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Rant and heads up on LBS

3K views 26 replies 20 participants last post by  foulhabits 
#1 ·
So long story short, took my DH bike to get a works head set i waited 1 month to get installed. Took it to Amazon bikes in Oceanside ca. I payed them $45 (most expensive around) thinking it will be done really good. So I went to pick it up yesterday. Noticed right away it was steepened not slackened. I specifically talked to the mechanic personally and told him and showed with directions how to put it in and what angle with offset direction and told him please DO NOT steepen it.

So i took my bike and took off the fork. Then also noticed the lines where about 8th inch off center and the plastic bearing ring was on top instead of on bottom to cover bearing surface from race. I even left them with the paper the headset came with. So i took it back to the shop and the owner straight up argued with me and told me to get out. I said no. I told him he better fix it because i payed for service. So he said take it somewhere else. I said i payed for professional service and got garbage. He said i will have it done tomorrow. I said i cant pick it up on weekdays because you guys close and i get off work late. He said then get it next weekend. So i have to wait a week because they messed up my bike.

I couldn't believe the bad service. I told him what kind of operation is he running. So i left my bike and will get it next weekend. The guy was yelling at me and cursing at me. So i did so back. It was so bad. worst service i have ever seen. I told the guy to fix it right away because i had plans to ride today. To top this all off, i went out last night to test ride it and ate **** bad. Guess that's what happens with a steeper headset and off centered.

So just a little rant plus a heads up that this shop is total crap. It really sucks here because there isn't any real good shops or any for that matter that work much on DH bikes. Kind of have to do it your self. So the moral to the story is.....guys DO NOT go to Amazon bikes unless you want horrible waste of time service with the owner yelling in your face and damaged headsets.

Side note They tried to charge me 5 dollars for a small headset spacer and 20 bucks for the 1 inch spacer. I went to performance bikes and payed 3.99 for a one inch and two 1/4 inch spacers. Amazon tried to charge me 25 bucks for 5 spacers!!! i told them why would i want 5 when i can have 1 one inch spacer? Also all the other shops charge 30 bucks for headset install. It just takes longer turn around time. But i would rather wait for now on for better service. Now i see why the turn around time is longer, must be better service by far.

CONCLUSION: **** AMAZON BIKES
 
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#3 ·
i would have told them off in a nice sarcastic way and taken it somewhere else. i got my car back from a shop who put on new tires, i called later after my own post inspection expressing how much i appreciated them going out of their way to provide top notch! service and attention to detail on scratching the crap out of my black powder coated rims.
 
#11 ·
I built my entire bike myself. I was going to install the headset but being angled and needing alignment i figured ill just pay the 45 bucks and have it "professionally installed" But to my finding i soon learned it was not professional work. I also felt compelled to leave my bike because i had payed for service and im not a very wealthy person for that matter and told them they need to fix it. I just cant afford to take it some place else or for that matter buy the right tools required for an " angled headset" And i know the home made one works but not very well with angled sets. So this is the reason i payed. The arguing began because he said it was installed correctly after i told him its backwards and off centered. So he flipped out on me and so i had to back up myself. He was very non business like and had no regard to making a mistake and denied his mechanic messed up so i had to argue with him about it. Yes his mechanic installed the set but i told the mechanic personally what and how i wanted it, and i payed money to have it done how i want other wise whats the point of paying. Yes i also felt i should have just walked out but i also thought to myself well how am i going to fork out more money. But honestly i want my bike back. Im going to literately march in there and take it off the stand and walk out tomorrow, just going to have to tell boss to let me out a lil early.
 
#15 ·
blau blau and more blau....fact of the manor.....you just had an arguement with someone and now you are leaving your bike....your 3rd or 4th biggest investment in a lifetime..(behind car and house) .....I wouldn't be surprised if they kinked your chain....loosen a spoke, bent your derailer, bent a chain ring...pin holed the brake line (or loosen a coupling)...best to get refund
 
#12 ·
Did I miss the part where you asked the shop if they had any experience installing angled headsets or was that the part where you told the mechanic how to install it?

Maybe next time do some homework on the shops you plan on going to before you drop some coin on labor.
 
#14 ·
A angled set isn't much different to install. Just got to get it aligned. Honestly it's just a bike and a fork, you can be off by about a MM and still be good. All the headsets I installed, I installed with a dead blow hammer and 2x4. I didnt do anything different with the angled headset.
Yeah your shop should've admitted they messed up and fixed it right away. I would've even stayed later to fix it to satisfy you and get your bike to you as soon as I can.
 
#16 ·
how much is your time worth?

and gas and mult trips
and time off work
$45 and seems like you spent a few hrs on this already

you can be happy or you can be right (our realtor told us this trying to get punchlist items fixed on our place from the seller)

often i just fix things myself since I count the time to bring and retrieve my bike as part of the job

I'f it were me, I'd get the bike back, ask for a refund and if they don't give it, move on

plotting revenge, well that's up to you :)
 
#19 ·
Can someone explain to me why an AngleSet install cannot be performed by the all-thread, washers, and nuts homemade HS press? Total cost of mine way $10, and I think I overpaid...!?!?
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the heads-up. Although, I normally do 90+% of my own work, and I don't think I'll ever need any service up i the Oceanside area.
If you are ever in the Point Loma /OB area, Roger Lovett, owner of Bernie's Bike shop, has close to 40 years' worth of wrenching experience, and can do anything on a bike for a very reasonable (understatement) price.
Only drawback is he's in OB, and sometimes on account of his expertise, there is a week-long wait, especially in summertime.
 
#22 ·
Been doing all my own mechanic work on my bikes for the past 10 years and can count the mechanics that I'd trust to work on my bikes on one hand, but then again I'm also a professional mechanic.

In all honesty man, it sounds like you knew how to install the headset better than the other guy, you should have done it yourself or just had him install the cups and let you finish the work. For something that should take less than 10 minutes to do properly the shop is making you wait an insane amount of time for turnaround. Just don't go blaming the shop when your headset starts to creak and when the bearings start prematurely wearing... That's an inherent problem with an adjustable angle headset and why you'll never see me using one.
 
#23 · (Edited)
SHIVER ME TIMBERS, yes your point is valid. And this is why i got out of work a bit early and marched in there and got my bike. Seems all is good. I HOPE!

SCRUB, may have not been negative but a little sarcastic and in a way belittling me. And not being argumentative. Or maybe i just misunderstood what you mean. And if so i apologize for coming across like a dick. Not like me.

To explain a little on the works headset just in case some of you are thinking about it, It is difficult to install with home made tool because the headset cups them selves are off centered not the bearing or other cap/cups that come with it. And when you install with homemade it twists and becomes off centered. Its way different then CC or the angleset. or the fsa. The homemade tool will slant when tightening making it harder to get the lines lined up. So i figured why pay for a expensive tool for one headset if i can just pay 45 bucks. but the joke was on me.

To other guys thank you for shop info, But i also agree with his dudeness and alot of others, truly i should have just did it myself and bought the damn tool.
 
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