Clifton CC

On a lighter note - I agree with Helen on one point & it ain't just bike shops! I remember going into PCWorld for floppy disks and getting a really keen assistant trying to convince me that I really meant CD-R's "You know the little button on the computer box that you press and the tray opens...." and "It's all to do with memory, you see, and memory means...." Do you have to look like a computer 'geek' to get taken seriously in there?

Maybe the solution is to go in dressed in full racing kit complete with shaved legs & tan lines....then they'd have to take you seriously!

To give another side of Cycleworks though as well - my neighbour is planning to do her first triathlon soon - she isn't a club cyclist and rides a hybrid - and she was full of praise for the superb customer service and helpfulness of Cycleworks staff, and the odd times I've been in they've been just the same. Halfords are another matter (awful) but many people don't have a choice if they're buying through the cycle to work scheme (including both mine & Pauls employers).[/i]

Your right Cath,
I have also been patronised in PCworld and DIY stores.
I got my female specific trek from Cycleworks and they were helpful and let me have the bike for a weekend trial.
Nigel(Haxby Cycles) has paid up to become an authorized supplier for the bike -to-work scheme.
Helen

Will - I had a chat with Piers, who was the fella who served you when you bought the bike. The reason you didn't get fitted using the BikeFit setup is that Andy (the owner) is the only one there currently who is trained to use it. Piers has promised me that he'll press Andy to organise BikeFit training for all of the staff ASAP.

I spent some time explaining that many of us had bought bikes from shops that took bike fitting seriously and felt that this was important. He acknowledged that with much of their trade - town bikes - sizing is a less critical issue, but also agreed that for people who were going to be spending 150 miles in the saddle or whatever, it was important to get right. He agreed that measuring everyone who buys a roadbike and setting it up to the dimensions specified would be helpful and would avoid new owners having to fiddle with initial settings (saddle height, stem length etc) and maybe never get it right. I made it clear to him that while their having the BikeFit stuff gave them a service no other local shop can offer, we were only ever likely to recommend anyone to buy a bike there if they actually *use* it and give buyers the right size frame, the right adjustments and the paperwork with the recommended settings.

Will, I've asked if he can sort you out with a session on the fitting jig (either with Andy or once they get the training) in order to check stem length and set initial saddle height. Have a word with him when you're in; he's there today but I think off over the w/end.

cath wrote:On a lighter note - I agree with Helen on one point & it ain't just bike shops! I remember going into PCWorld for floppy disks and getting a really keen assistant trying to convince me that I really meant CD-R's "You know the little button on the computer box that you press and the tray opens...." and "It's all to do with memory, you see, and memory means...." Do you have to look like a computer 'geek' to get taken seriously in there?

PC World was at one time part of the same company as those masters of customer service in electronic goods, Dixons. Nuff said.

Dave

Dave B wrote:

cath wrote:On a lighter note - I agree with Helen on one point & it ain't just bike shops! I remember going into PCWorld for floppy disks and getting a really keen assistant trying to convince me that I really meant CD-R's "You know the little button on the computer box that you press and the tray opens...." and "It's all to do with memory, you see, and memory means...." Do you have to look like a computer 'geek' to get taken seriously in there?

PC World was at one time part of the same company as those masters of customer service in electronic goods, Dixons. Nuff said.

Dave

PC World is ok if you know what you are looking for and like paying rip off prices, best places to go are online shops and forums for PC stuff, pretty diffo that to bikes aint it, best place to go for bikes is real shops and forums I would of thought, well its pretty much the same actually since some bike shops are prety cheap and ok if you know exactly what you need and what size.

[quote="PhilBixby"]Will - I had a chat with Piers, who was the fella who served you when you bought the bike. The reason you didn't get fitted using the BikeFit setup is that Andy (the owner) is the only one there currently who is trained to use it. Piers has promised me that he'll press Andy to organise BikeFit training for all of the staff ASAP.

Unbelievable. I thought they did do staff training in there? according to their website they do? How long have they had this jig - a year / 18 months?
The way this should work is you get measured and then they sort you with a bike. They should be able to decide with a few questions what the customer requires and what bike is required and whether this service needs to be provided. As a paid up Clifton member & new to cycling I think Will would tick all the boxes.
Phil - this must be the longest post in the history of the club website. Andy needs to be made aware of how CH are currently being viewed and that they need to take customer service and our partnership a bit more seriously. After all there are a lot of people reading this who can spend their money elsewhere and a lot of people who currently wouldn't recommend their services.

