Surly have got the right approach to customer service…

It’s funny and it’s generated three pages of discussion (and counting). Looks like a win for Surly in my book.

Interest and (generally negative) opinion about childish behaviour from a bike company doesn’t usually equate to a win in sales figures.

Bad publicity is bad. Not good. Don’t believe the cliche.

although if I wanted a pig iron frame I’d get an on one for half the price

That’s the deal breaker with Surly for me, never mind any marketing tosh.

I still don’t see how this puts people off, and in what way is it childish, it’s a piss take pure and simple

Then you are their market. Good for you and them.

Obviously 🙂

this from than man who posted wanting to know if using different front and rear tyre sizes was ok ? To be honest darling it’s not like you’ll have to step outside your comfort zone for inane questions

Oooohhhh how far back did you have to go find that?

All Ill say is sad mate, very sad…troll someones history to have a pop…

You must have an awful lot of time on your hands…

But I guess it is half-term so that probably explains it..

The middle age middle management masses of this place are hardly their usual market either

Er – who is their market then? Surely 30-50 year old men with disposable income is the target market of pretty much all bike companies. Esp ones that are pedalling the steel is real line.

Oooohhhh how far back did you have to go find that?

All Ill say is sad mate, very sad…troll someones history to have a pop…

You must have an awful lot of time on your hands…

But I guess it is half-term so that probably explains it..

quick clicky on your profile, 30 seconds, but yes I am childish 😀

An I agree with ringo, but then he is firmly in the “it’s all bikes and bikes are fun, so have a beer, enjoy the ride and chill the flip out camp”

Cougar – Moderator
Jesus there’s some seriously uptight dicks on here, it’s just a bit of a joke, do people really care?
It’s funny and it’s generated three pages of discussion (and counting). Looks like a win for Surly in my book.

This… a few folk here really need to get out more.

Surly are clearly just taking the mick out of their own brand perception. The people who are getting their bibs in a twist over it are probably people who wouldn’t buy anything off them in the first place so doubt whether it will impact their business at all.

I like Surly, own 2 of their bikes and wouldn’t consider myself as any shade of fashion victim – they just make really good, no nonsense bikes that work.

As far as their customer service is concerned, I’ve used it several times for general queries and it’s always been excellent.

Agreed, bit of amusement and to be fair to them they’ve replied very quickly when i’ve emailed them a couple of queries in the past….unlike kinesis who seem incapable.

will now make the effort to buy something Surly…what really made me laugh was the way it pricked the self-inflated egos on this thread. Some of you lot are just a little too far up yourselves.

Nowhere near as up themselves as Surly, clearly.

Thank god for that, I thought you were being all nichest and serious for a minute.

See, we agree?

As you were.

I believe he is now employing what’s known as ‘the Edinburgh defence’. 🙂

Surly have got the right approach to customer service…

no, they haven’t.

i’ve got a Surly flip-flop hub… the bearing never seem to last for more than six months before literally falling apart. my fixie has been sat downstairs for months now as i can’t see the point in fixing the hub only for it to blow again a few months down the line.

not once has Surly responded to requests from my LBS. poo.

I use one of their chain-rings, will kittens die?

although if I wanted a pig iron frame I’d get an on one for half the price

Pig iron? AFAIK their frames are made from fairly decent double butted tubing. They’re a step up from pig iron IMO.

By the same token, they’re not finest reynolds hand made, but then they are a fair bit cheaper.

I’m biased, I have one, I like it, I think they make a decent bike.

They are shit though aren’t they. Ugly crap bikes. No I’ve never owned one and I never will.

alex222 – Member
They are shit though aren’t they. Ugly crap bikes. No I’ve never owned one and I never will.

Have you ever ridden one?

Have you ever ridden one?

I don’t need to when they post videos like this on the old internets.

They are shit though aren’t they. Ugly crap bikes. No I’ve never owned one and I never will.

man I wish I had guys like you to advise me on all matters in life

I’m biased, I have one, I like it, I think they make a decent bike.

That’s all that matters really..
The pig iron comment was a bit tongue in cheek though, a bit like Surlys customer service comments are I imagine..
And there’s nowt wrong with on ones either before anyone else starts..

I think I preferred the first blog…

http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/surly_customer_service_again

From their blog

Go ahead. Talk shit about us on “the forums”. Tell everyone how crappy of a company we are because we wouldn’t warranty your Steamroller with a seized seatpost that was left chained up outside of your dorm room for 5 years straight. See where that gets you.

😆

Can you hear that whirring noise?
That’s Surly, backpedaling like mad.

For those of you that read my last blog post about Surly CS and understood it for what it was, another failed attempt at humor, then you need to read no further.

Ah, the Edinburgh, Minnesota defence.

Well, at least he knows he failed.

Oh, and if Surly are reading, I promise to contact all the people to whom I’ve forwarded this post and tell them you’re very sorry and won’t do it again.
On receipt of a nice new Disc Trucker.
E-mail in profile. Ta.

I agree – it makes them come across as quite immature and doesn’t really entice me into spending money with them. Strange approach!

How many of the people who are moaning about this and saying its crap, have actually had bad customer service from Surly ?

Not many I wouldn’t imagine.

