Shouldn't STW be pulling all his magazine ads for this sort of behaviour? If it were my mag, that's what I'd do.
Eh I think it would be pretty daft to pull his ads, who would loose out the most from that one? To be honest after this thread he's be as well cancelling his ads anyway.
I get the feeling someone else would come along and replace him quite quickly. Since he's been advertising for free and slagging off other companies I'd say that they'd lost a bit of money like that.
To be honest after this thread he's be as well cancelling his ads anyway.
Do you really think so? How many of his existing and potential customers will actually be following this post? And how many people *really* care whether he's a twot or not?
E.g. Ryanair is pretty sh*t and their CEO is an utter tube, but their product is cheap as chips, and that's what seems to count. If consumers really heeded their moral compass, McDonalds and Nike would have disappeared years ago... Superstar might experience a dip in sales for a few days, but i doubt anything more significant will happen to them following this STW debacle.
Components fail from every company, no matter how costly or prestigious- customer service varies from day to day, depending on the mood of staff and indeed the attitude with which the customer themself presents the problem.
With that in mind, I think this stinks- everything has been blown out of proportion and is now just some kind of farcical witch hunt- it would seem Fruit had a number of enemies on here, maybe in part because the components he sells aren't quite in vogue like Chris King or the latest prada hubs daaaarling- if (and it is still an if) tangobravo does prove to be one and the same, is it not understandable that he might want a more anonymous persona to express his opinions without preconceptions of a clicky set of bitchy schoolgirls.
Personally I have had multiple dealings with Neil and SSC and have been more than happy with the service I received and the quality of components in relation to their cost.
I'm off to ride my bike- maybe you ladies should rifle through your wardrobes and powder your noses- Fashion week is less than a month away girls... still time to scour rock pools and beaches for this season's must have accessory.
Superstar might experience a dip in sales for a few days
Or might already have been dipping. Hence his behaviour?
...It would seem Fruit had a number of enemies on here, maybe in part because the components he sells aren't quite in vogue like Chris King or the latest prada hubs daaaarling- if (and it is still an if) tangobravo does prove to be one and the same, is it not understandable that he might want a more anonymous persona to express his opinions without preconceptions of a clicky set of bitchy schoolgirls.
I think you're missing the point. Regardless of the quality of his own components, whatever it may be, the level of his customer service, whatever it may be, and the fashionability (or not, is that even a word?) of his brand the point for me is the IMO dishonest practice of actively pretending to be someone else to actively slag off his competitors products. And that's not something seemingly done in passing, but to me looks like a purposeful, intended act. The fact that he's also slipped into comically talking about having conversations with himself is by-the-by.
It's that which means that I certainly wouldn't buy from him, no more than I'd buy anything off anyone else who was discovered acting in such a shifty fashion. I suspect he couldn't give a t0ss though..
He's been dishonest. He's affectively hoodwinked his customers, pretending to be someone else.
His product is awful though. Every item I've ever had of his has failed or arrived blatantly faulty. 3 chainsets (each a replacement for the other), 3 BBs, every set of brake pads. In fact, I don't know a single person who's bought a chainset off him and it not failed.
The fact that he accuses his customers of being liars (there have been a fair few) and then comes out with this, essentially a big lie, is dishonest and that's the issue with it.
Interesting choice of name and first post is all I'll say:
duditude - The unfounded belief, mostly held by men or dudes, that everything will all work out just fine despite the very real possibility that it won't.
My boyfriend was exhibiting overt duditude when he said he doesn't need to wear a motorcycle helmet because he's "not going to get into an accident."
Oh he hasn't wheeled out the girlfriend with the Oxbridge degree to defend him again has he? *yawn*
Although I was quite fancying a bit of a race at Cwm Carn.
For some reason this thread reminds me of watching the really bad acts on that X Factor show, like modern day bear baiting......
*waves@fruit's burd*
He's called in reinforcements has he?
Re: duditude
It seems unlikely that anyone possessing a degree of any sort could even begin to consider defending the douchebaggery on display by the fruity tangobozo. It's clear to the impartial observer (ie. me, having never met nor bought anything from SS) that the man's a deceitful ****.
