Have you got a new bike? Had it PDI'd? check EVERYTHING!

[User16625]

I recently purchased a bike from a very reputable dealer. One I trust myself. My bike rode well from the word go.
My bike was a Giant Revolt 2 (2015). Bike rides lovely but for a few niggling problems.

Had to replace barrel adjuster that adjusts tension of the front mech. On road this was fine, but the vibrations of off-road travel caused the OE barrel adjuster to rotate back to its slackest setting. This was replaced with the thing off my old bike. So far works great.

I had no problem with the brakes. They were great, however I decided to fine tune them anyway. While fine tuning my back brake something went rather wrong. As I was testingthe back brake the whole rear wheel came loose! I had to re-insert the wheel into the dropouts......but I never touched the back wheel or the quick release levers!

Also, possibly owing to the fact its Sora spec, the rear brake cable clamp is bloody crap. The clamp which "pinches the bolt" only pinches half the cable. The cable is badly frayed and kinked but there is nothing that can be done without changing the crappy clamp pinch bolt thingy. I fear this will eventually snap. The front brake cable clamp has no fundamental faults and works brilliant. But so does the back brake for now, just cant see it doing so for much longer.

But that back brake thing tho. I was literally walking my bike up and down my garden path before taking it out onto the road. Luckily I did that rather than jump on it strait away and go like............the devils flatulence.

 

[MattDB]

You should complain - you shouldn't have been given a bike with the potential to cause a dangerous accident and injury.

Odd re: brake cable - the cable hasn't just been lined up badly has it?

I bought a bike from Halfords a few years ago and to add to a long list of problems they replaced the stem as the bolts that clamped the handlebars on had been overtightened. On the way home with the new stem installed the handlebars slipped straight out.

 

[Mobytek]

You go to generic shop that is paid for from head office, staff come and go - you get this level of service.

You go to a shop where the mechanic is possibly the owner and has his life saving invested in the shop, stock and chooses his employees based on their proven experience, you get a different level of service.

#LBS

 

[RichardB]

Self-preservation says check everything, even if it's fresh from a reputable bike shop. When I got my electric bike last year, I went for a quick blast as soon as I got it home. I reckon I got up to 30+ on a hill on my way back. As I rested the bike against the wall when I got home, the handlebars turned 90 degrees. Turns out the stem bolts had been nipped up but not checked. It was sheer luck this didn't happen 5 minutes earlier. I complained to the bike shop, and it seemed they had two identical bikes, had PDI'd one of them, but somehow the one I collected was the other one. Not malicious or incompetent, just a simple admin error. They sorted it out immediately and I got a rather nice Moon light out of it for my inconvenience, so I was happy. But it did remind me that checking stuff for yourself is never a bad idea.