[JG_]

I saw the other thread about the LBS experience and thought what a coincidence but something happened to me today that seems way shady and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

I recently got into biking late last year and got a new Trek Marlin 6. Spent some time with the stock fork and decided I wanted an air spring upgrade so I emailed my LBS asking for a Rockshox Recon Silver RL. They emailed me back saying we have one in stock and quoted me full price plus installation. I dropped off my bike earlier at noon today and picked it up a few hours later. I paid for it then took my bike and old fork back home.

When I got home I noticed the manufacturer date on the Rockshox box says 2016 and immediately I was confused and bummed out. I matched the serial number on the fork to the label of the box and they're the same. I was expecting a new or at least recent fork but not something that's from half a decade ago. I had a closer look at the fork on my bike and could see earth and dirt remnants in the recesses of the controls which tells me not only is this an old fork but it's a used one. At this point I'm feeling more and more bummed out..

I call the LBS and explain what I found. The guy says he will knock 100$ off and that I still have my 2 year warranty from today's purchase date. I tell him I was expecting a recent model and he says there's not many changes anyway. He says they might get some new stock next month. He put my name down for one and says bring my bike in for a swap if it ever does come in.

Tbh I'm still bummed about this whole experience. It doesn't seem legit at all. I wanted a new part for my bike but instead feel like I was suckered in for an old used one.

What do you guys think about this or how would you handle it?

Thanks.

 

[Reaperactual]

My sympathy but no coincidence. If you didn't notice and find out they were an older used model do you think they would have contacted you and told you they'd fitted it by mistake?

You found out it wasn't what you paid for so insist they replace the fork or if your happy live with them for now, take the refund and at least insist on a full inspection and service for free too. Your choice but also up to you how you want to proceed and push for it (even though you shouldn't need to) if the lbs believe in fair play, customer satisfaction and keeping an honest reputation.

 

[DtEW]

Wow. That's just plain wrong. And illegal.

If I were you, and for some reason you/I wanted to stick with him (That $100-off is speaking to ya? Maybe you think the guy is otherwise decent? Maybe he's the closest, most-convenient LBS?)... I would get him to commit to a replace-by date* or-all-your-money-back if the deadline passes. But it you were to do that, you do assume a few risks:

1) If his deadline passes and you get all your money back, it is entirely possible that bike-industry supply problems have gotten worse with time and nothing appropriate is available anymore... or just available at an exorbitant scarcity mark-up. Or the opposite. You don't know.

2) Consider the potential of you riding and accidentally damaging the to-be-swapped-later used fork before the opportunity to be set-right with the NIB fork you actually paid-for. Will he just take back the damaged used fork and eat the loss? I'm sure if he sold you the used fork, he probably intends on re-selling it (hopefully as an used fork). Things can get awkward.

3) And if the swap does succeed, but something goes wrong with the NIB fork... you already have a complicated transaction with him. Will that affect anything?

The "cleanest" solution would be to just get your money back now and get a new fork installed elsewhere (and conduct a clean transaction). You don't really need to justify it to this LBS (given that they have no legal leg to stand on). But if you want to be nice you can always tell him that you know about the supply problems in the industry and just want to lock-in something now. This is assuming you can find a new fork elsewhere, of course.

Good luck!

* Because the bike industry is going through a very weird time where many things are selling out, and the manufacturers/distributors/dealers are raising prices to try to re-balance the out-of-whack supply-and-demand. And delivery dates are constantly being pushed back, if they are even honored at all.

 

[HerrKaLeu]

Take the $100 and learn to do your own work. Chances are there really was no significant change.

Must be a really unpopular fork if after a year of COVID sales and 4 regular years it still is available.

I hope the steerer is not too short. My suspicion is they took it off an older new bike and you now have to live with whatever steerer length that was.

IMHO, they should have declared it is NOS to begin with. Especially with a device that now has old oil, or dried seals etc. No one would buy a 5 year old car at new price just because the warranty starts at the time of purchase.

 

[Rngspnr]

Take the $100 and learn to do your own work.


^^This. Learn to do your own work then the only person you have to be disappointed with is you if it's not right. Bikes are not that complex and most people with a small amount of mechanical ability can do basic repairs and parts swaps. Working on my bike is just one of the joys I get from being a cyclist.

 

[acer66]

If they did not tell you that it is a nos and with dirt on that seems already fishy there is no way I would take the $100.

Even if there are no significant changes, it is their behavior that would make me not go there again and I sure would not want them to have any of my money.

I would return it get full refund, never return and then like others said learn how to do it yourself or find a different lbs.

 

[Finch Platte]

If they did not tell you that it is a nos and with dirt on that seems already fishy there is no way I would take the $100.

Even if there are no significant changes, it is their behavior that would make me not go there again and I sure would not want them to have any of my money.

I would return it get full refund, never return and then like others said learn how to do it yourself or find a different lbs.

I'm leaning towards this myself. That was a dirty trick they pulled.

 

[G-Choro]

I'd be pissed, and $100 bucks isn't enough. It's old, and it's used. Eff that shop.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

That is one shady lbs.

I’d be reporting them to the BBB. Get your return and find another lbs. plus learn to do things on your own.

 

[Gasp4Air]

Question: If they'd told you up front they had a 5 year old used version of the fork for a $100 off full price, would you have taken it?
If "yes", keep it, take the money and know for the future that they're dishonest slime balls.
If "no", make them replace the original, get your money back and know for the future that they're dishonest slime balls..

 

[TwoTone]

Get you're money back and the old fork back on.
But be warned, getting a new fork right now is near impossible depending on what you want.

Trust me I've been looking for a new frame I have coming.

 

[EKram]

Even if there are no significant changes, it is their behavior that would make me not go there again and I sure would not want them to have any of my money.
I would return it get full refund, never return and then like others said learn how to do it yourself or find a different lbs.

