Rant: Lorencia Cycles Melb..

[GPLama]

After spending $2k there on a new road bike about 8 months ago, I get the
letter about the front brakes need to be checked due to some error thats
popped up.. so I took the opportunity to get the 'free' service at the same
time (which I was saving up as long as I could to make it worth my while)..

I've been servicing the two mtb's in this house, and the roadie myself,
getting the tools and learning lots along the way... so I thought using my
'free service' from 'a professional' would be a bonus. The chain needed
cleaning/oiling, front derailer could use some adjusting (which i pointed
out to them), and the bike needed a simple rag over it to clean it up...

Now I've had an issue in the past with these guys with some young shop
assistant getting a little cocky when I said that my MTB wheels didn't need
truing, he asked if I had the tool and could do it myself, like it was his
right to get another $40 from my pocket for something I didn't even
require.. but this is the last straw...

Picking up the bike, there appeared to be nothing done to it. Now I'm not
sure what a 'free' service includes, I only assumed it meant more than my
bike getting to sleep-over the night with other bikes getting serviced, then
getting to come home again. The one thing I asked them to look at (front
derailer) was in worse shape (IMHO) than when I took it in.. 5mins of my
time and it was back to working order...

So Lorencia Cycl..er.. Fishing Gear.. our time has come to an end.. the guys
at SHM were so damn friendly a few months back when I went in for a chat
about MTB discs that they are now my LBS of choice!

just my 2c.. other people might have good experiences with them..


GPL

 

[flyingdutch]

Gplama wrote:
> ...I'm not sure what a 'free' service includes GPL



free OF service perhaps

had this happen at way too many other places too

Lawrencia went to pot ages ago, but then again they do a good line in
carbon fibre... fly rods!



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[doofus]

I snapped a seatpost on my mtbike & when to speedlite cycles 177 guilford
road Maylands. in perth
I brought in the top of the snapped post with the max height marking on it &
asked if he could order me a longer one.

He ordered me in the same one in length....so i complained & he said we dont
give refunds & he cant take it back..
After a bit of abuse back & forth I left threatening to go to consumer
affairs.....
Ended up going to belmont Bicycle Entrenpeurs explained the prob to them &
they offered to buy it off me & ordered the correct one from these
guys........
The owners of speedlites Gary , trigg & vivki McAuliffe can go *&$#*8* then
selves as i put **** on there shop every where i go.....
going to consumer affairs would cost me more in down time from work it was
not worth it.....

Doofus


"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:N%[email protected]...
> Gplama wrote:
> > ...I'm not sure what a 'free' service includes GPL
>
>
>
> free OF service perhaps
>
> had this happen at way too many other places too
>
> Lawrencia went to pot ages ago, but then again they do a good line in
> carbon fibre... fly rods!
>
>
>
> --
>
>

 

[flyingdutch]

sadly, most LBS's just dont get that they are in a SERVICE industry!

not service = maintenance. but customer service

Carbon Fibre doesnt give you fibre of character....

(hmm, quite like that!)



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[coowoowoo]

Hi I also agree with the "free service" farce. I purchase a bike from
Terry Hammond Cycles in Port Melbourne late last year. The bike was a
one off that i really wanted. The sales guy treated me like a stupid
female & pointed bits like a bell and fixed mud guards in an effort to
sell the bike. He was patronising and couldnt answer any technical
questions. So i came back with a male friend to see if i would get any
better response and he was equally as unhelpful. I took the bike back
for its first free service about 3 mths later and when i picked it up
and rode it home i noticed a bent front rim. I also had two very close
punctures ( couldnt find any foreign objects so i suspect a pinched tube
somehow). I have no idea what they did and i dont care. I rang them the
next day to see if they would fix free of charge and they were not
obliging at all. I wouldnt recommend going there and i have decided to
get someone else to service next time. I have had some really good
service from SHM on bourke st Melbs, so i think i shall go there. Whilst
on the topic of poor service. I had previously had my bike serviced at
st kilda cycles. I asked especially to have them clean the bike,chain,
etc as i HATE doing this. I was even prepared to pay extra for this. I
was told that the basic service was $40 and to clean the bike to look
like new would be $60 all up. I picked up the bike and had to take it
back twice as they had not fixed a problem i had with a loose neck. They
had tightened a nut that didnt fix the problem. Even i could do
that..!!! And the bike wasnt cleaned.. So if anyone can recommend any
good places that actually service a bike , let me know. Thanks for
letting me get that off my chest. cheers ears



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[GPLama]

I was at SHM just today getting a mudguard for the MTB... guy was helpful
and I got my Bike Vic discount!

However, Ray's Bike Store on Whitehorse Rd in Bulleen (i think), were a
little uninformed.. telling me that I didn't know what I was talking about
when I said that 1.75inch tubes dont agree with my 2.0inch tyres at high
pressure, due to the rib/bands around where the valve is... I got a 'high
pressure' MTB tube from them to see how it goes, even getting an adapter for
the little valve thingy... only to get it home and find out its the standard
valve... bastards..

