meaculpa

Two weeks ago I took a little bike/camping trip in Virginia. My CrankBros pedals had gone so bad that they were squealing with each crank. I decided to look for a new pair at a lbs nearby, my intent was to get a new pair of the CBs since my home shop told me they were beyond repair. The VA shop concurred but didn't sell CB pedals of any sort. The shop guys there were big on Time ATACs however and, intrigued, I purchased a set along with about $160 worth of other stuff (new shoes, etc).

The pedals are nice enough but after returning home I started to realize that I'm not meant to ride them because they're forward entry only and I really need to have engagement by pulling my foot backwards. Its more than a muscle memory and give-it-time-you'll-adjust issue.

So is it uncool to arrange to mail the very-lightly-used pedals back to the shop? If I try to sell them on the net I'll be lucky to get even half & the hassle isn't worth it. This is one of those moments when I feel like the ethics are fuzzy.

Doohickie

It wouldn't hurt to contact the shop, but just like anything else, you bought it and they are now used goods. The shop is under no obligation to give you your money back beyond their own return policy (which, who knows, maybe they take returns for 30 days or something).

Daspydyr 

Most bike shops want the Purchaser to be satisfied. Call and explain it too them. My hope is that they do the right thing. If they don't, did you pay with a credit card. You can always dispute the charge if so and use it for leverage to get them to do the right thing.

Doohickie

The "right thing" is not to return something that is not defective. Basically, if they give you a full refund, they lose out on a bunch of the value of the stuff you bought because you decided you didn't like it.

Daspydyr 

Defective can mean a variety of things. In the retail world, if an item doesn't perform to customer expectations it isn't right. The shop steered the purchaser from CBs to Time. Of course the buyer should beware, but he not only changed brands, but functionality.

cryptid01

Karma trumps today's sense of consumer entitlement. So yes, uncool.

meaculpa

I'm still musing it. I may just call the shop. They know I'm coming back as I'd bought a bunch of local ride maps at the end of my trip and I am planning on renting one or two of their bikes (for comparisons sake). Haven't decided yet.

Doohikie - I'm just considering returning the pedals, the rest is all good.

Doohickie

It doesn't hurt to call, but don't expect a full refund. You may get it but don't expect it.

BurnNotice

I agree with folks that you bought it and now they are used and no one is at fault except buyer for not making sure these are what they need. I feel your pain, because in the biking world I have bought lots to find immediately after installing it was not meant for me. I in turn bought something else and sold the item cheap and lost my arse. That is part of this sport.......finding what works and wasting loads of cash in the process. Can't recall any high pressure sales attitude according to your post about the shop other than they were big on ATAC's. Heck, I am big on Crankbrothers and if I owned a shop and a ATAC person came in I would tell them no I don't sell them but carry CB's if you want to take a look at them. It would be up to the buyer to make that final decision.

Problem is in life we take the responsibility from the consumer. I am not beating you up here, just letting you know like a few others here that you may eat those if you really want your CB's back on the bike. It happens. Not fun to eat it, but it happens.

Good luck.

BTW- See your from Pitt! What happen to our Steelers against NE!? Man that chapped my arse to lose to that punk Brady and his Fabio girl looking hairdo! I assume your a Steelers fan.............???? You may not be. I digress again. Oh well, they better find a way to guard against the pass! That is going to sink their lack arses when it comes down to it. They have been that way since I have been pulling for them in 1979!

rankin116

What? You are so far off on this. They didn't steer him toward anything. He went to a shop that didn't carry what he wanted. They sold something he needed (pedals) and now he wants to return them.

OP - if you don't want them anymore, your only option in my opinion is to sell them. Don't expect the shop to take them back, and please don't even consider the credit card route, that would just be a completely dick move.

mtnbiker66

How much you want for them**********

Daspydyr 

When the OP said that the shop owner was BIG on time, didn't carry CBs, my take is that some salesmanship was involved. People that sell stuff for a living know how to coax a sale. (I sell for a living, and I respect the ethics involved in selling.) The shop owner pimps one brand, really, in this day and age? He needs cash for Christmas inventory.

And yeah, disputing a credit card purchase is probably over the top. Only the OP knows if he got jobbed or made too quick a decision.

samburger

+1. If this shop does have a lenient return policy, returns such as this one will almost definitely change that. This would make things more difficult for not only yourself, but many other customers.

blamp28

The whole idea of using the credit card dispute to muscle the shop into seeing things your way is unethical. He made a choice and changes his mind. It would be great if the shop offered to help in some way and since it looks like he will be a repeat customer, that would be good business on their part as long as they don't loose out too much either. They have bills to pay and other obligations as well. Stiffing them out of profits after the fact is more than "probably over the top". Honesty is the best policy. There is no gray area here at all Tell the shop owners wht you are experiencing and see what they do. If they make no offer to help, that's the way it works some times and you can chalk that up to tuition costs in the school of life. Next time, ask for a demo set to use or try before agreeing to purchase.

ocie

You shouldn't have purchased a product you can't use. You should explain the situation and see what they say.

I'll could them off your hands. What flavor ATACs are they?

mtnbiker66

Shut up, I got on that train first.

ocie

OP if you're reading this, I hereby offer $20 above whatever 66 offers you

Grimlock

This happens at my shop every once in a while. People buy things they think they want, use them, realize they don't like them/don't fit/whatever and bring them back. Depending on how badly it is (or looks) used dictates how much we refund. If I can sell a pair of pedals for full price to the next customer, I'll give a full refund. If I'll have to discount the derailleur by twenty percent because it looks used (even if it was only installed and ridden once), I'll give the customer the refund minus the twenty percent discount. Nearly everyone finds this fair.

sscyco

That will be $21.50.

Daspydyr 

If a salesman muscles you into a purchase, then pushing back is playing by their rules. OP got himself into a bad spot by hitting the road with worn out pedals. He was wrong there. But if a salesman had one product type to offer and promised it would be everything you need, then he got muscled. Pushing back is ethical and the right thing to do. Commission sales people (and hourlies are expected to sell) sometimes need a kick in the shorts.

Quit whining about the retailers who are poorly stocked and practice bad/poor product marketing.

victim

Your mistake. Use them or eat the loss. Cranks bros pedals suck anyways...

Daspydyr 

You probably have a garage full of useless stuff that you don't have the guts to return. Thus your name, vic, grow a pair dude.

mtnbiker66

Coool, I just picked up two sets that were like new. I'll drive the price up just for fun.

rankin116

No, you need to grow a pair and sack up and stop blaming other people for your stupid decisions. If you buy something, use it, and then don't like it, it's your own damn fault, not the person's who sold it to you.

Take some responsibility for your decisions instead of blaming other people.

Daspydyr 

Its not me who is returning anything. I research all my purchases and buy ahead of time. My garage is full of stuff I'm gonna use someday. I like arguing the other side of the question.

Did it ever occur to anyone that we might be getting "trolled?" Did you check out the OPs name? That was one of the first things I noticed. He's probably a stinking lawyer.