Search found 18 matches

by albert
4 Nov 2016, 12:41am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Giant Defy seat stay break and bit of a warranty hassle.
Replies: 13
Views: 1967

Re: Giant Defy seat stay break and bit of a warranty hassle.

You should use Consumer Protection law. Your contract is with the vendor and not with Giant. If you have not crashed the frame then you, effectively, have a six year warranty and it should be replaced. Shops often try to fob people, who don't know their rights, off.
I recently bought a 5 year old 2nd hand Honda car with a Honda warranty. A crack developed on the dash board shortly after my purchase. Honda rejected the claim, I quoted my Consumer Rights to the garage and they folded straight away and repaired it free of charge.
Be polite but firm. Google Consumer Rights and you will find the relevant information.
by albert
15 May 2015, 12:49am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Scottish Independence
Replies: 83
Views: 3004

Re: Scottish Independence

Nationalism is defined by its sectarianism. Nationalists dress themselves in any clothes that will suit the aims of their agenda. Be warned, at root they are always Fascist and feed upon and exploit the resentments of people who have chips on their shoulders and have been sold a self serving myth about their "collective" identity*.

The idea that one can be a Nationalist AND a Socialist is ridiculous. Here in Wales "Socialist" (lol) Plaid Cymru was founded by Hitler loving, Franco supporting, Anti-Semitic, NHS opponents.
What George Orwell said about Nationalism many moons ago still applies today. Nationalism, Religious Bigotry and Racism should be opposed wherever they appear.

* That DNA research has proved beyond doubt that there is no such thing as a Celt I find hilarious. :lol:
by albert
13 Jan 2015, 11:05pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Devastated! Heart Attack at 59. Former fitness gone forever?
Replies: 20
Views: 2482

Re: Devastated! Heart Attack at 59. Former fitness gone fore

I too d a massive heart attack aged 59 and sustained permanent damage. I was a sedentary smoker who's work entailed no physically active element. Nearly 8 years on, I have covered 26,000 miles with the best part of a million and a half feet of climbing thrown in. I do the odd Audax and Sportive and can keep up with my age group. During these years I have had operations for enlarged prostate and skin cancer (part of my nose needed rebuilding) + pneumonia which resulted in a prolonged stay in hospital.
My advice - don't lose (err) heart, build yourself up steadily and enjoy the fact that you aren't unduly incapacitated. You may not regain your previous levels, but if there is no serious underlying condition, you will make progress from where you are now. :)
by albert
15 May 2014, 9:18pm
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Cwtch Cafe Pontrhydygroes
Replies: 0
Views: 7282

Cwtch Cafe Pontrhydygroes

Just some words of praise for this cycle friendly café in the village of Pontrhydygroes in Ceredigion. Cwtch is now a regular haunt of riders from all over Ceredigion, of which I am one. It is open all year round. Good cakes, decent coffee and clean + it has a small stock of inner tubes and gells. :D
by albert
27 Jul 2013, 12:52am
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Clive Powell Mountain Bikes
Replies: 2
Views: 17323

Re: Clive Powell Mountain Bikes

Nothing but praise from me as well. Excellent mechanic, very friendly and obliging people and NOW very good coffee.
My favourite bike shop and easily the best in Mid-Wales.
by albert
27 Jul 2013, 12:08am
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Charge Bicycles metal mudguard - Warning
Replies: 4
Views: 22488

Re: Charge Bicycles metal mudguard - Warning

Update:
After a further exchange of e-mails, Wiggle are now going to send me a replacement guard at no cost. This is what I would have expected and I am pleased that they have done the decent thing albeit after a bit of effort. :)
However, I remain very concerned about the safety aspect of using these guards. I will, therefore, be keeping a very close eye on them, looking for any hint of another failure. I would advise anyone who has read these two posts and has these metal guards on their Charge bikes to do the same - better safe than sorry.
by albert
24 Jul 2013, 12:01am
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Charge Bicycles metal mudguard - Warning
Replies: 4
Views: 22488

Charge Bicycles metal mudguard - Warning

I recently had a potentially serious failure while riding my Charge Juicer. Stopping to investigate a severe rattle that came on suddenly, I found that the rear mudguard had sheered across most of its width. It is easy to imagine what could have happened if I had ignored the rattle and continued riding for even a few minutes longer and the mudguard had failed completely.
These mudguards have a reputation for rattling and I fixed this on day one by the use of Loctite followed up by regular checks. That this could happen is very worrying.
Also worrying is that I wrote to Charge voicing my concerns over this potentially very dangerous problem and had no reply.
Wiggle, the people who sold me the bike offered an "at cost" replacement of the same item, stating that the breakage would have been caused by my leaning the bike against something and as such it (and I quote) "had not been used for its intended purpose".
I countered that I want a mudguard that is fit for purpose at no charge.