Oh, Neil! Neil! ... Orange peel!
This thread reminds me a little of playground culture - someone makes a fool of themselves for whatever reason and suddenly it's cool to jump on the underdog. Well I'm too old to care so I'll own up to having a Superstar sticker on my bike 
and to having bought two (yes that's right, two!!) Superstar headsets and shock horror they've been fine (OK so only one is in regular use and at the price I wasn't expecting miracles but it looks as though even if it doesn't hold up to a Welsh winter that bearings will be dead easy to change anyway) - super quick shipping and communication too. And yeah, before any smart arse points it out, I am fully aware that I don't normally hang onto frames long enough to wear out a headset 
.
I'm sure that Superstar will survive this little glitch (heck look at some of the other companies who get grief on here) and that Neil will learn something from all this.
and suddenly it's cool to jump on the underdog.
Well, I think it's more the fact that 'underdog' has done his best to malign other companies' (particularly OO/Ragley) products under an assumed identity. That is douchebaggery. It's in the dictionary. "douchebaggery n. The act of maligning other companies' products under an assumed identity."
Yeah, but do we all believe everything we read on the 'net?
Yeah, but do we all believe everything we read on the 'net?
No but if you can back it up with evidence of IP addresses, phone numbers, names, links etc...its probably safe to.
Some people make a job out of it you know....
SSP
Going to be honest though, if you drum up business or promote your wares on forums you have to be prepared for the risks.
Its an open forum and anything can be written, unless there is a sensible and impartial mod.
It may be a tad unfair but superstar might see aspects of a vendetta and bad reviews in the short term. Nowt against the guy but he needs to conduct business abit better. Very crass.
Would I shop with him? I emailed him asking if he sells wheels seperately last week. No reply, not even 'sorry no'. Customers arent always current shoppers. I asked him previously if the pads had any sort of guarantee after hearing stories of his pads shearing- basically wanted reassurance that he had solved the problem. Again no reply (I had already ordered multiple sets of his pads so maybe he thought the money was already in the bank so couldnt be assed?).
Is it too late to laugh?
Hora - give the guy a break Dissociative Identity Disorder (as it now seems to be called) can be pretty time consuming
What a silly billy he is!!
On a lighter note, I've just had an email from superstar with some Bank Holiday Special offers......... 
jojoA1 - Member
Oh my sides! I'm loving this thread
How do you spell schadenfreude again cos I'll have a large helping please?
You only know that word as you saw Lisa in the Simpsons use it!
What a thread! a suspicious post from there from duditude, it being his first and only and all that.
"Fashion week is less than a month away girls"
Hi Neil.
maybe this will all end next week when the schools go back and you all have homework to do?!
regardless of how bad the service or dissatisfied (yes I know I cant spell)you are with a product, slating the company on a forum doesnt help anyone and is, at the end of the day, more than a little bit sad. Go ride your bikes.
Rant over.
Here you go: http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/profile/duditude
Perhaps we could do a Fruit rant and accuse this person of being a troll..........
aaaaahhh! remember now!I have met Mr SSC.... 'Cocky' is not a word I use very often... 
I remember I just thought he was an employee from a competitor... but he was scouting me out... what for ? no idea...
Luckily for me my filthy disorganised shop which I started with hardly anything and pure talent , camouflaged the fact I'm a fuc*ing genius that just toys with fate due to boredom... 
But I wish I'd had the bank of mum and dad as well!
I remember now... as he left I thought 'you arsehole!', and I'm not often wrong...
Top of the morning,
I wanted to inject some food for thought- things were looking a bit too much like a crows parliament- Although I can see what is alleged could be construed as dodgy business practice, from the evidence I've read, I don't see quite the levels of deceipt and manipulation that are being portrayed as black and white.
Whatsmore, I have bought a few items which may require long term warranty, so I'd prefer the business didn't fold due to schoolyard underdog syndrome.
See, we all have motives.
bomberman - MemberWhat a thread! a suspicious post from there from duditude, it being his first and only and all that.
"Fashion week is less than a month away girls"
Hi Neil.
