[Closed] Good Evans Above!

sell the other links on?

put them in you saddlebag/backpack/panniers in case it happens again?

thing is, you are the one fussed, not any of the staff in their. Is it worth being bothered about? prob not...

Slight overreaction methinks......

You should buy a powerlink BEFORE your chain snaps..... 😈

Is it worth being bothered about? prob not...

No, just keep on accepting crap service without comment and soon that's all thatll be left.

powerlink BEFORE your chain snaps....

you need to buy two powerlinks

(to pedantically dredge up an old debate)

😀

coyote - you know it is crap so why go in? take your business to a place that is not crap and that place will survive, the other won't (well, shouldn't...)

perhaps I should have typed "is it worth being bothered about to the extent of posting online, in a forum where almost everyone already knows the service is less than perfect? prob not..."

perhaps I should have typed "is it worth being bothered about to the extent of posting online, in a forum where almost everyone already knows the service is less than perfect? prob not..."

Ah, but people who have not graced the premises of said purveyor are only aware of their shortcomings from the reports on this very forum. 8)

Yeah, yeah, find me a shop where pretty much all the comments on here aren't complaints.
People complain at bad service and don't comment on good service, happens in every single retail industry.
Last day I worked I had two customers saying they would write to head office to say nice things.
As it happens we only sell powerlinks in those 4 packs, not ideal I know but I'll make a note and see if anyone does anything about it.

they would only sell me 4, at £11.99,

😆

Robbing barstewards.

I bought a cheapo bike repair/ spares kit from Lidl for about £1.99 and it contained about 4 powerlink-esque links.

I don't think theres anything wrong with having a whinge. Does everybody on this forum know Evans are shit? No? then they should be told.
Firebombing is going a bit too far though, as some nice chaps (and probably ladies) work there.

The folks in the Gateshead metro center evans are on the whole sound.
Knowledgeable and obviously yes, constrained by the company policy of purchasing/selling certain products. Although if i really needed powerlinks pronto i would just cough up and make a mental note to get them off crc in future.

dont you just save them when you replace your chain? Halfords are cheaper but they are use once only

I can't really see a problem - buy a pack of 4 and next time you break your chain you'll have some spares. Or is that just too simple?
It's like a multipack in a supermarket; whatever EPOS system is used only recognises it as being sold in a pack of [x], not individually.

Personally I save PowerLinks from old chains, they last ages, I always carry a few in my spares kit.

Just a quick query, do the people who post complaints do so just on this forum or do you complain(reasonably) in the store as well?
I know people who've been in the shop, been happy and smiling and then gone home and complained about the service they got, tricky situation really.
If you think something os lacking but don't say something it's very tricky for a shop to do anything about it.
Be nice and smile and people are usually very receptive if you have a problem.
Just remember bike shop staff are human to. 😉

hmmm lidl powerlinks.

might wear a gumshield whilst pedalling hard with one of them fitted...

£3 a powerlink 😯 ****!!! , 99p each at stif.

Perhaps you would have preferred it if they had made you a cup of tea and a piece of cake, wiped youre bum and then given you the power links free, with £20 change...?

Thats just shite. Having to buy 4 PL. Who needs 4 PLs? Any bike shop worth a toss would just have said item in single form. As said above its worth having a spare all the time in your saddle bag etc. I think I will order one from CRC as it goes. I just used my spare on a new bike build. Did you not think buying a new chain would be a better option. You can buy a decent KMC chain with a better power link than the SRAMs for around that price!

hmmm lidl powerlinks.

might wear a gumshield whilst pedalling hard with one of them fitted...

The lidl toolkit has stood up to abuse without any problems. The puncture repair kit has been fine. I used one of the gear cables in the spares pack and it's lasted 6 months with no problems.

