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A shambolic week with Sierra Cycling
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mamadirtFree Member
fluffykittens – Member
What I’m a bit confused about is that when I had a look at the Sierra Cycling website yesterday I clicked on the link for their guestbook and was taken to this page but today when I clicked on the same link it went here instead
I spotted that yesterday too . . . 22+ pages of positive reviews from the same 10 visitors in 2007 – bit of a glitch? 😕
TheSwedeFree MemberI went out there a few years back and although it was’nt quite as bad as the OP’s description, I know where he’s coming from. I managed to crash hard on the second day, riding like a **** and half cut from a 4am finish session on the lash. I broke my nose and eye socket at the top of a mountain. It was decided that I would have to go back to the digs whilst the lads carried on the ride obviously. I was fairly concussed and couldn’t negotiate which brake did what and basically how to get down the mountain to the van. Alan asked if I was ok. I said yes as I am a macho nob and he rode off down the trail. I got to the van after another couple of near misses. Alan opened the door, put his bike in and jumped in. I struggled to lift my bike in on my own as was pretty smashed up but no help from old Al. On the way back to the digs, he basically ignored me. He may well of thought I was just another idiot who’s crashed out, but to show his feelings to a customer? I certainly wont be recommending them to anyone in a hurry. Oh and the state of his bike and kit was laughable. I did enjoy Dave’s company though, who had only just started with them and was learning the trails. Good look with that I thought.
billysuggerFree MemberFair enough Sancho.
I just got the impression that you were one of those type of folk who had booked and payed for something down the line which was now receiving poor reviews and felt as if your decision warranted some blind protection.
I stand corrected.
SanchoFree MemberWell I’ll be going with an open mind.
But I am the sort who dosent mind a few issues here and there as long as I can get some riding in.
ventanariderFree MemberObviously the only people who really know what happened are SC and the OP’s group so it is impossible for me or anyone else who wasn’t there at the time to comment although a lot of people think they can slate SC anyway.
The only thing I can say is I have been twice with Sierra Cycling and had a great time on both occasions. While their best asset Jonny has left them for pastures new I can not comment on the present guides. Alan is friendly enough, Mary is a little quiet but also pleasent.
The company is a little laid back but we have always been informed of the starting times, the routes in advance and even asked which we would like to do.GDRSFull MemberLike a lot of people on here I have done a few guided trips – and my partner and I use them to improve as well as ride in an new and challenging environment.
The guided part of the service is really important us – the guides make the sessions tick in my opinion.
Anyway what I wanted to say after reading this thread is that some companies have put a focus on customer service – and I think that shows in some of the prices, and the quality of the guiding and accomodation on offer accross Europe.
Nobody has metioned the operators margin in the thread – and every guiding company is relient on getting in numbers to make margin. A total of around 14 (?) riders in the week could be too much of a stretch for an operation of this size (gauged by the manpower and resources that have been disclosed in the thread). However, I guess the margins are slim and the temptation to have all of busienss and a ‘full week’ in the season is important to the operator. They do need to make a living – that’s the lifestyle choice they have made – or are trying to make work for them.
The balence has to be what is important to the client.
I am not sure I am bold enough to fully articualte what customer service is to the average person in this forum in the guided mountainbiking space. But I would say I know this about running a business – the best customers are repeat customers – you have less marketing spend attracting them back to you than you do attracting new customers to you – and in every case you have the oppertunity to turn every customer into a promoter (i.e they do your marketing for you) if the experience is great.
In this thread there are detractors – and my thoughts are look at what they are saying. I must confess that I have not used this company, as I have been influenced by some detractors I have met on other trips. I won’t act as a promoter for other companies in this thread, as the point I want to make is this, if the service is bad, most of us are not fools, we tend to not go again. And to any operators reading this, I don’t know the ins and outs of your various busienss models, but look at your customer base – it’s niche, I would say tech savvy, and with a resonable commitment to keep doing this type of holiday for as long as they can. Everyone talks – and the detractors often have the loudest voices – which cast further with the aid of technology. You can’t blag it forever.
Intrestingly – what would it have taken to turn MC into a promoter? I guess if the trip was as good, as opposed to as bad as reported, how many other people would have been told about a great trip?
A bit of ramble. Sorry. But I hate poor service, and I listen to both promoters and detractors when I make my consumer choices.
razor1548Free Member“Well I’ll be going with an open mind.
But I am the sort who dosent mind a few issues here and there as long as I can get some riding in. “
You have more determination or willpower than me.
