Terrible LBS: the legend continues

Who here doesn't love a good story?

So, I went back to bad LBS because they said they'd make it right, and I figured one last fit wouldn't hurt before giving up completely. I was wrong.

They failed to fit my bike, but I did get them to put on the new drops I bought at different a LBS, I was convinced they would stop the hand-pain. And this is probably why I'm not a bike fitter, because as much as I love them they didn't fix anything. Only up side is that since I put on my new drops, the bad LBS gave me a credit for the old ones I wasn't using - I put that credit towards some awesome teal brooks bar tape. Yeah! I figured I was on my way living happily-ever-after, so I went out and put on some fenders too (remember, bad LBS broke the old front fender).

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a.../bike/soma.png

At least it looks awesome.
after a 30km ride, I realized it still doesn't fit.

Bad LBS tells me it doesn't fit be because...and I quote "you've got your own way of positioning yourself comfortably on your bike - which is perfectly valid - but that particular position tends to dictate a shorter bike"....so my bike doesn't fit me because I ride it funny. OKAY.

Off to a new bike fitter. While at the new bike fitter, I find out the bad LBS BROKE MY BRAND NEW SEAT POST. So my last visit there actually cost me money, unless they manage to fix it for me. And big surprise, new bike fitter tells me the soma is too long for me. And the seat post that came with the bike was dangerously short.

Bad LBS will replace the frame to something that fits me. I'm a little burnt out at the moment, and I need time to figure out what's best for me without any help or suggestions from bad LBS, obviously. I originally wanted the ES, it's looking like a good choice right about now. I do give them props for really wanting to make it right, but god lord, I hate them.

I hope everyone had a better week than I did.

*edit
I forgot, I have a picture of the useless seat post. Bad LBS wanted to see a picture of the damage - it's missing a bolt and it looks like a spring inside is all skewed
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...bike/photo.jpg
I asked them if they found any loose bolts laying around, I'm not holding out much hope.

When bad LBS took it off, they put it in a bag, and that seat post hasn't left the bag until I took it out at new LBS for a new fitting (I brought my spare parts in case they worked better). I remember when I brought both seat posts to bad LBS,
"I brought a different seat post in case we decide my other saddle works better"
"All seat posts are basically the same"
"...... This one has set back"
"oh, ya"

It really sucks when you get mucked around by a LBS. I just wanted to say I have never seen a short and steeply angled stem as yours and I would say yes the bike is too long for you by the way you have the stem.

It's worse now, even shorter stem and the seat was lowered (I like super high, but that isn't good for me)
bike looks friggin' ridiculous now, like, even if it does sort-of-work for me I'm embarrassed to ride it.

A spring inside the seatpost? Are you sure you aren't looking at the threads? If the threads in the clamp are stripped, a new bolt won't help (and it would be dangerous to try to hold a stripped clamp together with a new bolt...) But yeah, if they stripped it out, they should replace it.

Honestly I don't remember your original story (and pardon me for not going back and searching for it) ... but if you didn't pay for a pre-purchase fitting, then I don't really think it was so terrible that they ordered the bike by your measurements alone. That's how any LBS would do it. It seems to me that exchanging the frame is going above and beyond. Stripping the frame you have and building a new one back up is quite a bit of labor, and it likely won't be easy for them to sell your used frame. (Though if you did pay for a complete fitting before you chose the frame, then you're right that they should have noticed your biomechanics during that fitting, and it's only right that they exchange the frame.)

It's a pretty bike, and I totally get your frustration, but I'm not seeing from this thread how it's the LBS's fault. Anyway hope it's all taken care of soon.

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Originally Posted by Antaresia

Bad LBS tells me it doesn't fit be because...and I quote "you've got your own way of positioning yourself comfortably on your bike - which is perfectly valid - but that particular position tends to dictate a shorter bike"....so my bike doesn't fit me because I ride it funny. OKAY.

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I'm no fitter, but I found the above statement interesting and astute. When I took my bike in for adjustments, the fitter put me and the bike on a trainer and just had me pedal for a while, then asked me a few questions, such as, "do you always ride like that?" ;) He wanted to adjust the bike to my style (which may or may not be conventional) or adjust me to fix any bad habits I may have developed.

I hope you get your bike set up just right. I just bought a new bike which I haven't really tested because of the weather. The few rides I have taken have made me a little nervous because things didn't feel quite right, so I understand your concern. And you're right - your bike does look pretty cool.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

A spring inside the seatpost? Are you sure you aren't looking at the threads? If the threads in the clamp are stripped, a new bolt won't help (and it would be dangerous to try to hold a stripped clamp together with a new bolt...) But yeah, if they stripped it out, they should replace it.

