Performance Bicycle and women specific bikes

[denny]

Ok, so I went to Performance Bike with a friend who owns a LBS. He advised me to get the Scattante 660, double ring with much nicer components. As the former PBS employee on the board predicted, Performance tried several suggestions to "fix" my current bike. I told them I wanted the double rings, 54cm, carbon stays, etc. So they agreed to trade my Scattante 550 to the 560 model and with the higher price tag $1,339. I refinanced the difference in price of $550.

I went home happy that Performance made the trade fairly seamless despite my almost 3 hour wait at the store. So- I take the bike to my friend's shop who immediately notices the following.
1. The chain was used.
2.They took off 1 of the chainrings on my 560 and put it on the 660.
3. The components of the 660 seemed to be what they had on my 560.
4. The tires were obviously worn out from more than test rides.
In short they seemed to swap out used parts from another bike on the new.

My friend was really ticked off on my behalf as he feels this was not an oversight by the store and a former Performance employee who works at my friends shop stated that it was obvious the parts were not new.
I called Performance and they stated "We only took the bike from the floor that you pointed out and nothing was switched". Not quite true, as I saw the manager put the squewer(sp) from my old bike into the new one which wasn't really a big deal, but I had a tiny hunch they were switching the parts. Even so why did they charge me the price of a new bike? I am really disappointed in this transaction with Performance if that is indeed what they did as I thought their staff seemed trustworthy despite the bad PR they receive now and then.

Since I had my bike (560) I've had 4 flats as a result of defective tape used in both tires. They replaced the tape on only 1 wheel. They were other incidents that didn't register too high on my radar until today. My option is to return the bike to them and replace it with another one from the floor (and never take my eyeballs from them during the trade). Second option is to completely refund the bike and take my business elsewhere where I can have the confidence that the staff is taking the time to assess and take care of any issues that arise from my purchase of one of their products.

I feel like the dumb chick at the car dealer at this point. I just don't get the rationale behind how this trade went today.

[Cataboo]

I think I'd just return it if I were you, unless you really like the bike. Putting your old components when they're not of the same quality level on the new bike is definitely unacceptable.

[uforgot]

Why aren't you buying from the friend who has the lbs?

[Triskeliongirl]

I agree with Claudia. Just return it, get your money back, and buy a bike from your friend. Start with a fit, and work from there at finding frames that will work best for your body.

[Blueberry]

Return it. As quickly as possible. If they refuse, deal with your credit card company. I WOULD NOT support that kind of business. Period.

You deserve more!

CA