Bike shop problem #3

[adrian]

Finally got my Witcomb bike bike on Saturday. For some reason, they'd had to put a new bottom bracket in (I'd had a Dura Ace one in there for a couple of years). Not sure what that was about, but whatever. The spray job looks nice - a lighter blue than I'd stipulated, but I guess it always comes out slightly different to what you expect. The whole thing - seatpost extraction and the subsequent respray and rebuild - cost me £320, which seemed fair enough.

Went to ride it to work for the first time today. Didn't get far down the road before it became clear all was not well. At first there was only about 20% engagement in the whole pedal stroke, then the left crank became disengaged altogether. I 'rode' one-legged to Brixton Cycles, thinking maybe something just needed tightening up. Got there to find that Witcombs had put a BB in (XTR?) that was incompatible with my Dura Ace crankset, with different splines -totally ruining it. Already catastrophically late for work, I got them to put everything in a bag, wheeled the now cranksetless bike back home and came in on my Cannondale (which is now sorted, by the way - OYB came good in the end).

So, in the course of rebuilding the bike, they've f*cked up my DA crankset. The guy at BC said this is a schoolboy/novice/only-ever-do-it-once-in-your-career error.

I'm going to give Witcombs a ring later on. Assuming I get through , would you agree that I'm within my rights to insist they replace the crankset like for like (not with whatever they've got kicking around that shop that fits)? I'm also inclined to 'suggest' they come and pick it up from me.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Japanese incompatability

To the bunker

Guru P

[adrian]

[quote="mrP(Boonen)VT"]Japanese incompatability

Guru P

[Andrew G]

Good job that, fitting a MTB BB with your DA crankset. Got to go back to Witcomb or you'll never get anything back on it. New crankset and bottom bracket to be supplied by them free. Ideally supply but don't fit and then either DIY or take it to Brixton.

[Alex S]

Wow ok I cant even play devils advocate on this one.

its totally their fault in which case they will probably freebie you up with a new DA crankset + BB.

make sure someone gets fired over it

[adrian]

[quote="Alex S"]
make sure someone gets fired over it

[Snoop Doug]

Fer cryin out loud feller, take up skateboardin innit!! Someone's tryin ta tell u sumfink.

Bad luck mate. Still, I predict a trouble free future

[BrendanM]

I'm surprised by this. Witcomb were highly respected framebuilders who taugh some of the 'Big names' in American framebuilding.
An apprentice may have bodged it.
I would phone the boss for an explanation/resolution before going to a different bike shop.

[Mark F]

Got to take it to Witcombs so the manager sees the problem and give them a chance to rectify including replacing all the damaged DA crankset etc like for line new for old. Phone in advance so he knows you are coming in and agree a time, and agree with him what they are going to do before leaving and get it in writing - sort out in your own mind beforehand what you actually want doing (eg do you need a new chain as well?). If its not acceptable you have to take it elsewhere, get someone else to do it and then claim against them which probably will need to be via the Small Claims Court - not something you want to be getting into though a pretty simple and low cost approach. Take some photos for the record before going in.

[Dombo]

Always start out completely reasonable and expect the same. As others have said, phone ahead to explain why you're unhappy and arrange a time to come in. The unspoken implication is that you could quite easily have waited until the shop is crowded then barge in making a loud fuss in front of other customers.
Of course if nice and reasonable does not work, then go nuclear. But always give them that first chance to fix it.

[adrian]

Thanks for the helpful and knowledgeable advice, chaps - I really appreciate it.

They weren't answering the phone yesterday, but just spoke to Barrie Witcomb just now. He said to bring it in and he'd take a look. He didn't express horror and incredulity that an incompatible BB had been put in in his workshop, which disappointed me somewhat. His first offer was to put something in so I could ride it straight away, but I said I'd rather wait and have it done properly. So I'm going in there tomorrow - not brilliant as I'm looking after baby Albert on my own all day - and we'll take it from there. He did say he'd probably have to look into ordering in a new chainset, but something tells me I'll have a hard time getting a DuraAce one out of him. I don't think he's got a lot of time for Shimano

He said he'd had to burn out the DuraAce BB that I'd had in there because it had become seized up. Does that sound plausible? It hadn't been in there that long.

Anyway, I'm thinking maybe I should supply a new DA BB, which would make it harder for him to argue against a DA chainset, which is the big-money item after all.

This is all such a waste of time, effort and money. I can't help feeling that if my ignorance of techie things wasn't so far-reaching, none of this would be happening.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote="adrian"]. I don't think he's got a lot of time for Shimano

He said he'd had to burn out the DuraAce BB that I'd had in there because it had become seized up. Does that sound plausible? It hadn't been in there that long.

[Mike I]

[quote]So I'm going in there tomorrow - not brilliant as I'm looking after baby Albert on my own all day - and we'll take it from there.

[skippy]

From a consumer protection point of view, the phrase to quote is " fit for purpose" which it obviously wasn't as the crank fell off!! They got it wrong sold you something not fit for purpose they'll have to put it right.

[adrian]

Nice bit of casual racism in the opening line there