Merlin Cycles – wont be using them again

About to use the only power I have when let down by online supplier. Feel free to ignore.

My complaints might be true of most online suppliers but that does not diminish my annoyance with Merlin Cycles.

Ordered 2 custom built wheels to replace stolen wheels.

Initial problem
Front hub stuck – slightly embarrassed to say to me couple of rides before I diagnosed the problem. I thought it was new pads and new rotor.

Other annoyances
Supplied without rim tape *
Heavy build **

Reported issue to Merlin and after me sending photos and them giving some useless advice and they agreed to pick them up and examine the fault.

They gave me a 9 to 5 window for the pick-up, slightly annoying. I have to call them to tell them nobody turned up, a little more annoyed. No explanation given. Another pick-up arranged, again 9 to 5, again no pick up, again I have to call them and email them, they will look into it. No reply for 1 and 1/2 days. So I call and demand that the get it picked up this afternoon, they say this is not possible. I start talking about going online and detailing my experience (here for example), I get passed to someone else and suddenly they will try to arrange pick-up in the afternoon. They keep blaming the courier but its their courier, so I hold them responsible.

Thankfully someone does do the pick-up. Issue is discovered with hub and needs to be replaced. They don’t have it in stock so need to order. I suggest that for all there failures, they should do something extra. I don’t accept apologies from these companies, that is too easy. They should do something like send a gift voucher. They weren’t very interested in this suggestion.

Finally got wheel back.
Final experience with MC hopefully: Rim tape (mine) only half lined up with hole and covered in oil.

So there it is. Suggestions for alternatives welcome.

* Rim tape – Probably cost them pennies to include. Had wheels supplied with and without before. Should at least have easy option to include in order.
** Heavy – My choices but some more information on their site might have led me to make different choices

That reads like pretty standard (ie ok) service just been let down by a courier. It sounds like you wanted something ‘extra’, which is not what you tend to get when going for budget online buying.

Nope. Wouldn’t put me off buying from them.

Blimey, if I were a business I would choose not to let you buy things from me, that’s for sure.

That reads like pretty standard (ie ok) service just been let down by a courier. It sounds like you wanted something ‘extra’, which is not what you tend to get when going for budget online buying.

Sums it up for me!

I think you’re expecting too much.

I think I said this: “might be true of most online suppliers”

I still think we should expect better and I will try elsewhere next time. Perhaps with little hope of better.

I’ve had fantastic service from Merlin- everything from warranty issues to ordering the wrong item. They’ve been great.

Merlin are up there with Wiggle and CRC in the group of the consistently best online bike kit retailers. They all make occasional errors

Was it an XT front hub?

FWIW I’ve had stellar service from them.

I still think we should expect better and I will try elsewhere next time.

What you’re looking for is an LBS.

All the issues you had would have been avoided/mitigated.

If you buy online you have to accept you’re at the mercy of third party couriers and your own investigatory efforts on spec.

so you ran a wheel for a couple of rides, then got it collected from where you were and had your problem fixed, after a minor indiscretion caused by a third party? surely they could have just told you to jog on…. but no they didn’t, they helped you.

you also whine about not having something included that was never offered or mentioned? you then complain that rim tape costs pennies, but how dare they damage your priceless rim tape whilst fixing a problem for you!?!?!? the scoundrels.

and you spec’d things yourself and then whine about the weight of it… poor thing if only there was some other way of knowing the weight of something before you bought it…

i may have been overly harsh on you here OP, but i think a reality check is in order

by the way, support your LBS, they will discuss things you need and possibly provide tea and biscuits whilst doing so, and there will be advice given….

Your main complaint is with the courier but you think the problem is…

So there it is. Suggestions for alternatives welcome.

* Rim tape – Probably cost them pennies to include. Had wheels supplied with and without before. Should at least have easy option to include in order.
** Heavy – My choices but some more information on their site might have led me to make different choices

Suggestions….

Buy your own penny rim tape if a wheel build doesn’t list it. Most people run tubeless anyway and Stans tape isn’t so cheap to throw in as a freebie and takes a reasonable extra time to fit (i.e. a big bonus if free but an unreasonable expectation).

Do your own research as to component parts’ weights. Claimed weights are optimistic at the best of times (i.e. always search for pics of stuff on a scale or browse Weightweenies/ Sicklines/ etc if weight is an issue) and something like a custom wheel build is hugely variable- you can’t expect an online retailer to have weighed every available combination themselves.

This is the debate, online vrs LBS. I can not afford to pay for the excellent service LBS’s charge, it’s often close to RRP, online you can save 10’s sometime 100’s of pounds however i am fully aware I will not get the same service.

I have to fit parts myself
I may have to wait longer
Warrenty returns are more of a PITA
Any issues take longer to resolve

Online at bargain basement prices is great till it goes wrong, then it’s not so great, you have to make the choice, buy cheap with backup being more time consuming/PITA or pay more and and be able to walk into a LBS and often have things sorted there and then.

If your not happy with the timescales doesn’t sound like internet shopping is for you I’d start using a good LBS.

I’ve had consistently good service from Merlin.

