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

[YellowBellyCat]

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.

That’s really poor OP, even if the store is a franchise. Agree with others - you’ve been entirely reasonable and now is the time to take to social media!

Trading standards op
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/Solve-an-ongoing-consumer-problem/

And start post of their Facebook, Twitter, any cycling forums etc

Maybe send your story to Watchdog on BBC.

Surely it's a trading standards issue. They are selling 2nd hand stuff passed off as new.

@curlyLJ

Surely it's a trading standards issue. They are selling 2nd hand stuff passed off as new.

But they have offered me a full refund so don’t think trading standards, etc would be interested.

I think I’m going to have to accept the offer of vouchers and a bike fit….I’m so bloody angry though.

But yeah, won’t be holding back on the bike forums.

www.channel4.com/4viewers/takepart/got-your-back

I think I’m going to have to accept the offer of vouchers and a bike fit….I’m so bloody angry though

Why? get back your 2.2k and buy something else, you still haven't got a warranty, you may as well of bought it off Market Place.

Certini in Saltash a Giant and Spesh dealer can get 2021/22 bikes in some sizes.

But they have offered me a full refund so don’t think trading standards, etc would be interested.
They would certainly be interested.

@WinterIsGone

But they have offered me a full refund so don’t think trading standards, etc would be interested. They would certainly be interested.

They’d be interested that the bike has been misrepresented as “new”.

They can’t be allowed to get away with this

@YellowBellyCat

Just had an email from head office who said it's nothing to do with them... My contract is with the shop. I need to deal with the shop and they won't get involved. Totally bizarre, never known any other retail chain have that MO. Also a lengthy piece on how they don't have to stick to the rrp and can charge what prices they like.

I think there have been so many useful links put up

I hope you are happy with the outcome in dealing with the shop but it is fraud /misrepresentation and I'd be inclined to report to trading standards
Whilst you can negotiate a happy settlement for yourself as that's is what LA trading standards will want, it doesn't hurt to let the local TRadinh standards know that this is that bike shop's practice

Every LA dept is very busy right now but if the shop is doing dodgy sales practice it all adds to the local intelligence information

Haven’t read the whole thread but what they’ve done is against the law and you are protected under the Consumer Rights Act. Cheeky fucks.

Get in touch with the BBC. You and Yours or that Watchdog would be all over this. Go to the local paper, hell, out them here. Don’t cover for them, they’ve totally screwed you over, they're arseholes

Op I'd be spreading this all over the cycling forums. I'm surprised the HO aren't bothered.
Keep pushing.

I'd take the refund. Just so you are free to shop elsewhere. Are you able to hire or borrow a bike for your holiday?
What have you done with your old bike?

Wow talok about wash their hands of it

i dont think mcdonalds would act the same way

I wouldnt really accept the credit note what about the warranty how are they going to get round that

its so unfair... be ause the vouchers mean sweet fanny Adam's.. they still have all your custom... its a shabby good for nothing rip off con..

don't underestimate the power of Twitter etc OP 🌸🌺

Personally I wouldn’t buy anything from them again so vouchers are useless

You need cash back. Definitely contact watchdog or the R4 money program they love cases like this.

Yep Twitter definitely. For the CEO. Someone posted a link earlier

Don’t accept vouchers you are not covered. Get a refund.

Giant Bicycles

Mr Ian Beasant Chief Executive

Email [email protected]
Telephone 0115 9775900
Switchboard 0115 9775900
Website www.giant-bicycle.com
Personal Twitter @ianbeasant

that needed a gap
Mr Ian Beasant Chief Executive
Email [email protected]
www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-10656

I'd be tempted to send him a link to this thread tbh

I’ve been to the bike shop and talked to the sales manager guy. The general manager Isn’t in and it’s him that needs to take a decision.

The bike is an “ex staff bike” which won’t have done “that much mileage”. When pressed about the mileage he reckons maybe 1000 miles which he says isn’t a lot. I disagree. I also suspect if she’s had the bike for two years it’s done a lot more. He is also adamant it hasn’t been raced and I told him I’ve seen fb posts to the contrary but he’s still sure it won’t have been raced. He’s adamant it doesn’t count as a second hand bike. I’m adamant it does. Apparantly as long as it’s a staff member who rides it that makes all the difference and it isn’t second hand. 🤷‍♀️ But he says I should have been informed it was an ex staff bike. He still believes it’s a fair price.
He says it’s had a new cassette, new chain and a new shifter as one was scuffed….which in my mind reinforces the fact it’s a second hand bike. He makes the point it’s been well maintained and serviced which I agree with….but it’s still a second hand bike.
He says they will want to ensure I’m happy. I got the feeling a full refund wouldn’t be an issue but he says they’re 10-11 weeks away from any comparable new stock. I’ve said at this point I’d rather talk price of this bike so that’s why we’re waiting for the manager. I’ve pointed out the same bike was being sold new for £1900 at the end of the season and I’d expect a second hand bike to be less. So we’ll see.

It is outrageous that a bike which had done at least 1000 miles and had major components replaced was sold to you without this being made crystal clear. Even more outrageous that the shop are not at all apologetic.

However, as you correctly point out, they have offered you a full refund, which puts you back in the position you would have been had you been standing in the shop pre-purchase being told the truth about the bike. You'd not have been able to negotiate the price and you'd have walked away. The problem is that they think the bike is worth what you paid so they are happy to have it back and resell to someone else. It does sound like prices are high at the moment. One would hope that they think they can get this price from a customer after full disclosure of the bike 's history, rather than trying to dupe another unsuspecting buyer.

Can you hire or borrow bike for your holiday? It seems best of possible to find a way to walk away from this shower of rude idiots. But if you do that, send in a mate as a mystery shopper to see what is being said about it to customers.

If you do decide to keep it (on the grounds that you perhaps can rationalise that it is worth what you paid) and accept their crap credit offer (what even IS a bike fit?) then you need to clarify what this means:
the normal brand warranty stands. I’ve told him I can’t register it and he says it’s not an issue…they know they sold it to me, etc.

That makes no sense. They need to do better.