Online bike shop woes.

I've been after a new bike for a while and decided to bite the bullet on a Vigorelli, normally I'd find a frame and build accordingly but decided to just get a whole bike new, as fuck it, why not. I could then upgrade parts when I needed or wanted to. Found an online shop, as living in the hills of the west midlands I'm limited for choice and selected the frame, then used the drop down menus to add the parts I needed.

So £830 later my new Vig arrived. Ripped the boxes open and started laying out the parts.
Chain was missing, emailed right away, and got a fairly prompt response saying it would be shipped out next day.

Well, no chain means I can still build it up.
Next issue, chainring bolts too long. Emailed back and was told they were the right ones as they came with the chainset. Well that might be the case, but the 48t chainring I selected floats when the bolts are tightened all the way down. So no, they are too long. Not a big issue, took out a big file and shaved off a few mill, but still a pain in the ass.

Next issue. This is the one thats been making me shake my head for a few weeks now. On the site, using the drop down menu I selected the length stem I needed then the type of bars. So I take the bars out of their plastic and go to put them on the stem. What would you know the stem is a 26.0 and the bars are 31.8. Well clearly this isnt going to work. I emailed them back and they tell me there is a shim in the box.....which there wasnt.......emailed back, they will put one in the post along with shorter chainset bolts. Well this is just making my head spin as I cannot for the life of me think of how shims would make it fit. Surely they would just make the bars not fit the stem even more. Not one wanting to let £800+ sit and collect dust waiting for the post, I slapped on some spare drops which happened to be 26.0 and thought that I would just get another stem at a later date as I was getting pretty fed up.

Here is their ''solution'' note that bolts are not even remotely long enough. It also looks gash as hell.

Now call me an idiot, but if you order a fairly expensive bike and the bars have a 31.8 diameter, shouldnt the stem you select from a varied set of lengths have the right clamp diameter too?

That shim solution is a load of bollocks right?

Should I email them and get the right stem? Or just forget the whole thing. I've been riding for a few weeks and am pretty happy on the old beat up drops I have right now, but am left with brand new bars sitting on my shelf.

Let me guess - velodromeshop.co.uk?

What would you know the stem is a 26.0 and the bars are 31.8. Well clearly this isnt going to work. I emailed them back and they tell me there is a shim in the box.....which there wasnt.......emailed back, they will put one in the post along with shorter chainset bolts. Well this is just making my head spin as I cannot for the life of me think of how shims would make it fit.

Negative shim. Obvs.

What are you trying to demonstrate with the photo? The stem is 26.0, the bars are ??? and you have a shim in there why?

I will neither confirm or deny

Because that's how the place I bought this thing from said the bars would fit.

I'm running 26.0 bars in that stem. But just think if I ordered bars that are 31.8 then the stem they include should have a compatible clamp

For the record the only choice I had was length of stem(or carbon) and the width of bars and type of drop.

I ordered a 70mm stem and 38 wide bars. They shop should have made sure that the clamp and bar diameter were compatible.

Or am I being unreasonable.

Sorry for multiple replies this new layout sucks.

Read it and weep;

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/200258/

Return the bars and request a partial refund, or, if you think they might be competent enough to get it right, request the correct sized replacement.

Avoid them in the future.

I'm just a bit confused that you specifically mentioned the fact that the bolts aren't long enough, as if that was the only issue! If that's a 26.0 stem, a 31.8 bar and a 31.8->26.0 shim then surely the bigger problem is that the shim won't fit inside the stem or around the bar.

So yeah, bollocks, like you said.

I searched here first before ordering but couldn't find a thread on them, will avoid in future and have a look in the thread for a laugh.

No, I knew that the bolts were not going to be long enough and would not actually entertain the idea of trying to fit those bars on that stem to ride on, but after looking at it for a week I thought I'd at least have a look at how ridiculous their solution was.

Haha, the old Negative Shim fob-off.

That sucks though. It's a shame this mystery online shop doesn't have a Twitter page.

I wonder how much they charge to fit a BB though...

They've sent you a positive shim. Email then and ask for a negative one.

Send the whole lot back, with a shit obvs.

Tell them that if they can't even figure out that a bike needs a chain and that big things don't fit little things, they can fuck off.

Tweeks cycles. Showing sidi shoes in stock then told after ordering it would be 10 days for delivery. I wasn't happy about that but accepted it. Chased up today and told they were discontinued! I am sure I can expect another delay in receiving my refund.

This type of scam is all too common with cycle gear websites. There is a difference between drop shipping and fraudently showing something is in stock. Anyway avoid them.

Bikeporn.co.uk - bought a replacement Record sq taper bb from them. Fitted it, but there was slight play which could be felt by rocking the cranks in/out towards / away from the frame. On removing the bb the play was perceptible if holding the bb firmly in one hand, and the spindle between the thumb and forefinger in the other hand. Sent it back, but the Mr Bikeporn says he fitted it to a frame and there's no issue. Says he can't get a refund from his supplier because there's no fault. Except I know there is a fault, so it all smells of BS. What are my options?

Oh, and the company is dissolved - http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/08459175 Does this change anything?

Yes, probably means you've lost your money and the B&B, sadly.

Dissolved, but still trading in as much as it is still possible to buy things from the http://www.Bikeporn.co.uk website. Is that even legal? (What an awful name for a firm anyway).

Raised a dispute with Paypal and just heard that I'm getting the money back. Result.

Can anyone advise on this:

I bought some pedals online in August. They have developed a fault. I want to return them under the warranty but am being told by the retailer that I need to pay the cost of return postage. Is that right? From what I see online the retailer should be bearing this cost.

If the goods are faulty/under warranty then it is up to the vendor to pay the cost of postage. They don't have to for other circumstances, like you changing your mind or wrong sizing and so on.

@chris0, as poetic says
http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Returning-goods-Faulty-or-not-who-pays-postage-/10000000142555623/g.html?clk_rvr_id=1124541027069&rmvSB=true

Essentially under the Distance Selling Regs where an item develops a fault within 6 months of purchase it's deemed to have been faulty at the time of sale and in this case the seller cannot charge for return postage.
In reality vendors try it on as often they get bumped by their supplier so discourage you from returning stuff.
Find the relevant info on a .gov web site or other official web site and send them the link.

Who is the vendor?

Sometimes you can receive the cost of the postage back in your refund. Might have to pay it initially though. Call them and check, its all too easy to say no over email, phone them after doing a little research.

They're just flatly refusing to pay it. I've sent them info about the relevant law which they've ignored and just repeated that I have to pay it. This is getting ridiculous.