Cycling UK Forum

pwa wrote:

horizon wrote:

pwa wrote:Last week I needed a new front mech but wasn't sure which one would work best with my set-up. The bloke on the phone wasn't sure so said he would ask around then ring back. The call came about five minutes later. I ordered the mech, got it a few days later and it works very well. Perfect result.

Which one?

It is a Sora triple with a braze-on fitting, combined with a free adaptor (the "braze on" as a band). It is perfect with my 9 speed set-up. I had never considered the adaptor route before but in practice it is ideal. I got the adaptor as close as I could estimate to the perfect position, then all subsequent adjustments to the position of the mech itself did not involve unclamping and reclamping on the seat tube. So kinder to the frame. But if I ever make a radical change in chain ring size I can move the band.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s106p36 ... Front-Mech

https://spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s106p2631/S ... Mech-Clamp

Thanks pwa. That's interesting. I didn't know about braze-on front mechs until I came to replace the chainset on my folder. It seems they are all over the place these days. But I didn't need an adaptor as it turned out. I got my Spa super-compact double (triple?) on ebay.

Another order another error, well two. Wrong saddle, not even close. And a random bit of wire when I ordered a Schmidt wiring loom, I don't even know what they've sent me, I can't find it on their website.
I'm beginning to think it's a wind up, maybe they make a note of people who complain on here and deliberately get it wrong, that's four times in four orders, the order would have been £8 dearer from SJS, really the hassle isn't worth it.

Manc33 wrote:

Milfred Cubicle wrote:From what I have read, bike thieves fall into two categories. Those who nick bikes and have no idea what they are...and those who are quite savvy about their trade and recognise quality. They steal because they know quality components can be stripped off the bike, whatever the name.

The sad thing is they only need a few allen keys and a pair of cable cutters and £300+ STI levers can be gone in 20 seconds, with it not mattering one iota if the bike itself is locked up or not, you can't lock the handlebars up. Snip cables > undo stem bolts > thieved. I'm not a thief but I do sometimes think about what the fastest way is to steal the most valuable part(s) off a bike.

"I have seen this reported on here before, and some one suggested gluing ball bearings into the bolts on the stem to prevent this." - some guy on Reddit

That's quite clever but how are you going to undo the bolts yourself.

EDIT: If you did superglue ball bearings in, you can dissolve the glue back off with acetone.

Maybe there's a market for special bolts where you get a unique shaped "allen" key with them.

Filling the bolt heads with hot glue is a better option than gluing ball bearings in - it can be melted out easily with a soldering iron if you need to undo them.

There are several "secure" Allen key suggestions - a bolt with a pin in the head that requires a key with a hole in it, and "pentagonal" head recesses - but again you just need a specific key that fits any 5 side recess.

Rob

I went to spa cycles today to pick up an inner tube. I brought my old inner tube so that they could find the right size. An old balding man said "for [rude word removed]'s sake." When I didn't know the size it says on the tire. I said " Why are you rude." He then told me "to go somewhere else then." And pointed away. I said "I didn't know that the size wasn't on the inner tube." He said they were really busy. He was able to find the correct size from some information on the inner tube . He didn't apologize he just calmed down and said it's just because their busy (apparently that's why it was OK to cuss at me) and was polite after that.

It's just during this quarantine in Harrogate I know not of any other bike shop so I felt a bit helpless and that I had to take the abuse. I held my tongue and walked out. It didn't make me feel good. Good equipment. Not very great service. It might be that there getting so many customers they feel they don't need to treat you respectfully.

I went yesterday as well and the young guy let me in (he was on the phone) then he just went into the back and continued working on the bikes without telling me "I'll just be a minute."


If it wasn't the quarantine I would have left and never came back.

I used to have a BMW. A big green R90/6. To be perfectly honest, I should have got one of the smaller ones - the R75 was the sweet spot, really. Anyway, the place you went for spares back then was either Hughenden M40, if you fancied a bit of a run, or else Slocombes in Neasden. One of the lads behind the counter had a mind like a computer when it came to spare parts for the Beemers, but boy, was he grouchy?! It was only years later that I discovered that he suffered from severe tinnatus and was in permanent discomfort...

