I placed an online order for a few bits last night & realised this morning that I’d ordered an IS mount instead of post mount adapter. Called them up at 9.30 and they said it would be no problem to swap it. Got a call back a little bit later to say that my order had been packaged so they would just send out a post mount, FOC. Great service!

Speaking of good service – order placed with CRC at 10:12 – “Dispatched” email at 13:58.

Which means there’s a chance I’ll have my new bike built for the weekend.

Merlin made me some wheels, when they arrived the rear was missing the dust seal. When I rang them they didn’t believe me and explained how many years their guy had been making wheels for.

Then said they’d look around the workshop for the missing dust seal but never got back in touch.

Avoid.

Never had anything but great service via mail order from them, not a particularly rewarding experience in their retail shop though. They are only 15 mins drive from me but Id rather mail order and wait

No don’t avoid. The best online bike retailer there is imv

Yep, always had good service from Merlin…wish they’d stop sending me ‘Please review your recent purchase’ emails though 😐

Never had an issue with them, not bought a lot from them but the Hope X2’s I ordered turned up next day. Faultless.

Used to buy quite a few things from Merlin but I stopped because they kept sending trivial inexpensive stuff e.g. adaptors grips pads via signed for recorded delivery which meant a largely unnecessary journey to the Royal Mail depot if no-one was at home.

I realise they were covering their backs but for me it was a PITA

Do Merlin still do this?

silly to say “avoid” in this case. Merlin are good in my experience

so is the OP going to do the decent thing and post back the mis-ordered IS mount?

Do Merlin still do this?

yep, I can see why too. I tend to find recorded post more reliable (in terms of speed) too, so a benefit to me.

rocketman – Member
Used to buy quite a few things from Merlin but I stopped because they kept sending trivial inexpensive stuff e.g. adaptors grips pads via signed for recorded delivery which meant a largely unnecessary journey to the Royal Mail depot if no-one was at home.

I realise they were covering their backs but for me it was a PITA

Do Merlin still do this?

WTF!!?!?!! your moaning because they send it probably the most fastest, secure, safest ways to do so – and to safeguard themselves against fraud, but more importantly cos it gets to you super fast this way? and thats worthy of avoiding using them?!?!

well jeebuz i’ve heard it all on STW now

merlin piss over every other online retailer by some height!

WTF!!?!?!! your moaning because they send it probably the most fastest, secure, safest ways to do so – and to safeguard themselves against fraud, but more importantly cos it gets to you super fast this way? and thats worthy of avoiding using them?!?!

Easy fella

It’s not the fastest way if it means a journey to the Royal Mail depot to collect a £5 adaptor.

rocketman – Member

Easy fella
It’s not the fastest way if it means a journey to the Royal Mail depot to collect a £5 adaptor.

Why not deliver to work, or a mate’s house, or something like that?

I’m a fan of Merlin too. Despite being a huge operation they always pick up the phone and sound just like a normal bike shop.

Paid my first visit to the showroom yesterday. Won’t be going back in hurry – too many shiny, cheap frames on prominent display!

Another thumbs up for Merlin here – never had anything but excellent service from them. Even over Xmas hols I ordered something one day and got it just under 24hrs later, delivered to Scotland. Sometimes their prices aren’t the cheapest online, but you know you’re gonna get your stuff pronto…:)

Wasn’t particularily impressed with a mate’s wheel build from them tbh- mine were spot on but his were a little uneven and noticably out of true. When he contacted them their response was, essentially, “No they aren’t. You don’t know anything about wheels, we know loads”. They weren’t terrible mind.

Only issue I have with them is they don’t have a particularly wide range of stuff for sale

I’ve aired my issues with Merlin on here loads of times so can’t be bothered to repeat them but safe to say they are not my ‘go to’ people for bike toys. 👿

On the other hand, I ordered some of those cheap Deore brakes from CRC the other day and they turned up within 48hrs, the box was not huge and the items were as described. Thumbs up. 😀

WTF!!?!?!! your moaning because they send it probably the most fastest, secure, safest ways to do so

Recorded is not any of the above, it’s just 1st or 2nd class that gets a signature at the other end. Nothing stopping it going missing, you can’t track it. All it does is let the sender know it got there and was singed for.

Nothing stopping the post man thinking, **** this, sign it themselves and leave it on your step.

I’ve never used them Mail Order, but they’ve been fine when I’ve gone into the shop.

I split between them and Evans at chill factor if I’m not getting things off CRC etc

soobalias – Member
so is the OP going to do the decent thing and post back the mis-ordered IS mount?

They won’t want it. It’ll almost certainly cost them more than its worth to return it to stock.

so is the OP going to do the decent thing and post back the mis-ordered IS mount?

I was planning to ‘cos I don’t need it – up to them what they do with it.

Merlin are my first choice now, only had excellent service at some very good prices. Their hand built wheels have been great, though it’s a shame they don’t do dt swiss hubs any longer.

Had Similar great experience with them.
Great prices, and you can phone them, and speak to people who know what you are on about.
Xt groupset £450. With brakes. No way I’d buy from Germany with those prices.