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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:
caughtinanet · 04/07/2021 14:52

@WinterIsGone

How annoying for everyone who was sure there was all kinds of skullduggery going on that they'd said they want to make sure you're happy.

I've not posted on this thread before, but I actually am shocked by his reply, which suggests to me that there actually is skulduggery going on. You can't have staff members using the bike, then covering it all up by adding a "new cassette, new chain and a new shifter as one was scuffed". That is the very definition of skulduggery, surely!

I was referring to the posters who were suggesting that the staff were somehow on the fiddle or in cahoots with the bike borrower

Clearly there's been a miscommunication and I hope the OP gets a satisfactory price reduction and enjoys riding the bike.

WinterIsGone · 04/07/2021 15:00

But this shows the member of staff she spoke to was in cahoots with the bike borrower! He's trying to convince her it's legit, when it's obviously very shady. It's not a new bike.

HalzTangz · 04/07/2021 15:01

@Zampa

If the spec between the £1900 bike and yours was exactly the same, why did you pay more.in the first place?

I understand the issue with the warranty and the shop need to sort that out but otherwise I'm struggling to see the issue. Bikes don't depreciate like cars and the items that show wear must have been replaced for you to think it's new.

But bikes do depreciate, cycle2work schemes prove that,that's why they offer that final year as no payments for the bike but still legally owned by the retailer (the other option at the end of the lease is to return to bike, retailers don't want that as they can't make their money back)
dextermorgan00 · 04/07/2021 15:01

I would be so angry. When u see the store manager stand your ground and don't let them fob you off. Ring the police if necessary

Lockdownbear · 04/07/2021 15:03

Op I'd go higher than the shop. He's definitely trying to pull a fast one.

I'd be tempted to act really daft and contact the manufacturer and tell them what he told you and complain about not being able to register the bike.

You have to decide what outcome you want though.

ivykaty44 · 04/07/2021 15:03

its a second hand bike

id telephone your local trading standards for advice tomorrow morning and then go back to the shop armed with some facts

in my mind its fraudulent to sell you a new bike that is actually second hand - the bar tape os the give away and they'll struggle to get round that issue, the manufacture hasn't put it on any models they've produced

RogueMnerHidesUnderABigHat · 04/07/2021 15:04

Good for you!

MadeForThis · 04/07/2021 15:07

I would advise the manager that you will only accept a discount. That if they are unwilling to do so you will go to trading standards.

I suspect they will just offer you a refund and then sell the bike again.

BikeRunSki · 04/07/2021 15:11

Ex-staff!! Fgs! They are saying that someone had “kept” and ridden it, I’d course it is second hand.

MrMayoNessie · 04/07/2021 15:13

I would go back to them and ask them to explain the conditions that the bike was sold under, if they reconfirm it was sold as last years model (ask them to write this on the sales receipt). Then give them the facts that the item has been soldas new and give your evidence accordigly. I would give them an opportunity to correct their mistake by offering a refund a suitanle and acceptable amount, If they are not prepared to do that, then explain that they have misadvertised a product and that you will be contacting both their head office and Trading standards.

The CAB have a letter template that you can use here www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/template-letters/letters/problems-with-services/letter-to-claim-damages-for-misrepresented-goods-and-services/

They will likely offer a partial refund if they know what's good for them. Especially a national chain do not want the bad possible press.

CaveMum · 04/07/2021 15:18

@CallmeHendricks

"A new cassette, new chain and a new shifter as one was scuffed" rather suggests that the bike was hammered.
Reminds me of Trigger’s broom - used the same broom for 20 years, it’s only had 17 new heads and 14 new handles Wink
EL8888 · 04/07/2021 15:18

@Gazelda exactly!

It’s either new or it’s used. It’s clearly used and they are being very sneaky. Totally out of order

HalzTangz · 04/07/2021 15:22

Off topic, but how do you filter posts, I use the app version and can't see a filter, but I could be just dumb and missing something

HalzTangz · 04/07/2021 15:32

After reading updates from the OP my guess is this staff member had the bike on a cycle2work scheme, instead of keeping the bike at they end of the scheme, they returned it to buy a new bike on the scheme.
The shop then sold her bike misleadingly.
It is second hand no matter what they say and should have been clearly sold as a used bike.
I wonder how many other used bikes that have sold as new bikes

Clymene · 04/07/2021 15:42

@HalzTangz

Off topic, but how do you filter posts, I use the app version and can't see a filter, but I could be just dumb and missing something
Top right of screen is a funnel shape. Click on that and you can filer by OP (or by other posters on the thread if you're a Premium user)
BikeRunSki · 04/07/2021 15:56

@HalzTangz

After reading updates from the OP my guess is this staff member had the bike on a cycle2work scheme, instead of keeping the bike at they end of the scheme, they returned it to buy a new bike on the scheme. The shop then sold her bike misleadingly. It is second hand no matter what they say and should have been clearly sold as a used bike. I wonder how many other used bikes that have sold as new bikes
Probably not C2W, although that’s not impossible. It’s fairly usual in bike shops, outdoor shops etc - especially big brands who sponsor riders, climbers etc - to for staff to use the kit so they know what they are selling. Had a couple of very cheap “holidays” this way!
Original poster
YellowBellyCat · 04/07/2021 16:09

Yes, wasn’t cycle to work. They said today everyone just gets given a “staff bike”. I assume they keep it a couple of years and then get another.

OP posts:
HalzTangz · 04/07/2021 16:10

Ah, I'm not a premium user so that explains why the function wasn't showing for me

Clymene · 04/07/2021 16:13

@HalzTangz

Ah, I'm not a premium user so that explains why the function wasn't showing for me
You can filter if you're not a premium user - you just can't do it by any other user than the OP
igelkott2021 · 04/07/2021 16:13

He says 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

They're not the same thing. You have a warranty with the manufacturer; and you also have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 with the shop. And you get to choose what you claim under (shops always try to send you to the manufacturer). But because it's not new you don't get the warranty. Really they should talk to the manufacturer and get any balance of the warranty transferred to you. And if there isn't any, pay for another year's warranty (most manufacturers offer an extended warranty but it depends if it's the norm with bikes - and whether they'd cover something that had been used for racing).

IAmAWomanNotACis · 04/07/2021 16:14

I would email them a summary of the conversation you had with the manager.

I would also have a think about what you want to do if they won't discount the bike but will give you a full refund, because as you suspect, I think that will be what they will offer you, like it or not. If it gets to the point where they offer you a full refund for a return and you refuse it, then you won't have a legal leg to stand on as they have already tried to make good.

Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 04/07/2021 16:26

I’d be typing up that conversation that you had about the warranty being fine and it not being a second-hand bike and emailing it to the CEO of the company and asking if that was the official company position and if that position is supported by Trading Standards.

Don’t let them fob you off with bullshit.

EveryoneIsThere · 04/07/2021 17:04

OP. You need to make sure you know what you think is a fair price. It can’t be too low otherwise they will insist on giving you a refund and the reselling it.

Whitchurch · 04/07/2021 17:28

What's shocking about this is that they think what they have done is absolutely fine. So that means that they are routinely selling pre-used bikes without telling customers that they aren't new.

Tistheseason17 · 04/07/2021 17:31

I would not be happy as it stands.
They have missold you the item.