I never have to wait for stock

[Johan Bornman]

I would have been better if they weren't open. A bit pointless being open and not being able to do anything?

The devil is in the detail. They were open but the driver was still on holiday. A trip to Edenvale would have sorted the problem out.

 

Should your bike shop carry those spokes in stock? No, I don't think so. It is impossible to carry all proprietary spokes - there are dozens and dozens of options per brand, nevermind multiple brands. These spokes are expensive and the cost of holding the stock is prohibitive.

 

The solution lies in wheels using standard components - good old J-bend spokes.

[sias]

Took them three weeks to deliver my XTR groupset and when they did, it had XT brake calipers! Another two weeks to fix that...

[Weight Weenie]

The devil is in the detail. They were open but the driver was still on holiday. A trip to Edenvale would have sorted the problem out.

 

Should your bike shop carry those spokes in stock? No, I don't think so. It is impossible to carry all proprietary spokes - there are dozens and dozens of options per brand, nevermind multiple brands. These spokes are expensive and the cost of holding the stock is prohibitive.

 

The solution lies in wheels using standard components - good old J-bend spokes.

 

My thoughts exactly ! J-Bend vir die wen

[Climate]

My thoughts exactly ! J-Bend vir die wen

 

I'm not very diligent with my road wheels, but whenever I've acquired new MTB wheels, I've stocked a spare of the necessary spokes (or at least ordered them at the same time and collected later) ... which then go into my toolbox (goes with me on weekends away, etc). It's highly unlikely that you'll break more than one spoke at a time, but if you need it, there's no stress.

[DJR]

Late last year you couldn't find a Shimano bottom bracket anywhere. Two LBS' told me that the agents had no stock and nobody could tell them when new ones would arrive. CRC was the winner.

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Instead of complaining about Wholesalers not being open and taking so long to deliver stock, why not ask your LBS why specifically they do not carry stock ? And secondly , why does everyone on this post comment anonymously, if you have a problem with a certain Wholesaler, why dont you man up and contact them directly and voice your concerns instead of hiding behind a little profile. ???

 

I have never once , on contacting a wholesaler and complaining , have them be nasty , burst into tears or threaten to take me to court just because i have a problem with their product. Instead, they investigate the situation and make plans to change how they do things and in the end , we all win because they acknowledge their faults and make amends .

 

Bike shops are very quick to blame wholesalers with regards to delivery and no stock of certain items , when in turn you should blame the bike shop for A) Not carrying enough stock and using the wholesalers as a quick back up in desperate situations and then have a problem when they hear that the agents dont have stock. And B) Sometimes they dont even phone the agents. (I have had personal experience of this and in the end , ended up phoning the wholesalers myself to double check)

Do you actually think that an agent would tell a LBS " Oh no we dont have stock and dont know (or care) when we are getting more in "? ....

That would mean screwing themselves and their client base (LBS) over.

 

So to summarise my little rant here. Wholesalers are also Humans, they do need to take leave and spend christmas with their families . They cannot be blamed for running out of stock , when in this day and age, peoples choice of products changes everyday and wholesalers cant be expected to carry 1 million pink bicycle pumps when next week the trend with change to orange.

Grow up, get on your bikes and stop writing pathetic comments about this Industry you so call "Love"

[The Drongo]

Instead of complaining about Wholesalers not being open and taking so long to deliver stock, why not ask your LBS why specifically they do not carry stock ? And secondly , why does everyone on this post comment anonymously, if you have a problem with a certain Wholesaler, why dont you man up and contact them directly and voice your concerns instead of hiding behind a little profile. ???

 

I have never once , on contacting a wholesaler and complaining , have them be nasty , burst into tears or threaten to take me to court just because i have a problem with their product. Instead, they investigate the situation and make plans to change how they do things and in the end , we all win because they acknowledge their faults and make amends .

 

Bike shops are very quick to blame wholesalers with regards to delivery and no stock of certain items , when in turn you should blame the bike shop for A) Not carrying enough stock and using the wholesalers as a quick back up in desperate situations and then have a problem when they hear that the agents dont have stock. And Sometimes they dont even phone the agents. (I have had personal experience of this and in the end , ended up phoning the wholesalers myself to double check)

Do you actually think that an agent would tell a LBS " Oh no we dont have stock and dont know (or care) when we are getting more in "? ....

That would mean screwing themselves and their client base (LBS) over.

 

So to summarise my little rant here. Wholesalers are also Humans, they do need to take leave and spend christmas with their families . They cannot be blamed for running out of stock , when in this day and age, peoples choice of products changes everyday and wholesalers cant be expected to carry 1 million pink bicycle pumps when next week the trend with change to orange.

Grow up, get on your bikes and stop writing pathetic comments about this Industry you so call "Love"

 

Bored much ???

 

Kinda "well said" dude. Now back on ya bike!