Will, a couple of weeks after I contacted Halfords customer services about your issue and they just now responded with this.

"
Dear Mr Carter

Thank you very much for your email dated 9 June 2008.

In order for this department to progress this matter further, we would ask
that the gentleman in question contacts us directly the details of his
complaint, we will then be pleased to investigate his comments further with
our Selby store, and seek to resolve this matter amicably.

Kind Regards

Emma Thomas
Halfords Customer Services
"

You might not want to take this further as you have a new bike now. But, you never know, you might get some money back or something, and following this through should help in our "mission" to get bike shops to sell the right size bike to a rider. Let me know if you want to pursue.

Michael

MichaelCarter wrote:Will, a couple of weeks after I contacted Halfords customer services about your issue and they just now responded with this.

"
Dear Mr Carter

Thank you very much for your email dated 9 June 2008.

In order for this department to progress this matter further, we would ask
that the gentleman in question contacts us directly the details of his
complaint, we will then be pleased to investigate his comments further with
our Selby store, and seek to resolve this matter amicably.

Kind Regards

Emma Thomas
Halfords Customer Services
"

You might not want to take this further as you have a new bike now. But, you never know, you might get some money back or something, and following this through should help in our "mission" to get bike shops to sell the right size bike to a rider. Let me know if you want to pursue.

Michael

It just seems like they are going round in loops now as they have contacted the selby store and all that

"It just seems like they are going round in loops now as they have contacted the selby store and all that"

No they're not. Selby were useless with you so I contacted customer services (call it head office). That's what they're there for and you couldn't ask for more. They will have way more clout. It is worth doing.

Will, given all the help and advice you've had from some of your clubmates on this, I think you should pursue it.
R

Wow...the first Clifton discussion page Century! 100 not out!

When I have some time I'd like to work out the batting averages in the Clifton v Cycletrade match.

Hi.

I got a call from andy from Cycle heavan the day before yesterday, he said I could come and go on the bike fit. So I did yesterday.

What It sounds like is that the readings are very generic so to take them with a pinch of salt, piers was there, was surprised as it was his holiday, and cant remember the other guy that did all the measuring, anyway they got 2 readings, Road Racing Comfort and Sport (I think), apparently my current one is inbetween them.

The readings suggest I could have my seatpost like 9mm lower, but that would be too low imo and I would feel I would be loosing power. They also have let me try a shorter stem, its a cannondale stem, at the moment I am trying out, the difference seems minimal, its only like 10mm difference, they said if I find it better.. just keep it, so thats all good.

Just thought I'd share that, pretty happy with cycle heavan though, its all good and they are vv helpful.

10 mm difference in stem length is noticable, you should try it.

I'd also try the saddle lower. It'll take a couple of weeks to adapt, but you may find you prefer it and it's more comfortable.

Guys I need some help here now.

I'm getting really frustrated and dont know what bike size will fit me now.

Cycle heaven measured me up and fitted me to a 56cm frame and also Nigel at Haxby Cycles says a 56cm frame will fit me.

He said my Genesis was the wrong size for me and the CAAD9 is the correct size, I certainly feel less stretched out on it.

The thing is, people in Manchester keep on saying me my Genesis and CAAD9 are too big for me and I need like a 54CM frame and saying my bikes are causing me all these problems. So either these guys in Manchester dont know what they are talking about or cycle heaven and nigel at Haxby cycle dont, I'd have said Nigel was very experienced and knows more than most people and that Cycle heaven is pretty experienced too, but them in Manchester reckon people in bike shops know nothing.

I dont know what to do, I dont want to pay £50 to go get someone to tell me my bike is the correct size.

And some people say going from 170mm cranks (Genesis) to 175mm cranks (CAAD9) is going to cause me problems and could be related to my current leg problems.

So I dont know what to do, all I know is at the moment I just feel like packing cycling in it's doing my head in big time.

From what I'm reading, your frame size might be OK (if you have some experts saying one size and others saying another, then your optimum size might be a frame size inbetween... ie one which doesn't exist).

Your solution may well be then in optimising the other things you do have control over like your seat height, your stem length, your seat position and your crank length. If you go into bike shops and say "my current bike might not be the right size", they may well think they have a potential bike sale and try and convince you you're right!

Try not to get down by it all. We all have injuries and get fed up, we are all messing with our bike positions and sometimes get it right, sometimes wrong, dont' let it knock your enthusiasm.

Michael