^ Yep, that must be a bit of a shocker for anyone not aware of those "Spa-moments".

Unfortunately, a bit of staff training cannot be applied in this case.

For those of us regulars - in-the-know - we can brace ourselves for such random events, perhaps even enjoying this added theatrical twist to a visit.
"Can I tame the dragon before getting to the pile of gold ?"

Graham wrote:^ Yep, that must be a bit of a shocker for anyone not aware of those "Spa-moments".

Unfortunately, a bit of staff training cannot be applied in this case.

For those of us regulars - in-the-know - we can brace ourselves for such random events, perhaps even enjoying this added theatrical twist to a visit.

Yes Graham - I think that just about puts it into perspective.

This is just by coincidence, but I 'phoned them on Monday of this week.
I needed to talk to ensure that I was buying the right front changer for what I was doing.
A young chap answered, and listened and talked to me and was very helpful.
At present, for obvious reasons, they're busy and not on full staff - he explained that Royal Mail are not at full speed.
I ordered and paid over the 'phone.
I received an e-mail on Tuesday, confirming the order.
I received an e-mail on Wednesday confirming dispatch.
I think that all went well.

As for eventual delivery - I'll wait and see. Parcels sent to our daughter in Hampshire have been taking a week or more.
Just as an aside - for three weeks or more they were unable to buy toilet paper locally, and we had to buy in Halifax, and post on!

JohnW wrote:A young chap answered, and listened and talked to me and was very helpful.

Did he give his age? Or did you just associate young with non grumpy

PH wrote:

JohnW wrote:A young chap answered, and listened and talked to me and was very helpful.

Did he give his age? Or did you just associate young with non grumpy

His voice sounded like early 20s.
The chap who is a 'character' is young compared with me, so will my 'grumpy rating' be higher than his ????
I've personally found that the 'character' is more helpful and positive than first impressions would suggest.......but I can understand 'Tito' being offended.

Graham wrote:^ Yep, that must be a bit of a shocker for anyone not aware of those "Spa-moments".

Unfortunately, a bit of staff training cannot be applied in this case.

For those of us regulars - in-the-know - we can brace ourselves for such random events, perhaps even enjoying this added theatrical twist to a visit.
"Can I tame the dragon before getting to the pile of gold ?"

POTD

Over the years my personal Spa "telphone moments" have been many and varied,ranging from "can I help you Sir" to "<FFE> off we're busy".One has to then hang up count to ten ring again and hope the "moment" has passed
To paraphrase Forest Gump "Spa's like a box of chocolates,you never know what you'll get".
The Spa Tapestry is as rich as the language

I boycotted Spa for about 20 years because they were so rude and unhelpful on the phone. It probably didn't help that I was female. The last straw was when I tried to order a chainset they advertised in "Cycle". No, they didn't have it..... no, they had no intention of ever getting it in. When I asked why they advertised it then he said, oh, that's just to attract attention!

I do occasionally use them now (there aren't many alternatives) but I still hold my breath and cross my fingers.

I had a similar 20 yr boycott of SJC after a phone call.
Did need to use them a couple of years ago. Good to know they didn’t remember me.

I am fairly local to spa so go in quite often.It seems the more you go in the better they get.Recently I have had exceptional service and they have gone out of their way to help.Not allways been the case in the past.Like everywhere else thay have staff shortages due to this damned virus. My daughter and son in law are both local posties and they are short staffed at the moment.Add to that the amount of on line sales that are going on due to isolation and it is no surprise that post can take longer than usual.Take it from me they are doing the best they can under trying circumstances.To be honest with nearly a thousand people a day dying is it really the end of the world if your stuff is a couple of days late.

To finish my little sequence - the order made by 'phone on Monday, confirmed by e-mail on Tuesday, and notified by e-mail as dispatched on Wednesday was delivered by Royal Mail this morning (Saturday) - which surely was very good under the present circumstances. I submit that it shows Spa - and Royal Mail incidentally - in a good light.

My only ever interaction with Spa was recently and only. I purchased a carradice saddle bag and it arrived two days later.