Should I be pissed off at my LBS?

(Summary at the bottom if you don't want to read this rant.)

First Case.
Starting from last summer break:

(Note: I was still pretty new to mountain biking)
I go OTB on a jump on 5 Oaks and my rim gets pretty effed up. I send in my bike to RockNRoad to get my rim trued. Once I go to pick up my bike they tell me that my rear brake needs to be warrantied by SRAM because there was something wrong with it (they didn't tell me specifically).

Once my brake comes back about two weeks later, the line is too short. So I decide to leave my bike there because I'm going on vacation for a week while they send SRAM a warranty replacement for a longer brake line.

I come back a week later (from vacation) and it still isn't finished. One of the mechanics was there when I went to see if I could get my bike to ride while they wait for the warranty cable. He says that its "dangerous" to ride my bike with a short line. So I leave it there.

I go back a week later, the line still isn't sent by SRAM. I ask for a test bike to ride while I'm waiting for the line but they say that it isn't their fault, its SRAM's fault that the line is taking forever.

I go back a week later, and a different guy (Sales manager, maybe) is at the counter and we ask if the cable has come in yet. He says no, but says I can take my bike while they wait for the cable to come in (Piss off #1 - not at the manager but because of not being able to ride my bike for a week).

So I have my bike to ride but I'm still waiting for the longer line to come in. About three weeks pass by (I'm basically walking into their shop and asking twice a week). One day one of the mechanics is at the counter and I ask if the line is in. He says its been in there for about two weeks and they called me (We didn't get any calls and we left our phone number there) (Piss off #2). It was almost closing time so I said I would bring in my bike the next day.

The next day I bring in my bike and a different dude is at the counter. I tell him that I was told my Elixir line had been recieved and he tells me that it hasn't. (At this point I'm pretty pissed off because they don't know what the hell is going on in their shop). I argue and talk to the mechanic and he's like "Oh yeah" and brings out the line. He comes out with the line and shows it to me and demonstrates that the line is now long enough to reach rear (and be routed through the down tube).

I pay for the labor of bleeding/installing the new line into my bike. I come back a week later when they call me and one of the guys comes out with my bike with the line routed through the top tube. He claims that the line was too long and therefore had to be routed through the top tube via zip-ties (Piss off #3 - Both that they zip-tied it and that the employee lied to my face). This seemed kind of odd because routing through the top tube is shorter than routing through the down tube. At this point I just wanted my bike back so I took it.

(About six months after the hyro-line incident)
Second Case
I talk to the sales manager (I believe) and tell him I'm looking for the Camelbak Mayhem. He says they get a new shipment every week. So I call twice in the next two weeks and theres still no shipment. I give up. (Kinda pissed).

(About 2 weeks ago)
Third Case
I'm eating with my friends at Carls Jr. and then decide that while I'm out I should go get some SRAM powerlinks. They have none and say they'll have some next week.

One week later. My friend plans to go to RnR after school so I ask him to ask them if they have 9Spd SRAM powerlinks; he calls me when he gets there and tells me they do. I bike over to get some and I ask for 3 powerlinks. When the employee is on the way back he stops at the window that looks into their workshop and whispers to someone. I see him whispering over there and I listen in and he says something along the lines of "we have a couple powerlinks left..." and I couldn't hear the rest. Once he comes to me he tell me that they have no Powerlinks (Piss Off #4).

Fourth Case:
I shrug that off and walk around the store with my friend. He sees a HT Stumpjumper and picks it up to lift it. I crack an inside joke saying that he NEEDS that in carbon fiber. One of the employees who was fixing something next to us glares at us/looks at the bike, continues working, and says (while looking down and still working) in a somewhat elitist manner: "that is carbon fiber". (Piss Off #5)

I've been shopping at their shop for over a year and a half now and they all look down on me as if I don't know what I'm talking about and new to mountain biking.

Fifth Case:
The case that set off this rant.
Remember the line that they routed through the top tube via zip-ties? Today I cut the zip-ties off to clean my bike and found a huge gouge under the hydraulic line. The hydraulic line rubbed all the paint off and worked its way to the center of the aluminum frame. Now theres a gouge thats 5mm x 1in on my frame. I bikes get cable rub but I PAID RnR for the labor, can't they set it right? (Piss off #6)

Basically RockNRoad has given my a sh*t load of problems and I'm sick of it. Whenever I need new things (i.e. Hammergel, etc.) I'm biking over to Two Wheels One Planet in Lake Forest instead of funding a RockNRoad with horrible service.

Recap:
Communication problems within the shop.
-Brake line was there for two weeks but they never called
-Some employees knew/didn't know that my line was there.
-Didn't order the correct hydraulic line length when ordering from SRAM.
Lied to.
-Line was routed through the TT because the line was too long. (Mechanic told me this).
-Didn't want to sell my powerlinks so an employee told me that they didn't have any.
-Talked down to as if I'm a new rider and complete noobie (even though I talk to some of the employees about components, new tech, etc.). When I went to the Path they had a completely different attitude.
-Paid them to bleed/install a hydro line that WAS supposed to be long enough to be routed through the downtube but instead was routed through the TT and gouged my frame. The warrantied elixir (with the short SRAM line) could've been routed through the TT too and I wouldn't of wasted a sh*t load of riding time.

Final question: Am I out of line? Even if I am, I'm still pretty pissed that I paid them to destroy my frame.

 

http://cambriabike.com/
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http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance-Third/dp/1884737994
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http://parktool.com/

 

Um, stop going back after the first couple of incidents. There are many LBS in OC that are willing to take your money AND give good service.

