ARGH!!!!!!!! (Bike Fridays - Long)

[DDH]

I can't offer any help to you, but I just wanted to say how sorry I was you both are having to go through this with your bikes. It's suppose to be a fun time and exciting time and you both are having so much frustration with it.
I hope they get everything straightened out for you and you get great bikes back after sending them in.

[Blueberry]

...and I really wish I could say that things are better, but they aren't. In fact they're worse.

Apparently the packing folks just didn't put the chain protectors on, so the chain rings darned near went through the suitcases on both bikes. Don't yet know if there's damage to the chainrings (I don't think the shipping company did this because they were at the upper end of the case for both, and there's no real way for them to get from A to B). Hubby's bars are now taped/aligned way off center.

My bike had a plastic bike broken off in the rim, and the paint jobs on both bikes are in bad shape. Somehow they killed the paint on the stays for the quick release seat mast. It's flaking off. And they adjusted my rear brake such that it has taken the paint off a significant area of the chain stay. GRRRRR.......

So...what to do...we will call the company Monday and see what the story is. If we have to ship the bikes back again, it will be ridiculous. We've "had them" for a month, and only really had then a few days. I don't know if we have a 30 day option to return them or not due to the time they've had them "for repairs."

I feel like crying. These bikes were a dream of ours for so long, mine was a birthday present, and the company just can't get *anything* right.

Thanks for letting me vent (and please feel free to offer perspective if I'm off base - I just think when you're dropping $3k per bike, you should expect that they will be adjusted correctly, packed correctly and have the paint in tact when they arrive).

Carrie Anne

[Blueberry]

Looks like UPS did some of their own damage too - just noticed that the suitcase (which was in a box) is cracked. UGH!

[mimitabby]

Good Grief, CA, what a bummer!
My DH bought a bike friday used and broke it trying to assemble it the first time.
At least we think he's the one that torqued the derailleur. iF you're going to design a bike that is made to be assembled and reassembled, don't you think you should make it EASY to do?
sigh..
His opinion of said bike has gone down since then (for a number of reasons). He flew to Phoenix this week with his Raleigh, not his bike friday.

I am glad that some folks are having great experiences with them though, especially Denise,who continues to entertain everyone with great photos.

[Blueberry]

mimitabby-
If I may ask, what other problems has your DH had that cause him to not want to fly with the bike? We may still have the option of returning the bikes, so I'm trying to gather as much information as possible to make that decision.

I do want to be able to travel with it, and it's by far the most expensive bike I've bought, so I'd rather know sooner than later that it won't work for me...

The noodle/barrel adjuster of the rear brake actually hits the frame when you brake still.

It is a pretty bike, though. Most of their problems (thus far) seem to have been either 1) adjustment or 2) packaging problems. So, maybe there is hope...

[mimitabby]

He found a bike mechanic he really likes and the bike mechanic said a lot of negative things about BF's in general. I think that more than anything has colored his opinion, unfortunately.
There's a gizmo that screws into another gizmo.. what is it? (I don't remember) sigh...when he was putting it back together after taking it to Louisiana, the threads were stripped, again, his fault, but still... I was stunned. This is supposed to be a bike that you can put together and take apart over and over again; isn't that the point?

he took it to the shop and they fixed it, and we had a discussion about the bike.
Now he goes into some vague reasons why he likes the raleigh better (like, Well, i'm not sure i want to ride 100 miles on the bf..) why not?

He has a big huge case for the Raleigh. It fits in it quite well. The problem is that the case itself will only fit into some kinds of cars..
with the BF, the case fits almost anywhere.

[KnottedYet]

How about trying a Rodgriguez W2 or Houdini if the Bike Fridays won't work for you? www.rodcycle.com

They pack into a 26x26 suitcase, are custom made, and cost $2,700. Made here in Seattle, good reputation. I know of a few women with Rodgriguez bikes and haven't heard anything bad about them.

I was considering one of their other touring bikes, but then Flossie came into my life... Her lovely lugs just stole my heart away.

[Blueberry]

Thanks, Mimitabby. That is helpful!

I actually did some detective work this morning, and discovered that the cable routing is completely wrong, which is what caused the brake to rub. UGH.

I really don't want to have to ship the bike back a second time. It's a week each way, and it's a PITA. We'll see what they say tomorrow.

The Rodriguez is an interesting idea - I'll keep it in mind if this doesn't work out.