Cajees Strubens Valley - Terrible Customer Service

[Steady Spin]

On the other side you take your bike in for a rim replacement and carbon repair. Based on prices quoted you estimate it should cost about R3000 (R1000 for carbon repair, 1500 for rim and spokes and 500 for rim build. Then when you pick up your bike invoice is R6500 as the bike has to be completely stripped and rebuilt for a very visibly and repairable crack on the frame (was in middle of top tube, no parts in there if i can remember correctly). Also to just rebuild a wheel is not store policy. So it's nice that my original request evolved to a full rebuild and service with replaced chain, cables, brake pads due to "store policy" but i am unreasonable if i want to assault the salesman. Not everyone sommer has 3500 lying around.

 

Not some crap LBS, this is one of the more reputable places. The workmanship is excellent but due to these issues i don't support hem anymore. Also try to hand in smallest form of part to be worked on if i need to go to a LBS now.

Did you get that quote in writing?

[Gerhard765]

Did you get that quote in writing?

 

They did email a quote when i took the bike in but no price was indicated. So lesson learned also.

 

Learned that day that you can only trust yourself.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Gerhard765

[Danger Dassie]

On the other side you take your bike in for a rim replacement and carbon repair. Based on prices quoted you estimate it should cost about R3000 (R1000 for carbon repair, 1500 for rim and spokes and 500 for rim build. Then when you pick up your bike invoice is R6500 as the bike has to be completely stripped and rebuilt for a very visibly and repairable crack on the frame (was in middle of top tube, no parts in there if i can remember correctly). Also to just rebuild a wheel is not store policy. So it's nice that my original request evolved to a full rebuild and service with replaced chain, cables, brake pads due to "store policy" but i am unreasonable if i want to assault the salesman. Not everyone sommer has 3500 lying around.

 

Not some crap LBS, this is one of the more reputable places. The workmanship is excellent but due to these issues i don't support hem anymore. Also try to hand in smallest form of part to be worked on if i need to go to a LBS now.

The top tube crack was there before? As well as the rim repair?

 

Any frame repair requires a complete strip down regardless. The repairer will always require this from the shop, especially for paintwork.

 

Sounds like the shop didn't communicate outside of the rim repair though, which isn't acceptable. Neither is assaulting someone.

[jackievs]

So on the 4th of April I rode Northern farm with family. During the ride I lost my front tire which is tubeless. Hit a rock side on whole wheel deflated. I used a bomb but the rim tape had an issue with sealing so  it didn't stay hard. I removed front wheel by releasing the thru axle. Took off tire and tape did temporary fix of inserting a tube and completed the ride.

 

The next day I took bike into Cajees at Strubens Valley. I'm not a Cajees fan but hey its take of wheel reseat or replace tape, insert slime and pump. Not technical they should manage that easy I was promised bike back on the Saturday. i went in Saturday long story, but short version is they battled to remove thru axle as it was damaged. This was the same thru axle that I removed and replaced on the trail using my hands, no tools. However its now damaged and they need to order a new axle. They had bike whole week but obviously left it till last minute to do, hence the issue at this late hour.

 

They need to order part from Dragons in CT. But the bike will be ready next week on Saturday, part can be ordered and couriered, and its simple to put on. I call on Friday to get an update. They say Friday Dragons sent the wrong part, thru axle sent was too long. They waiting for proper part from Dragons. I call often in the following weeks to get updates.

 

They are waiting for parts, the courier is on way. I ask if they have tracking number and are monitoring status. Very non committal which makes me think twice about veracity of statement

 

Today the 29th April I call Dragons direct and ask for feedback. This is 24 days (albeit week days) that the bike has been in shop. Speak to a nice guy at Dragon. He asks for details says will revert.

 

He calls back 2 hours later very sorry. Part is finally on way to jhb via courier. He has spoken to Cajees. i call Cajees they confirm part is on way bike can be collected tomorrow which is Friday. I ask why delay, the guys says what is problem its only 2 weeks. I point out its 24 days and if I had not intervened probably a month in shop.

 

I then ask about been told its on courier and will be here when Dragons didn't have an order. How is it that I as a cyclist can call Dragons and get feedback but the shop who is doing the repair cant be bothered. Cant be bothered but also cant man up and tell me that when I make the numerous phone calls to get feedback.

 

Their reply is the rep didn't place the order. These guys throw everyone else under the bus to not take responsibility.

