Actually telling us about a build you specced and your not happy it was heavy. Seriously? I take it there was no other shop/site which couldn’t give you the info you needed?
As for not using a decent LBS because you wanted save a few quid, well there you go. Now you know why you get things like a hot drink, friendly chat and useful help from your “more expensive LBS”
The mind boggles.

>anyone reading can also make up their own minds about dealing with you

That too 😀

Dry your eyes cupcake

😀

Not much else to say.

I call Troll

Seriously!!! The wheels YOU chose were too heavy… LMFAO
And ‘no rim tape’ OMG the horror!
With such unrealistic expectations, you must be from the south east? 😉
Very satisfied Merlin customer here btw…

Kryton, should that read princess… 😀

Should say “Toughen up Princess” actually if you look at the back of his phone 😉

I always try and buy from Merlin above all other retailers as their service is first rate. Prices good, delivery quick and customer service excellent.

Recently I returned a Reverb that had failed under warranty and I had it back (well a brand new one!) in a week. Called Merlin to say thank you for the fantastic service and got a given a £10 gift voucher without asking. It’s amazing what being nice gets you…

Robhugnes and hammyuk you’ve lost me…

I run my own business and I would tell the OP and his expectations to jog on.

If I buy online, I risk not seeing the item before purchase. I accept if there is a fault, I will have to wait for it to be returned, fixed or replaced then posted back.

You can’t blame Merlin for the issue with the courier. Like you can’t blame Heinz if the person who sold you your tin of Soup was rude to you or took too long. OK raise it with Merlin but don’t blame them.

Merlin are my LBS and are always 100% fine with me.

Rob means “Dry your eyes Princess”

We have a phrase at work Kryton – comes from something Mattbee has on the back of his phone.
“Toughen up Princess”
Especially useful when some hairy arsed 6′ rugby player is being a little girl and won’t get out of the door at 90mts and abseil.
Works rather well..
If it doesn’t we use the vid of my eldest doing it – aged 10 😆

But we digress….. the OP is a Big Girls Blouse and should flounce off in an accordingly appropriate manner….

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.

There’s a surprise.

Is this going the way you expected pal?

To be fair, you sound like a whinging free loader.

Used Merlin for 20 years or so,back to when you had to phone through your orders. Always been first class. Even sorted the back a wheel they’d built for me that I’d wrongly specked a screw on hub rather than cassette. Entirely my fault but changed no probs.

Well…. I’ve bought loads from Merlin including a custom wheelset. I couldn’t work out if rim tape was/wasn’t included so checked. It wasn’t, so bought some.

The wheels were as listed (components and weight) and were well built. All the other stuff has been quickly delivered and amongst the cheapest of the on line shops.

They’re ace IME and I’ll not hesitate to use them again.

Whilst I agree that what you experienced was a bit poor, I have to say that I have never had anything but good service from them. The recommendations from here was what caused me to choose them for my hardtail and the buying experience for that made me choose them for my road bike. When I broke a spoke on the road bike, I phoned them up and asked what spec it was and they sent me out two for free. _and_ a couple of others in the sizes I would need for the front wheel and the other side of the back wheel.

They have always been helpful and friendly. I think you may have had a bit of an off day experience with them.

Merlin have always been excellent in my experience.

FWIW, they fulfilled their obligations to you completely according to your version of events. For them to offer ‘something extra’ I would always advise that you adopt a less threatening tone when complaining. From my experience (in hospitality, but the principle is the same), nothing irritated me more than someone threatening to go online and slag me off, and then demanding freebies.

I think OP probably needs a bit of a reality check….

I’d like to thank the OP. Ive never used Merlin but the feedback from happy customers on this thread has put them on my go to list.

Best Merlin advert ever! A ringing endorsement which I hope someone from Merlin reads!
FWIW Never had a problem with them and rate them above a lot of the online retailers…

My go to online shop and get cash back via quidco as well, never had a problem with them at all.

Just to add, Merlin=Excellent, and are my first choice online bike emporium.

Whatever you do don’t use your Lbs.This has nothing to do with giving you good advice.It’s more not wanting to ruin some poor sods day.

Been buying from Merlin for years.No probs. Unfair slagging off if you ask me.

Do you think that Freddy works Merlin but is drumming up business?

I think its reasonable to be annoyed about the Courier. Although I’m not sure what Merlin could have done

In general don’t muddy the waters of a complaint by bringing extras into it. 20 years teaching taught me that. Don’t bother adding baggage o a complaint about a student it just gives people room to dispute things. Just keep it simple and stick to one clear cut misdemeanor.Luckily these days are now behind me

The wheels were heavy. Top tip most weights for wheels exclude skewers, does that help. Oh and extra weight on the wheels doesn’t really count double

Nice to see lots of love for Merlin here, good lot they are.

Op is asking too much IMO and I think he’s the Ebayer I’ve had the misfortune to have sold stuff to only to have him demanding things from me as he expected them…. Although they weren’t in the description or photo… Jog on.

My experience with them has been great.
I bought a Camelback Mule. On it’s maiden voyage the bite valve fell off on a tarmac road. It had been at least 10 miles before I noticed. I went back later with the car to look for it but couldn’t see it.
I know I was partially to blame for not checking how tight it was on but had never lost one before. Sent them an email and they stuck a replacement valve in the post free of charge.

Tried to but some Ultegra jockey wheels from Merlin but they sent me a box of angry hornets instead.

Against the grain but when my altura shorts literally fell to pieces Merlin customer service was very poor.

Merlin is pretty local to me and they’ve always sorted out any problems I’ve had.

And I’ve known them to provide replacements for defective items even when the warranty has run out or when the distributor isn’t playing ball with a warranty replacement.

I always tell myself that there is an art to being a good customer, as well as a good seller.

I’m frankly surprised that most on would be happy with Merlin’s response on the courier issue. It is their chosen courier, and after a customer has waited in all day twice for a no show, bloody obvious at that point to use a courier with a sat nav and a watch.

Other complaints I find unrealistic.

Bit harsh on the OP his choice if he doesn’t want to use Merlin again
As he asks for suggestions of other retailers I’ll suggest Mark Anthony Cycles or Dave Hinde

Dave Hinde? There is more negative feedback on the Web about him than ISIS.

Dave Hinde? There is more negative feedback on the Web about him than ISIS.

😀

Do Merlin offer you outside for a fight if they don’t agree with you? Allegedly, that used to be Dave Hinde’s customer service.

Dave Hinde? There is more negative feedback on the Web about him than ISIS.

Shhh 😉

So the OP buys something,then uses it, and then expects it to be changed and stuff added for free.

And for the supplier to come and pick it up at an exact time?

Chuff me….

In fairness to the op, it’s bloody annoying when you wait in all day and no one turns up so he/she/transgender person gets my sympathy on that.
Then immediately loses my sympathy as they were annoyed that they got not freebies and then complains about that fact online.

I hope someone at Merlin gets to see this. Amazing endorsement of their customer service. I generally try to buy from them because their service is so good, even if it’s a tiny bit more expensive.

I wonder why couriers might be a bit busy and possibly running a bit late this time of year…

I have spent plenty of money with Merlin and they are better than CRC and as good as Wiggle in my opinion.