</rant>

cheers!
GPL




"coowoowoo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi I also agree with the "free service" farce. I purchase a bike from
> Terry Hammond Cycles in Port Melbourne late last year. The bike was a
> one off that i really wanted. The sales guy treated me like a stupid
> female & pointed bits like a bell and fixed mud guards in an effort to
> sell the bike. He was patronising and couldnt answer any technical
> questions. So i came back with a male friend to see if i would get any
> better response and he was equally as unhelpful. I took the bike back
> for its first free service about 3 mths later and when i picked it up
> and rode it home i noticed a bent front rim. I also had two very close
> punctures ( couldnt find any foreign objects so i suspect a pinched tube
> somehow). I have no idea what they did and i dont care. I rang them the
> next day to see if they would fix free of charge and they were not
> obliging at all. I wouldnt recommend going there and i have decided to
> get someone else to service next time. I have had some really good
> service from SHM on bourke st Melbs, so i think i shall go there. Whilst
> on the topic of poor service. I had previously had my bike serviced at
> st kilda cycles. I asked especially to have them clean the bike,chain,
> etc as i HATE doing this. I was even prepared to pay extra for this. I
> was told that the basic service was $40 and to clean the bike to look
> like new would be $60 all up. I picked up the bike and had to take it
> back twice as they had not fixed a problem i had with a loose neck. They
> had tightened a nut that didnt fix the problem. Even i could do
> that..!!! And the bike wasnt cleaned.. So if anyone can recommend any
> good places that actually service a bike , let me know. Thanks for
> letting me get that off my chest. cheers ears
>
>
>
> --
>
>

 

[redbears]

coowoowoo <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
<snip>So if anyone can recommend any good places that actually service
a bike , let me know<snip>

I have been taking my bike to Bike Now on Kingsway in South Melbourne
and they do a fantastic job of cleaning the driveline. Last year they
even adjusted by forks and re-routed the computer cable for free...
great stuff.

 

[coowoowoo]

Redbears wrote:
> coowoowoo <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>... <snip>So if anyone can
> recommend any good places that actually service a bike , let me
> know<snip>
> I have been taking my bike to Bike Now on Kingsway in South Melbourne
> and they do a fantastic job of cleaning the driveline. Last year they
> even adjusted by forks and re- routed the computer cable for free...
> great stuff.




Hi Bike now is one place on my list to try. I have heard good things
about them and asked them the other day for their service charges etc
and they seemed a little pricey etc but thanks for the tip,



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[DRS]

"coowoowoo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> Redbears wrote:

[...]

> > I have been taking my bike to Bike Now on Kingsway in South
> Melbourne > and they do a fantastic job of cleaning the driveline.
> Last year they > even adjusted by forks and re- routed the computer
> cable for free... > great stuff.
>
> Hi Bike now is one place on my list to try. I have heard good things
> about them and asked them the other day for their service charges etc
> and they seemed a little pricey etc but thanks for the tip,

You're not wrong. Check out some of the prices on what passes for their
website. Eek!

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[redbears]

"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "coowoowoo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]
> > Redbears wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> > > I have been taking my bike to Bike Now on Kingsway in South
> > Melbourne > and they do a fantastic job of cleaning the driveline.
> > Last year they > even adjusted by forks and re- routed the computer
> > cable for free... > great stuff.
> >
> > Hi Bike now is one place on my list to try. I have heard good things
> > about them and asked them the other day for their service charges etc
> > and they seemed a little pricey etc but thanks for the tip,
>
> You're not wrong. Check out some of the prices on what passes for their
> website. Eek!

I think it is best to go into the store and ask, speak to Paul or the
American guy, they seem most helpful with mechanical things. As for
bike prices and gear, a family member of mine bought a bike there
recently and got a great deal.

At the end of the day you get what you pay for, I have a Giant Carbon
Team MTB and it is worth getting it looked after properly, more so
that a $500 bike.

 

[eddiec]

Gplama wrote:
> I was at SHM just today getting a mudguard for the MTB... guy was
> helpful and I got my Bike Vic discount!
> However, Ray's Bike Store on Whitehorse Rd in Bulleen (i think), were a
> little uninformed.. telling me that I didn't know what I was talking
> about when I said that 1.75inch tubes dont agree with my 2.0inch tyres
> at high pressure, due to the rib/bands around where the valve is... I
> got a 'high pressure' MTB tube from them to see how it goes, even
> getting an adapter for the little valve thingy... only to get it home
> and find out its the standard valve... bastards..



I would agree with you about Ray's (and it's in Balwyn, but close
enough!)

I had the mixed fortune of scoring a bargain Marin duallie there a few
years back which I still ride and love. But it was a paradox as they
were selling tasty high-tech equipment but had no idea how to work on
it due to the bulk of their work being kids bikes and the like... When
I took it back there for it's first service the wheels came back in
worse shape than when I'd put it in and the discs were further out of
adjustment... Cut my losses, forfeited the freebie services and went
down the road to VicMTB... more expensive, but at least they know what
they're doing with pivots, shocks and the like. (Although the guy I
ran into there many years ago who offered hideous advice re tires
didn't give me a good first impression, but fortunately things have
improved since..)

After a few bad experiences I'd downright refuse to buy a bike from
anywhere that I wasn't sure about their technical skills, as that first
pre-purchase service is just so damn important!



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