lula

Let me cut the story short (shorter) by skipping all the difficulties encountered just to check if a specific bike/size was in stock (just to give you some idea, they put a “coming soon” label on a bike that’s never going to be in stock for weeks without any additional information, and zero response from via email/online contact form). I bought a 2018 GRAIL CF SL 8.0, placed the order on a Sunday and received the bike on the next Thursday –couldn't be happier. Found the tires were covered in dust/dirt upon opening the box, definitely have been used outdoor -- a little suspicious, but the bike is stunning and I continued after carefully reading the assembly instructions 3 times. During the assembly process, I couldn’t find the quick-release lever on the front wheel. As per the quick-start (page 11) and manual (page 26) it should be in the small toolbox. Later I was told by a customer service rep that the documents weren’t up-to-date, and it should only contain one lever – fine. Further inspection revealed some scuffs on the fork, and the wheel rim has a scratch. And the gears… The gears weren’t “fully functional and will not require any further adjustment” as it claimed on page 19 of its manual at all. The chain is rubbing the front derailleur and some strange clicking-sound on certain gear – disheartened and felt deceived. One of the rubber gaskets on the frame where the wires go through fall off the day after the bike was assembled, while sitting still in the living room – very upset.

Emailed Canyon USA Friday evening after work, listed all the problems with detailed photos and videos. Phoned customer service Saturday, the rep showed some sympathy and assigned the case to the level 2 tech team and expect them to get back on Monday. Not knowing what to do with the bike, the rest of my weekend was disturbed, even in sleep.

Monday afternoon, can’t wait anymore, called them myself to follow up, was put on hold for 40+ minutes until I reached the ‘level 2 tech unit’. Three options were offered: 1. return the bike plus a 10% discount on the more expensive 2019 model with free shipping, which puts the 2019 model at about the same price as what I paid for the 2018 model, the catch is that the 2019 model only comes in a color I dislike; 2. Canyon to send a pair of new tires and I take the bike to a LBS, and Canyon will pay for the tire change and front derailleur tuning labor ($40 + $30 allowance as per Canyon), plus $75 for the scuff and scratches; 3. return the bike.

The last rep kept mentioning a “win-win” solution, but where do I win? Sounds all like “Canyon win - I loose” solutions to me.

Option #1, the 2019 model is no different to me than a 2018 in terms of components, but I’d have to pay full price for a bike in a color that I don’t care for. Yes it’s full-price to me because I paid for the 2018 model and I wanted the 2018 model, swapping it with the 2019 model isn’t really a discount from my perspective, let alone the bike comes in a different color.

Option #2 is keeping the bike. Basically the bike needs to be fixed-up from day one. I can imagine the gear might be out of tune during the boxing and shipping process. But adding on all the other problems I’m seeing, the series of issues does not inspire any confidence in Canyon’s quality control, whoever who puts on those tires would have to work in complete darkness, or simply didn’t bother to open the box, possibly came directly from a customer’s return. It is entirely possible that both the fork and wheels are either used or defective, not just the tires, and Canyon expects their customer to bear this risk, not even with the decency to allow for a full tune up at the LBS, which costs $100, rather than $30. The scratches are assessed at $75 based on their own opinion, and no they do not accept third-party opinion.

Option #3, returning, as the last rep framed it philosophically, is one of the losses “we all have to bear in life when making an investment” when I asked about the time I spent assembling, and about to spend on dissembling and shipping. Well yeah, based on Canyon’s playbook, customers have to bear to risk when investing its bike. Given the bike’s condition it arrived in, if I were to return the bike, I’d expect Canyon to disassemble and pick up the bike by themselves.

So again how is any of these a “win-win” solution, when none of the options makes any economic sense to me and none of them makes up for my time, effort, all the emotions and loss of sleep? It is only ‘reasonable’ from Canyon’s perspective.

Bear this in mind -- once you purchase and encounter any kind of post sale problem, it became a zero-sum game between Canyon and their customers. And Canyon wouldn’t bother to step in their customer’s shoe. Instead, they would do anything to maximize their short-term gain, and worst of all they set all the rules, negotiation is out of the question. Canyon can sell a defective product 10 times and hope there’s eventually a customer who doesn’t care enough to make a complaint. This is their business model. Their competitive pricing comes from only putting a price tag on their own labor. They take customers time and effort for granted. Bottom line is, customers should add on a premium to account for the risk they are taking, their potential cost in time and effort, to the Canyon price tag.

Thanks all for reading!

puma1552

I would take option 3 in a heartbeat and run. Yeah it sucks to disassemble the bike and pack it back up, but you knew that would be a possibility when you bought a mail order bike.

Put it this way, you have an opportunity to get out clean - take it.

At least it isn't day 80 of trying to get a wheelset refund like it is for me with Wiggle. Guessing Canyon might do you a little better on the return process than Wiggle has done me. You might be lucky enough to have your refund from Canyon within like 10 days.

lula

I'm really sorry about your experience with Wiggle. You are paying for their mistakes as well. You should not be the one to bear the consequences of all the logistic delays, as it is Wiggles fault that the wheels sets are defective, and it is also Wiggle's choice of shipping companies!

My initial reaction to Canyon's response was to take option 3 and be done with them asap. But the last customer service representative was almost trying to persuade me to return the bike in the end and showed no remorse whatsoever, like they'd be better off getting rid of a customer. -- This is what nauseates me most, everyone can make a mistake, so does a bike company, but they need to own their mistakes and work with their customers in a constructive way, not just stating their rules and ask the customers to walk away. I just don't want them to get away with it so easily yet.

Cyclist0108

We've also come to the conclusion Canyon is more trouble than it is worth. After replacing brakes and drivetrain at our expense, and two sets of chain-stays at their expense, I think all the money we saved has been eaten up by ibuprofen purchases.

The phone/email help system is the low point, and having to re-tell your entire life story every time they ask you to call back to clarity something, or to get your credit card number so they can refund something (which they then don't), etc, gets old quickly.