New Bike not as Advertised

[Sandro]

AFAIK CPA is relevant here and OP could get a refund. I must say I'm surprised people being so understanding about buying a bike advertised with one spec and being sold with another, even if it is equivalent quality? Unless it says in the ad that specs can vary, this is not on as as far as I'm concerned. Regardless of whether its a good buy or not, or cheap or whatever. They advertised as such and should deliver.

"Under the CPA, consumers have the right to a refund when they purchase goods or services that are defective or not of good quality. They also have the right to a refund when the goods or services were not delivered as promised or within a reasonable time frame. "

Retailers can't just invent their own returns and exchange policies.

Edited March 22 by Sandro

[The Ouzo]

5 hours ago, RobertWhitehead said:

foot in Cycle Lab again - you can't say that. There's a lot of folks who believe that going to a biiiiiig LBS will give me the best bang for buck. It's the Marko model . Buying 6 years worth of handy Andy and 3kg of polony in one go is the bees knees 

I used to despise them, but I've found occasionally you'll get stuff cheaper there, and in conjunction with their mycyclelife vouchers I've bought things there and paid either zero or next to zero for the stuff.

But you need to first check the pricing on the items you are wanting to buy because you cant cast a blanket generalization that everything is cheaper.

 

oh and I'm talking small ticket items here, not whole bikes etc.

 

I still dont like the monopoly they have, and when I can I'd rather support a smaller LBS.

[nonky]

18 hours ago, ephemeric said:

I am an idiot.

Nope, you are not an idiot, just new to the sport.

Cycling is super expensive, especially mountain biking (things break).

The first answer to your post was correct.  Ride the bike and have it repaired under warranty for as long as possible.  Once you've exhausted the bike, warranty and/or your patience, make a decision about the sport.  If the bug has bitten, buy a Titan (best value for money new) or a good second hand bike (ask on here for free advice)  

Wishing you many happy miles.

[ephemeric]

For some reason, I'm assuming because I'm a new member, I have a daily post limit?

First, let me say, this has been a learning experience of note here on BH. I appreciate everyone's candour in the matter.

I had a long reply typed up and was going to post... but, I got the bike back today and took it for a ride...

CL replaced the freehub "with a better one" under warranty. The technician showed me the freehub and said my assessment was correct, it is indeed failing. I spent a week trying to understand this problem.

After 15km of riding... clang clang, skip skip. Oh no! Same problem. A new freehub? How can this be? The original hub lasted 35 days.

I make it home and just to confirm, I put it in 7th and pedal hard up my dirt road outside the plot and the slip is there. I can reproduce the slip.

I am now tired of this. 30 days has passed and I can no longer get a refund, which is what I now want. I am even considering filing a complaint with the CPA as a last resort. Product not as advertised and defective parts blah blah. I don't want to do that, I just want to ride and keep fit and do some cardio. Sigh.

I am going to mail the CL Lynnwood managers now as we speak to ask what can be done.

What does everybody think? If it was genuine Shimano TX505 hubs, would we all be happy?

Thank you.

 

 

[RobertWhitehead]

25 minutes ago, ephemeric said:

For some reason, I'm assuming because I'm a new member, I have a daily post limit?

First, let me say, this has been a learning experience of note here on BH. I appreciate everyone's candour in the matter.

I had a long reply typed up and was going to post... but, I got the bike back today and took it for a ride...

CL replaced the freehub "with a better one" under warranty. The technician showed me the freehub and said my assessment was correct, it is indeed failing. I spent a week trying to understand this problem.

After 15km of riding... clang clang, skip skip. Oh no! Same problem. A new freehub? How can this be? The original hub lasted 35 days.

I make it home and just to confirm, I put it in 7th and pedal hard up my dirt road outside the plot and the slip is there. I can reproduce the slip.

I am now tired of this. 30 days has passed and I can no longer get a refund, which is what I now want. I am even considering filing a complaint with the CPA as a last resort. Product not as advertised and defective parts blah blah. I don't want to do that, I just want to ride and keep fit and do some cardio. Sigh.

I am going to mail the CL Lynnwood managers now as we speak to ask what can be done.

What does everybody think? If it was genuine Shimano TX505 hubs, would we all be happy?

Thank you.

 

 

Very very difficult to say, mechanical items can either work perfectly for millions of miles and others just fail off the bat. I mean hell, I once took a brand new XT chain out of the packet only to have it fail after 5km. I threw that chain in the bin after break number 5. Previous XT chain went for close to 6000km before the quick link failed. If you can answer one or two questions for me I have an offer I can table. 

1) Is the frame boost 

2) Are both wheels QR (I assume it is with entry level hubs but I want to confirm) 

3) Does the Hub slip or is it now the cassette? 

