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Evans cycles – the MacDonalds of bicycles?

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  • August 30, 2013 at 5:46 pm #19741
    CanAmSteve

    My wife and I just purchased new bikes on the end-of-season sales. I got mine from an LBS (PedalOn) and she got hers from Evans, and had it delivered to a branch near her work. My experience – I went in, looked at the bikes on offer with an eye to one model. They didn’t have one built up in my size, but offered to do so for me in a few days and called me when I was ready. I dropped back and they fitted me to the bike, attached appropriate pedals and sent me off on a test ride. I bought the bike, a happy customer.

    My wife orders hers online. Evans emails her from the branch to say the bike is ready but she can’t go that day – she goes the following day. She arrives but the bike *isn’t* ready. She had ordered some clipless pedals as well, which were not attached. The seatpost was way too high for her, she said getting them to lower it was as if she had asked them for the moon. That was it – no fit, no test, no “let’s see if the bolts are tight”. See ya. When she brought it home I noted all the protective tape was still on – I suppose that’s up to the customer to remove. At least the pedals were tight – the last bike she bought from Evans the pedals almost fell off on the way home (and let’s remember they tighten as you ride…)

    Our nearest Evans shop is also pretty hopeless. I went in to buy a couple of tubes once and walked out in disgust – three people working and none could figure out how the till worked! I have bought one bike from them, and it was fine, but I ordered it in a box and set it up myself. I note that “way back then” (a few years ago) a new bike came with a bike tool, a pedal spanner and a classy “book” with all the info. Now? Nuthin’. Oh – that was another thing about my wife’s bike – they gave her an instruction manual for an entirely different bike – not even the same brand. Fail, fail, fail.

    Halfords may sell some crap, but I think they know their place – mass market with some decent higher-end stuff. Evans seem to think they are gods – and their regular pricing is the most expensive on everything. They run a regular “question time” on Facebook which is a joke – it’s like the tower of Babel with them trying to plug products and people asking questions from every angle. But, hey – social media is the future of cycling, I guess.

    Or is it just me?

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  • November 6, 2013 at 10:29 am #754381
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    Chuck

    I bought a Pinnacle MTB from
    I bought a Pinnacle MTB from Evans Birmingham a couple of months ago and it went well. Bike ordered in, built up when they said it would be, some fettling between spins round the blocks. Staff knew what they were talking about and were friendly enough. Hasn’t been back for it’s first service yet but I’ve had a couple of things done in the workshop and no complaints so far.

    I’ve had far, far worse experiences in LBSs so I guess it really is luck of the draw.

    VeloPeo wrote:
    Evans suck. Mediocre product range and disinterested staff who don’t generally know what they’re talking about

    I sort of agree on the product range, but as a mainstream, high street operation it’s not very surprising- there’s probably very little point in them stocking the more niche stuff.

    November 6, 2013 at 10:06 am #754379
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    VeloPeo

    Evans suck. Mediocre product
    Evans suck. Mediocre product range and disinterested staff who don’t generally know what they’re talking about

    Cycle Surgery on the other hand have been excellent every time I’ve used them. My local store (Highbury) especially so.

    November 6, 2013 at 9:52 am #754377
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    Leodis

    Its not just Evans, Planet X
    Its not just Evans, Planet X are just as bad and they are meant to know what they are doing.

    I ordered a bike on cyclescheme, had to pay an extra 10% for the pleasure even though they are hardly small time anymore with the millions been pumped into the business. They confirmed the parts ordered where reserved awaiting receipt of my voucher, said voucher came and forwarded to PX, a day later the order goes “awaiting stock”, called and found out they had given away my parts and not only that but then told me in the most demeaning way “cash payments take priority” even though they are paying less for the same bike.

    2 weeks later the bike arrived, hardly any packaging in the box and a little cardboard box called “Your Starter Kit”, I thought cracking all the stuff I will need for the bike so I looked in it, nothing except some random certificate stating I had bought said bike, it looked like something a year 11 could have drafted and printed, no instructions, no warranty and no tools to put the bike together (though I have these not everyone does).

    Numerous problems with the bike from the brakes to flat spots on wheels, they even put the seat post at its lowest setting so when adjusted the carbon pole was scratched due to the poor finish on the frame.

    Evans are bad but they are in no way alone on this front.

    September 18, 2013 at 2:42 pm #754375
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    bendertherobot

    Cardiff are fine. Good,
    Cardiff are fine. Good, decent range.

    I often pop in, show them Wiggle or Merlin’s price, then walk out with the price matched item.

    September 17, 2013 at 3:39 pm #754373
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    HarryTrauts

    It’s a bit of a lottery where
    It’s a bit of a lottery where ever you go. I’ve recently bought a bike from Evans Bristol and the first assistant I spoke to was useless. A return visit and I got a different chap and a much more knowledgeable conversation. When I actually bought it, the assistant didn’t try to sell me anything extra and even suggested that I could get some bits I wanted cheaper elsewhere.

    Some on here have praised Wiggle by my recent experience with them is that their communication is terrible when the item isn’t in stock and then they don’t like you writing an honest review.

    Pay your money and take your choice.

    September 10, 2013 at 4:22 pm #754371
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    CanAmSteve

    I should say; Evans used to
    I should say; Evans used to be better, and more competitive. I suspect expansion, the mini-boom UK cycling is experiencing and them taking the eye off the customer-service ball are all part of a problem they could still fix. They have the locations.

