Need Advice!

[waqas_1994]

So i picked up my first road bike today from Giant Sydney on clarence st. They fit me on to the bike and everything and i was very happy with the service. However when i got the bike home (brang it on the train) i noticed the bike was dirty and looked like the demo model they have. I called them up immediately and the person assured me it was a brand new bike. He was a bit hesitant so i'm not entirely satisfied with his answer. He then told me i was the only one who test rode the bike and offered to clean the bike up for free.

Here are photos of the bike as soon as i got it home.



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I don't think the bike can get this dirty in a 10 min ride.

So basically what can i do in this situation. can i ask for a refund or a discount?

[ColinOldnCranky]

I am assuming that they are not now making chains with some sort of assymetrical tooth profile. Perhaps someone can tell me that that is no longer the case as I no longer ride a bike.

On that basis that chain wheel is NOT just a bit of wear from any amount of demo. That is an old and well used chain wheel. One wonders if they have been rebuilding and repainting used bikes to sell as new.

Go back, ask the question with your phone surreptitiously on record and then post if to YouTube. If they are claiming that it has only had you test ride it (and that my initial qualification is disposed of) then the prick deserves to be lambasted loudly and publicly.

After that , demand a refund and go elsewhere. If you have any arguments contact your state consumer affairs. In fact even if you do not have any more resistance I'd be putting in a complaint and protect the rest of the communty.

I don't think my old bike had wear like that after 200,000kms.



Is that grit on the chain or is it pitting?

[LM324]

Edit: on second thought I do change my mind. The "wear" on the chainrings I think is just because of the camera angle.

[Pax]

I am assuming that they are not now making chains with some sort of assymetrical tooth profile. Perhaps someone can tell me that that is no longer the case as I no longer ride a bike.

On that basis that chain wheel is NOT just a bit of wear from any amount of demo. That is an old and well used chain wheel. ...
I don't think my old bike had wear like that after 200,000kms.

Hmmmm, not so sure Colin. If you are referring to the teeth on the chainring, I think the dished appearance is an optical illusion, not wear...???

[Jesmol]

Looks like it hasn't done much, some where between a smidge and bugger all I'd estimate. The dust / dirt looks like its just from sitting in a shop.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I am assuming that they are not now making chains with some sort of assymetrical tooth profile. Perhaps someone can tell me that that is no longer the case as I no longer ride a bike.

On that basis that chain wheel is NOT just a bit of wear from any amount of demo. That is an old and well used chain wheel. ...
I don't think my old bike had wear like that after 200,000kms.

Hmmmm, not so sure Colin. If you are referring to the teeth on the chainring, I think the dished appearance is an optical illusion, not wear...???

You could be right there. Though the tooth about three down looks decidedly worse for wear imo. I placed a ruler along the visual middle of it's length and that implies a centre of chain wheel that seems a bit to far off the top of the page. If the pic was a bit further out so that I could see the chain wheel axis, preferably taken from the centre line of the axle, then it is a simple matter of placing a ruler over the apex of some of the teeth at the top end of the picture.

To waqas_1994, what we are taking about is if the teeth are showing that they are slanted a bit to the rear then they have been doing a lot of work for quite some time. Ignoring the pretty dishing, they should be symmetrical across a line taken from axis of the apex of each tooth to the exact centre of the chain ring where it connects tot he bottom bracket/axle. Have a look at that.

Or just take it to a friend who does a lot of riding and who spends a fair bit of time tinkering with and maintaining his bike. There are plenty around.

[open roader]

The chain looks like it's just picked up some fresh road grit and the chainring teeth look fine to me. I'm taking it that the russet coloured section on the outer link is just a reflection off something else and not surface rust....

The chain (KMC -X) will come out of the box with heavy lube on it which is tacky and picks up grit and dirt like proverbial to a blanket. You can either de-grease / clean / and apply a quality chain lube or just rag the chain off post riding and after a few rides the tacky heavy lube will have largely disapated and you can use a quality lube which picks up far less heavy particles.

