In praise of Decathlon

[youngoldbloke]

I am sure someone posted recently that Decathlon had told them that they were going to open a store in the south west - Bristol maybe? Any more news on this? My nearest is a good 11/2 hour drive away.

 

[villagio]

I've just bought a Rockrider 5.0 from Decathlon in Wednesbury, after a guy off gumtree texted me (not even phoned, the coward) halfway up the motorway to say he's selling his bike to someone else . I must say I'm really impressed by their service. As someone has said, halfords should take note.

I'm now reserving judgement on decathlon until I get to test out their exchange/refund policy in a couple of weeks.

My 5.0 is slowly falling apart. The chainguard has been destroyed by the chain coming off numerous times, rear reflector has fallen off, and the front light fell out and smashed to pieces. The gearchanges are a bit dodgy sometimes too, and a couple of teeth seem to be bent. Most worryingly though the handlebar stem has developed some play in it, meaning it judders heavily under braking.

The Rockrider 5.0 looks a pretty solid bike. A triple on the front, decent steel frame, decent brakes, decent saddle even, and all for under a hundred quid!

I'd disagree about the saddle, that was the first thing I changed on mine. Personal preference I suppose. The tyres are awful though.

I'm beginning to think I might have been better buying a bike from a nearby shop (Halfords is the only one really close though), it's a pain for me to take back.

To be fair I've been giving it plently of punishment, and it's had a fairly big crash and survived structurally pretty well.
I dunno, maybe I'm expecting too much for £100 .

I emailed their customer services about the chainguard thinking they might just send me a new one and all they said was "take it back to the store", so hopefully they'll sort it all out when I hire a car in a couple of weeks.

 

[vernon]

By your own admission you've treated a bike badly, crashed it and you expect an exchange or refund???

You will be fully testing any retailers refund/exchange policy with your expectations.

 

[villagio]

I wouldn't say I've treated it particularly badly, by given it some punishment I mean a few jaunts on mild terrain, my biking skills would give out a long way before the bike on serious tracks . Certainly nowhere near the abuse it took on the gadget show tests. And the crash was only a couple of days ago, at low speed on grass, I might have exaggerated that too lol. Probably more spectacular in my head than in reality. As I said it seems unscathed from that incident.

Don't get me wrong, if they sort out the handlebar wobble (which started very soon after I got it) I'll be happy to keep it. It is after all a good bike for the money, just a few niggles are starting to show. The lights are more a token gesture (do they by law have to sell a bike with lights now?), and I expected they would need replacing even if they hadn't broke.

I think I'd still recommend it even with the problems as a starter bike to see if you'll get any use out of it, before you spent more money on an upgrade.

 

[villagio]

Well, an update.

Decathlon are superb! I took my bike back, and they offered to take a look at the faulty parts.

I asked about upgrading to another bike, and they refunded me on the spot. I even said I'd have to go back home for the pedals (I'd taken my SPD's off, but forgot to pick up the bag with the old ones and the faulty lights/reflectors/chainguard), but they said not to bother. Just gotta wait for the refund to be processed before I buy my new bike from them.

Brilliant CS, I'll never buy a bike anywhere else from now on

 

[dellzeqq]

another update. This showerproof top is the equal of anything by Rapha. And it's only 48 smackers. At Dellzeqq Towers we insist on Decathlon!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

another update. This showerproof top is the equal of anything by Rapha. And it's only 48 smackers. At Dellzeqq Towers we insist on Decathlon!

Bit of a squeeze on the backstairs.

 

[rich p]

I always buy a few pairs of their walking socks for general winter use. They're spiffing for the cold floors of Dell's castle.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I've heard a lot of good about them too. their running gear is always well-rated in the magazines (ie' 'Trail Running') & by the people I've seen wearing it.

Sadly, the nearest one to me is Sheffield, I'm very surprised that they've not opened a store in Leeds, or at 'Xscape' (jct 32/M62)

 

[youngoldbloke]

Their store opening policy is a mystery, there is no store west of Reading or south of Birmingham. If you live in the SW or Wales - tough sh1t.

 

[rich p]

Their store opening policy is a mystery, there is no store west of Reading or south of Birmingham. If you live in the SW or Wales - tough ****.

Apart from Reading, Oxford, Surrey Quays and Lakeside!

 

[youngoldbloke]

OK - I wasn't quite accurate geographically speaking, but if you live anywhere due south or south WEST of Birmingham - say Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, S. Glos, Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, and the whole of Wales - TS! My nearest store is at least an hour and a half away

 

[youngoldbloke]

[QUOTE 3267686, member: 259"]Still no store in Bristol? The were thinking about it three years ago apparently.[/QUOTE]
Exactly!

 

[Bollo]

Their store opening policy is a mystery, there is no store west of Reading or south of Birmingham. If you live in the SW or Wales - tough ****.

Apart from Reading, Oxford, Surrey Quays and Lakeside!

Southampton is west of Reading, where there's a Decathlon just outside West Quay.

Cyclechat - where the pedants live.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Southampton is west of Reading, where there's a Decathlon just outside West Quay.

Cyclechat - where the pedants live.

Yes indeed! Check out South of England stores
Didn't you read my other post. If you live in Bristol or Cardiff all those stores are quite a long way. In fact, I know people who have never heard of Decathlon, and have never seen a Triban 3