Can I get a refund from a charity shop?

[Crapster]

Bought a bike for myself the other day from a local charity shop (branch of a big chain). Cost me £50.

It had a swing tag with the price and saying it had been fully refurbished and was in working order. Obviously I couldn't actually try it out in the shop but I pushed it and checked that the pedals and brakes worked etc. All seemed fine.

But today I went to go for a bike ride with DD for the first time and after pedalling about 20 metres something went clunk and now the chain is just swivelling on the gears and pedals aren't working. All I had done was take it out if the car and ride it for about 30 seconds on a path in the park. I literally haven't taken it out of the back of the car until today as it's been raining non stop since the day I bought it (Wednesday) and this was the first time I've ridden it. I can't afford to take it for repairs and I assumed that when they said fully refurbished they meant fully refurbished!

DP says I can't expect a refund from a charity shop and tbh I feel a bit tight asking but I can't afford repairs!

[Crapster]

PS I have the reciept, I kept it just in case

[Tuemay]

I would ring them up and see what they say.

£50 is a lot to spend on something that doesnt work. It's not like a 50p book or something.

[ElizabethWoodviIIe]

You're still covered by consumer law whichever shop you buy an item from, so if it's not fit for use they must refund you. Most of the larger charity shops do anyway - if it was somewhere like Oxfam, BHF, Scope etc they definitely should.

[KurtansCurtains]

I was coming on to say YABU but £50 is a lot. I would imagine that your consumer rights still stand even though it's a charity shop, so I'd take it back.

My (tight arse) ex-MIL is a charity shopper and takes stuff back to our local charity shops if something doesn't fit and they accept the return and doesn't spend mor me than a maximum of two quid. I'd definitely return the bike.

[Catapultme]

Definitely take it back

[totallyyesno]

From your description it sounds like the chain has slipped - it's not a problem, just put it back on?

[Myneighboursnorlax]

@totallyyesno

From your description it sounds like the chain has slipped - it's not a problem, just put it back on?

I was thinking the same thing. I’d put it back on and try again before taking it back. It’s quite common I found.

[homemadecommunistrussia]

It just needs the chain putting back on or the gears adjusting slightly. If you don't know how Halfords are doing a free check at the moment.

[Chicchicchicchiclana]

Yep, I would try and fix the chain too. Chains come off quite often so you need to get used to it if you are going to be a bike rider.

£50 is an absolute bargain for a refurbished second hand bike.

[Yoloyohol]

DC (built own bike but not mechanic ) suggests if chain and pedals are spinning freely whilst bike stationary, then suggests a problem with the freewheel mechanism (in the hub of the rear wheel) so not fit for purpose.

If pedals not moving check chain hasn't fouled or slipped between two gear cogs. Should have been properly tensioned- but not a biggy.

or less likely for a charity shop bike is it an integrated hub? (only one cog on rear wheel but you still have a gear shifter - could be tension issue)

[BikeRunSki]

I think the chain has just come off. You just need to put it back on. It’s a 2 second just. It probably just happened because the bike was in too high a gear. Can you post a picture of the chain and gears please?

[RoadworksAgain]

It just sounds like the chain has slipped. Take it to Halfords, they do a free check over/adjust the gears/tighten the breaks, etc.

[homemadecommunistrussia]

Oh sorry, not sure halfords is offering that anymore.

[SockYarn]

I volunteer in a charity shop.

We abide by the same rules as everyone else. If you buy something which is said to be in good condition and it's not, you absolutely should take it back for a refund. Volunteers will be happy to sort it out for you, or they would be where I work.

We stick to the law though - before the pandemic we wouldn't refund clothes which you'd bought, not bothered to try on, and changed your mind about or which didn't fit. Only things not as described, or faulty. Now that we've had to remove the changing room, we're more lenient on the refunds on clothing, but that may change again in hte future.

[Lazypuppy]

Have you tried just putting the chain back on? It doesn't sound broken from what you've said

[LIZS]

Some areas have repair cafes where volunteers do free repairs. Ask on local Facebook group or nextdoor. Have you tried refitting the chain form a youtube video.

[olderthanyouthink]

Is the chain still on the chain rings (from and back)?

Take some photos?

[LIZS]

Or you could ask who refurbished it and deal direct with them, to avoid Covid issues at shop.

[Beautiful3]

When ever that's happened to any of ours it means the chains come off. We put it back on. It's easy to do, and something you' ll probably have to do again at some point. I certainly wouldnt take it back because of that. That's like returning it because one tyre got punctured!

[Regularsizedrudy]

The chain has just slipped off.. have you ever been on a bike before?

[Doingtheboxerbeat]

Halford are chocker and it's really hard to get them to do paid repairs, let alone free ones. Have you tried YouTube?

[Sunrise234]

As other PPs have said it sounds like the chain has slipped off - something that can happen quite regularly and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the bike. I think it happens if you change gear and you're not pedaling.

It is extremely easy to put back on - have a look on google or youtube if you're not sure. It's good to know for the future anyway.

[CatBatCat]

Get a voucher from the gov website for service.

[Crapster]

The chain is still on the gears, there's 6 gears but whatever gear you put it in, when you start to pedal it goes clunk, slips back to third gear, and then the pedals stop turning the wheels and just spin.

And to whoever asked if I'd been on a bike before - not for about 25 years! And then I just rode a borrowed one a few times. I know nothing about bikes other than how to deal with tyres which I've had to learn to sort the DC bikes out. I've never known any of their bikes do anything like this though

I rang the shop and they said I can return it or exchange for one of the other ones they have so I'll do that on Monday.

[homemadecommunistrussia]

Kids bikes don't have so many gears. If you post a picture someone on here can better advise you.
Bikes do need a bit of care and attention and bikes with lots of gears especially can take some getting used to. A friend of mine recently started cycling again and managed to knock the chain off every time they changed gear until they learnt to take it a bit easier.