Go back and read it again…. What surly wrote was a joke, but was also quite reasonable…

Don’t bother us for free stuff
Don’t call us whilst you are eating
ETA is estimated
We don’t like rad slang gnarly bro
Why are you asking us that… It’s all in the product specs.
Don’t swear
How the hell am I supposed to know if xxx fits a specialized. You have a specialized, i dont, you work it out.
Go and bitch on a forum (like the paranoid slander flapper on lfgss )

The bikes are very good, and the customer service is exceptional. They will give you the benefit of the doubt on a warranty where other companies do nothing more than try and find a way to wiggle out of it.

Today (on a saturday) they have bailed out a chap who they really didn’t need to. He was not entitled to a new frame, but he is cool, so is getting one anyway.

Because surly are not really surly, they are lovely chaps who ride bikes and drink beer, invent new wheel sizes, make the classic cross check and long haul trucker, and dress up as Alice Coopers mother and murder baby rabbits every full moon.

Any sign of Krampus / Krampus bits yet Charlie ?

The blog doesn’t make them sound like cool brus, more like a hippy LBS that is too gnar for your custom 😀 The later response isn’t too much better despite pointing out it was intended in humour 😕

They do make some fair points although both entries come across as immature rather than funny (but then I don’t think Surly is aimed at me so maybe I just don’t “get it”)…

I have now re-adjusted my STWforumite-ometer to the those that get surly find things like the outcast funny and actually don’t take themselves or riding seriously other than serious fun… and the rest of you. Strangely all the folks i’ve ridden with from here that I like are in the first category…I think i’d probably murder death kill the rest of you up-tight little PC hand wringers in about 30 seconds 😆

29+ lands with me on 20/2.

why would someone who is not a surly customer read their customer service statement. Its aimed at surly customers. I have not read the manual for a 2009 ford ka, because I dont have one, and its irrevelevant and I dont want to. So maybe you were considering a surly bike and ended up reading it, well maybe this is a filter to keep Boardman customers with Boardman, and keep surly, surly.

Complaining about it is a bit like going to a gay bar when you are very straight. There was a sign above the door… what were you expecting? If you came in curious… well now you now know.

***** Obviously if you have a surly product and a problem they take it seriously *****

Marketing… this is epic… this cost them nothing, and has everyone talking about them. immature? jeuvenile? rude? or damned smart?

but they do murder rabbits whilst dressed as glam rock grannies.

Immature and they now know it, hence the back-peddling.

Silly boys caught out being silly.

If you wanna shout that you’re like waaaay cool cos you “get it” then go ahead.
Make me smirk in the same way as when I see you track-standing at traffic lights. No, no, you DO look awesome.

I rather liked it. Then again I can tell when someone is taking the piss. I also smile when I fart, laugh at dick jokes, find the outcast hilarious and think there is too much po faced misery in the world.

Yes it may have been childish, but it was deliberately, knowingly childish while poking fun at themselves and I suspect if you were offended or didn’t find it amusing you rather missed the point (and probably aren’t Surly’s target audience or have no experience of Surly customer support). No child I know could write something that amusing and grumpy sounding while still getting the point across to it’s intended audience.

I’m sure Michael Macintyre will be along soon enough on the telly to give you some safe, clean, dull, middle class, sensible laughs………yawn.

I’m sure Michael Macintyre will be along soon enough on the telly to give you some safe, clean, dull, middle class, sensible laughs………yawn.

Oh dear, so if we don’t buy into the desperately trying to be niche/trendy marketing guff, we all must be, like totally square maaaaaaan. Jesus.

I bet you all think the smug, self-absorbed cod philosophising in Reveal The Path was like, really deep and shit.

So maybe you were considering a surly bike and ended up reading it, well maybe this is a filter to keep Boardman customers with Boardman, and keep surly, surly.

Definitely no niche snobs here, no sir!

😆

LOL @ charlie.

This thread is STW comedy gold 🙂

I’m almost tempted to buy a Surly now.

Grum – I was taking the piss with the MacIntyre comment. Oh well….

What is “reveal the path” ?

And surly have been like that for years. It’s not like it’s a sudden new marketing ploy.

Complaining about it is a bit like going to a gay bar when you are very straight. There was a sign above the door… what were you expecting? If you came in curious… well now you now know.

Surly should have added this to the end of the blog. I’m sure they would love to be referred to as the “gay bar” of MTB 😀

why would someone who is not a surly customer read their customer service statement. Its aimed at surly customers

Maybe because people with their logical non emotional purchasing head on want to know what the warranty and service back-up on a product is before they spend their cash?

Grum – I was taking the piss with the MacIntyre comment. Oh well….

Nope. Nice try at Edinburgh. But no.

Surly’s blog post strikes me as about as witty and amusing as one of those “you don’t have to be mad to work here…” signs.

track-standing at traffic lights

Thank you for that!! The words “track-standing” have been absent from my vocab for 20 years…

..but you’re wrong, it is very awesome and today, when sat in my dull car going to my dull job, anyone performing a calm, non-flappy strack-stand at the lights, followed by a swift getaway, gets muchos cap-doffing from me, which I’m sure makes their day 🙂

EDIT: But I still think the original post smacked of trying-too-hard, but impressed at the balls to make a correction, which reads a lot better.