Bad experience with REI/co-op cycles
#26
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And it kind of doesn’t matter who makes their bikes, they source from somewhere in China is likely. The store can source a replacement hanger and in my experience would gladly do what is necessary to get your bike fixed. They are a good reputable company.
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#27
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Yes, I understand that. My point above is that REI should easily be able to order a replacement RD hanger because it has records of the exact bike model OP ordered, especially for its in-house CO-OP brand.
Even if OP was right that the REI bike service department manager somehow has a personal grudge against the OP, OP can call another REI, ask for its bike service department, and order a replacement RD hanger based on the model of his CO-OP bike.
Even if OP was right that the REI bike service department manager somehow has a personal grudge against the OP, OP can call another REI, ask for its bike service department, and order a replacement RD hanger based on the model of his CO-OP bike.
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Yes, I understand that. My point above is that REI should easily be able to order a replacement RD hanger because it has records of the exact bike model OP ordered, especially for its in-house CO-OP brand.
Even if OP was right that the REI bike service department manager somehow has a personal grudge against the OP, OP can call another REI, ask for its bike service department, and order a replacement RD hanger based on the model of his CO-OP bike.
Even if OP was right that the REI bike service department manager somehow has a personal grudge against the OP, OP can call another REI, ask for its bike service department, and order a replacement RD hanger based on the model of his CO-OP bike.
Complaints about bike shops are usually pretty unwarranted without their side of the story but when I here this story it throws up red flags of a difficult customer. We cannot always spend hours with you while you hem and haw about the cheaper bikes. We get in trouble for talking and talking to people who are clearly not interested and taking up our time that could be spent on other important tasks or we miss opportunities for actual paying customers who may walk out while we spend all that time with someone. Customer service is important but time wasters aren't. If we are building a custom bike and spending time on that it is one thing or actually picking out accessories and getting the bike outfitted for what you are doing that is another but just going back and forth on two similar low initial cost bikes just doesn't make sense to anyone. You may think you are the most important person and while for a time that could be quite true after a while when we have given you all the information and opportunity to test ride it is time for us to break off to get back to work. A lot of times people come in and won't listen to advice and don't really care what you have to say but they want to go back and forth with you to buy the wrong bike for their usage and just take up as much time and spend as little money as they can and then when the boss is looking at the numbers for the week they question you why you aren't making money.
If you are a bicycle commuter get a good bike and have a decent enough back up bike or be willing to take time off the bike but have some spares for traditional wear items and bicycle specific items like derailleur hangers.
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It most certainly does. I wanted to replace something I had bought from them, but I couldn’t remember the size. The woman on the phone knew what size I had bought the first time. I was quite pleased.
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I've never had anything but exemplary personal and online service, good value for the price point, and trouble free returns since my very first order in 1973 (still have the Svea stove and Sigg cookset).
A few months ago, I bought two Salsa Journeyer bikes online to pick up in another state to coincide with an RV trip we were making. They were great informing me about the status, holding them for an extra week or two until I could get there, and the bikes were excellently assembled and have been trouble free since the get-go. OH, I did have a squealing brake on one of the bikes which I couldn't resolve easily on my own. I could take it to whatever REI I as near at the time, hundreds of miles from the original store, and they could take care of it.
They don't have an unlimited selection of bike stuff, but the stuff they have is good. Service and sales people are, in general in my community, as good or as better than the often ill-informed people at the LBSes. Hit or miss in both cases, but better odds at REI.
Last edited by Camilo; 12-05-23 at 07:57 PM.
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#32
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I have took a stab in the dark and tried ordering a couple of them that were similar, but, they didn't fit and it was just a waste of money. I spent a good portion of my day trying to find out from REI who the bicycles manufacturer is, haven't gotten anywhere there. t
Made in Indonesia it's probably Polygon, if Taiwan probably Giant
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Just doesn’t pass the smell test.
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#34
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Before there were any REI locations in Central Indiana, I ordered a 2003 Novara Big Buzz online from REI in Seattle (?). Great hybrid for my needs but broke several rear spokes right off the bat. Communicated with techs in Seattle who had me ship the wheel to them for repair. Got it back with new spokes shortly. No further problems.
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#36
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I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong with Derailleur hanger.com.
