Edwardes, Camberwell

Went in there today with a mate to pick up a dicta freewheel, quoted me 15 quid for it. They were inexplicably rude when i told them politely that I wouldn't take it as they are about 6 quid everywhere else. I was about to buy some rim tape but was ushered out of the shop with disgust that I would question their pricing before I could even enquire. Three members of staff treated us very rudely and aggressively. Including the older guy, who I think is the owner/manager.

I also overheard one of the younger blokes in there being very rude and abrupt to a man who didn't speak great english and didn't know a great deal about bikes and had obviously been sold a road size inner tube for his MTB hybrid.

This isn't the first time I have had poor service in there, they have always been fairly curt, although never as rude as today.

A while back they were selling a bike with a very cracked and bent hub flange and warped rim in there, and when I asked why it was so cheap they didn't mention these problems, I only noticed these issues when I took it for a test ride (was considering buying it and ebaying, it was 200 quid for a full bike with DA and H+son rear wheel). I'm pretty sure they would have sold it to me, and probably have to someone else since, without mentioning the dangerously fucked hub.

They also seem to lack some fairly basic knowledge, they have previously refused to believe miche lockrings had a different thread, and tried to convince me it would fit my goldtec hub.

The same guy (older, possibly owner guy) has also examined (up close) my undrilled brian rourke frame as I walked in and asked for a 18 tooth sprocket, he asked "for the roberts" and handed me a freewheel. Not the end of the world but I would still expect someone who sells a lot of fixed gear bikes to notice these things, and not assume I want a freewheel for a dare I say it brakeless bike.

I only continued to go in there for small parts as they are a few hundred metres from me, but after their astonishing rudeness today when I was being completely reasonable and polite I will be avoiding them like the plague.

It is well worth the 2 miles from edwardes to go to brixton cycles, where I have received some of the best customer service i have had, as opposed to the worst in edwardes.

To sum up, if you can't be arsed to read my essay, don't go to Edwardes... they are shit!

don't go to Edwardes... they are shit!

Lies

450 words, I must really hate Edwardes. Sorry for the venting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tobysowen
don't go to Edwardes... they are shit!
Lies

Really not lies, they were so rude

You sound like the kind of person most bike shops hate - they type who tells them they can get the same part on the internet for less.

I was in there on Saturday, thoroughly enjoyable experience, very helpful and I got my usual discount so suck my clinkers

+1 ^^^^

Whenever I go in there they are great, usual discount too.

That's a real shame. I've always found them (including the older guy who owns it) really helpful and generous with their time. Maybe they all had PMT today? :S

Actually, they like me so much they even let me behind the counter the last couple of times to have a little mooch about at my own leisure cos they were busy

Do they do that in BLB, Condor, Brixton, Evans? Get to fuck

Actually, they like me so much they even let me behind the counter the last couple of times to have a little mooch about at my own leisure cos they were busy

Do they do that in BLB, Condor, Brixton, Evans? Get to fuck

Actually condor are fucking great nowadays....
even at the rush hour times- they've always made time for my 72 question approach.

Brixton have always been stellar.

Holdsworth officially are awesome.

Actually condor are fucking great nowadays....
.

+1

Was there too on Sat. Much easier, understandable layout. Has Mary Portas been in there?

I'm really not, I didn't get all cocky before about the freewheel or miche lockring and act like I know everything, I was polite and just said no i won't take it, or no a fixed one please. I'm perfectly aware of how annoying someone acting like they know everything can be. Its not just cheaper online, they are 5.99 in wilsons down the road in peckham, and are even 6.99 in evans.

All I said was "oh, they're usually 5 or six quid in most places" I would have been perfectly happy to just accept that they charge more for that item and not buy it. I don't feel like I provoked or deserved the response I got.

And while they might be really nice to you pistanator they do seem to have given some pretty poor customer experiences aswell as the good ones you have had.

Actually condor are fucking great nowadays....
even at the rush hour times- they've always made time for my 72 question approach.

Whats the '72 question approach'?

Edwardes is the where I bought one of only two new complete bikes I have ever bought, it was a long time ago but they were helpful and the price was good....no complaints

Whats the '72 question approach'?

I'm just really precise.
not superPrecise, but really precise.
the last time someone challenged me to tell them the 10 step plan they opened up my weird brain, luckily I don't have enough time to divulge all questions.
also in 1972 Okinawa was returned to Japan.

No, I'm really precise.

Edwardes you get what you give. I got a SKS renkompressor for £30 and free replacement washers 2 years later.

Without wishing to stereotype too much, you're name is Toby, you ride brakless, write complaint essays on the internet instead of raising it with the staff who served you and make crass statements about bricks and and mortar vs etail pricing strategies and expect a sympathetic ear to be turned your way in Camberwell FFS.
Are you a student?

They were very helpful with obscure spoke calculations on the weekend, usual discount too...

Pistanator - I may have looked on in envy at you mooching behind the counter one of those times
;-)

I've never been to Edwards,but I've been meaning to pop in for some time. I hear bad things about them, but one of our club riders used to work there as a kid and he still goes in every lunch time to see them. I respect him a great deal, and so I know that they must be pretty decent people, and who can blame the occational customer service blip

Lego, were you in Brixton with the same spoke length issue? I couldn't really figure out what the problem was, but I'm glad it got sorted.

Lies

Quoted as a persons real experience must be lies as its different from your own, or what you heard.

From experience Wilsons are more helpful and friendly, but with edwards people seem to have a good experience or a piss poor one.

^ He said 'Edwardes are shit'

They're not so therefore = LIES

When you gonna buy a bike then Lynxy lad?

They were very helpful with obscure spoke calculations on the weekend, usual discount too...

Pistanator - I may have looked on in envy at you mooching behind the counter one of those times
;-)

They calculated and sold me the wrong spoke length before (not their problem, i know) but they then wouldnt refund me for them (they hadn't been fitted) which was pretty shitty. they also were charging double the price that wilsons do for single chainring bolts and took offense when i said i didnt want them. Edwardes aren't shit, but they have some strange policies and attitudes towards new customers.

I'm a friend of Toby's and i can safely assume that he didnt deserve the response he got.

p.s adoubletap. why are you being a dick? what difference does it make if his name is toby? and so what if he is a student (he aint). Fair enough on the riding brakeless comment but at least he aint killing puppies by drilling it. Many well respected forum members ride brakeless on the street.

Yeah was me - many thanks for lending me the calipers, sorted me out! Had to finish calculations at home, then went back to Edwards - much closer to new house...

PS I wanted to ask you about the rice cooker but it all got a bit busy ;-)

Yeah,you need to be able to sense check advice (as in many bike shops)... They're not the favorite, but don't find them crap ;-)