TimothyH

I've made a second purchase from Sigma Sports.

The Ashmei wool mid-layer was $149 vs $199 at the manufacturer's website.

It shipped from England to Atlanta, Georgia in only two days.


-Tim-

ManyBikess

Bought a Colnago from Competitive Cyclist about 10 years ago, smooth sailing

Juan Foote

I have had exceptional dealings with BikesDirect. Even in the case where something was wrong they went the extra mile to make right.

Just about the only other place I shop bike parts is Amazon or a local shop.

Doctor Morbius

Mostly favorable:
Nashbar
Ebay
Jenson USA
Chain Reaction Cycles
ProBikeKit
Ribble
Amazon

Unfavorable:
Performance Bike

PhoenixBiker 

I've ordered from Nashbar, Performance, Jenson and several Amazon-controlled retailers.

Nashbar and Performance have been pretty good, but their inventory nowadays doesn't appear to be on par with those of the past. Jenson has been excellent, at least for components -- prompt shipments, which help because I live clear across the country from L.A. Most of the Amazon retailers have been good, but Amazon Prime probably helps boost my satisfaction level with them.

MobiBike

Treefort bikes price match good, shipping standard nothing bad or good about shipping
​​​​​​
Bike Wagon I shop their sales and hit free freight fast shipping great customer service when I need it. Returns are a hassle but they work it out..

Niagara cycle shipping long wait, sales prices are great, variety unmatched ... I wait out big orders to get free shipping but I buy lots of repair parts for restoration projects.

Bike tires direct .. Good shipping and quality products and no sales tax in Oregon. I shop the sales and they also price match lighting fast.

Jenson USA price match is good and fast, so is shipping and sales.

Nashbar I buy enough for free shipping and it's slow.

Amazon when I can cuz prime shipping and occasional nuts Uber cheap special finds on product purchases once in a while . I buy oddball stuff.

Ebay is a no go for me I hate to buy or sell there. Not my type of business.

Dean51 

'Ordered some tires from Merlin recently. The advertised delivery "window" has passed. The parcel tracking reports indicate the tires have been stuck in Customs at LAX for 4 days. I'm not pleased.

Dean

TimothyH

Wiggle continues to be slow processing orders. Two days to get it processed and out the door. They also use DHL which is really slow.

Wiggles return process was super easy, but again, shipping is slow. The third party they use has a really nice online return system but US Postal service has had my package six days and it hasn't even left the US yet, sitting somewhere outside JFK airport in New York City.

Sigma Sports continues to get product from England to Atlanta in two or three days with $12 flat rate shipping and some outstanding sale prices.


-Tim-

sdmc530

Good for me:
Nashbar
Jensen
Probike
Performance Bike

Not so good:
Eriks
I am just not a fan of Amazon
Ebay -- just hard to trust sometimes
REI---SUPER SLOW!

bravotwozero

I've done business with Nashbar, had a great experience for bike parts. Same with ebay. I bought my hybrid bike directly from Raleigh, also a great experience with great customer service, where you can have a live one on one chat with a customer rep. I even had a issue (really my fault), where I improperly threaded my pedals into the crank arm, and the pedal went in crooked. Raleigh sent me a brand new crank for free as a courtesy!

Bill in VA

Positive online experiences for me:

1. The best in-stock selection and fastest shipping is Universal Cycles. I have had a few next day deliveries even with standard shipping. They show the number in stock at each location, so you can decide to wait a bit longer, but get it. Plus they usually get it out in about an hour even when you call in the afternoon.
2. Compass Bicycles (decent shipping from across the country).
3. Rivendell Bicycle Works. (Fast shipping and a nice website).
4. VeloORANGE (very fast delivery and super helpful)
5. Cantitoe Road Bike in Colorado (very helpful, if they do not have it they know who might)
6. PlanetBike in Colorado. (Great prices for what I bought)
7. Yellow Jersey, Ltd. in Wisconsin for C&V items

Less than Positive

1. eBay largely due to poor images, bad descriptions, many things are OCONUS of dubious authenticity, and some vendors requiring an actual PayPal account.
2. Amazon - OK for bike stuff, less so for other items. Ratings are often not of the exact item offered, but a similar item offered by the came manufacturer. Sorry Shimano RDs are not all the same. It was obvious that some ratings were for older product.

jeffpoulin

bike24.com is my favorite online shop. Great website and they've never made a mistake on any of my orders (spanning hundreds of items). However, I live in Europe, so it's quick to pass through customs and there are no import duties. Not sure what it's like ordering from them from overseas. Lots of German shops (bikecomponents.de, bikediscount.de, rosebikes.com, etc...) are very good too, but their websites can't hold a candle to bike24.

I bought a bike from Canyon.com. The bike itself is great. Very well engineered and inexpensive for what you get. However, you can't customize anything, so it'd better be what you want (i.e. if you want a different stem or crank arm length, they'll be happy to sell you an extra stem/crank, but you'll pay full price for it). Also, it took about 3 weeks to fulfill my order. What I read in online reviews is that 3 weeks is actually pretty good for Canyon, some people wait months for their orders. I would buy from Canyon again if they have exactly what I want and if I'm not in a hurry. Their bikes are really well made and a joy to ride.

wphamilton

Nashbar has always been good with selection, prices and shipping.
BikesDirect.com has been great for prices and product, and service, but they have substituted on me.
Amazon (various merchants using Amazon) is where I look first. I've never had a deal-killing problem, but I am less than happy with Amazon Shipping who always deliver to the lease management office and not my door.

Niagara Bikes is out of business, but if they come back I'd likely avoid. Horrible processing time, bad business model made customers bear the burden of Niagara's mistakes.
eBay, I stopped buying on ebay years ago because the company encourages and enables the most inept and fraudster sellers while driving off good independent (mom and pop size) businesses.

philbob57

I just want to put in a good word for the service from Back Country/Competitive Cyclist. Great prices on sale merch. Unfortunately, one of the things I bought from them didn't fit, but the return process couldn't have been easier.

zen_

Nashbar was good for me and priced really well, but they don't pay shipping on returns. Had one item that wasn't exactly as described, but it would have cost almost as much to ship back as it was worth, so it went to the bike co-op instead.

TimothyH

Wiggle returns from the USA is SSSSSLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW...............

They use https://intelligentreturns.net/. Initial shipment is via USPS but I'm sure they hand off to a third party.

I dropped the package at the post office on Dec 1 and it eleven days latter it is sitting in Jamaica, Long Island, NY.

Meanwhile I have $162 due back.

TimothyH

I'm not ordering from Wiggle any longer when there is a chance the item might need to be returned.

I sent an email to Wiggle about slow returns and why my parcel is sitting in a warehouse in New York City. They replied that the shipping method "I have chosen to use" can take up to four weeks.

The shipping method I chose was pre-paid US Postal Service which was offered when the return was arranged. I paid $19 for a USPS shipping label through Wiggles return portal. Apparently the package goes to a third party shipper who is dragging their feet.

4 weeks is too long. Wiggle is out for clothing where size is in question.


-Tim-

Rcartes

ChainReaction/Wiggle (only just discovered that ChainReaction are owned by Wiggle): excellent: quick service, free posting and returns which makes them a top supplier

St John Street Cycles: the best stock anywhere in the UK, I think, not as quick to send out as ChainReaction, slightly more expensive to post out and return but otherwise really good

Tredz: good stock, excellent service

eBay: very variable but good on the whole. Always check where it's coming from, as posting from China or Taiwan can take quite a while (a rack I recently ordered took about 3 weeks)