Wiggle and Chain Reaction gone into administration.

[wafter]

Big order arrived today and is looking pretty positive

The base layers look like nice quality, feel good on but are a bit tight (of course, not their fault and I really need to lose some weight).

The merino hat is a nice fit and looks good (as much as possible when blighted by locality to my face), the neck tube also seems good but I'm not sure how well it'll survive in close proximity to my beard / stubble.

The RD hanger tool looks decent for the money and I'm looking forward to trying it out, while the couple of little Lifeline valve caps look really well made, and I kind of wish I'd bought some more.

I'd never really given much credit to CRC's own-brand stuff, which in light of how decent this all seems is a bit of a shame

 

[wafter]

Smaller order arrived to attenuate the joy of its predecessor.

Contents included two pairs of merino socks that are nice enough but too small, after I gambled on a slightly-smaller-than-ideal size since the larger ones were out of stock and I generally like tighter-fitting gear.

I also got a wheel dishing gauge; having had to dish wheels in less-than-favourable circumstances in the past, although I'm not sure I'll ever need to again. On the one hand it was only a tenner, on the other it'll take up room. Seems like a decent piece of kit for the money though.

Finally a £2 bottle of Vitamin D3 tablets used to bulk out the order past the free postage threshold, as I could do with some fugging sunshine. Cheaper in bulk online, however I guess this is a reasonable route to dipping my toe in the water..

Mulling over the viability of returning the socks; which is an especial pain as I have another two pairs on order that presumably also ought to go back..

 

[wafter]

Looks like it's finally game over - was looking to make one last order but the website became increasingly glitchy, some products that were showing in stock disappeared and the checkout facility died.

Shame as there were still a few bits that I wanted - I guess that the price one pays for trying to game it down to the last. On the up-side, it's saved me from spending any more money.

Seems as suspected they've shut the site down pending sale of the remaining stock in bulk; will be interesting to see where / when it turns up...


EDIT: Actually, managed to check out one last basket albeit without some bits I'd have liked; seems they're systematically going through removing products as the links from search results / bookmarks are now dead.

That was all a bit of an emotional rollercoaster!

 

[Jenkins]

Looks like all the own brand 'Lifeline' stuff has now been removed from sale.

 

[bonzobanana]

Looking pretty grim now on the Chain Reaction site, the stock lines are heavily reduced, no bikes left, 2 items in maintenance and bike parts etc now down to a few pages of items. I looked at the tube and tyre section and not a single inner tube I think. Still a few tyres still at high prices and lots of wheel spares. They finally seem to have sold out of all their Clark's Clout brakes it seems. I bought a few front sets at £4.99 at one point before they decided to put them back up to something like £10.99 which in itself is still a bargain.

 

[fossyant]

My order of two chains and a BB (all going to be used) have finally shipped. The knock on un the industry is going to be massive. All feeling like the late 80's again.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Slightly OT but I put in an order for some bits from Leisure Lakes Bikes last weekend, due for delivery Thursday, standard delivery, planning to do the work on Sat. When they didn't show up on Thursday I contacted LL and they must have just forgotten because they dispatched it within minutes of me contacting them. And they sent it next day delivery so I still managed to do the work yesterday.

I wonder how other vendors are doing. On the one hand they'll be getting extra business but will that make up for the moribund market?

 

[Emanresu]

Could we close this thread? Every time it pops up I end up going the Wiggle/CRC site and buying something.

 

[fossyant]

Could we close this thread? Every time it pops up I end up going the Wiggle/CRC site and buying something.

It's all gone.. unless you are grabbing shoot..

 

[bonzobanana]

It's now gone completely with no stock to buy on the site. Still a few bits on the ebay site at auction to finish. Death of a titan (in bicycle retail anyway). Sad to see. Hope everyone there gets other jobs quickly. Some great bargains at the end. I wonder what Mike Ashley will do with the brand.

 

[Jameshow]

It's now gone completely with no stock to buy on the site. Still a few bits on the ebay site at auction to finish. Death of a titan (in bicycle retail anyway). Sad to see. Hope everyone there gets other jobs quickly. Some great bargains at the end. I wonder what Mike Ashley will do with the brand.

Never shopping in sport direct again..

 

[Jody]

The last things I ordered turned up at the end of last week. Couple of pairs of flat pedals, cleaning brushes and a dropper post for my mate

Massive shame they have gone under but no doubt Winstanleys, Leisure Lakes and others will scoop up the lost business

 

[figbat]

It's now gone completely with no stock to buy on the site. Still a few bits on the ebay site at auction to finish. Death of a titan (in bicycle retail anyway). Sad to see. Hope everyone there gets other jobs quickly. Some great bargains at the end. I wonder what Mike Ashley will do with the brand.

Which exposes one of the huge issues with the updated web and app experience - go there now, filter by “in stock” and a load of things are shown. But each one is “sold out” if you click through. Oh well, good riddance to the updated online experience, but sad to see the business gone.

 

[SuffolkBlue]

Which exposes one of the huge issues with the updated web and app experience - go there now, filter by “in stock” and a load of things are shown. But each one is “sold out” if you click through. Oh well, good riddance to the updated online experience, but sad to see the business gone.

This is what I am getting?

 

[Alex321]

Never shopping in sport direct again..

Why?

I understand people not liking what Ashley does, and not buying from his places generally, but not sure how this makes any difference. He hasn't caused Wiggle's problems.