New CTC shop

rualexander · Post by **rualexander** » 2 Jan 2009, 5:31pm

I have just found an interesting feature of the new wiggle CTC shop, they are charging for delivery unless you spend over £50, whereas the normal Wiggle shop offers free delivery for any items regardless of amount spent! So it seems that unless you spend over the £50 there is no real CTC discount at all, as they recoup the discount in delivery charges! This doesn't seem right to me!
I have tried it by having both versions of the shop open in different tabs on my browser and adding the exact same thing to my 'basket'. One comes up with a delivery cost the other doesn't.

NewHorizon · Post by **NewHorizon** » 2 Jan 2009, 6:48pm

Hmmm, thats a bit of a mess isn't it? Lots of contradicting info about cost of delivery. I put something in the basket and went to checkout (which is the standard Wiggle page) and the free delivery button is there to select. No sign of 10% discount for members though. Looks like they haven't got on top of it yet. Still, good to know Evans are no longer involved.

james01 · Post by **james01** » 5 Jan 2009, 9:34am

I've clicked on the "10% discount for CTC" box on Wiggle's website, it goes through a long loading process but nothing happens.

mikeitup · Post by **mikeitup** » 5 Jan 2009, 11:10am

I am having trouble loading the CTC shop page.
The normal wiggle site loads fine

mikeitup · Post by **mikeitup** » 5 Jan 2009, 11:19am

Wiggle's prices have gone up in the last week or so.
Still end up paying more even with the 10% discount.
There is a supposed credit crunch on isn't there?

NewHorizon · Post by **NewHorizon** » 5 Jan 2009, 4:16pm

mikeitup wrote:Wiggle's prices have gone up in the last week or so.
Still end up paying more even with the 10% discount.
There is a supposed credit crunch on isn't there?

Probably more to do with rising raw material prices resulting in many bikes and parts increasing by 25% or more this year rather than anything Wiggle have done. They're not as competitive as they used to be, I think Chain Reaction have the edge on them, but their monthly specials are worth looking at.

I've emailed them about the non working "10% discount for CTC" box.

james01 · Post by **james01** » 5 Jan 2009, 4:36pm

Most bikes & accessories are imported, so the falling pound must have an immediate impact on bike shops' costs.

JohnW · Post by **JohnW** » 7 Jan 2009, 11:44pm

I will stick with my LBS - and in my opinion, the CTC should not be competing with the LBSs, in my opinion it is unethical. My LBS supports me when I need it, and I support them.

I also buy from Spa and Mercian, and GB cycles if I have to use mail order.

In days of yore, the CTC shop used to sell CTC specific items - like badges, frame transfers, CTC branded jerseys, and other things which only CTC members would want - and I thought (and still do) that was just right - how can cycle shops be expected to support us, for example by advertising in the magazine, if the CTC is supporting their competitors? At least Evans had shops we could call in to.

I've said this before, use of any internet buying system risks the demise of LBSs - and would we like there to be no LBSs? - would we like to have to rely on internet shopping? - would the internet shops give friendly advice, and true-up a bent wheel? - will an internet shop get you some Campag bearing cups or spare spindles? - will they even answer the phone when you try to ask them? - and if they do, will it be an 0870 number?

We should not cut off our noses to spite our faces. Cheapest isn't necessarily the best in the long term.

What would you do without your LBS?

To me, this policy is all wrong.

Does the CTC derive some monetary benefit?

In case anyone isn't familiar with the abbreviation, LBS stand for local bike shop

York Commuter · Post by **York Commuter** » 8 Jan 2009, 8:10am

John W

I fully agree with the sentiments of your post.

Like you I mourn the demise of the CTC's member shop, I only ever bought a few odds & ends and some foreign maps from them, and never wanted a CTC jersey, but it was important to have it there.

We should all value the LBS, I am lucky that here in York we have several, there is the excellent "Cycle Heaven" and "York Cycleworks" as well as other very good shops in the suburbs.

there is also York's Bike Rescue project, they recycle old machines, and can be a valubale source of parts and advice.

We are of course just a few miles from Spa.

Come on folks, if you've got an LBS value it, Wiggle et al won't rumage about in their scraps box for a left handed widget for you will they.

glueman · Post by **glueman** » 8 Jan 2009, 10:31am

JohnW wrote:I will stick with my LBS - and in my opinion, the CTC should not be competing with the LBSs, in my opinion it is unethical.

I agree. The CTC will claim it raises money to do good works but do the means justify the end? I could understand the club getting into bed with someone like Spa whose market and aims have a lot in common but not big box shifters.

dan_b · Post by **dan_b** » 8 Jan 2009, 1:54pm

<devils advocate>As "the UK's national cyclists' organisation", the CTC surely has a mandate to represent cyclists whose needs are served by the likes of Wiggle as well as those who have their steel frames custom-built and buy their chainrings individually from Spa.

The bike shops near here are great if I want a fixie, a recumbent, an 8 freight or a fully bling CF racer (see if you can guess which shops and where I am from that description ...), but I can't see any of them rummaging in the box of bits to find anything I want or need - it's either too ordinary (a reasonably priced ten speed chain, please) or altogether too unusual (new seals for an obsolete Hope disc brake) and the Internet is a far better bet at either of those extremes than an LBS.

If your LBS offers you a useful service then by all means treasure it, but don't assume it works like that for everyone ...
</devils advocate>

rualexander · Post by **rualexander** » 8 Jan 2009, 3:05pm

Another black mark for the new shop - it does not seem to sell the large polythene bike bag which I have used so often to wrap my bike for flying in recent years. No doubt it is possible to find a large polythene bag somewhere else but it was convenient to be able to order from the CTC shop and as it was sold as a bike bag you could be sure it would fit and be strong enough.

NewHorizon · Post by **NewHorizon** » 8 Jan 2009, 3:29pm

Have you looked on Evans' web site (the outgoing providers)?
www.evanscycles.com

rualexander · Post by **rualexander** » 8 Jan 2009, 4:21pm

Yes I've looked. They don't seem to stock it anymore!

lisap · Post by **lisap** » 8 Jan 2009, 7:28pm

I am about to rebulid a bike and have looked at the new CTC shop to see what price components are. Having read the previous posts I decided to check out Wiggle itself and there seems to be no difference in the price, other than the p+p which is more.

Am I missing something here or is there no point having 10% off the CTC shop when Wiggle sells to the general public at the same price OR does an extra 10% come off the final figure when you checkout.

Very confused.

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