Just disappointed Complete Cyclist Hout Bay

[Adder]

Just had a series of poor experiences with Complete Cyclist Hout Bay which i need to vent.

I'm just going to list them without too much emotion getting in the way:

 

1. Ordered a Colnago frame from them as part of a build up bike for an insurance payout (I had 2 bikes stolen from my garage on christmas day). It was promised on a wednesday, then a thursday, then a friday. On the friday i was told there had been a mix up with the courier and the frame was coming from Jhb via PE, via Bloem. I made my frustration clear. Presto! frame arrived 2 hours later. Total calls from them to me: 1

 

2. Bike was built up, and paid for. I asked if they could keep it for me until my home security had been upgraded as per new insurance conditions. I took the bike to work to 'show it off' and checked it back in with them later that same day. I received a call from them the next day to inform me that they'd had a break in and my bike was missing. And that my insurance should cover it.(!?). I made it clear that i was not claiming from my insurance. We started discussing a replacement bike. No Colnago of my size left, no Fulcrum 3 wheels available for 4 weeks. A week passes of discussing possible solutions, then I go into the shop to find my Colnago has been recovered and is hanging in the wash bay. Total calls from them to me: 0

 

3. I insisted on a clearance letter from their insurance company stating that the bike was free of any claims and legal encumbrances. Another week goes by of zero communication from them, but daily requests from me. Eventually I resorted to sending an e-mail asking for my money back. Now that elicited a call back, and 1 hour later I had my clearance letter and my bike.

Total calls from them to me:1

 

4. On tuesday I took my brand new, ridden once Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er for a tubeless conversion. The front wheel was off when I dropped it in. I received it back today (again no call from them) with tubeless conv. done but bike not washed. When I come to take front wheel off (still in the shop) I find the 5mm allen key won't fit and the edges of the nut on the hub are rounded off. The ensuing conversation went like this:

Shop: The key wasn't put in all the way, but it's working now.

Me: So why didn't your mechanic put the key in all the way?

Shop: No, that was you just now, you did it.

Me: That's just ridiculous.

Shop: Well, it's working now, so stop stressing.

Me: How can you say that?

Shop: It's working so just leave it at that.

 

So I haven't

 

P.S I've been riding for 30 years and fixing/maintaining bikes for 15, including 2 stints as a professional mechanic.

I've made my share of honest mistakes, but always tried to rectify them and never treated any customer like that.

 

Pissed Off.

 

I'm really disappointed, Hout Bay needs a decent bike shop and the guys there seem nice enough. But I won't be going back.

[Shebeen]

I haven't ridden bikes for 30 years, but it sounds like a bizarre story.

You moan about how slow they are at getting your bike and then you're not even ready to keep it. Who takes a bike to work to show it off anyway, a circus clown?

I don’t think it should be the responsibility of the LBS to insure your bike either. Take your own lock if you’re worried.

And then your mtb gets taken in for a tubeless conversion, (but doesn’t get washed). What kind of professional mechanic can’t do his own tubeless conversion? Sure maybe it was part of the sale deal, but SURELY it’s no sweat for you to do it yourself.

Wouldn’t mind hearing the LBS story, nice rant to kick off with. Welcome to the hub, look forward to your 15 years of bike knowledge

[JensV]

I've had one decent "wrencher" in all my many years of cycling. He was more than decent, he was brilliant, meticulous and about details - to the last smear of bearing grease.

He's now skiing for the Polish National Cross Country team - I miss him.

Good luck in Hout Bay. I'll continue to build and service my own bikes. Part of the fun

[Breezer]

I haven't ridden bikes for 30 years, but it sounds like a bizarre story.

 

 

You moan about how slow they are at getting your bike and then you're not even ready to keep it. Who takes a bike to work to show it off anyway, a circus clown?

 

I don’t think it should be the responsibility of the LBS to insure your bike either. Take your own lock if you’re worried.

 

 

And then your mtb gets taken in for a tubeless conversion, (but doesn’t get washed). What kind of professional mechanic can’t do his own tubeless conversion? Sure maybe it was part of the sale deal, but SURELY it’s no sweat for you to do it yourself.

 

 

 

Wouldn’t mind hearing the LBS story, nice rant to kick off with. Welcome to the hub, look forward to your 15 years of bike knowledge

 

+1

['Dale]

Flame throwing with the 1st post.

