Unhappy Sick Bicycles Customers. BEWARE!

My cynical side just can not believe those frames are ‘in stock’…. Maybe in stock in Peru and Taiwan.

Presumably as the trickle of canceled orders became/becomes a tidal wave if there really are batches of frames all over the place that need to be paid for they’ve got to sell them to stay afloat.

Even if they are telling the truth and really are just having problem after problem. Then there comes a point where you can’t just expect customers to keep faith in you having their money if you simply can’t run a business.

It’s a shame because if they do go to the wall then it’s inevitable there’s going to be less money in the bank and frames in stock than there are people who’ve paid up front for them even if the owners haven’t paid themselves they’ll have had costs.

And the alternative is to believe them, which is believing that they’re just incompetent, and continuing to trust them with your money and body. If these frames are vapourwear have they been CEN tested or even ridden by test riders, or are they just the exaggerated sketches of two blokes who by their own boasting aren’t established bike designers?

have they been CEN tested or even ridden by test riders, or are they just the exaggerated sketches of two blokes who by their own boasting aren’t established bike designers?

I have seen the answer to this somewhere else and it was not pretty from what I recall the guy refused to build them based on the fact they weren’t testing anything.

Has anyone seen any signs they do test? No.

Sick claimed their riders test the product.

“overstock” lol
“customer cancelled before delivery” uber lol

So many gems in their descriptions

“148mm Boost spacing (but we hear people fit 142 just fine)”

“148mm Boost spacing (but we hear people fit 142 just fine)”

Mmm… flex much?

😂 come on what’s 6mm between friends?
This thread/sick just keep giving, utter utter trumpets.
Would be hilarious if a load of people weren’t out of pocket.

IIRC, Surly make the same spacing point.

Surly spec the frame at 145 though and design with it in mind. Cotic did the same for 130/135. Quite a difference between flexing 3mm when you’ve designed for it and 6mm when you haven’t. I mean, it could be fine…

Can’t imagine how pissed off people waiting for frames are after that, why aren’t they at least offering them the in stock stuff?

Stating the blindingly obvious, but: Because that wouldn’t bring in more cash?

Oi! Flash’art no! Don’t be coming in here with yer brogues being all moderate & sensible! 😉

Oxfords, not brogues, Bez.

😎

Swanny, that makes sense, thanks. Just remembered something about Surly and spacing. Thanks for the additional detail.

there’s selling your version of a story, and then there’s this…From the Sale Website

We’re working to make sure we can serve customers more effectively and be more transparent than ever (something, I felt we always did well anyway) – We’ve never been shy at showing our failings, as well as sharing our success, something you have all been part of.
Its easy to get caught up on the internet BS. 

How many folk are actually waiting on a frame?

By showing their failings do they mean blaming the suppliers for not shipping frames they haven’t paid for? 🧐

This would make a great short series on Netflix.

Does anyone else hear a sneery David Brent voice when reading the stuff they write?

Bez! #flounces# with cane..

Stating the blindingly obvious, but: Because that wouldn’t bring in more cash?

This.

Can’t quite make my mind up whether it’s this…

Or, this… 3.30 into the vid before the real message starts 🤪

Just going back to the CEN thing – as I’m guessing these frames arnt CEN tested, legally what would happen for example if that ti FS with the folded downtube failed catastrophically injuring or worse the rider?

^ Brands have a legal obligation to ensure they make safe products, that doesn’t mean you need to test to EN standards but it’s a sound place to start. You need to test to the available standards and/or other suitable tests based on risk assessing the use of the product, how you market it etc. DH bikes arguably need testing beyond EN with suitable loads, bottom-out tests etc. If a bike failed and there was insufficient evidence of testing and QA then any insurer working for the injured rider or Trading Standards would have an easy time and a brand’s directors could be prosecuted.
Part of EN is that you mark the frame to the standard once tested and certified and include info on the importer/supplier in that country.
If you’re a custom builder you can’t test a one-off design and re-make it every time so there’s a self-certification aspect to all this with less need for marking for custom frames. If you have built a ‘standard’ design that you can show passes EN testing then you can vary that and not re-test every time, as long as you can show that the design is safe for that customer (ie lighter rider may get away with lighter tubes, just have some idea of safety factors).