There is more here that obviously wasn't in the OP's sphere of observation. Bikes are not some magical complex machine, the mysteries of which hidden behind the shrouded curtains of only the annointed.
Your derailleur hanger "shattered" because it was extra stiff and brittle to handle the loads placed upon it by extra large pie-plate cogs and stiff springs of modern derailleur systems. Are/were you aware of how to properly adjust it? Did you take it in for it's check up after a reasonable break in period? We're you an accusatory jerk or just rub the customer service person wrong?
Return the bike or show up with the proper hanger for a warranty repair. Bike mechs talk to each other. If you worked yourself off the "nice" list (& their supposed behaviour seems to indicate you have)...No bike shop will fix your problem.
Go in. Make nice. Be humble. Apologize for your behavior. Bring a box of cookies or some donuts and start over.
This is a customer (service) issue more than it is a derailleur issue.
There is more here that obviously wasn't in the OP's sphere of observation. Bikes are not some magical complex machine, the mysteries of which hidden behind the shrouded curtains of only the annointed.
Your derailleur hanger "shattered" because it was extra stiff and brittle to handle the loads placed upon it by extra large pie-plate cogs and stiff springs of modern derailleur systems. Are/were you aware of how to properly adjust it? Did you take it in for it's check up after a reasonable break in period? We're you an accusatory jerk or just rub the customer service person wrong?
Return the bike or show up with the proper hanger for a warranty repair. Bike mechs talk to each other. If you worked yourself off the "nice" list (& their supposed behaviour seems to indicate you have)...No bike shop will fix your problem.
Go in. Make nice. Be humble. Apologize for your behavior. Bring a box of cookies or some donuts and start over.
This is a customer (
Last edited by base2; 12-05-23 at 10:05 PM.
#37
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Also, I haven't read this inane thread in detail, but the OP can take it back to ANY available REI, if the story about the manager is true and is the issue.
#38
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Member at REI
Never bought a bike there but got help with my bikes anyway and they always went out of their way to help.
Sales manager rude? Possible
Not supporting a product. Dubious
There's a LOT more to this story that we're hearing.
Never bought a bike there but got help with my bikes anyway and they always went out of their way to help.
Sales manager rude? Possible
Not supporting a product. Dubious
There's a LOT more to this story that we're hearing.
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The purpose of the hanger is not only for mounting the rear derailleur, but also to protect the more expensive derailleur from damage. Not sure how a derailleur hanger shatters. I've seen them bent.
A bent derailleur hanger really implies some mishap occurred to bend the hanger whether the owner is aware of that incident that damaged it or not. Possibly being just one month old at the time, REI might have fixed it for little more cost than the part. I don't think REI's bikes are bad bikes. Certainly any other bike with a rear derailleur might have suffered the same damage.
A bent derailleur hanger really implies some mishap occurred to bend the hanger whether the owner is aware of that incident that damaged it or not. Possibly being just one month old at the time, REI might have fixed it for little more cost than the part. I don't think REI's bikes are bad bikes. Certainly any other bike with a rear derailleur might have suffered the same damage.
op, rei used to be rebadged cannondales, i think most still are.
#40
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#41
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Sorry to disappoint
Just curious---what happened the instant before the hangar "shattered"? Was there some sort of incident, or did it just spontaneously explode into so many pieces it was completely unrecognizable? D*mn suicide bomber derailleur hangars... Thank God you weren't injured.
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#43
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Or just call, or email, or do an online chat. Have the bike brand, model, year of purchase, serial number, etc., in front of you when you contact them.
And, tempting as it will undoubtedly be to unload on the person you contact, keep it professional. Explain what you need and ask them what you need to do to get it.
And, by the way, be happy that the replaceable hanger sacrificed itself. Think how annoyed you'd be if you needed to pay for a new frame (damage from getting a stick caught in a derailleur isn't covered under warranty, and shouldn't be).
And, tempting as it will undoubtedly be to unload on the person you contact, keep it professional. Explain what you need and ask them what you need to do to get it.
And, by the way, be happy that the replaceable hanger sacrificed itself. Think how annoyed you'd be if you needed to pay for a new frame (damage from getting a stick caught in a derailleur isn't covered under warranty, and shouldn't be).