 

Bold move.

[milky4130]

Definitely not a new Hubber, I think this profile was created just for the rant, probably to scared or ashamed to reveal real identity.

[Tiny K]

Sheesh! Well, I have had no issues with Desmond at all. Bought a SRAM Force groupo from him. Suppliers didn't have stock of the standard GXP BB, so I got a ceramic one at cost. I even got it hand delivered to Swellendam after the DC.

 

#1. I think you are a double agent.

#2. Why are you making your insurance problems theirs.

 

Be glad they allowed you to keep the bike there and not tell you to take the bike home as it become a liability to them (which has been seen).

[Big H*]

Nee wat Atter as jy so baie weet van fietsies en jy het nog niks in die tyd geleer nie moet jy maar buk dat jy geblixem kan word

[Hawk]

Desmond is sorting me out with my warranty claim and I cant complain thus far.

He was very helpful and loaned me one of his bikes for a couple of days.

[onetrackmind]

The guys at Complete are normally quite quick to post on the hub - let's hear the story from their side?

 

WRT the insurance thing - if Complete agreed to hold the bike, they must accept responsibility for it. If it is not insured, they must tell the man so he can make a different plan. I am on Adder's side on this one.

 

 

Desmond - the mike is all yours, tell us a story.

[Tiny K]

Nee wat Atter as jy so baie weet van fietsies en jy het nog niks in die tyd geleer nie moet jy maar buk dat jy geblixem kan word

 

Ja wat, ek ry net twee jaar maar weet al hoe om op my eie bike to werk - die ou claim om 15 jaar ervaring te he maar werk nie self op sy eie fiets nie.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The guys at Complete are normally quite quick to post on the hub - let's hear the story from their side?

 

WRT the insurance thing - if Complete agreed to hold the bike, they must accept responsibility for it. If it is not insured, they must tell the man so he can make a different plan. I am on Adder's side on this one.

 

 

Desmond - the mike is all yours, tell us a story.

 

I dont normally comment on these sort of things but, Yeah, agree with you there.

 

According to the OP they also told him his bike was missing in a theft, but then when he arrived there it was hanging on the wall.?? Now on the face of that information I would also ask for an insurance clearance first, it would be the prudent thing to do.

 

It doesn't really matter if he is a pro mechanic or not, he took it to the shop for the repair, that is the fact, if the repair was botched at the shop as he says, then its up to the shop to repair it or make it right to his satisfaction. His ability or lack thereof has no relevance here at all.

 

To say he should have done it himself because he is a pro or its very easy, is almost like saying because you are a chef or can fry an egg at home, you should never go out to a restaurant for breakfast.!

Edited February 2, 2012 by GrumpyOldGuy

[milky4130]

A week passes of discussing possible solutions, then I go into the shop to find my Colnago has been recovered and is hanging in the wash bay. Total calls from them to me: 0

how much time has elapsed from the time bike was recovered to the time you walked in to the shop?

[Complete-Cyclist]

Hi guys. I am not going to defend my shop or start a mud slinging exercise. If I had the time to give more background I would but sometimes its better not to give certain individuals too much airtime, especially if this is the person involved in running the competing bike shop in the same area. Happy to say we are now the only bike shop in Houtbay.

 

Nonetheless, he is or was a customer and in this business the customer is always right. Therefore I apologise for your experience of our store's service. We are always trying to improve so I only hope that we will never have another customer having the same experience. Please feel free to recommend ways in which we can improve. We all know there is much more to this story than meets the eye.

 

Fact of the matter is that most customers leave our store happy, but we are not perfect and get it wrong sometimes.

 

Anyway, some say any publicity it good publicity, so let me take the opportunity to invite all cyclist to he shop this Saturday for a free cup af coffee and monster cookie.

[Shebeen]

To say he should have done it himself because he is a pro or its very easy, is almost like saying because you are a chef or can fry an egg at home, you should never go out to a restaurant for breakfast.!

If gordon f@#$ing ramsey came here complaining about the eggs at the wimpy, i think we'd all tell him to go home and do it himself!

 

I am inclined to agree with you, but his whole story is just so full of turgid mopani worms that it's hard to not want to chew on it first before deciding if i want to spit it out or not.

[rpedro]

This Adder sounds like a snake to me :-D I dont trust snakes !!! Plus Desmond and team gets my +1