The chain rings look very new to me, just some light grease marks on the toothing and on the ring inner from shifting from small to big and vice-versa.

From these two pics I see no evidence of a well used bike.....relax......

[waqas_1994]

Even though the bike hasn't been 'well used' they cannot sell it to someone as a brand new bike out of the box. That is what i was expecting and i did not get that. It is the demo bike that was on the floor that was test ridden by me and who knows how many other people. It may be a perfectly fine bike but we agreed on a new bike.

I took the bike to the shop and got it refunded.

[open roader]

I took the bike to the shop and got it refunded.

Harsh methinks, however, the customer is always right.

[philip]

I took the bike to the shop and got it refunded.

From the amount of grit on that chain (very little) I really doubt anyone else but you road it.

[pawnii]

That's just shop dust on the chain and chainrings.
They wipe down the showroom bikes regularly but they can't get the dust off the chainset.

Don't worry about it. It's brand new


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RonK]

There is nothing wrong with those chainrings. They are new.

[handle]

I agree with what seems to be the consensus here: that was a new bike with a short test ride on it.

ColinOldnCranky: I can tell you from first-hand experience that "they" (Shimano, at least) have been using asymmetric tooth profiles on mainstream derailleur-shifted bicycles for at least 17 years - probably longer. My 1996-vintage mid-range Shimano-equipped MTB had noticeably asymmetric profiles on both chainrings and rear cogs.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I agree with what seems to be the consensus here: that was a new bike with a short test ride on it.

ColinOldnCranky: I can tell you from first-hand experience that "they" (Shimano, at least) have been using asymmetric tooth profiles on mainstream derailleur-shifted bicycles for at least 17 years - probably longer. My 1996-vintage mid-range Shimano-equipped MTB had noticeably asymmetric profiles on both chainrings and rear cogs.

Ta. I rode in an era when we only changed parts when they were broken so you will find a lack of knowledge on product and what are current "cool" brand marks. Cycling knicks were almost always plain black. And Shimano was just starting to generate a reputation for themselves. My one and only set of chain wheels would have been bought in early 80's and stayed on the bike until I could no longer ride it.

Funny how all this new and better stuff needs replacing so soon.

Oh, for the good old days. Diptheria, polio, stillbirths, wife beating, driving home drunk, takeaway=fish and chips...

[jules21]

I took the bike to the shop and got it refunded.

i wonder what they'll do with it?

it's a bit of a grey area - while the bike would have been fine from a mechanical perspective, knowing that it's been ridden around by other customers denies you that warm, fuzzy experience of taking it on its first ride.

[Tornado]

I wouldn't be surprised if the chain rings got grease on them from the mechanic practice shifting whilst ensuring the gearing is all shifting sweet.

[macca33]

Seems to be a case of chucking the baby out with the bath water. Each to their own, but it certainly appears to have been a new bike from the photographs presented.

cheers

[waqas_1994]

What ever happened is now over and nothing can be changed. I ended getting the same bike from my lbs for the same price and they did a better fitting on me. They built the bike up for me straight out of the box and it even came with pedals, although i did have some from before. I was surprised because when i asked at giant Sydney they said the bike doesn't come with any so i took their word for it (i know a lot of bikes don't come with pedals but if you've been working in a bike shop for a couple of years you should know which ones do and don't). When i got home i checked the giant website and it is clearly written on their web page that it does.

To some people it may not matter but little things like this can ruin a persons view and experience of a bike shop. It certainly ruined mine.

Anyways thanks for the input guys. Just took the bike out for a ride through the cooks river cycleway, and enjoyed every moment. Cant wait to do longer rides.

[Rex]

Glad it worked out for you.

I
On that basis that chain wheel is NOT just a bit of wear from any amount of demo. That is an old and well used chain wheel. One wonders if they have been rebuilding and repainting used bikes to sell as new.

I just wanted to add that I agree with this. I replaced my 13,000kms Shimano chainring a few weeks ago and the old one looked very similar to this.