Need some advice on dealing with Evans

I've been riding my Genesis Flyer freewheel since I bought it last year, but last week my fixie-curiosity overcame me and I decided to buy a fixed cog to go on the other side of the flip-flop hub.

Now, I know I'll get some stick for this, but I decided to buy from Evans and, since I'm a beginner at this bicycle maintenance lark I asked them to fit it to the bike too.

So, 40 minutes later they give me my bike back. They say there's a fair amount of wear in the chain, so I should consider getting that replaced fairly soon, and they've put it back in freewheel mode. Since it's 6pm on a weekday and I have no desire for my first fixed gear experience to be in rush hour traffic, I'm fine with that. I pay for the cog and the labour and go on my way.

Now, when I get home I break out my spanner and flip the wheel round. That's funny, I think, this chain isn't fitting very well onto the cog. I struggle to get the wheel turning at all. That doesn't seem right.

With no ruler to (now very oily) hand, I go online (with now very oily iPad) and check the tech specs of my bike for the type of chain I have. Maybe a compatibility issue? Sure enough, it turns out the chain I have is 3/32", and the cog I've been sold is 1/8". A cursory Google, followed by a sudden bout of common sense, suggests that this combination of cog size and chain size is a no-no. It seems to me to be the sort of thing that should've been noticed when they were fitting it.

I called the shop this morning and explained the problem, at which point I was told that the trouble I was having was to do with the wear in the chain, not the size of the cog they'd sold me. I'm skeptical.

I'm going in to the shop to sort this out tonight, but I want to go in armed with as much knowledge as possible so I don't get shafted. As such, I've got a few questions.

• Can you ladies and gents confirm that there's definitely a compatibility issue here?
  
  

-To what extent could wear in the chain affect how well it fits onto a cog? If my chain was brand-spanking new, would I at least be able to get it to work?

• Am I within my rights to ask for my money back?

• What's the best course of action?

-Is there anything I shouldn't let them talk me into?

Can you ladies and gents confirm that there's definitely a compatibility issue here?

Yes

-To what extent could wear in the chain affect how well it fits onto a cog? If my chain was brand-spanking new, would I at least be able to get it to work?

No, 3/32 is narrower than 1/8th and will never work. A worn chain of the right size might not work well on a new cog (and is not advised) but would certainly fit over the teeth.

Am I within my rights to ask for my money back?

Pass

What's the best course of action?

Buy a new 1/8th chain, fit to fixed side, live the dream.

sell cog buy new one
or try and trade here

Buy a new 1/8th chain, fit to fixed side, live the dream.

Will there be an issue with the existing freewheel cog if I ever want to switch it back, or is the chain being slightly too big for the cog not an issue?

i would definitely try and get your money back or at least get them to swap the cog, take it back to shop and talk to them.

Definitely complain and demand a refund.

I had a nightmare with them recently - a 4k-OTP-MTB-bike-where-the-rear-wheel-fell-off-on-the-3rd-ride sized problem.

Fair enough after a lot of my best Watchdog-threatening histrionics they've replaced the bike, but the off-the-meters fuckwittery (no doubt started by me by going there in the first place) at every stage of the process was mindboggling.

Can I ask what branch it was? I've had some good experiences there (the Notting Hill branch are fairly decent in a sea of manifestly poor attitude and incompetance) though it's fair to say I'm not their biggest fan generally!

#csb /rant etc

London Bridge

In terms of your rights, you should be able to get your money back for the work done, as they didn't do as promised per se. And if the cog is unused there shouldn't be an issue with that. If it were me, I'd go in and talk to them nicely- there's a problem with the cog size, you only picked up on it when you got back, the cog is unused, could they change it please to one that's the right size. It's an easy mistake to make.

Also, a new 1/8 chain will fit both the 1/8 freewheel and the smaller fixed cog.

Ask to speak to the manager:

• fitting a 1/8" sprocket to a 3/32" drivetrain is such a basic error it's astonishing that anyone that stupid is allowed near a spanner;
  
• trying to palm you off with worn chain bollocks only compounds their initial mistake with a downright lie.
  
  

Get your money back and go to a proper bike shop: 3/32" fixed sprockets are readily available.

I would take a guess that 1/8"is default? pretty sloppy to miss the chain size though.

@skidlidsid , swapping a cog is pretty straightforward. If you can't deal with the hassle of Evans I can lend you the tool to swap to a 1/8" cog.

Evan Cycles put a 1 1/8 cog on instead of a 3/32 cog (they do exist).

They put an incompatible cog on your drivetrain.

If chain is slightly worn, best course of action is pay for a new chain but labour should be free (goodwill).

//Rant + Hijack sorry..