Don't diss the Lidl

Aye the lidl toolkit has been going well for 3 years. However, the lidl screw drivers I bought last week are absolutely useless and simply crumble to pieces.

and back on topic, I've just received a new top from Evans this morning and only ordered on Friday night, so on the whole pretty happy 😀

ha ha. having snapped chains in bmx gates, and seen people snapping them while clipped in on gates... i now have the fear regarding chain snappage.

you will honestly never see anything more terrifying.

I enquired about a Ragley Blue Pig in Evans last year (could they get a frame on Ride to Work). I knew it wasn't going well when the guy asked me how you spell 'pig' 🙄

Boiugth a new rear light there yesterday and thy price matched the price so saved 9 quid.

Nice lads as well.

DezB - Member
Does everybody on this forum know Evans are shit? No?

Went in to my local Evans saturday, enthusiastic well informed staff member spent 20 minutes or so discussing options for a build I'm planning.
I optimistically asked about price matching to be told 'sure, when you've decided what you want, give us a ring. We'll price match and have it ready to pick up at your convenience'

Can't really call that sh!tty......

my complaint isn't with the staff, the staff in there are good, it was his till system that wouldn't let me buy a single one
.
in the end I bodged the chain back together and it seems to be working fine
the real pisser was that the chain was brand new and I expect that it snapped because of a tight link which didn't engage with the chainring properly, twisted and snapped under power
.
the lesson is, carry a powerlink with you as the greedy capitalist scum management of corporate bike shops will rinse you for convenience products

[i]my complaint isn't with the staff, the staff in there are good, it was his till system that wouldn't let me buy a single one[/i]

Yeah but try going into a supermarket and splitting a 4-pack of tuna or a 6-pack of beer then going to the checkout - "the system" won't recognise it.

[i]the lesson is, carry a powerlink with you as the greedy capitalist scum management of corporate bike shops will rinse you for convenience products [/i]

Same in any industry - Ryanair don't make money on flights, they sting you rotten for all the sundries.
Anyway, how do you think bike shops survive? It's not by selling £3000 full sussers, it's by selling £5 inner tubes.

surely the lesson is to check your new chain when you fit it and ease any tight links before use? 😉

10 speed chain per chance? I'm pretty sure the SRAM 10 speed links only come as packs of 2 (4 pieces). They are one time use and not meant for splitting. They're £12 a pack on Wiggle too.

Obviously if it wasn't a 10 speed chain...

hilldodger - Member

DezB - Member
Does everybody on this forum know Evans are shit? No?

Went in to my local Evans saturday, enthusiastic well informed staff member spent 20 minutes or so discussing options for a build I'm planning.
....

Not my experience. I've been into the shop (Guildford maybe) once. The young bloke behind the counter was not at all helpful.

Mail order - I ordered some shoes, only to find out over a week later that they didn't have the size - the size that was on the website, showing "in stock" when I ordered. My order showed as "successful" for a week, until they phone on a Sunday with some crap about systems changing over and my order being lost, then found when the size was out of stock.

I call that shit, personally.

DezB, was this shoe order recent by any chance?

No Evans in Guildford AFAIK. Woking is the closest. I've used them a lot (Bought a bike from them) in the past and they have always been very good, knowledgeable and helpful. The worst thing I can say is that they get busy and sometimes you have to wait a while.

The new Reading store is a stunner too..... I go in there just to drool at the lovely fixies.... 🙂

it was a 9-speed chain

Yeah but try going into a supermarket and splitting a 4-pack of tuna or a 6-pack of beer

you can buy single cans of tuna and AND they're cheaper if you buy in multi-packs not more expensive

same in any industry - Ryanair don't make money on flights, they sting you rotten for all the sundries.

I was buying 1 sundry, not 4 sundries
if you go in for an inner-tube, you don't have to buy 4 inner-tubes
fair enough charging me over the odds for 1 sundry item, but don't say you can only sell me 4 as I just won't buy anything

[i]akira - Member
DezB, was this shoe order recent by any chance?
[/i]

Yes. Well it doesn't feel like it - end of Jan.