#44
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The only problem with your theory is that one would actually have to go back to an REI which unfortunately it seems the OP in both of the same threads has completely avoided and just wants to complain about buying a bike. It is a super excellent idea for most people though.
Complaints about bike shops are usually pretty unwarranted without their side of the story but when I here this story it throws up red flags of a difficult customer. We cannot always spend hours with you while you hem and haw about the cheaper bikes. We get in trouble for talking and talking to people who are clearly not interested and taking up our time that could be spent on other important tasks or we miss opportunities for actual paying customers who may walk out while we spend all that time with someone. Customer service is important but time wasters aren't. If we are building a custom bike and spending time on that it is one thing or actually picking out accessories and getting the bike outfitted for what you are doing that is another but just going back and forth on two similar low initial cost bikes just doesn't make sense to anyone. You may think you are the most important person and while for a time that could be quite true after a while when we have given you all the information and opportunity to test ride it is time for us to break off to get back to work. A lot of times people come in and won't listen to advice and don't really care what you have to say but they want to go back and forth with you to buy the wrong bike for their usage and just take up as much time and spend as little money as they can and then when the boss is looking at the numbers for the week they question you why you aren't making money.
If you are a bicycle commuter get a good bike and have a decent enough back up bike or be willing to take time off the bike but have some spares for traditional wear items and bicycle specific items like derailleur hangers.
Complaints about bike shops are usually pretty unwarranted without their side of the story but when I here this story it throws up red flags of a difficult customer. We cannot always spend hours with you while you hem and haw about the cheaper bikes. We get in trouble for talking and talking to people who are clearly not interested and taking up our time that could be spent on other important tasks or we miss opportunities for actual paying customers who may walk out while we spend all that time with someone. Customer service is important but time wasters aren't. If we are building a custom bike and spending time on that it is one thing or actually picking out accessories and getting the bike outfitted for what you are doing that is another but just going back and forth on two similar low initial cost bikes just doesn't make sense to anyone. You may think you are the most important person and while for a time that could be quite true after a while when we have given you all the information and opportunity to test ride it is time for us to break off to get back to work. A lot of times people come in and won't listen to advice and don't really care what you have to say but they want to go back and forth with you to buy the wrong bike for their usage and just take up as much time and spend as little money as they can and then when the boss is looking at the numbers for the week they question you why you aren't making money.
If you are a bicycle commuter get a good bike and have a decent enough back up bike or be willing to take time off the bike but have some spares for traditional wear items and bicycle specific items like derailleur hangers.
#45
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No, no suicide derailleur hanger bomb attack. Just run the mill small stick like our litter all over the bike Lanes around here, and Mike has got caught in the spokes of my old Cannondale many times one time of which meant the trailer, zero times of whichever bent the integral derailleur hanger which everyone says would have been destroyed, ruining the bike. A new derailleur I can get for under $20, a new derailleur hanger seems like it would require an act of God
These sentences are gibberish.
#46
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#47
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He's determined to do anything but that, the one thing that would solve his problem for sure. So instead he's trolling this group with complaints about REI, and nobody's taking the bait. As we have discerned, there's much more to this story. It sounds like he probably pissed off the staff at REI and now they won't help him.
#48
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He's determined to do anything but that, the one thing that would solve his problem for sure. So instead he's trolling this group with complaints about REI, and nobody's taking the bait. As we have discerned, there's much more to this story. It sounds like he probably pissed off the staff at REI and now they won't help him.
In any event, I hope he won't be back here.
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The purpose of the hanger is not only for mounting the rear derailleur, but also to protect the more expensive derailleur from damage. Not sure how a derailleur hanger shatters. I've seen them bent.
A bent derailleur hanger really implies some mishap occurred to bend the hanger whether the owner is aware of that incident that damaged it or not. Possibly being just one month old at the time, REI might have fixed it for little more cost than the part. I don't think REI's bikes are bad bikes. Certainly any other bike with a rear derailleur might have suffered the same damage.
A bent derailleur hanger really implies some mishap occurred to bend the hanger whether the owner is aware of that incident that damaged it or not. Possibly being just one month old at the time, REI might have fixed it for little more cost than the part. I don't think REI's bikes are bad bikes. Certainly any other bike with a rear derailleur might have suffered the same damage.
#50
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