Evans - a rant!

[e-rider]

So I've been a member here for over a months now, and believe it or not STILL don't have a bike!

With lots of help, I tried to order in the Norco Indie 3 bike to Evans in Glasgow which has now come in damaged THREE TIMES! It's insane! I feel doomed to never get a bike!

I feel most sorry for the friendly forum members @Pat "5mph" and @ScotiaLass who have now allowed a few different days to come with me and I've had to cancel at very short notice.

I'm realising that this is a totally pointless post, but I wanted a rant! To be fair they've always been very friendly on the phone and seen genuinely embarrassed and apologetic that this keeps happening. I think my plan now might be to just go with no bike on order and try a few that are there.

I'm so keen to get going that this is getting super frustrating now! Anyone else had similar experiences or horror stories they'd like to share/vent about? Or maybe something you can now look back and laugh at!

FWIW I would go elsewhere and try a local place in Falkirk, but through my life insurance I get a 50% discount at Evans which makes it very attractive!

as with any bike shop, you can't expect a 1st class professional sales person, if they are only being paid not much more than minimum wage
if shops realised this, the standard of service would increase massively and the dent in their annual profits would probably be actually quite small relatively speaking - still, greed still wins the day in this industry and most others!

 

[paul2015]

I've never dealt with Evans but rather use a local small business and the service is outstanding. They know everything about what they sell, they all ride and everything is in stock apart from every frame size if your buying a bike. My 2 cents

 

[mrbikerboy73]

My nearest branch is a bit of a hike so I rarely go in there, but they aren't too bad. They did, however, try to fob me off by claiming they'd repaired my leaking forks on a 6 month old bike I'd bought from them when clearly they hadn't. When I pushed them, they swapped them for some far better Rockshox so I can't complain!
The online service has always been pretty good. Most items are in stock, if maybe not the cheapest. I've been using my Tesco Clubcard vouchers as they double up for Evans vouchers

 

[Saluki]

Any news yet @dst87

 

[dst87]

Any news yet @dst87

Yes... I ditched the bike that kept coming in faulty and headed over with @Pat "5mph" who was invaluable in helping me find a suitable bike!

Very delighted with my purchase, but I left the country the day after buying it, so I haven't actually ridden it yet, other than while testing it where I rode a few miles with Pat round Glasgow (I had a sore bum for days after that!!)

Some padded cycling shorts have arrived today (which I'm confused about a bit, but never mind) and I have a track pump thingy which I've just about worked out how to use!

I'm hoping to get out this afternoon and see what I can do! I got the Pinnacle Lithium Four in beautiful yellow! It also glows in the dark, apparently... Here's a photo taken on purchase day in Glasgow Green:

View media item 7985

 

[Saluki]

Fab bike. I the colour. You are going to have to change your user ID to 'BananaBikeMan' .

Why are you confused about the padded shorts? They feel hideous without a bike beneath them, that's normal.

 

[dst87]

Fab bike. I the colour. You are going to have to change your user ID to 'BananaBikeMan' .

Why are you confused about the padded shorts? They feel hideous without a bike beneath them, that's normal.

Thanks! I love it actually it's really nice! I went for my first ride today in the padded shorts - just over an hour covering 10 miles on the flat along the canal. Very bumpy and my bum isn't too bad... so hopefully the shorts have done something! Wearing the shorts on the bike was better I think, though perhaps a bit more padding would have been better for my weight!

 

[Mo1959]

Yes... I ditched the bike that kept coming in faulty and headed over with @Pat "5mph" who was invaluable in helping me find a suitable bike!

Very delighted with my purchase, but I left the country the day after buying it, so I haven't actually ridden it yet, other than while testing it where I rode a few miles with Pat round Glasgow (I had a sore bum for days after that!!)

Some padded cycling shorts have arrived today (which I'm confused about a bit, but never mind) and I have a track pump thingy which I've just about worked out how to use!

I'm hoping to get out this afternoon and see what I can do! I got the Pinnacle Lithium Four in beautiful yellow! It also glows in the dark, apparently... Here's a photo taken on purchase day in Glasgow Green:

View media item 7985

I think you've made a great choice. That looks perfect for the type of riding you will be doing. A real good all rounder with a great range of gears, sturdy but still a respectable weight. Hope you have fun.

 

[dst87]

Thanks @Mo1959 I'm really pleased with it!