It only takes a five minute delay or minor deviation in plan for me to decide (and give a convincing argument), that we should all give up and go the the pub instead! 🙂
robboFree MemberThis is mental!!!
TheSwede – Member
I went out there a few years back and although it was’nt quite as bad as the OP’s description, I know where he’s coming from. I managed to crash hard on the second day, riding like a **** and half cut from a 4am finish session on the lash. I broke my nose and eye socket at the top of a mountain. It was decided that I would have to go back to the digs whilst the lads carried on the ride obviously. I was fairly concussed and couldn’t negotiate which brake did what and basically how to get down the mountain to the van. Alan asked if I was ok. I said yes as I am a macho nob and he rode off down the trail. I got to the van after another couple of near misses. Alan opened the door, put his bike in and jumped in. I struggled to lift my bike in on my own as was pretty smashed up but no help from old Al. On the way back to the digs, he basically ignored me. He may well of thought I was just another idiot who’s crashed out, but to show his feelings to a customer? I certainly wont be recommending them to anyone in a hurry. Oh and the state of his bike and kit was laughable. I did enjoy Dave’s company though, who had only just started with them and was learning the trails. Good look with that I thought.SC need a risk awareness course big time letting a concussed rider continue. (and I’d find new mates as well!)
crashtestmonkeyFree MemberGDRS, I said I would bow out of this thread but in reply to your considered post with my experiences in mind;
I am a “promoter” of cycleactive and their morocco trip (to the point alan suggested I am a friend of the guide). I have repeatedly extolled it on here on relevant threads (including Northwind’s “what holiday” thread from a day or 2 ago). If you search STW for “morocco” you will probably find a glowing write-up and numerous pics in from us in every thread. MC is positively evangelical. It was her 30th birthday whilst we were out there, which coincided with a fabulous days riding, and at dinner that night the guides sorted a little cake with a candle. A priceless gesture.
And to prove the point here’s MC on her birthday (possibly not looking any happier than in the group pic above but that’s her race face 🙂
uplinkFree Memberthere’s a couple of grumpy ones in that pic above 😀
interesting – if totally OT – to see the differences in what people wear when riding the same trails
just shows I suppose that we all have different expectations of trails and in turn could lead to some of the party not being 100% happy if the ride plays to the weakest ridersYorkshire-PuddingFree MemberI would agree with you there uplink. I think part of the problem of not thinking much to the riding in that area may have been that the rides were tailored to the overall ability of the group and that some of the more experienced riders would have missed out on the fantastic trails nearby. It wouldn’t have been fair to take the ‘nervous’ members of the group down the ‘SRAM’ test track at Mijas or the technical routes above Caserabonela.
RichPennyFree MemberSynopsis? Has Sierra Cycling turned up yet?
Nah, it’s just 6 pages of the original post rehashed, with a couple of departures into pedantry and a TJ/Flashie slagathon in the middle. Don’t waste your time 🙁
ianpinderFree MemberRichPenny – Member
Synopsis? Has Sierra Cycling turned up yet?
Nah, it’s just 6 pages of the original post rehashed, with a couple of departures into pedantry and a TJ/Flashie slagathon in the middle. Don’t waste your time
Or look at the bottom of page four
PimpmasterJazzFree MemberOr look at the bottom of page four
Ooo! Is there naked ladies? 😀
eat_more_cheeseFree MemberJust as an aside, anyone know the whereabouts of Jonny at the mo? Is he still guiding?
Munqe-chickFree MemberJohnny met a girl and packed off somewhere with her, I was told.
CougarFull MemberInteresting read.
Playing devil’s advocate, I think I can see both sides of the situation.
I appreciate that from a tour organiser’s point of view, “unavoidable” problems can happen and, sometimes, avoidable ones too. Sometimes, shit just happens.
I’ve worked in places where staffing levels have been a problem; sometimes that’s just bad luck if half your workforce suddenly get better offers from somewhere, sometimes it’s representative of a bad employer. I’ve been in the thick of it when events outside of your control transpire to give you a Really Bad Day. Such is the way of things.
I’d argue that what makes a good company great is how they deal with this. SC could have been honest from the start, gone “look, I’m really sorry about this but I’m down two guides and it’s all a bit difficult, but I’ll do everything I can to sort things out” and I’d suspect that MungeDude might then have made allowances. It would appear that this was not done in this case, and I’d suggest that this is a bigger problem than any logistical issues.
But that’s by the by. The crux of it is this.
