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unshiny bike :-(

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  • May 1, 2012 at 7:51 pm #15704
    jonomc4

    So sit down grab a brew and let me tell you a story (and a warning)
    I have been building a new road bike myself from scratch – Wednesday two weeks ago, I had everything in place (De Rosa frame, wheels cockpit etc.) I just needed to order in the groupset. I went for the Sram Force with a Sram red BB30 chainset. So I dutifully checked out prices and found Shiny Bikes was offering a good deal and fast delivery (next day) – I wanted to build my bike that weekend and was a very excited chappy. Sadly the delivery didn’t come that weekend – I was mellow about it but disappointed – I figured it was the usual Parcelforce laziness – so much for the next day delivery!
    By Wednesday the following week I was more than annoyed that the delivery had not come – so I rang Shiny Bikes – apparently they had packed my order wrong but had forgotten to repack it. My call helped remind them they don’t only have to take my money they also have to deliver the goods (problem 1). So I called them the next day to confirm they had delivered it – yes and it would be with me for Friday – yippee. I took Friday off work so I could take the delivery and build the bike overnight and get the BB fitted at the LBS (the bottom bracket is one area I am not going to pay for the tools for).
    By 6pm Friday I was sweating – still no groupset! So I called parcelforce – apparently they had a 4 hour powercut in their Coventry office so were unable to deliver that day – go figure? (problem 2 – was a Parcelforce error but hey Shiny Bikes use them – it wasn’t my choice). So there then followed a 2nd weekend with no new bike – and my chance to get it to the LBS to get the BB fitted.
    As I was absolutely guaranteed delivery for Monday – I took Monday off work, again, so I could build the bike and get it to the LBS for the BB – things were desperate now as I had a £100 bike fitting arranged for Tuesday. Sadly the delivery didn’t arrive till 6:15 pm so the LBS was closed and I was going to miss my fitting (problem 3). I had to cancel the bike fitting (luckily for me the place doing the fitting were understanding and didn’t charge me a fee (thanks guys).
    Anyway I thought – at least the groupset has now arrived so I can build the bike and maybe persuade my wife to take it to the LBS for the BB. I stopped eating when the delivery arrived and flung open the box – showing everyone in my family my new toys – sadly one of the toys was missing – shiny bikes warehouse had once again come to the fore and forgotten to deliver the BB (problem 4) well I thought at least I can build up the bike to a reasonable degree and then get the BB fitted a couple of days later. But Shiny Bikes hadn’t finished yet with their ruining my day – whilst checking through the order I also discovered they had sent me the wrong cassette and 11-25 instead of an 11-28. (problem 5).
    So I called them back this morning – “so sorry” they go, we will fix it all. A bit later another call – sorry we have run out of Bottom Brackets and it will take a week to 2 weeks to restock (problem 6) – I have seen how fast their next day delivery is – if they think something is going to take two weeks I will probably be drawing my pension before it arrives! Then just to cap it off they have also run out of the cassettes (problem 7) – this they say they can get in the next day and will post ASAP – I wait with baited breath – NOT! It is incredible that they can allow themselves to run out of stock in the first place but then to sell what they don’t have in stock to a poor punter like me (who pays immediately) is disgraceful.
    Just so you know I went to “HighonBikes” and got a replacement BB – I have ordered about 15 things from them and they really do deliver the next day (and it is free). I have a feeling Shiny bikes needs a new warehouse manager – maybe someone who can read and count?
    I have bought hundreds of items on the internet, never before have I know such a catalogue of errors if it wasn’t so important to me I would have laughed. Anyway so many errors, I figured they would at least make it up to me with a discount – they did offer me a discount – yeay! 1.3% – Booo! Basically I got the cost of shipping back (which I am sure they are getting back themselves anyway) I have had bigger total discounts in a sweet shop.
    I am not one of those angry people but in all honestly I feel like I have been treated like dirt and it has really made the whole new bike thing change from an exciting experience to total misery and a lot of additional cost (I don’t get paid for days off – so I lost many hundreds) a cost that is worth it for something like a new bike but not just to sit at the door waiting for the postman. I have always received excellent service from a myriad of bike sellers – I feel fellow cyclists look out for one and other – Shiny Bikes may be a symptom of the growing popularity of bike – we now have our first person who acts like a second hand car salesman – all in all very depressing. Maybe you have had a good experience with them – I for one will not bother shopping there again! I am going to need to get on my new bike just to dissolve the unhappy memories of what they put me through.
    🙁

