...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