The OP paid for a service which wasn’t delivered to his satisfaction. It would appear that there may be mitigating circumstances, but critically this is not his problem, it’s wholly SC’s. That’s how business works, sorry.
Giving SC the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the OP’s group could have better communicated their dissatisfaction, and perhaps they could’ve been more flexible in working with SC to to sort things out. But again, should they have had to? A good tour guide should have spotted the dissent immediately and addressed it, surely?
Speaking purely personally, it seems to me that SC have lost some good staff and hired a disinterested nobber to take their place. Which is a bit of a showstopper when you’re selling tours.
NobeerinthefridgeFree MemberBilly
Maybe youre not understanding what Im sayingIm going for a guided holiday.
However, if as from time to time things do happen and Im left with an afternoon without a guide then yes Id be happy to sesion one of the trails.
Or find some stuff.Admirable, but your paying a premium for guiding, not ‘finding stuff’.
We had a week in Andalucia this year, and tbh, the quality of the guiding made the holiday (Joyriders – Hi Mark!), And if I had been left to ‘find some stuff’, I’d have been well pissed off, and wouldn’t ever have found the quality of trails that we rode.
allthepiesFree MemberWell I’ve learnt one thing. Always ask for some STW feedback on a MTB outfit before booking. I’ll be giving SC a miss ta.
DancakeFree MemberWell I’ve learnt one thing. Always ask for some STW feedback on a MTB outfit before booking. I’ll be giving SC a miss ta.
if you had googled them last week though, STW has this on googles front page
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sierra-cycling-spain-any-experience
not detailed but not negative…
JunkyardFree MemberSC have lost some good staff and hired a disinterested nobber to take their place.
iirc they found them on here so I , personally, find that very hard to believe.
MackemFull MemberSeems, generally they are ok but now have one guide that most find a **** and have handled this particular week of problems very badly.
I’ve been with them a couple of times, one guide a dick but took me on good rides, the other a nice guy. It’s all about the guide really.
slowriderFree Memberlol tony, just got through it myself!
ever considered coaching abroad?
TheSwedeFree Memberrobbo
SC need a risk awareness course big time letting a concussed rider continue. (and I’d find new mates as well!)Nah mates are great. It was their holiday too. There’s no way I would have wanted any one else’s ride to be over due to my off. His couldn’t care less attitude how ever was very odd to say the least.
richpipsFree MemberOP you are a pussy.
If you and your buddies were having a bad time you should have said whilst there.
Bitching about it after the fact when you had the chance to maybe square things shows a weak back.
jamessFree MemberGiving a repsonse to a customer complaint via a live forum? 🙄 Wouldn’t making personal contact make more sense? Then giving a response about how they resolved the customers issues on line? Isnt there a recession on?
richpipsFree Memberrichpips. have you read the thread?
I read it all.
I was going to say “and yes I have read….” but scratched the excess.
NZColFull MemberOP you are a pussy. If you and your buddies were having a bad time you should have said whilst there. Bitching about it after the fact when you had the chance to maybe square things shows a weak back.
You know those two things either side of your nose, yeah, them eye things, they help you read. Try doing it some time.
My view is this:
1) As a consumer you have a right to pick what product you want. Whether you like it or not a ‘guided holiday’ is a product. You pay money, you get the product.
2) Standards are standards. Quite frankly if I paid my money and got guides who were behaving as the OP says then I would be underwhelmed and tell them. Which he did. And quite rightly posted a balanced and non-ranting view.
3) As an overseas visitor I went to BV last year for a week of R&R and nice riding. I wanted great riding all day (tick), nice food (tick), nice people (luckily tick) and banter. It’s not the Sheraton granted but then i didn’t expect that. What I got was enthusiastic, organised people who understood the concept of organisation and communication. Best. Week. Ever. Will be back next year and that is a round the world trip mainly to go and ride there again. Maybe it was the Tartiflette ?
4) The response was excellent – borderline rant, i could feel the boiling point. Nice one, remind me never to go there.toys19Free MemberYou know what the funny thing is, even thoguh I think Alan @sierra should have replied differently, his reply was very unwise for his business. I still would go with them, the review and response hasn’t put me off in any way! Although I really enjoyed switchbacks so I shall be sticking with them in for my future spain needs, so this is almost wasted sentiment. But I just dont think the percieved failings are actually that bad and in the OP’s position I would have had a good holiday.
1) Did you get taken to the top of the hill? Yes.
2) Did you have a roof over you head? Yes.
3) Did the guides show you where the trail was? Most of the time..
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