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I'm sure, it's a spring. Nothing is stripped, it's a brand new seat post that I've only adjusted a few times. I wasn't the person who discovered it was broken, it was good LBS guy, and he's been a bike bike mechanic longer than I've been alive, I went to him because he was highly recommended. Plus, you can see the spring in the photo of it I posted, I can see it quite clearly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

if you didn't pay for a pre-purchase fitting

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I did. I also went in wanting the ES, but only because it looked good on paper (comfortable, good for light touring) and he convinced me this model, with a comparatively long top tube, would fit me better, and oh hey, he just happened to have one in stock. I've since had two other LBS's tell me my body type has long legs (which doesn't really sound like a compliment when they say it like "you have a long femur, for your torso) so I really should be on a more compact bike - also I've been trying to get this bike to fit for over a year now, it's never been comfortable, and bad LBS has always tried to blame it on my riding style despite the fact I can ride my vintage road no problem. I've had two shops try and set up the soma like my beater, but the soma is too long. And even the beater is a bit to big for me, but at least I can ride that for more than 2 hours.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

It's a pretty bike, and I totally get your frustration, but I'm not seeing from this thread how it's the LBS's fault. Anyway hope it's all taken care of soon.

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They sold me a bike that doesn't fit me, when I paid for a custom fit. They tried to blame it on me multiple times, to the point was willing to drop $150 on a fitting from a different shop because I had no idea what to think anymore. Good LBS told me the bike is too long for me, which makes a lot of sense to me. I've been trying with bad LBS for a year to be able to ride this bike for more than 30 minutes without discomfort, and I've learned more about what type of body type I have and I should *not* be on a longer bike. Bad LBS never should have put me on this bike.

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Originally Posted by IBrakeforPastry

I'm no fitter, but I found the above statement interesting and astute. When I took my bike in for adjustments, the fitter put me and the bike on a trainer and just had me pedal for a while, then asked me a few questions, such as, "do you always ride like that?" ;) He wanted to adjust the bike to my style (which may or may not be conventional) or adjust me to fix any bad habits I may have developed.

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My riding is actually fine, bad LBS was specifically referring to my hand position which was "weird" - my position is weird because my drops were too wide. Keep in mind I paid for a custom fitted, custom built bike. Even if someones hands to rest a little inward in the drops, you can adjust that by changing bike, parts like the stem and drops. There is no way an entire frame is going to be "wrong" based only on where I put my hands. This bike is too long for me, I never should have been sold it. He just wanted to get rid of old stock, and NOW I know how stupid it was to sell a style of bike with a long top tube to someone with longer legs & a shorter reach.

Antareisa, I am so sorry that this has proved to be the frustrating experience it has been. My very first bike was too large for me as well, but it wasn't a custom bike! Hopefully all of this can be addressed somehow and you will be able to finally ride it. I don't know how that long top tube can be addressed...but I certainly understand your frustration with everything.

Ah. Then yeah, if you paid for a pre-purchase fitting and they watched you ride the fit bike and didn't notice your biomechanics, that's totally their fault! Especially when the other shop noticed right away.

Sorry if my earlier post came off the wrong way to you! I just didn't see a link to your earlier thread, didn't remember it off the top of my head and didn't bother searching, that's all.

They had me on one of those adjustable bike fit machines and everything.

Ah, I know I'm coming off as a little defensive too, but in part because I'm still trying to convince myself that I deserve a good bike. From the start, bad LBS would say things like "I thought you could ~handle~ that bike" and "you'll get used to it, you're just not a strong rider"; even the little things like giving me funny looks for picking pink bar tape, asking twice if I was sure, and "hey, I think black would look really good" ffffffffff

All day I've been debating putting it up for sale on the local bike boards, I'd rather loose more money than go back there. But I would be loosing a lot, and I've already dumped so much time and money into this monster. I have never been this stressed out about a thing before.

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Originally Posted by Antaresia

From the start, bad LBS would say things like "I thought you could ~handle~ that bike" and "you'll get used to it, you're just not a strong rider"; even the little things like giving me funny looks for picking pink bar tape, asking twice if I was sure, and "hey, I think black would look really good" ffffffffff

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Not only is that insulting and demeaning, it's completely unprofessional. I would be SO incredibly PISSED. Is there a way you can take this to the higher ups at the LBS? Or was this the "higher up"? :mad:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Antaresia

even the little things like giving me funny looks for picking pink bar tape, asking twice if I was sure, and "hey, I think black would look really good" ffffffffff

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Just this little detail makes me so sad. It's so not how my LBS handles things like this...at all. When I bought my CX bike--which is white with royal blue metallic--I decided that I wanted lime green for the accent color. Immediately our LBS buddy springs into motion to find every little thing in the shop in lime green--including a Fizik demo saddle (which I ended up hating, but it was fun for taking photos of the bike with lime tape, white and lime bottle cages, and lime saddle).

Oh geez. What an a-hole. Hope you get your new frame squared away QUICK to where you never have to deal with these people again.

We discussed the reach of that handlebar choice but in reality, you really won't be out that much by selling the frame. It's never good to struggle to force a fit. If you get a shorter frame, consider that the head tube may be shorter also. Your saddle will be higher in relation to your handlebar. It may be difficult to get the saddle height/bar height dimension you want.
One of the issues with a lot of these "simple" steel frame bikes is the older style fitting. Something with a taller headtube could be a better option.
How set are you with a stock traditional steel frame? I mention this because there are certainly custom steel frames that will give you the shorter top tube AND a taller head tube. There are also a bevy of aluminum and carbon frames that do the same thing stock.