Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • Wheelies Direct, insurance replacement experience?
  • agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Unfortunately I’m having to use them to replace a stolen Prince Albert and Rockhopper. Anyone used them and got stories of timescales, prices, build quality etc. I’m thinking of a cash settlement to speed things up.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    Personally, I’d go for the cash. Not from hearing bad things about wheelies (although I think they only offer certain brands?) just because I think I’d do better than sourcing replacement at full retail.

    andyfb78
    Free Member

    helpful, they did a full custom build to my spec
    slow, they took nearly three months
    chaotic, they kept getting things wrong
    got a better bike than i started with otherwise i would have thrown my toys out.
    friendly and apologetic, they knew that they kept getting things wrong it all came right in the end.

    bland
    Full Member

    id take cash and run, they turn over too many bikes (1000/week) to care what you get, just do it yourself.

    if its a £400halfords carrera you lose then let them replace it, if its something you built and is a none standard spec dont let them bother

    geordiemick00
    Free Member

    who’s your insurance company?

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Jeez, 3 months! That’s not acceptable in my book. Tempted to buy or build a new bike over the nnext week and take the discount hit on the cash settlement.

    Costs me a fiver a day on the bus to work, extra hour commuting and the pleasure of using public transport…..

    Carbone
    Free Member

    Had to use them a couple of years ago to replace 4 bikes, I cant speak highly enough of the guy I dealt with start to finish , all special builds Inc wheels etc , just had a delay on one which was due to it been in short supply anywhere so not their fault ( I had the option to change my mind) .
    I too looked at the cash offer but it made more sense financially to have the bikes .I actually gained from the deal – but I’d still cut the balls of the schmuck who nicked them.

    bruneep
    Full Member

    They kept offering a off the shelf model, I asked for the cash settlement as they couldn’t give me a like for like replacement. Came away with some story about that I wouldn’t be able to get the full cash payout.

    I stood my ground with my insurer M&S , give me like for like or the full cash settlement as per the policy. After about a week or two I received full cash payout, less the excess.

    Stand firm if you’re not receiving what your policy states.

    crazybaboon
    Full Member

    When my Trek Madone was destroyed in a road accident, I claimed on my home insurance to speed up the replacement rather than wait to claim of the car driver ( they then claim off his insurance )
    They wanted me to use wheelies, but I refused due to the distance and wanted to use my lbs, the insurance company didnt really put up much of a fight and ended up giving me a full cash settlement.
    This was with m+s

    willjones
    Free Member

    2x very positive experiences with Wheelies. Very quick, fair and knowledgeable.

    flippinheckler
    Free Member

    I got a nice 5 Spot from Wheelies to replace my broken Heckler, Si I’m very happy, plus a nice 20% discount off the extra bits I ordered.

    matt1986
    Free Member

    I had a horrible experience with wheelies they replaced my genesise core 30 but tried to tell me at the time they had no core 30 left despite me going on there website and being able to order one. They were trying to fob me off with a rockhopper that was in there sale. When I managed to get core it arrived with the brake clamp bolts rounded off so I had to take it to Harry halls where I got the original core from to short out. Then on the first ride the chain snapped in the rear mech because the gears were set up so horrible. They did send me a replacement chain and agreed to pay Harry halls to short it out but I had to pay and claim it back which took a good while. There is no way I’d ever use them again for anything.

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Interesting stuff, my insurer is M&S. Previously I have cash settled (3 times before unfortunately) and done OK out of it. Certainly no 20% reduction for cash from they previous dealers.

    But not used Wheelies before. Apparently they only have one guy building custom bikes. If I want a Prince Albert frame, then they cant supply a built bike, but still want me to order all the components from them. At least that shouldnt take too long.

    An off the shelf Rockhopper is fine as the other replacement.

    Out of interest, are their prices less 20% comparible with, say, CRC and their continual 10% online offs? if there’s no difference, I may as well get the Dialled frame and order online from CRC to build the bike up next week.

    xcstu
    Free Member

    I’m not sure if it was their fault or my insurance but they were not the best when I asked for the cash settlement.. lost out some much decided had to take the bike they were offering which was a massive downgrade and ended up selling it to make my money back….

    They were quick with the replacement bike but was no great shakes put together!!

    ac282
    Full Member

    My experience was very positive. After having my road bike stolen the bike and accessories they offered were probably better than my originals and they also built up a rear wheels to my spec when there were no appropriate factory wheels in the country.

    althepal
    Full Member

    Used to work in home insurance and used them exclusively for our cycle claims a few years.. Had a few probs but they were dealing with 100s of bikes a month for us. Got to know a couple of guys in the back office who seemed like enthusiasts and were always good at sorting out probs when I raised them with them. Dealt with a few high value claims and they were upfront enough to tell me when they couldn’t replace and it was a cash settlement..
    This was about ten years ago and think they’ve became bigger since then..
    Btw, bought my first proper new bike from them then an enduro frame and a lot of bits- no issues what so ever.

    scott_mcavennie2
    Free Member

    Used them very recently actually to replace the gf’s roadbike. Found them very good. The wrong bike actually turned up (men’s instead of ladies) but that was kind of both our faults (I didn’t realise that Bianchi have the same name for men’s and women’s). Once the error was realised the bike was collected immediately and the new one arrived 2 days later.

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Apparently Carl is dealing with it, a one-man customer build team.

    Anyway, happy with the settlement amount they’ve offered, but not sure they have a match for a Prince Albert, XT + Revelations. Maybe a Bluepig off the shelf and some change?

    jp-t853
    Full Member

    I used them in 2005 and I still use the bike now (Cove Handjob).

    The insurance company would only offer a percentage of the payout if I wanted the cash. Saying that I claimed £980 and the said the rebuild cost would be £1400.

    Overall Wheelies did a very good job with good communication throughout the build.

    flyingfox
    Free Member

    Simple to understand – I think either M&S or AXA (AXA underwrite it now don’t they?) own shares in the company. At least that’s what I got out of an employee of theirs when he was drunk!

    We had a customer who wanted a Whyte 19. She dug her heels in, got the full money and came to us.

    Fuzzyfelt
    Free Member

    I thought they were good to deal with, dealt with the same fella’ who kept me well informed. Two bikes pinched – one replaced the other full cash settlement via M&S. Replacement roadie was a Felt that took months to arrive because of Felt delivery issues and MTB wise I selected a Scott 29er that was listed as available on their web but then offered as 2 month wait. LBS could get one, so after a couple of calls to M&S and arguing over 18% discount for cash, full value in cash was paid & I built up a Niner from STW classifieds!

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