^reckon sick won’t give a toss if frames fail. You’ll get the same bullshit if you try to claim them 🙁

How many folk are actually waiting on a frame?

There’s a thread on Pinkbike which is a list of people currently being **** about by them.

MIA, AWOL and DGAS

What Jameso said – the testing is all about showing due diligence and protecting yourself / your customer. I’ve kind of got a foot in both camps working in fatigue and durability testing (bigger things than bikes) whilst also making a few frames. With a little knowledge, I’m very reluctant to make frames for other people….

Frame fatigue testing in the UK is relatively cheap and simple – Halfords etc will put everything through it. Once making multiple frames, I’d be doing like James says and at least testing a worst case design – I think one big problem is their hucking target market isn’t going to be breaking things by high cycle fatigue (nobody is sat down pedalling a Gnarciwhatsit all day).

If you want to spend more money and test in more depth then the Germans have it covered. Scroll down and you find the test order forms with prices https://www.efbe.de/

Yesterday I watched their video of how to manipulate Instagram likes. I could sort of understand it for a Tee shirt company, but for bikes? Does it really matter?!? A good reputation in the forums and bike media seems to work for everyone else – just seems to be wasted vanity time and effort on their own little bubble that could have been more usefully spent engineering / making / testing / supplying….

wasted vanity time and effort on their own little bubble that could have been more usefully spent engineering / making / testing / supplying

FTFY

Hmmm. Leaving critical comments on their IG account. Stock coming in. Sounds like they’re going for a reboot.

I was expecting someone to strike through all four words 🙂

To be honest. I’m not hearing anything new since this all started.

So on that note I’m going with no “reboot” but playing the general public for complete chumps.

then any insurer working

Ha you think they have insurance.

They are back to removing posts and blocking. You can watch it in real time. Prob hurts sales to have bad comments while shagging out ex demo tat

Is it possible to employ a bot to post generic bad reviews on their IG? Seems only fair.

You can watch it in real time.

Doing customer service on IG is a bold move, even more so when your approach to customer services is to bitch and whine at people with legitimate grievances.

I sort of want someone with some experience to step in and help them out now, as they clearly aren’t coping. Sadly, I fear there’d be no money to pay anyone.

Sadly, I fear there’d be no money to pay anyone.

They could maybe do a presale on some frames.
That should work.

‘Because people are taking the piss, I’m not going to process your refund quickly’.

🥺😢😭

‘Because people are taking the piss, I’m not going to process your refund quickly’.

I hope you’re finally understanding that you’re the reason folks aren’t getting their money back, Tom. If you hadn’t upset Jordan with your mean comments, everyone would’ve been paid. 🙂

Bunch.
Of.
Crooks.

They probably don’t even realise it, though.

Not me, m’lud. I haven’t uttered a single comment on their IG. I don’t want to be blocked, and miss out on the fun…

I’ve had the misfortune to deal with a frame builder that was a bit “hard to get hold of”
then delivered what was different to the drawings/ then different again in another way/ then broke/then broke again/ then broke again but even he sounds better than this shower of shit.
I really hope their wish for a fight comes true out on the trails with one of the haters.
I predict someone running home crying about big boys bullying them…

That’s a shame. The spat I’m referring to above has now been deleted…

But fear not! (Didn’t catch it all, but it started out pretty civil, til someone not concerned with the transaction chimed in, but I missed those too)

All they said was “don’t hold your breath” re refund. Or something similar

This is where Sick! are heading..

It surprises me that there hasn’t been a mob of angry folks waiting of frames or refunds come knocking at their door..

It seems like those people have just walked away, lost money and funded a crooked bunch of hairy arseholes from Worthing.

If you lot can’t organise yourselves into to sort of group to fight these lot, then you deserve to loose your money and walk around in a vacuous t-shirt.

🤷‍♂️🤐