[ephemeric]

2 hours ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Very very difficult to say, mechanical items can either work perfectly for millions of miles and others just fail off the bat. I mean hell, I once took a brand new XT chain out of the packet only to have it fail after 5km. I threw that chain in the bin after break number 5. Previous XT chain went for close to 6000km before the quick link failed. If you can answer one or two questions for me I have an offer I can table. 

1) Is the frame boost 

2) Are both wheels QR (I assume it is with entry level hubs but I want to confirm) 

3) Does the Hub slip or is it now the cassette? 

Um, WRT boost, I had to read up on that. I don't think the frame is boost as it's entry level and the spec states Shimano TX505 QR hubs as stock. So we have:

1) No.

2) Yes.

3) The problem looks, feels and sounds the same as before: the freehub is slipping.

[Andro]

Over the years I found that most bikes are sold on the Brand name. There are always a low-end part on most of the bikes unless you buy the High-end bike with X0 or XX/XX1...

 

Buying any new bike at 8k is really an entry level bike, considering it should sell for 12k and marked down to 8k tells me that possibly the slightly better wheels set might have been exchanged with slightly cheaper set in the b/s. This is not necessarily the manufactures problem and, in this case, more the b/s

Considering your weight and timeframe of 30 odd days I would say" they" the b/s should fix/replace it under some warranty.

 

Ride it...  maintain it., upgrade the wheelset and components with new or good secondhand parts you could buy from Hub.

 

Very importantly... ask, your questions regarding parts/bikes ect here on this platform.

Here are members with decades experience/expertise that will be more than willing to assist you. You might just find they more knowledgeable than the chap trying to sell you a bike in the shop.

 

Enjoy and stay safe.

[RobertWhitehead]

8 hours ago, ephemeric said:

Um, WRT boost, I had to read up on that. I don't think the frame is boost as it's entry level and the spec states Shimano TX505 QR hubs as stock. So we have:

1) No.

2) Yes.

3) The problem looks, feels and sounds the same as before: the freehub is slipping.

Forget about CL and come and pay me a visit (based in Garsfontein) then I will:

1) Give you a loan set of wheels - which I am sure you will not want to return (set of ZTRs with Hope Pro II hubs) 

2) Then I will have your set rebuilt with decent hubs (brand to be confirmed - I do have quite a bit of stock). I even have colored nipples in stock 😜. 

[droo]

16 hours ago, ephemeric said:

For some reason, I'm assuming because I'm a new member, I have a daily post limit?

First, let me say, this has been a learning experience of note here on BH. I appreciate everyone's candour in the matter.

I had a long reply typed up and was going to post... but, I got the bike back today and took it for a ride...

CL replaced the freehub "with a better one" under warranty. The technician showed me the freehub and said my assessment was correct, it is indeed failing. I spent a week trying to understand this problem.

After 15km of riding... clang clang, skip skip. Oh no! Same problem. A new freehub? How can this be? The original hub lasted 35 days.

I make it home and just to confirm, I put it in 7th and pedal hard up my dirt road outside the plot and the slip is there. I can reproduce the slip.

I am now tired of this. 30 days has passed and I can no longer get a refund, which is what I now want. I am even considering filing a complaint with the CPA as a last resort. Product not as advertised and defective parts blah blah. I don't want to do that, I just want to ride and keep fit and do some cardio. Sigh.

I am going to mail the CL Lynnwood managers now as we speak to ask what can be done.

What does everybody think? If it was genuine Shimano TX505 hubs, would we all be happy?

Thank you.

 

 

Sounds like you got a dud. You've had a few "opinions" thrown your way about upgrades and extra cash and all, but you've bought a bicycle from a bike shop, not a supermarket, and your entirely reasonable expectation is that it should function as one. It doesn't, and you're annoyed. 

Spec levels aside, what you've been sold is not fit for purpose, although I suspect that if the hub was a Shimano you wouldn't have this issue. I've ridden a Deore on a singlespeed MTB for years with no issues. 

Take it back until they either refund you or solve the problem. Refund preferable, then take the money to @RobertWhitehead and get something proper for the same budget. 

[ephemeric]

In order to avoid my daily post limit, I have to do a rather lengthy response here:

- there was no point in pushing some issues for parts as @thebob said

- many thanks to @RobertWhitehead for your help, advice and most generous offer. I will be seeing you in the near future for parts, service and/or advice as you're close to where I am

- agreed @sirmoun10goat: the parts spec being different was minor but for a pedant such as myself, a major irritation. I need to be told at times to calm down. There is a definite issue with those freehubs. CL is sending the bike to their Boksburg branch for inspection and will take it up with the supplier

- upgrading the wheelset from @RobertWhitehead was an option, thank you @Koos Likkewaan 2 for the heads up

- @Skubarra: your question WRT the price difference in parts, I would say negligible. I asked Elena Retief from Silverback for more info, no response

- @Rowl: I hang my head in shame... I did not check the spec before buying the bike as I was not concerned about that for the money at the time. Once the problems surfaced I began to investigate the spec and to my dismay, cursed myself for not checking prior. I would have been happy with said spec if it simply worked...