 

htfu

 

+1

+1

+1

You were not lied to or "talked-down" to. We are fortunate to have many good LBS's in Orange Co., but they all have a different vibe (personality). Pick the one(s) that you feel most comfortable with.

:?: Your bike has not been destroyed!

 

this experience is common unless you know someone there and have a relationship, unfortunately there is no "perfect" bike shop that I've found.

STOP giving them any more of your money immediately, and start searching for better alternatives, do not refer them to your friends and be sure to share your experience. There are a lot of shops that want your money, make sure they earn it with "fair" service (notice I didn't say cheap?) Keep changing until you find "the one"...

Regarding the bike- you're gripe is legitimate, a common Elixir brake line shouldn't have taken that much time. I would mention it to them and see what they say. I think you're stuck, if the service was that bad up front, good luck having them step up to repair or take responsibility for the cable rub. Hopefully it's not too severe and doesn't affect your ride.

 

Not sure which RnR you're using, but I've been using the Anaheim Hills one for the first time as of late (they're a big sponsor for the shoair team, discounts dont hurt!) and have had nothing but good experiences with them. Had them order a couple things, worked on some minor stuff on my bike when i brought it in on a whim, and they seem to have quite a bit of things in stock if you walk in (admittedly the path is better for stocked items likes fork seals and stuff like that).

Point being, every shop does something better than the others. Life is too short dealing with shops you don't like. You're in OC, you've got a few choices so take advantage of them while you're still young and build up a relationship.

Also, there's more than a few shops that I'd trust to work on my bike, but I trust myself more. Not that I always do things correctly, rather that if someone is going to screw up, i'd rather it be me. Not knocking any particular shop, but there are how-to's on nearly every component, and Sram/Shimano/Avid/etc all post up tech docs on how to deal with their brakes, so there's no reason to try to learn how to do stuff yourself and never have to take your bike into a shop again. Take this situation as your opportunity while you're still young and hopefully wanting to learn. It saves money as well as your sanity sometimes. I just recently learned how to replace a hydraulic line as it was something i needed done, and the one thing I had not yet tackled. Tech docs can be confusing so if you can find a buddy or someone on here to show you how in common sense terms and in front of you, you'll be much happier.

 

Vote with your feet and your dollars.

There will likely be other shops that care more than what you have described, but no one should ever care more than you do which is why you should get some tools and learn to do this stuff yourself.

They may care about some customers, but it doesn't sound like they care about you and they don't sound too interested in keeping you as a customer. I would definitely find a new source for parts too. They have already wasted too many chances to earn your loyalty.

 

It would have only taken 2 incidents for me to never go there again.

This sounds like the chic who keeps going back to the ahole after getting smacked around numerous times.

You need to break it off clean if you haven't already.

 

:clap: Thanks for letting us know we could go to the bottom and get the recap rant! Classic!

 

nice analogy:clap:

 

+ManInAShed

Gouges are like scars, a sign of a true MTB'er.

Your friend should have bought the quicklinks.

Don't eat at Carl's. Fast food causes rants.

 

But Carl's is so good... You can't deny the Six Dollar Guacamole Bacon Burger once you've eaten it once... I'm sure it'll help me get into better shape.

 

Maybe land right, dont ride beyond your financial and physical limits. Route your own cables and bleed your own damn brakes! Don't be too offended bu this because I have been in a similar situation but I have learned to just pay myself when it comes to having to dealwith an LBS that does not really care when you want to ride. If your still angry at my reply we can meet at Chiquito trail at 9 tommorrow and see who goes ODB first. Good Luck...

 

There are some things I want to point out.

They don't order the brake lines, they send the brake to SRAM, they look at it, and they send it a new one to the shop. So if the line was too short, it is SRAM's fault, not RnRs.

One that same note, the time it took to get the line in is also SRAM's fault. They could have been waiting for another order to add it to instead of paying to just ship a brake line.

Maybe they tried to call you but you wrote down the wrong number or they couldn't read your writing thus they tried to call the wrong number.

Lastly, maybe when you were "eavesdropping" you heard wrong they employee wrong.

 

Since the bleed incident (I had had the bike (and my experience as a mountain biker for less than 2 months), I have learned to do a lot of things by my self because I became tired of RnR's sh*tty service. And after discovering the cable rub, I rerouted my cable so that it has a protective layer between my frame and the cable (and also has minimal rub due to rear suspension). And no I'm not offended. Information like this is what made me learn all the things I know now.

I need to learn how to bleed my Elixirs now. :-k

 

Cool learned your lesson. To gain a good relationship and nurturing bond with the LBS you got to talk the talk and get to know the dudes in thier that have your same riding styles. I've complemented good service with big purchases and a six pack on the side. Incycle in Chino has taken my rig right in when I wanted a modification and IE bikes has also treated me very well. Bicycle warehouse in Temecula is alright the mechanics aren't that receptive except for Ben. Go visit Drakethomas and his new shop in Temecula.

 

..

 

Bottom line, if your not happy with them go somewhere else or better yet learn to do it yourself. Even dogs stop coming to you if you kick em enough(no I don't kick animals). And there's plenty of online shops to buy parts.:beer:

 

Wait..... Let me get this straight............ You had to PAY MONEY for a warranty item??????? As in there was a problem with your brakes that was warranty, somewere the wrong part was sent..... yet you had to pay for it to be installed?????????

Thtas some Bullshit right there, I would haev walked away right then soon as I am told I have to pay labor on a warranty.