    I have pretty good luck with Wiggle – quick free shipping and no problems with items on the site but not in stock (which at least a few other have problems with). I did have an issue with a set of bibs from Wiggle that came with a seam unsewn for an inch or so. They wanted a picture of the defect (done), then had a form for me to complete with the message

    “Please send it back to us using the returns system found on our website and we will refund your returns carriage if found to be faulty. If the product is out of warranty or not considered a manufacturers defect we may only be able offer a repair service which may incur a fixing charge.” – While I realise that is boilerplate, I expected a bit more after sending them a photo. Why bother?

    I just gave in and sewed the things up myself. Compare to Northumberland with the new tyre in the post the next day – just return the defective one in the included postage-paid pack.

    Chain Reaction is also fast – never had to return anything so can’t say about that. The problem I have with CRC is that their listings are so skimpy you are sometimes not really sure what they are offering.

    September 10, 2013 at 3:11 pm #754369
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    Colin Peyresourde

    CycleLuddite wrote:I used to

    CycleLuddite wrote:
    I used to buy all my stuff at Evans (online/various stores). A nasty experience at the Reading store (time wasting and parts not there when they said they were, etc) allowed me to put the final nail into the coffin for them.

    Now I just buy from Wiggle and life is much better. Wiggles Returns policy is lovely. I just pop into the local collect+ store on my way home if I need to return stuff. Can’t ask for anything more. I’d pay more to get good service.

    Now just need to find a good LBS near Slough.

    I would like to turn this into a Wiggle love-in too. They are so dreamy.

    September 10, 2013 at 1:13 pm #754367
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    CycleLuddite

    I used to buy all my stuff at
    I used to buy all my stuff at Evans (online/various stores). A nasty experience at the Reading store (time wasting and parts not there when they said they were, etc) allowed me to put the final nail into the coffin for them.

    Now I just buy from Wiggle and life is much better. Wiggles Returns policy is lovely. I just pop into the local collect+ store on my way home if I need to return stuff. Can’t ask for anything more. I’d pay more to get good service.

    Now just need to find a good LBS near Slough.

    September 9, 2013 at 11:14 am #754365
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    mattsccm

    Tried the Cheltenham shop for
    Tried the Cheltenham shop for a disc braked road/CX bike. Choice ok but the nipper who tried to sell to me knew sod all or was incorrect. Didn’t know that 105 was “above ” Tiagra as an example.
    Same in most bike chains in any sport.

    September 4, 2013 at 8:09 pm #754363
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    Tjuice

    Hmm. Seems like quite a lot
    Hmm. Seems like quite a lot of bad experiences above.
    I have had nothing worse than good service from them, and at times excellent.

    Over the years, I have shopped in a number of the London stores: The Cut, Clapham, Wandsworth and Victoria and been pleased with all.

    I bought my race bike from Evans, and over the course of 3 trips to 2 stores, completed decent (3-8 miles) test rides of 5+ bikes. There was no problem getting any of the bikes into store for me, they were happy to spend time setting up each bike to my needs, swapping my pedals over between bikes, changing saddle heights, etc. I ended up with a bike that I absolutely adore.

    I have been riding/building/maintaining/obsessing over bikes for enough years to know probably more about bikes in general than most of their staff, and perhaps that helps, but I have no complaints with the service I have received.

    Shame that the experiences I have had seem not to be universal.

    September 4, 2013 at 12:38 pm #754361
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    notfastenough

    I’ve had the hard sell in
    I’ve had the hard sell in Evans; trying to sell me all kinds of crazy sh*t that I don’t need.

    Cycle Surgery in Manchester I have few complaints with though. There was one fella who thought fit to change my use of pedal spacers without telling me (oh, so after seeing me in the shop for 5 mins, you know my biomechanics intimately already?!) but the other two guys I usually speak to know what they’re doing.

    September 4, 2013 at 11:35 am #754359
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    Mostyn

    Cardiff Branch of Evans
    Cardiff Branch of Evans Cycles is OK; and I’d recommend them; also their on line service, I’ve had no problems with evans.

    September 2, 2013 at 12:46 pm #754357
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    MT63

    I had an okay experience
    I had an okay experience buying a bike from Evans; it’s their after sales service (or total lack of) I found appalling. Needless to say their warranty didn’t cover any of the issues I had with my new bike. I ended up paying a LBS to do the repairs properly. I have now sworn I will never use them again not even for an inner tube.

    September 2, 2013 at 8:37 am #754355
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    farrell

    I’VE Never bought a bike from
    I’VE Never bought a bike from Evans but I have bought bits/parts/locks etc from them.

    Manchester’s Deansgate store always seems to have friendly and helpful staff, albeit sometimes a little stretched numbers wise.

    The occasions I’ve used the store at the National Cycling Centre the staff have all been great.

    It could be a combination of luck and also having much lower expectations because I’m not handing over several hundred quid that means I’ve generally been happy with Evan’s and their service.

    September 2, 2013 at 8:20 am #754353
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    Simon E

    Argos74 wrote:They’re in an

    Argos74 wrote:
    They’re in an awkward position – catering for all varieties of experience, the commuter, sports/leisure road rider, downhiller, and whatever gets people on odd fixies.

    A decent LBS has to do all that without advertising in magazines or flashy shop fittings.

    My local shop has sold bikes to a huge range of people. Recent ones I know of include a child’s first bike, top-of-the-range TCRs, MTBs of varying wheel sizes and types for the downhill, XC and enduro racers and a 3-speed town bike complete with basket to my son’s godmother who is now retired and finally learnt to ride. It’s all in a day’s work. The staff love bikes and riding, and every customer is treated equally well.

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