- @agentorenge: thank you for your profound insight into the matter

- @RobertWhitehead: as per your upgrade suggestions, not for me, not at this price point. I did however learn plenty about parts and have watched lots of YT for info

- @Robbie Stewart: so right you are. I am considering abandoning this venture and taking up bowls or knitting... I have till tomorrow morning to decide what to do

- @OVERDRIVE: I like the TR bikes and those were the first that caught my attention. I might end up with one...

- @Sandro: CPA was a last resort. Thank God that was not necessary

- @The Ouzo: CL has good prices for parts and accessories, I will buy from then again

- @Andro: I suspect that corners were cut somewhere along the line. Exactly by whom and where I cannot say and I don't want to make any false accusations on BH...

Last, but not least... thank you CL! I got a full refund today, no questions asked, no hassle whatsoever. Amazing experience.

Jaco the store manager from Lynnwood is the best! Nothing is too much for him. He and his team went above and beyond what was required to help me, the customer. Gerrit, Norman, Stephan, Andries et al., all great people. There really are good people at CL trying their best to deliver excellent service. Please do not write them off!

He offered an upgrade to a better bike with discount too. I browsed for 2 hours looking at everything but only saw bikes I wanted starting at 60K. Oops. I took the refund. CL has a sale coming up end of April, maybe...

I am so grateful to CL for their service. They really do stick to their customers. I even had "Engela Atkins and I am Head of Merchandise and E-commerce at Cycle Lab" reach out to me via mail and offer assistance. Before I could call her, Jaco called me and asked for me to come in and resolve the matter. Thank you sir.

Am I bitter towards CL? No. Have they lost a customer? No. Is the relationship ruined? No. A BH member said "never go back". Life is all about relationships, they are hard work as all the married people will tell you.

I am going to buy a biltong, nuts and fruit hamper for CL and drop it off in the week to say thank you.

Very lastly: let us not pillorie, lambaste or speak falsely of CL or anyone for that matter. Here or elsewhere. Let us all be kept accountable for our words and actions, myself first and foremost.

Thank you.

[Rowl]

20 minutes ago, ephemeric said:

Snip

 @thebob  @RobertWhitehead  @sirmoun10goat: 

@RobertWhitehead  @Koos Likkewaan 2 

- @Skubarra: 

- @Rowl: 

- @agentorenge: 

- @RobertWhitehead: 

- @Robbie Stewart: 

- @OVERDRIVE: 

- @Sandro: 

- @The Ouzo: 

- @Andro: 

I am so grateful to CL for their service. They really do stick to their customers. I even had "Engela Atkins and I am Head of Merchandise and E-commerce at Cycle Lab" reach out to me via mail and offer assistance. Before I could call her, Jaco called me and asked for me to come in and resolve the matter. Thank you sir.

Am I bitter towards CL? No. Have they lost a customer? No. Is the relationship ruined? No. A BH member said "never go back". Life is all about relationships, they are hard work as all the married people will tell you.

I am going to buy a biltong, nuts and fruit hamper for CL and drop it off in the week to say thank you.

Very lastly: let us not pillorie, lambaste or speak falsely of CL or anyone for that matter. Here or elsewhere. Let us all be kept accountable for our words and actions, myself first and foremost.

Thank you.

Tip of the hat to you, and CL.

 

Good luck, hope you get back on a bike soon!

Edited March 24 by Rowl
And to mr Whitehead

[Andro]

This is great news. No hard feelings.

 

Hope you get a bike soon! 

[cadenceblur]

My experience with CL has by and large been great. 
They have messed up before but have always remedied the situation which is ultimately what counts at the end of the day. Had some great service from their N1 City branch in particular, but most of my purchases have been online. 

[RobertWhitehead]

Great to hear you got sorted. 

[Popit]

Great news , and well done to CL for their attitude in sorting this out .

 

[love2fly]

I also used to dislike CL but have been shopping there more frequently as their pricing has become more believable. Their price match got me some great discounts and the prior mentioned vouchers got me stuff like Squirt for next to nothing 

I would suggest that when you shop you rather consider the used market. In my experience you can find good deals on the Hub But due to this being an enthusiasts portal, bikes are usually higher end and thus more expensive, and maybe seen hard service, BUT sellers with many good ratings will want to maintain that good rating.

I've found good deals also on FB Marketplace and even Gumtree over the years but I've paid my school fees....

Try to stay away from places like CL used bikes and Bike Market as these bikes have been marked up and you're trying to save coin.

You've started the learning process so keep that up and try to get someone with experience togowith if you view a used bike.