Guildford/Woking - Surrey anyway. And they weren't busy, just didn't seem to want to talk to me. This was a while ago, but left a lasting impression.

PeterPoddy - Member
No Evans in Guildford AFAIK. Woking is the closest. I've used them a lot

Yes, I was referring to the Woking store as well as it happens 🙂

Always helpful even at peak time in my experience....

Evans staff can be a bit hit and miss it tis true. However I am bloody delighted to find out that they are soon to be opening a shop in the leafy, liberal North London paradise of Crouch End! (Anyone from Evans confirm?)

....and they do sell lovely stuff. Nice bike brands and even better clothing. Gore, Assos.....whats not to like.

Hmmm...

I was all ready to rant at Evans today - I'd noticed that the bike I'd ordered on CTW scheme had its delivery date pushed back by 3 months, despite being told one was in stock when I ordered in Jan, and despite being told it was 7-10 days a week ago.

However, I was called today regarding the order (although it was because the card details were wrong) so I ended up discussing the delivery time problems. The staff member was apologetic, also mentioned the systems change (which was mentioned last week - I actually believe this) and helped me choose a replacement bike including sizing. The level of knowledge was very good (we were discussing crank lengths and relative frame sizes of track bikes vs road), and he called the distributors for two of the options to confirm the real delivery times as opposed to those shown on the Evans system. Plus he matched the price of the original bike with the replacement - another £30 off.

So - I've gone from unhappy customer to relatively happy customer, all due to the actions of this staff member, who gave me service verging on excellent.

DezB, I know the customer relations people are pretty quick to sort stuff out when they need to, most employees I know are pretty good and normally a phone call will sort stuff out.
Was merely asking as we have just installed a new EPOS/stock system and things have been crazy with orders/deliveries etc, unfortunately it hasn't been that smooth a transition as it's been a pretty monumental change.
Normal service will hopefully be resumed soon.

Guildford/Woking - Surrey anyway. And they weren't busy, just didn't seem to want to talk to me. This was a while ago, but left a lasting impression.

Well, the one and only time I ever went into Nirvana in Wescott, the woman in there was blatently rude to me. IMO they are only one step removed from Dave Hinde in the customer service stakes, but plenty of people love them......Maybe it's because I parked a big motorbike outside rather than an MTB. Who knows? Who cares? Not me....

(Although I do hear 'odd' things about them)

We’ve just had a new Evans turn up in Reading, didn’t know a thing about it till I popped into town the other day and there it was sat by the Oracle, I has never actually been in one or even ordered anything off them via the web/phone so I have no idea what they will be like, I have to say it lokos like it might be the biggest bike store in town now, and most one of the most central, there are a couple of smaller LBS’ that could well bite it as a result of their presence…

the one and only time I ever went into Nirvana in Wescott, the woman in there was blatently rude to me

Me too - I think it was because I only wanted a pump or a tube or something small. Although the shop was completely empty, so you'd think they could at least be helpful then, and perhaps people would come back and buy the fancy bikes?

Not to mention telling people that they originally built Summer Lightning, Regurgitator etc. and that the Redlands guys just fixed them up, when anyone who came to the dig days knows that 90% of the stuff involved complete clearing of undergrowth etc. and there blatantly were no trails underneath where the new trails go.

Joe

I've been spending the last week dealing with Evans customer services with a frame warranty issue. They (Carole especially) have been very professional
and the outcome was way beyond my expectations. One very satisfied customer here (and always have been!).

@akira - don't want to keep dragging this up, but I have a suggestion for you to pass on.
If there is a problem with someone's order - email them.
That's where I check when I place an internet order - in my internet email.
I'm sure that way you can get a message to the customer quicker than having to phone them. (especially in my case as it took more than a week for me to get a call).
cheers.

UPDATE!
after I bodged the chain back together 2 weeks ago, it snapped again where I'd forced a pin through, another attempt to bodge it snapped the link
so, I went to On Your Bike at London Bridge and bought a powerlink for 99p
bargain