Your expectations are a bit silly and you cant blame Merlin for the couriers failings. I would imagine all couriers are rushed off their feet given the time of year so you need to be a bit reasonable and keep a sense of proportion over this.

A heavy build though. I mean, surely they could have used the light build. You’d think it would cost them less to post too, the swines.

Dry your eyes cupcake, the part had a fault. They arranged a courier and got the part picked up & replaced. A few steps along that process went a bit wrong but then how surprising is it that a discount warehouse uses a cheaper courier, or dues to include things like the rim tape to save a few quid.

I got my last wheels built by Tamed Earth in Hindhead. I drove 30 miles to see them & order. Happily paid retail price & was happy to pay for the build too.
Got pics of my wheels mid build on a Sunday eve, then again when done. Picked them up to find I wasn’t paying labour, or for rim tape, or tubeless valves. At no point did I ask for a discount & im sure part of the reason I got one is because paying retail for the parts gave him a bit of room to move on price.

Support your lbs. or buy cheap online. Suck up the results. Or whinge on here. Whatever.

I’m quite happy for this guy not to use Merlin anymore, then they don’t have to jack up their prices by offering him gift certificates.

I deal with these ‘something for nothings’ day in, day out. Finding a decent courier so you can keep delivery cheap/free is difficult.

Its much harder to moan in a LBS, but way easier to complain on-line.

(I’ve had good and bad on-line and from LBS’s)

I can understand your frustration as we’ve all been messed about by couriers before but it sounds like Merlin have done everything they can for you, bar giving you compensation for your inconvenience.

I’ve personally never had an issue with them. They’ve been great each and every time when I’ve had to send forks back under warranty, with a super quick turnaround.

Special credit is due to Mike in the warranty department. When my fork went back for warranty last time, Rock Shox sent it back without the air valve top cap. One quick call to Mike and he went down to the warehouse, took a top cap off one of their bikes in stock, and had the part sent to me by special delivery so I received it the next day.

It sounds like you’ve just been really unlucky on this occasion, but I wouldn’t write off Merlin as a whole. They’re one of the better UK online retailers.

Custom wheelset? Surely the go-to man if you want stellar aftersales care is Dave Hinde?

EDIT: Ordered loads of stuff from Merlin, including a custom wheelset and never had an issue. The wheelset was very well built too, only had to tighten a spoke once in something like 3 years of using them

This thread is almost as bad as that time folk got upset by a calendar

The moan about rim tape and the weight of a self-specced build is ridiculous, that’s nothing at all to do with Merlin.

The courier bit I understand but accept it as part of the challenge of buying online. You save a few quid but there can be a challenge if you need to return it. As mentioned above, buy from your LBS and these challenges may not be there. It’ll cost you more though and you need to decide if that is where your priority lies.

Merlin are head and shoulders above most online shops ime.

Actually, above most shops full stop. They actually are an lbs too.

if you want stellar aftersales care is Dave Hinde?

It would certainly help gain some perspective 😯 😀

Other annoyances
Supplied without rim tape *
Heavy build

😯

@pjt calls it.

I sense this hasn’t gone entirely the OP’s way.

Merlin are up there with Wiggle and CRC

+1

If anything, Merlin have ALWAYS delivered accurately to me the next day. And their support (going back to pre-sales and CS 10+ years ago) has been excellent.

Big fan of Merlin here too

Heavy build

By your own admission your choice!

How about you actually research the product first if weight is such an issue.. 🙄

I suggest that for all there failures, they should do something extra.

Failure as in the manufacturers hub was defective? Not sure what Merlin could have done to prevent this?

I use Merlin a lot as they are pretty much my LBS, never had any issues.
Couriers will be mad at this time of year, as would Merlin I imagine – they are a very busy shop at the quietest time of year. So the delay is sort of to be expected. Still annoying, but what more can they do?

Assuming you used the custom build selection thing to spec your wheels? If so the below is in the ‘details’ box.

Please note these wheels do not include rim tape.

I’m almost certain if you spoke to them before hand they would of added the tape for you.

Well, that went well.
I’m sure the OP feels loads better 🙂

Used Merlin as my lbs not far out of my work commune, can only sing their praises, helpful polite and good customer service, couple of warrenty issues and they resolved. So for me pretty excellent

I buy stuff from Merlin, both online & picking stuff up on my way to Rivi. Never had a problem, I do wonder about some peoples expectations. .

From the OP.

That’s the thing about the internet. It’s on here now, anyone reading can make up their own minds.

I was supposed to get my new work mobile phone today, and the courier (DPD) tried to deliver it 4 doors down. Sent me a photo of my neighbour’s front door and everything.

I’m not going to hold the phone supplier to task on this- this is one of the things that happens.

Can’t really see your issue, Freddy. Sorry.

Love merlin and had nothing but great service from them.Two xt brakes replaced under warranty no bother.
As above if i owned a business you’d be turned away.Hang on i do own a business (property development and landlord)yep…You’d be turned away with an attitude like that.

The thing is, anyone reading can also make up their own minds about dealing with you.

If you were on the phone to me being a bitch and demanding free stuff I’d have roughly zero inclination to help!