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  • October 13, 2014 at 8:28 am #677305
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    Cyclist

    I read this post after having
    I read this post after having already clicked pay!!!! So I called shinybikes and spoke to a rather flustered fella who sounded like he was in over his head, my heart sunk and I thought ok that’s that then!! However he was very helpful, he said the item was in stock (27.2mm seat pin) and that it had been shipped and i should have it by Monday (Today) and,,,,,,, it arrived 10 mins ago and was as required. But after reading all the above, I won’t be going through them again, even though the chap I spoke to seemed genuine.

    October 11, 2014 at 10:06 am #677303
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    matthewn5

    I’ve bought a few parts from
    I’ve bought a few parts from Shiny Bikes and had mixed experiences. First couple of items back in 2011 were delivered on time, one I had to return and got my refund without problems.

    Recently I ordered a BB tool and another part. These were delivered on time, but the BB tool was a completely different model. So I emailed, and nothing. Meanwhile I bought the right one from a different online shop. Then a few days later I phoned, an apologetic chap said to return the BB tool for a refund, so I did that. But then the refund didn’t include my cost of postage for returning the wrong item! I will never use Shiny Bikes again.

    Go with an established online shop, where the people know what they’re doing. I’ve never had problems like these with Wiggle, Ribble, CRC, HighOnBikes, Winstanley, AlwaysRiding, Merlin, Hargroves, SJS, CycleSportsUK, Planet-X, JE James, SigmaSport, Canyon, Bike24, Evans, Slane or loads of others. And if they have ever sent the wrong thing, they go out of their way to sort it.

    October 10, 2014 at 11:35 am #677301
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    OnTheRopes

    Just had a similar
    Just had a similar experience.
    I used to use Shiny Bikes a few years ago for tyres and tubes and never had an issue.
    This time I ordered a 105 groupset from them, not because they were cheapest but because I wanted the 52/36 chaiset option and they seemed to be the only ones who had it in stock.
    What a mistake that was!!! The problem with them is as already mentioned above, they do not state if an item is out of stock so it appears that it is in stock.
    So I paid and I waited. After week or so I emailed them to ask where it was.
    No reply. So I gave it another week and then called them up.
    I was told that it must have been a mix up and that they had the item in stock and would send it out today. I asked if they would email to confirm dispatch and was told they would.
    No email.
    To give the benefit of the doubt I left it another week and then called again.
    I was told it was out of stock but should be in later this week and would be dispatched as soon as it came in.
    Once again I gave them the benefit of the doubt but a week later still nothing.
    I called again and asked for a refund, they said no problem and I asked them to email confirmation.
    No email.
    3 days later I called again and politely asked them to do the right thing and to please refund my money. To their credit they did refund it in full on this occasion via Worldpay.

    I think they are probably above board and certainly not crooks but probably very disorganised and customer service is very poor.

    I will certainly never use them again!

    July 16, 2014 at 7:22 pm #677299
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    ericzed

    Hi I am new here but I wish
    Hi I am new here but I wish that I had read all of what is being said about Shiny bikes. How can they take your money and not deliver the goods, I have been waiting more than 10 days now, they must be delivering mine by bicycle.
    I did turn to trading standards but they aren’t much help either, what do I do now.
    Eric X(

    July 2, 2014 at 6:24 pm #677297
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    Wingit

    Bedfordshire Clanger wrote:I

    Bedfordshire Clanger wrote:
    I get the impression that Shiny Bikes is run by one bloke out of his shed.
    It took me a week to get through to them on the phone when my order didn’t come through immediately and then it was missing a piece. I got everything in the end but I’m not sure that the hassle was worth the £25 I saved by using them.

    I guess we can come up with a simple formula:
    cheap not always best + phone to check stock + if not sure read a few reviews = better customer experience
    and don’t add Shiny Bikes to your list

    July 2, 2014 at 5:24 pm #677295
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    Bedfordshire Clanger

    I get the impression that
    I get the impression that Shiny Bikes is run by one bloke out of his shed.
    It took me a week to get through to them on the phone when my order didn’t come through immediately and then it was missing a piece. I got everything in the end but I’m not sure that the hassle was worth the £25 I saved by using them.

