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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be angry with bike shop for selling me a second hand bike as new?

432 replies

YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:23

I bought an expensive bike last week from a well known National bike shop chain. Bike was reduced from £2700 to £2200 as I was told it was last year’s model. It’s a seriously well specced bike.

Turned up for a club ride yesterday and people there recognised the bike, it’s had custom bar tape put on it which makes it distinctive. Someone who works at the bike shop was there and made a comment about how the bike had won a National Grand Prix. I didn’t click at first and thought he meant that make/model. But later on other people were saying oh that’s x’s old bike. I’ve now found public posts from x on the bike shops fb page dated from 2019 with photos of her with the bike saying how she’s entered numerous races with the bike.

I tried to register it with the manufacturer yesterday on their registration scheme and can’t register it as it’s already registered.

So they’ve basically sold me a 2yo second hand bike and pretended it’s new. Don’t get me wrong…it looks in good condition, they’ve obviously cleaned it well, possibly they’ve put a new chain/cassette on 🤷‍♀️ But I wouldn’t have paid that amount of money for a second hand bike. At the end of the 2019 season another National chain were selling them new for £1900!

I’m going back to the bike shop today to attempt some serious price negotiation but not sure how far I’m going to get. If they don’t budge on price I think I will have to insist on a refund as it’s just making me angry now. A similar spec bike in this year’s models is about 4k though as the bike model has been seriously redesigned and upgraded (disc brakes from rim brakes) and I can’t afford 4k. They’re also all out of stock.

A friend was with me when I bought it and she’s as shocked as me, says she also thought it was a new bike. It was lined up with this year’s bikes.

OP posts:
Horsemad · 04/07/2021 07:26

That's very sneaky of them! 😡

FortunesFave · 04/07/2021 07:28

Don't even give them the chance to reduce the price! They've ripped you off badly! And you have proof!

Tell them you want a full refund. ANY arguments and you tell them you're seeing a solicitor and going to the press.

dextermorgan00 · 04/07/2021 07:28

F

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:28

@FortunesFave

Don't even give them the chance to reduce the price! They've ripped you off badly! And you have proof!

Tell them you want a full refund. ANY arguments and you tell them you're seeing a solicitor and going to the press.

Problem is I love the bike!
OP posts:
Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:30

Name change fail! 😂. I’ve reported my last post

OP posts:
Sloaneslone · 04/07/2021 07:30

How much are second hand ones going for?

HarebrightCedarmoon · 04/07/2021 07:31

Name change fail?

ImitationofBeing · 04/07/2021 07:31

Take it back. That's a low trick to pull.
They probably didn't count on it being bought by someone who regularly meets with cyclists.

And update on what happens.

TheQueef · 04/07/2021 07:31

Was it the chain beginning with H?
If so, best of luck ime they don't agree consumer laws apply to them.
It should be straightforward.
You bought new, it wasn't new so not as described.
If you are happy to keep it with a discount then research what value a second hand bike holds so they don't try a cheeky 10% offer.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 04/07/2021 07:32

Ah, you were quicker than me, OP.

Yes, price reduction to other second hand bikes with same spec.

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:33

@Sloaneslone

How much are second hand ones going for?
Well I can’t find any second hand bikes of that model to compare.

But for example I found a bike by the same brand, which was a 2020 road bike which retailed for £1400 being sold for £800. So that’s a bit more than half price after a year. I’d expect a two year bike to be around half price.

I know I’m going to get a load of flannel from the bike shop about how x has hardly used it and looked after it, etc. X works at the bike shop by the way! So it’s basically a staff members old bike.

OP posts:
TidyDancer · 04/07/2021 07:33

That's appalling! They obviously didn't expect it to be identifiable. Really out of order!

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:34

@ImitationofBeing

Take it back. That's a low trick to pull. They probably didn't count on it being bought by someone who regularly meets with cyclists.

And update on what happens.

Yes, if I wasn’t in the cycling club I’d still be oblivious.
OP posts:
Disfordarkchocolate · 04/07/2021 07:34

Trading standards may be useful for advice.

Zampa · 04/07/2021 07:34

If you love the bike and were happy with the price paid at the time, why does it matter that it's used?

The price differential between the £1900 bike and yours could be to do with the wheels/chainset/brakes being different?

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:35

Chain doesn’t begin with H. Think a chain which only sells one brand of (high end) bikes and is named the same as the bike brand. I’m hoping their head office will be unimpressed if I have to take it that far. I’m furious.

OP posts:
Lemonteanomilk · 04/07/2021 07:36

You should contact Trading Standards too, this is misrepresentation. Do you have proof of them saying it was new?

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:36

@Zampa

If you love the bike and were happy with the price paid at the time, why does it matter that it's used?

The price differential between the £1900 bike and yours could be to do with the wheels/chainset/brakes being different?

It’s wear and tear on the parts, the frame. The frame is carbon and they can crack internally of dropped on the ground, etc and I have no idea if that’s happened. The £1900 bike was exactly the same spec.
OP posts:
emilyfrost · 04/07/2021 07:36

You say they pretended it was new, but did they, or did you just assume?

At any point did they say it’s new? Or have a sticker on the bike expressing it was new?

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:37

And also no warranty as I can’t register the bike!

OP posts:
FortunesFave · 04/07/2021 07:37

@YellowBellyCat

Chain doesn’t begin with H. Think a chain which only sells one brand of (high end) bikes and is named the same as the bike brand. I’m hoping their head office will be unimpressed if I have to take it that far. I’m furious.
Yes, they won't be happy! It's a ridiculous thing for them to try since keen cyclists would likely find out...as you have!
BikeRunSki · 04/07/2021 07:38

That’s soooo out of order
DH and I have had a few ex-pro/ex- race bikes, cracking bikes which we wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. But we’ve known about it when we bought them! DH reckons this adds to their value (when I met him, his road bike had “done” the TdeF on a media car).

Could they have put the custom bar tape on a few bikes of that model ? Are you a similar size to X? Curious to know who’s bike you’ve got.

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:38

@emilyfrost

You say they pretended it was new, but did they, or did you just assume?

At any point did they say it’s new? Or have a sticker on the bike expressing it was new?

None of the bikes have stickers saying new. It was with all the other new bikes. They said it’s discounted because it’s last year’s model…..so that’s a lie it’s two years old.

They haven’t sold second hand bikes for years. They used to many years ago sell ex hire bikes and they were always out the front with “ex hire “ labels on.

OP posts:
TheQueef · 04/07/2021 07:39

Don't forget as well as the discount for it being second hand you want all the consumables like brakes and tyres renewed (and anything else a cycle consumes) they've tried to pull a fast one on you.

Glad for you it's not H, they're outrageous.

Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 07:39

@BikeRunSki

That’s soooo out of order DH and I have had a few ex-pro/ex- race bikes, cracking bikes which we wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. But we’ve known about it when we bought them! DH reckons this adds to their value (when I met him, his road bike had “done” the TdeF on a media car).

Could they have put the custom bar tape on a few bikes of that model ? Are you a similar size to X? Curious to know who’s bike you’ve got.

X is one inch taller than me, apparently she put the bar tape on.
OP posts:
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