 

After reading this you judge whether you want to leave a bike at this place for repairs etc. I'm not telling you what to judge just giving you the narrative of why I will never set foot in this store again after I get my bike back.

I finally found a shop that does good quality on your bike, Sprocket & Jack in Parkhurst ... the best service by FAR!!! 

[Wobble07]

Will also not support Cajees either.  Some staff members were shouted at in front of customers whilst we were there looking at a new bike. Walked right out and went elsewhere.

[RJClegg]

With all these stories about Cajees, I will just not do business with them. 

 

I plan on learning as much as I can about MTBs and repairing them myself. Picked uo my bike last week and now just trying to find a decent place to get spares from online or locally. 

[Kranswurm]

I like them

[Kranswurm]

I am very familiar with this shop as I live in the area. I do not set foot in that store. I will rather drive to Cadence World in Krugersdorp.

 

Had one or two bad experiences with them on small repairs and purchases and decided long ago they will never ever receive my support even if they are the last cycling shop in existence.

 

Their operating hours are inconvenient, no items have pricing on it as each customer receives their own unique "special" price per item.... One of those "let me speak to my boss and get you a good price" type stores. Then it is an item which costs R400 in any other half decent store, but they tell you it is R600 at normal RSP, but for you it is R450.

 

Once bought a cassette removal tool there. First turn it broke. That was the final straw for me.

 

I have very little faith in their competence. Will not let them touch my bike. A work colleague took his bike there for a full service and had endless problems with it when he got it back from them.

 

In the West Rand, just go to Cadence World.

You must stop getting so emotional and worked up about this.

[Eugene]

On the other side you take your bike in for a rim replacement and carbon repair. Based on prices quoted you estimate it should cost about R3000 (R1000 for carbon repair, 1500 for rim and spokes and 500 for rim build. Then when you pick up your bike invoice is R6500 as the bike has to be completely stripped and rebuilt for a very visibly and repairable crack on the frame (was in middle of top tube, no parts in there if i can remember correctly). Also to just rebuild a wheel is not store policy. So it's nice that my original request evolved to a full rebuild and service with replaced chain, cables, brake pads due to "store policy" but i am unreasonable if i want to assault the salesman. Not everyone sommer has 3500 lying around.

 

Not some crap LBS, this is one of the more reputable places. The workmanship is excellent but due to these issues i don't support hem anymore. Also try to hand in smallest form of part to be worked on if i need to go to a LBS now.

You wanted to "assault" the salesman. That sounds pretty unreasonable to me.

 

But I agree, I would be pretty pisses off too if they replaced things you didn't ask them to.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Eugene

[Kranswurm]

You wanted to "assault" the salesman. That sounds pretty unreasonable to me.

 

But I agree, I would be pretty pisses off too if they replaced things you didn't ask them to.

Give it a break man...it was obviously a figure of speech.

[Skylark]

The bartering is stupid, just put your price on, and get on with it, the whole “ trying to catch unsuspecting customers “ is bull. Perhaps I should go there and offer some of my magic beans for a bike...or perhaps a goose that lays golden eggs...

Doing that really grates me, slimeball behaviour of the highest order, despite being able to get good deals if you haggle it just feels so wrong dealing with people like that.

 

I have spoken to people who have gone in without knowing about this special price bs and they got taken to the cleaners.

[Super Sywurm]

Cajeesho!!!

 

(sorry, I sneezed).

[The Ouzo]

Give it a break man...it was obviously a figure of speech.

I work in sales, wanting to assault a salesman because of company policy is not just a figure of speech.

 

I had a lady swearing at me yesterday because the company no longer brings in a diesel derivative

[Rocket-Boy]

With all these stories about Cajees, I will just not do business with them. 

 

I plan on learning as much as I can about MTBs and repairing them myself. Picked uo my bike last week and now just trying to find a decent place to get spares from online or locally. 

Tander from MyBB?

[love2fly]

I make a point of not entrusting my bikes to a workshop that's either not open to the public or which I haven't seen the inside of. That means all the Cajees I know of plus another store that's got a bad image on the Hub. Post prefixed by "Goodbye....Cycles"

I also try to do as much as I can myself. That saves me a lot of bucks and if it breaks its only my fault and I know how to fix it...

[BigDL]

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Edited May 2, 2021 by BigDL