LOL... yet another conspiracy no doubt!!
Keep on digging...
I think Ive found a picture of him
from the evidence I've read, I don't see quite the levels of deceipt and manipulation that are being portrayed as black and white
Then you need to read it more carefully
fold due to schoolyard underdog syndrome.
No, that is not the reason for the reaction. For my part, others may - of course - be different, is that someone has tainted something that was mostly free from outright deception and malpractice. I have a strong aversion to the political, religious, philosophical views of many on here, hell, I find the way some people on here make their living to be objectionable (yep, I am one opinionated ****) and so I mostly avoid the other forum. On this forum yes, there's differences of opinion, yes, Brant does some not-so-stealthy marketing (as he has since the start of this place) and promotes the ethos behind his latest frame and other industry people pop up to add their ha'pennyworth but... differences are mostly respected. And, for the most part, the outside world is set aside as much as possible and all those political etc differences are temporarily forgetten whilst bikes are talked, routes are swapped and slack angles examined.
Until now no one has embarked on a campaign of attempting to undermine other people's business in this almost happy little world. But now, it would seem, the evidence is fairly damning that TB/F has shat in the pool. For that all the disapprobation is deserved.
EDIT: re:censorship. The extent of my opinionated nature deserved 12 asterixes.
this is bitchslapping at it's finest.... I feel dirty just reading this thread... so dirty!
but I'll keep coming back for a sneaky peek when my GF isn't around....
Who needs stealth normally...??? I've got great customers who have become great friends. They big me up whenever they can, and when it's due. They do cos they like me and what I do!!!
I' try not to go around shining my own badge... I try to let others do it for me,like wise I don't bad mouth or dirty other peoples rep... Don't get me wrong ..I have opinions and I think I'm (at times) the monkeys nuts. But being humble can get you further than being a wise ass.
Now if this guy was designing stuff and making it himself... that's one thing... Getting the vedge from Morrison's and then shouting like you grew it yourself is lame. IMHO
I haven't seen one product of his that has any input from his company in concept of design ... all he has done is become part of a chain with less links.
Brant? obvious I know, does do the same to some degree ... it happens But I don't think you will see another frame like a Ragley but with a different badge.
It's very simple... it's the Crud guard syndrome... lots of imitators but only one original.
Superstar Components is a chav name for a product brand anyway IMHO
It's not hard to buy stuff cheap from Taiwan, Hong Hong, Japan and the likes people do it on ebay everyday.
Zone
It's not hard to buy stuff cheap from Taiwan, Hong Hong, Japan and the likes people do it on ebay everyday.
Aye. Abit of searching/time turns up the factories that make the frames for certain US Brands.
Well having read this thread from start to finish I think i'll take my custom elsewhere too. I was planning on buying 50 pairs of brake pads from them (£300 worth) for a season in the alps next year the last thing we want is a faulty product with obviously dire customer support to leave us with an unsupported batch, possibly ruining the whole trip as money once over there will be tight. It'll cost us more inevitably but I'd rather the piece of mind that nothing can go wrong and we can concentrate on riding instead.
duditude
With that in mind, I think this stinks- everything has been blown out of proportion and is now just some kind of farcical witch hunt- it would seem Fruit had a number of enemies on here, maybe in part because the components he sells aren't quite in vogue like Chris King or the latest prada hubs daaaarling- if (and it is still an if) tangobravo does prove to be one and the same, is it not understandable that he might want a more anonymous persona to express his opinions without preconceptions of a clicky set of bitchy schoolgirls.
It is fairly conclusive Fruit and tangobravo are the same person - they have the same mobile phone number
The reason he has so many enemies is that these people have suffered from multiple failures of SSC components, and from his poor customer service, his mocking of his customers on the forum.
His stealth promotion of SSC products as well as his denigrating of other manufacturers and importers is IMO quite outrageous. Live by the sword and die by it.
I'm very pleased to hear that Fruit has lost a £300 sale out of all of this, along with a few others. At least now I know he's lost more money from his stupidity and poor customer service than I have.
This topic has been closed to new replies.
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