    July 2, 2014 at 12:56 pm #677293
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    bfslxo

    2 outta 3 experience for me
    2 outta 3 experience for me with Shiny Bikes.
    Two orders fine delivered within 2 days
    One they took money for but did not have in stock & as it turns out didn’t even have in stock when i ordered but the system never said it didn’t nor does then spent over a week on the phone everyday to discover this & eventually get a replacement item.
    Cheap & very often cheapest they are but wouldn’t be my first go to for anything & now anything mechincal I support my 22 mile away local bike shop who are not cheap in comparsion but second to none on service & really quick service

    July 1, 2014 at 7:31 pm #677291
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    Joeinpoole

    Nzlucas wrote:You get what

    Nzlucas wrote:
    You get what you pay for…… I have worked in retail for years and they didn’t have the stock when you ordered it and made shit up to buy time until they sourced it. There probably a reason why you got no BB (which normally come with SRAM cranks BTW) and the wrong cassette, IE they never had them at all.

    If you can’t beat people with service then beat them on price.

    Next time support your NBS and spend the extra, some of us actually still care!

    Yep. As soon as I read the bit that went … “I went on the internet and found the cheapest” … alarm bells were ringing for me.

    Happens all the time. I was recently interested in a pair of high-end sunnies. Found them cheapest by far at a place called ‘bikeinn’. Then I Googled “bikeinn reviews” … and bought them from Evans at a higher price.

    There’s no lack of info on peoples’ experiences with Shiny Bikes either.

    July 1, 2014 at 6:40 pm #677289
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    Wingit

    Love that idea. Come on
    Love that idea. Come on brothers

    July 1, 2014 at 6:39 pm #677287
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    Wingit

    Fantastic words . Made me
    Fantastic words . Made me smile

    June 30, 2014 at 8:53 pm #677285
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    Nzlucas

    You get what you pay
    You get what you pay for…… I have worked in retail for years and they didn’t have the stock when you ordered it and made shit up to buy time until they sourced it. There probably a reason why you got no BB (which normally come with SRAM cranks BTW) and the wrong cassette, IE they never had them at all.

    If you can’t beat people with service then beat them on price.

    Next time support your NBS and spend the extra, some of us actually still care!

    June 30, 2014 at 8:14 pm #677283
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    Flying Scot

    I’ve never had a problem with
    I’ve never had a problem with any of the internet mob, including Shiny bikes.

    Though I suppose they must get most of it right or they wouldn’t make any money!

    June 30, 2014 at 7:40 pm #677281
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    Welsh boy

    Similar bad experience with
    Similar bad experience with them, order placed, goods in stock, money taken from Paypal account. No goods delivered when promised, nor a few days later, phone calls not answered. Finally got through only to be told that they no longer supplied the item I ordered. Refund offered and eventually paid back into my account. I will never use them again.

    June 29, 2014 at 11:57 pm #677279
    0
    srchar

    I used them once and I won’t
    I used them once and I won’t be using them again. Long story short – ordered a new groupset, faulty shifter straight out of the box. Rather than replace with a working lever from stock, they acted as the middleman in a warranty claim. After much misinformation, poor communication and general lies, I contacted the Campag warranty place myself and had the problem resolved within a couple of days.

    Since then, I’ve always paid the extra few quid and used Ribble, Merlin and Wiggle – they’re actual companies who care about customer service, rather than a lazy twat in a barn, which is what Shiny Bikes appears to be. Oh and their new website is woeful.

    June 29, 2014 at 10:07 pm #677277
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    PhilRuss

    Wingit wrote:I would say

    Wingit wrote:
    I would say don’t use them. Had bad experience with them. Money taken but product doesn’t arrive. Only answer emails that suit them. Said would refund credit card but didn’t. Absolute rubbish and just don’t seem to care about customers

    [[[[[ Shocking! I’d post them a snailmail envelope (empty), but headed up as “SHITYBIKES”.
    (ATT. MANAGING MIS-DIRECTOR).
    And sign it: “Another dissatisfied customer!”.
    And then send them a duplicate every day for a week.
    Maybe then they’d start to pay attention? Grrrr…

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