Glad it's not just me. Bought a similarly priced MTB 2 years ago:

Ride one - whose rear suspension assembly had a side to side movement of 2 inches. Took back, asked for a exchange "Sorry Sir, it's the weekend so no manager is in, you'll need to come back Monday" Return Monday, bike out of stock as unhelpful person had refused to order the exchange in over weekend. Was in the sale so no luck with replacement. Then some bright spark decided to order in the same model but in a much smaller size and replace the whole swing arm and shock assembly. Bike returned to me - and then returned to Evans after it's first ride out. Same problem. This time they say they'll need it for the rest of the week to 'troubleshoot'. So i'm without a bike for the 3rd weekend running. Tell them it's unacceptable etc - nothing. I change tack and a quick Google throws up their head of retails name. firstname.lastname@evanscycles.com. Email contains lots of trade of goods act, distance selling etc BINGO! A phone call from the London and East retail Director. New bike on it's way. 40% knocked off the retail price to match what I had paid for the sale bike.
First ride out - stacked it off a drop ended up in resuscitation unit in A and E. Bike OK.

Year later, it's time to buy some forks for my new bike as having stacked the previous i'm left with no confidence on it at all and i've sold it:

Purchase some Fox floats off their website for delivery to store. Advertised online as 1.5T steerer. Forks turn up - yes you've guessed it. 1.1/8 Straight steerer. 'Mechanic' suggests I use adapter. I suggest if I spend a stupid amount on suspension it's not going to be bodged to fit. So, again after some haggling i'm offered £70 off which i agree to, along with free fitting and chopping of steerer (didn't take them up on this i'd like to add). 1.5T fork turns up at the store after a week - this time somebody had chopped it to 4.5 Inches!!! Somehow they'd obviously borked their measurements and cut it wrong, returned it to Evans and much to my amusement fucked them to the tune of £775! KARMA. 2 weeks later I finally receive my new forks - they've been running sweet since.

I've just ordered a new bike via Evans. BMC's only UK dealer. What was I thinking? :( Oh well, if it's good enough for Absalon it's good enough for me...

//Back on topic.

Be nice on first visit back, if it doesn't get you anywhere go straight to the top. Quickest and easiest way i've found with them. Complaints via customer services go missing and/or they make silly offers. I found with them being nice for any more than the first trip in it seemingly gives them the right to treat you as an idiot. Public displays of affection work too. Especially next to that from desk they like to put at the front of stores as a meet/great point for customers. 'Evans service is the worst of any bike shop' etc out loud soon get you ushered to see the manager...

Ps: Avoid Chiswick (Bike) and West End (Forks)

I think the chain wear thing sounds like they tried the fixed side, found it didn't work and either actually think chain wear is the issue or just don't have a 3/32 cog in, so attempt to upsell a chain: bingo it would work with 1/8 chain. Basically, buy a 1/8 chain, but ask for the fancy one for the price of the cheap one and get them to fit it properly i.e. not with the quicklink, since their incompetence/fibbing has wasted your time.

If they won't do the above, get a 3/32 cog fitted by them. Or money back, goods originally sold not appropriate for your other parts.

OK, thanks all. This has been really useful.

So, just to double check, a 1/8 chain would be OK on the freewheel side if and when I want to flip back?

@skidlidsid so long as the chain is 1/8 it should be fine with whatever.

3/32 chain and 3/32 cog+freewheel+chainring = working
1/8 chain and 1/8 cog+3/32 freewheel+chainring(whatever mix of 3/32 and 1/8) = working
3/32 chain and 1/8 anything = not working

Personally I would get a full refund and go elsewhere, can be certain that whoever fitted it didn't bother to locktite the threads or anything. I'd also swap to a 1/8 chainring+freewheel when you are next switching them.

Yes: 1/8" chain is wider, so will work with 3/32" chainrings and sprockets.

Personally, if I had 3/32" chain, chainring and freewheel I would stick with a 3/32" fixed sprocket: correcting their fuck-up is no reason to compromise your drivetrain.

I'd also swap to a 1/8 chainring+freewheel when you are next switching them.

Why?

get them to fit it properly i.e. not with the quicklink, since their incompetence...

A) I'd rather ride a quicklink that a re-riveted link any day of the week.
B) x9000 when it's a the re-riveted link has been done by an Evans mech.

@Scilly.Suffolk 1/8 no going back to gears.

correcting their fuck-up is no reason to compromise your drivetrain.

What do you mean by 'compromise' in this sense?

Not with you.

No need to use 1/8" for fixed.

A 1/8" chain will work fine and beyond perhaps being a little noisy won't cause any problems, but running one on a 3/32" drivetrain is pointless.

I'm learning a lot today.

OK, so what will most probably happen when I drop into the store after work today is that they'll try and sell me a 1/8" chain. At that point I have two options:

1) Given the wear on my old one, and the fact a 1/8" chain will work with the rest of my setup, I accept the new chain, but probably insist on a discount or not paying for labour.

2) Do not accept a new chain, and ask that they remove the 1/8" cog so that I can get a 3/32" cog elsewhere. Get my refund for both the cog and the labour, and be on my merry way.

Thanks again, all of you.