[rouxtjie]

Instead of complaining about Wholesalers not being open and taking so long to deliver stock, why not ask your LBS why specifically they do not carry stock ? And secondly , why does everyone on this post comment anonymously, if you have a problem with a certain Wholesaler, why dont you man up and contact them directly and voice your concerns instead of hiding behind a little profile. ???

 

I have never once , on contacting a wholesaler and complaining , have them be nasty , burst into tears or threaten to take me to court just because i have a problem with their product. Instead, they investigate the situation and make plans to change how they do things and in the end , we all win because they acknowledge their faults and make amends .

 

Bike shops are very quick to blame wholesalers with regards to delivery and no stock of certain items , when in turn you should blame the bike shop for A) Not carrying enough stock and using the wholesalers as a quick back up in desperate situations and then have a problem when they hear that the agents dont have stock. And Sometimes they dont even phone the agents. (I have had personal experience of this and in the end , ended up phoning the wholesalers myself to double check)

Do you actually think that an agent would tell a LBS " Oh no we dont have stock and dont know (or care) when we are getting more in "? ....

That would mean screwing themselves and their client base (LBS) over.

 

So to summarise my little rant here. Wholesalers are also Humans, they do need to take leave and spend christmas with their families . They cannot be blamed for running out of stock , when in this day and age, peoples choice of products changes everyday and wholesalers cant be expected to carry 1 million pink bicycle pumps when next week the trend with change to orange.

Grow up, get on your bikes and stop writing pathetic comments about this Industry you so call "Love"

Or.......

 

We go to http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

 

Pick what we want and a couple of days later we receive said parts for probably cheaper than we could get here....

 

You see everyone wins

 

The retailer doesn't have to carry stock

The wholesaler isn't bothered by retailers or customers requesting parts

The customer gets his parts and fixes / upgrades his bike

And lets not forget CRC makes some moola

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Or.......

 

We go to http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

 

Pick what we want and a couple of days later we receive said parts for probably cheaper than we could get here....

 

You see everyone wins

 

The retailer doesn't have to carry stock

The wholesaler isn't bothered by retailers or customers requesting parts

The customer gets his parts and fixes / upgrades his bike

And lets not forget CRC makes some moola

 

And void your warranty in South Africa.....Super clever move ....Not

[rouxtjie]

Explain....Warranty on what.... If I change handlebars, cabling or a new chain on my bike or get a new saddle it wont impact my frame warranty.

 

Sorry CRC still wins, the days that the wholesaler / retailer held the consumer ransom are over.

 

LBS doesn't have a part...I go onto CRC on my iphone while I am still in his shop and order the part or item I am looking for. No fighting / argueing about who has what stock where.

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Explain....Warranty on what.... If I change handlebars, cabling or a new chain on my bike or get a new saddle it wont impact my frame warranty.

 

Sorry CRC still wins, the days that the wholesaler / retailer held the consumer ransom are over.

 

LBS doesn't have a part...I go onto CRC on my iphone while I am still in his shop and order the part or item I am looking for. No fighting / argueing about who has what stock where.

 

.....so lets say you buy ur chain on CRC, you install it yourself and hey presto your "just riding along" and you snap ur chain which in turn goes into your spokes in ur rear wheel and manages to wrap itself around ur cassette......What are you going to do ? Im just thinking logically here, ur gonna take ur bike to a LBS and say " i want a warranty on this chain , its just snapped and in turn broke my bike" , what do you think ur bike shop is going to tell u to do ?? First of all they gonna ask you where u bought the chain from, and as the words CRC come out of ur mouth....they are most likely going to laugh ..... i believe in shop loyalty and only buying from local agents because they can and WILL give you the back up service you need when it comes to a problem with your bike and parts....

[sias]

Sounds like you ARE an agent or distributor hiding behind an anonymous nickname, not manning up and saying what you have to say in your personal capacity...

[Mojoman]

 

 

.....so lets say you buy ur chain on CRC, you install it yourself and hey presto your "just riding along" and you snap ur chain which in turn goes into your spokes in ur rear wheel and manages to wrap itself around ur cassette......What are you going to do ? Im just thinking logically here, ur gonna take ur bike to a LBS and say " i want a warranty on this chain , its just snapped and in turn broke my bike" , what do you think ur bike shop is going to tell u to do ?? First of all they gonna ask you where u bought the chain from, and as the words CRC come out of ur mouth....they are most likely going to laugh ..... i believe in shop loyalty and only buying from local agents because they can and WILL give you the back up service you need when it comes to a problem with your bike and parts....

 

I agree on shop loyality but sometimes one has to look at the bank balance, anything that may require aftersales service I buy from a shop such as a fork, helmet, lights. But consumables such as chains, cassettes etc you might as well buy online and save some money. Not all of us can afford to buy everything at the LBS. The instance a Shimano HG50 cassette for my bike costs me R250+R60 (or so) postage from CWC, my local shops want close to R400 odd, I still have to drive 40km to the LBS as well. By the time I have added in a chain and maybe a chainring to the online purchase the savings are considerable.