Buyer Beware! Frazzle Cycles Is Not What It Seems

With so many good deals out there from reputable sellers, there’s no need to risk your money on Frazzle Cycles.

We received a tip from a reader that Frazzle Cycles is a scam site, possibly created by the same people as the Bicycle Company UK – and having looked into it, we’re inclined to agree it’s a fake. Both Brompton and Trek – who have bikes listed on the site – have confirmed that they are not part of their official network of dealers. In addition, there’s no registration at Companies House, no VAT registration number on the site, and the website domain was only registered a couple of months ago. There’s also a Facebook page – created in December last year. All a bit fishy.

They’re advertising some very high end bikes on there. So you’d think you’d get your info right. How about this, er, road bike?

They claim to have an HQ in One Canada Square, London. But no, you can’t go and visit. But, a Sole Trader with HQ in Canary Wharf and a distribution centre in Cardiff? And whose turnover is less that the £85k needed to make you VAT registerable? And who has been in business since 2007 but has no trace on the web before December 2023? Hmm…

The Live Support chat is moderately amusing – though it would be hard to tell the difference between a scammer and AI these days.

I did email the support desk as suggested, asking for their VAT number and Company Registration, or anything else that might suggest they’re ‘real’ – I’ve had no response, and I’ve reported the site to the National Cyber Security Centre. Of course if they do come back with proof they are real then we’ll update you.

Perhaps one of the biggest red flags is the fact then when ordering any bike tehy’ve forgotten to allow you to chose a size.

All signs point to a scam… you’ve been warned.

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Hannah Dobson

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I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.