what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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TrevA
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by TrevA »

hujev wrote:Har har, the travel to show up would be more than the filing fee... If I had the timing to take a cycling tour in the UK I'd try it out of principle though... (thinking about maybe a UK tour next year though!)


Perhaps the threat of such action may be enough to get him to pay up? You can file a claim online and court attendance is not always required.
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Mike Sales
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by Mike Sales »

I used this Small Claims procedure at the County Court with complete success, including using the bailiff.
I followed the advice available from, I think, the court. No doubt online these days. I had no legal help apart from this, and did it all by letter. I did not have to attend the court.
The firm ignored my letters, and then the court, until the bailiffs called.
It was very satisfying. Nobody likes being buggered about.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/taking-legal-action/small-claims/small-claims/
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JohnW
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by JohnW »

hujev wrote:Har har, the travel to show up would be more than the filing fee... If I had the timing to take a cycling tour in the UK I'd try it out of principle though... (thinking about maybe a UK tour next year though!)


There will be a couple of posters on this thread who will certainly take great and deep issue with me on this, but the way this is going is such that, if the mods were to delete the thread, I for one wouldn't take issue with them.

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TrevA
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by TrevA »

How was the deposit paid?

If it was by credit card, then you will have some protection and should be able to claim money back via your credit card provider.
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justintime
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by justintime »

Visited Steve Goff at his workshop & ordered a frame a month ago. And paid a deposit. hope it won't take 18 months!!
reohn2
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by reohn2 »

justintime wrote:Visited Steve Goff at his workshop & ordered a frame a month ago. And paid a deposit. hope it won't take 18 months!!

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mercalia
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by mercalia »

justintime wrote:Visited Steve Goff at his workshop & ordered a frame a month ago. And paid a deposit. hope it won't take 18 months!!


I hope you are young enough to stand a long wait :wink: 18 months is absurd, unforgiveable
tatanab
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by tatanab »

mercalia wrote: 18 months is absurd, unforgiveable
Only if it is unexpected. The last custom frame I bought (2012), the builder told me to expect a 9 month wait. In fact he was a few weeks quicker than that. Back in the 70s, fashionable builders were often renowned for long waits, certainly more than a year. We had a thread only a few months ago about another modern builder who was very long in delivery and with poor communication.
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Paulatic
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by Paulatic »

A quick search on this forum shows even in 2010 delivery from SG was around 10 months.
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mig
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by mig »

1997 it was about 3 months.

he's a lovely bloke and a skilled builder. worth the wait.
thirdcrank
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by thirdcrank »

To illustrate tatanab's post, when I ordered a Bob Jackson in 1980, Mr JRJ himself explained how long I would have to wait and IIRC it was something like seventeen weeks. He also mentioned that the greater part of the shop's production was exported to the USA, hence the delay. After the exact delay predicted, I received a postcard - cheaper postage than a letter in those days IIRC - saying my frame was ready for collection. All like clockwork to the extent that if he'd said, "It'll be ready in seventeen weeks, come for it then" I'd not have been disappointed. That's not like "This year, next year, sometime..."

Bob Jackson was by then running the business, not building the frames.
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hujev
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by hujev »

My Woodup/Kevin Sayles a few years ago was a 9 month wait, mentioned beforehand and worth it, and my Stanforth Kibo (Lee Cooper) was I think about 4 or so - shortish, but he's sort of famous for semi-production line methods and my customization (change the zed to an essss if you like there) from the stock Kibo were minimal.

So something's going on I guess with the Goff since paying in autumn 2016. Had I become aware of the Kibo a few months earlier, I could have saved this hassle...

However, contrary to the view (and probably truth) of americans as being fans of litigation, I'm not, but I am inclined to try my honest best at resolving it once more, take the £800 if that's all he'll return and hope /that/ doesn't turn into another ordeal or also vanish, and forget the whole mistake. I guess I've tried to accommodate and work with whatever bad situation he may be in, maybe for way too long. Either way I'll live!

Good thing I bought the Kibo though - man, what an excellent frame (and now bike: http://rjl.us/velo/kibo.htm). It's similar to what I was hoping Goff'd build (the geometry is the magic; similar to my 1984 Trek 830 looong chainstays and all, which I've found the perfect geometry for general riding around). I wound up liking the 'Kibo project' so much I figured I'd buy one anyway (after I'd been talking with Goff for a while and just a couple months before I paid him). The Kibo frame arrived January 2017 and looking forward to riding it more this year than last (when because of job and money rode almost none after May!)

Anyway, this thread has been useful in helping me get a better scope of custom builder wait times and how far out things have become for me with this builder (who I don't feel sorry for).
Samuel D
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by Samuel D »

Hey, nice write-up on the Kibo. Is “St. Frank” Mr Berto?
fastpedaller
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by fastpedaller »

The Stanforth does indeed look good - I've read the spec, and found mention of the extra braze-on barrels below the top tube and to the rear of the seat tube: Sorry If I've missed it, but what is the purpose of these braze-ons?
broadway
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Re: what's going on with framebuilder steve goff?

Post by broadway »

Sounds like a case of over promise and under deliver.

Have you asked him when he expects to start your frame? This would at least give you some leverage should you decide to take to small claims?
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