Though with my trip along the canal I now need to work out how to clean the bloody thing, then how to fit mudguards!! How hard can it be...

 

[User16625]

Yes... I ditched the bike that kept coming in faulty and headed over with @Pat "5mph" who was invaluable in helping me find a suitable bike!

Very delighted with my purchase, but I left the country the day after buying it, so I haven't actually ridden it yet, other than while testing it where I rode a few miles with Pat round Glasgow (I had a sore bum for days after that!!)

Some padded cycling shorts have arrived today (which I'm confused about a bit, but never mind) and I have a track pump thingy which I've just about worked out how to use!

I'm hoping to get out this afternoon and see what I can do! I got the Pinnacle Lithium Four in beautiful yellow! It also glows in the dark, apparently... Here's a photo taken on purchase day in Glasgow Green:

View media item 7985

Thanks! I love it actually it's really nice! I went for my first ride today in the padded shorts - just over an hour covering 10 miles on the flat along the canal. Very bumpy and my bum isn't too bad... so hopefully the shorts have done something! Wearing the shorts on the bike was better I think, though perhaps a bit more padding would have been better for my weight!

Just remember this next time she says shes got a headache.

 

[Mo1959]

Thanks @Mo1959 I'm really pleased with it!

Though with my trip along the canal I now need to work out how to clean the bloody thing, then how to fit mudguards!! How hard can it be...

I've fitted a couple of sets, but not to bikes with disc brakes. They can be frustrating and fiddly to fit, and if you have to shape the stays round the brake discs, maybe even more so. I know it's more expense, but if you are in any doubt about doing it yourself I would pop it into the bike shop to get done.

 

[Saluki]

Thanks @Mo1959 I'm really pleased with it!

Though with my trip along the canal I now need to work out how to clean the bloody thing, then how to fit mudguards!! How hard can it be...

I take my bike and put it in the shower room and then squirt at it with the shower head. I use Muc-off as it's brilliant. A quick squirt all over with that and leave it to do it's thing while I make a cuppa and then back to it with the shower head (you only need to get busy with the really grotty bits) and it's done. You might need to clean the shower out.
We have a wet room so it's nice and easy. Where we used to live, I would put it in the bath and lean it up. Hubster never minded, as long as I cleaned his bike too. In the summer it's easier as we just wave a hosepipe in the general direction of the bike but I don't want my poor Planet X's to get cold, hence the shower room.

 

[dst87]

I've fitted a couple of sets, but not to bikes with disc brakes. They can be frustrating and fiddly to fit, and if you have to shape the stays round the brake discs, maybe even more so. I know it's more expense, but if you are in any doubt about doing it yourself I would pop it into the bike shop to get done.

I think I might get it done in a LBS or maybe back at Evans if I go in for the checkup thing they offer. Either that or get the ones that just clip on - they seem trivial to fit but I don't know which would be best for me!

I take my bike and put it in the shower room and then squirt at it with the shower head. I use Muc-off as it's brilliant. A quick squirt all over with that and leave it to do it's thing while I make a cuppa and then back to it with the shower head (you only need to get busy with the really grotty bits) and it's done. You might need to clean the shower out.
We have a wet room so it's nice and easy. Where we used to live, I would put it in the bath and lean it up. Hubster never minded, as long as I cleaned his bike too. In the summer it's easier as we just wave a hosepipe in the general direction of the bike but I don't want my poor Planet X's to get cold, hence the shower room.

Sounds fairly straightforward. I have an outside tap so maybe I should get a short hose and shower-head style attachment to give it a going over. Is there a risk to the chain and other mechanisms with the water? How do you protect this? Mostly it's just splattering of mud as it wasn't THAT muddy today, so I might just wipe all of the bits down with a cloth and some warm (soapy?) water!

 

[Saluki]

Sounds fairly straightforward. I have an outside tap so maybe I should get a short hose and shower-head style attachment to give it a going over. Is there a risk to the chain and other mechanisms with the water? How do you protect this? Mostly it's just splattering of mud as it wasn't THAT muddy today, so I might just wipe all of the bits down with a cloth and some warm (soapy?) water!

Wet-wipes are your friend for minor mud and grott. I use wet-wipes on my chain, on pretty much a daily basis for cleaning.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Well done, Duncan! A respectable distance for your first proper ride.
Can I tell the whole forum that our Duncan went straight to the big front ring (on a triple) on his test ride, finding the middle range too easy