I don't like the part about not telling you upfront that an older used part could suffice until LBS got what you wanted. I don't like the part how you had to call them out on their trick.

I feel like this was strictly some slick as snot salesmanship-not what one would expect from a shop that should be promoting satisfied bike riders. I got hosed by this type of deal myself.

Did not read about you getting anything in writing-the only tool to compel a shop to keep an agreement. He put your name down. Right.

Get your money back. Be respectful and patient. I suspect that they will be reluctant but try.

Hope my salesman suspicions are wrong but:

These type salesmen are tough to crack. They will be slick and try to belittle you. Just smile along.
Bring someone with you. If you have to negotiate to cut your losses, do so.

All the best.

 

[flyninjasquirrel]

Pretty effed up, I would be pissed too. Have them reinstall old fork and get your money back. Give them a bad review online.

In the future, learn how to do the work yourself. Installing a fork really is not difficult. I had a recent experience where I needed a new lower headset assembly installed. The tools needed are pretty specialized (and expensive) so I took it to LBS. Since I had already had the bike there I had them install some new XT 4 pot brakes. When I got my bike back they had beat the sh*t out of the fork during the headset removal and install. And they had the logo off center. A minor detail but something I would have paid attention to if I were doing it. The bleed on the brakes was garbage and the brakes were so soft the bike wasn't trail rideable. I had to re-bleed them at home.

It's hard to find an LBS you trust. If you want it done right, do it yourself. It will take some trial and error, but once you learn that's money and hassle saved for the rest of a lifetime.

 

[Harold]

I've known a LOT of shops who have 10+yr old product on the shelf that they're still trying to sell for full MSRP.

They're definitely not the more successful ones. The more successful ones know that stocking your shelves with product that actually sells is how you make money, and if something isn't selling, then mark it down, get it the hell out of the shop, and replace it with something that will sell.

As for this particular fork, it may not be "used" per se (as in it had been sold before), but it definitely has some kind of use history. Was it a demo? Since it has a retail box, it wouldn't have been an OEM take-off. Exceptionally shady that they didn't explain that history to you, and mark it down from the start for that history.

I agree that it'll be tough to get your hands on a new one otherwise right now. So the question about whether to cut your losses, take the $100 off, and then never visit that shop again, or whether to dump the fork back onto them for being shady jerks and get ALL your money back (and still never going back to that shop) really means answering two questions.

How badly do you want the fork?
How pissed off are you at the shop?

 

[slapheadmofo]

How much did they charge you for the fork?

I don't think it's likely that $100 off would be enough to make me happy.
I'd be looking for something like half price and full refund on any installation charges.
And I'd still probably never go back and **** talk them whenever the opportunity presented itself.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

I’m amazed at some of these responses. This bike shop is as dirty as they get. Why should he accept such a shady act and continue to do business with them? Get a full refund and report the crooked bastards to the BBB. Then find an honest bike shop.

 

[fly4130]

My ancient Argyle fork needed a full overhaul this fall and kits were in short supply. The shop tried to find one but could not, so we decided it was time to replace the fork. My frame has a straight steerer which limited my options for dirt jump forks. They called me a few weeks later and said they could get the Circus Expert I was looking for.

Fast forward a few more weeks, and now dozens of pump track miles on my fat bike instead of the DJ (which was not as bad as it sounds, fatty worked well in a pinch), and the fork is in, installed and the little guy is ready for pickup.

I go in, pay, and walk to my car, about to put the bike on the rack, and notice the stanchions seem really long. Lo an behold, its the 130mm Circus, not the 100mm. Back to the shop I go, we talk, they apologize, try for weeks to find a way to lower it to 100mm and eventually we punt and wait for a 100mm to come back in stock. That took another month. The bike was out of commission from November until late January when new inventory finally came in. We had a dry, no snow on the pump track winter until right about that same time .

So what's my point? There are at least 5 LBS's within 20 minutes of me, and the one mentioned above is one of the further. I will bring my bikes to them again as needed despite the above because A. it was not all their fault, supply chains are jacked up B. they were apologetic and accommodating throughout, and i have done enough business with them to know they mean it, and C. They are a very small shop that supports our trails, the scene, and have an ethos I believe in.

Mistakes get made. Issues come up. It is all in how you deal with them that determines success.

 

[Bacon Fat]

I’m amazed at some of these responses. This bike shop is as dirty as they get. Why should he accept such a shady act and continue to do business with them? Get a full refund and report them crooked bastards to the BBB. Then find an honest bike shop.

The BBB can't really do anything. I would say selling a used fork as new is fraud and a call to the AG would be more effective.

 

[Bacon Fat]

I go in, pay, and walk to my car, about to put the bike on the rack, and notice the stanchions seem really long. Lo an behold, its the 130mm Circus, not the 100mm. Back to the shop I go, we talk, they apologize, try for weeks to find a way to lower it to 100mm and eventually we punt and wait for a 100mm to come back in stock. That took another month. The bike was out of commission from November until late January when new inventory finally came in. We had a dry, no snow on the pump track winter until right about that same time .

So what's my point? There are at least 5 LBS's within 20 minutes of me, and the one mentioned above is one of the further. I will bring my bikes to them again as needed despite the above because A. it was not all their fault, supply chains are jacked up B. they were apologetic and accommodating throughout, and i have done enough business with them to know they mean it, and C. They are a very small shop that supports our trails, the scene, and have an ethos I believe in.

Mistakes get made. Issues come up. It is all in how you deal with them that determines success.

Wait, they put a 130mm fork on instead of a 100mm without telling you and you are happy with them?

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

The BBB can't really do anything. I would say selling a used fork as new is fraud and a call to the AG would be more effective.

AG?