I leave anyone who reads this to draw their own conclusions about the fault and the attitude of both Charge and Wiggle.
by albert
31 Oct 2012, 11:43pm
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Wiggle
Replies: 105
Views: 136193

Re: Wiggle

Until recently I have always had good service from Wiggle and the few problems I have had were dealt with politely, earning them 5 stars for customer service in my book.
In the last few months, however, they have gone downhill and customer service has been downright poor. Anything to do with Wiggle having new owners I wonder?
by albert
8 Jul 2012, 12:26am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: audax or tourer, cliché question?
Replies: 30
Views: 4639

Re: audax or tourer, cliché question?

What I did:
Bought a Charge Juicer - Hi - big discount from Wiggle. Converted the gearing into 50/34 front and 11-34 10 speed rear. Changed the stem to get a more upright position. Changed the seatpost. Changed the saddle to suit my bum. put some really nice wheels on it that I had from a previous bike, attached fittings for a bar bag and saddlebag and........
Hey Presto - a pretty light 21lbs all up), rather inexpensive (I sold all the original cast off components on eBay for a decent price) and perfectly fitting bike for long distance/light touring that is (despite its mass produced made in Taiwan beginnings) rather nice and definitely unique.
by albert
19 Apr 2011, 11:44pm
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Chain Reaction Cycles
Replies: 135
Views: 200926

Re: Chain Reaction Cycles

I have had nothing but excellent service from both Wiggle and Chain Reaction. Everything I have ordered has arrived within a couple of days.
Example of Wiggle's customer relations:-
I bought a pair of wheels from Wiggle (£400ish). They arrived with slight damage to one of the graphics stickers. I got in touch with Wiggle asking for a replacement sticker. They could not oblige as the importers had none, so they gave me an unsolicited £50 payback.
by albert
4 Feb 2011, 12:00am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: SPD shoes
Replies: 22
Views: 2168

Re: SPD shoes

Smelly Shoes. Fill your socks with talc before you ride - works for me :D
by albert
10 Oct 2009, 11:55pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: So why DO you cycle?
Replies: 81
Views: 282186

Re: So why DO you cycle?

I started cycling because I had a heart attack after 35 years of smoking and taking no exercise, and found it less boring than the gym. After I got my first bike I "got the bug". I do Sportifs, cycle over 100 miles a week and now have 4 bikes - much to the amusement of my family who think that I have gone nuts.
All I can say is that it is a fantastic activity. I have no "holier than thou" reasons for riding and remain sceptical about the whole green agenda, seeing as the vast majority of bottle bank users fly, drive and over use electricity and every other resource that a modern life requires.
by albert
6 Jun 2009, 8:16pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Poor dealers.Is it only me?
Replies: 38
Views: 4391

Re: Poor dealers.Is it only me?

The only bike I have ever bought that was set up perfectly from day 1 was a Focus Summit bought from Wiggle. It is also the only bike I have ever bought that was without a single scuff. :roll:
The advantage of using my local shop is that it is handy building up a relationship should I have an emergency.
by albert
6 Jun 2009, 6:05pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Turbo trainers
Replies: 5
Views: 630

Re: Turbo trainers

I've had a Tacx Satori since Christmas and it works very well. It is stable, so getting on and off wouldn't be too difficult with your broken arm. Can you use it one-armed? I see no reason why not. BUT!
I would imagine that you could possibly hurt your back through being unbalanced if you over did things though. Maybe a recumbent style cycling machine in your local gym would be a better solution.
by albert
6 Jun 2009, 5:52pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: GPS / fancy computers?
Replies: 28
Views: 1274

Re: GPS / fancy computers?

I love my Edge 705. I use it on my three bikes (including the one on a turbo trainer) to record my efforts - distance, time, heart rate, distance split-times, total climb,steepness, elevation, heart rate, calories etc. It is also an excellent (better than my wife's Nuvi, which is a nightmare here in Wales) Sat Nav for the whole of Europe including all my favourite cafes here in Wales. Using a site like www.bikehike.co.uk it is very easy to prepare and download routes - including such information as the climbing profile of the ride.

In my opinion they are worth the high asking price.