Honjo mudguards and Velo Vitality

[bobzeller]

I need to purchase a new front Honjo smooth mudguard. My current front 'guard is 45mm in width and covers a 700 x 25 tyre.

I have sent Velo Vitality three e-mails to see if they have one (or maybe both front and rear as that is they way they are often sold), but have not received one reply. I most certainly don't want to order on-line if they don't reply to their e-mails.

Can anyone give me some advice about this company and/or information as to other bike shops that might sell them. I would be most grateful.

Cheers

Bob

[deliquium]

I've bought one expensive item from them as it was the only one in stock in the UK. They needed reminding to actually post it a week after payment.

Have emailed them 3 other times enquiring about parts they stock - didn't get any replies

Sorry, can't help with the Honjos

[bobzeller]

Thanks for the info, as discouraging as it is.

Cheers

Bob

[bobzeller]

In case anyone else is trying to do business with this company, I just tracked down a phone number for their Brighton shop and the call wasn't completed. Instead I got a recorded message saying that the number did not accept incoming calls.

I wonder what would have happened if I had done an on-line order. Would I have lost my money?

Bob

[rotavator]

Provided you paid by credit card you will be OK.

[RJS]

Bought from them a couple of years ago, took a month or more to arrive.
Cheers, Rob.

[GOHughes]

Their shop in Brighton has recently closed down. I don't know if their online operation is still going. I bought things from the shop a couple of times and the staff were helpful and knowledgeable. I got the impression that they had over-invested in the café culture hipster market, all of their stock being high end, niche market products.

That said, I did get a nice brass bell for my Brompton and some Blackburn USB lights in their sale.

I should say that I am not a hipster, though I did occasionally sport some impressive facial hair in my long distant youth.

[Brucey]

IIRC the Bicycle Ambulance/Freshtripe used to sell Honjo mudguards (in pairs) but don't list them any more. However that doesn't necessarily mean they don't have any stock left, so it might be worth giving them a call.

cheers

[bobzeller]

Thanks. I have taken your advice and now waiting for them to get back.

Cheers

[markjohnobrien]

I've e mailed Velo three times about stocking lights and had no reply so not the best response...

[bobzeller]

I have now ordered new Honjo mudguards from a company in Germany. I wasn't able to get the same model as what has been on the bike for the last four years, but they are Honjos and they are the right size. One of the two owners of the German firm told me that stocking a wide range of Honjos was difficult because, in Germany at least, the distributors require retailers to order a minimum of fifty each time.

The company's name is Studio Brisart and they are based in Munster. The website has a number of interesting items that I haven't seen before so it might be worth a look - if only for curiosity. In the meantime, I'll report back after delivery.

Incidentally, Velo Vitality, the British company which sold Honjos up until now, seems to have gone out of business.

Cheers

Bob

[AM7]

Incidentally, Velo Vitality, the British company which sold Honjos up until now, seems to have gone out of business.

That would be a shame as they (appear to!) sell some items not easily available elsewhere in the UK. It looks like they still have an eBay store, and they were still posting news updates on their website a week or so ago.

I also note the following statement on their site: "Velo Vitality has evolved from a small bicycle shop in Brighton into an online specialist for real-world cycling. I (Jon) work on my own, and during busy periods, I might miss an email but please try again, I want to help!" Nevertheless, I think I would currently be reluctant to buy from them based on the experiences in this thread.

[bobzeller]

I guess I am old fashioned, but it seems to me that common courtesy says that if you are closing a business down, or a part of it, then it is just being polite to advise potential new customers that is happening. In the case of a website business, they could easily take the site down or put a message on it. In an earlier posting I had asked the question what would happen if I had ordered something on the Velo Vitality website and they were no longer doing business. Someone posted that had I paid with a credit card, I would have been protected. But that can often involves a lot of inconvenience.

Regards

Bob

[freiston]

Has it been confirmed that they are no longer doing business (other than poor communications and long waits making them look to be out of business)? Their news page was last updated 24/04/2017. They did announce back in November that they were closing down their "bricks and mortar" store:

https://www.velovitality.co.uk/blogs/news/closing-our-brick-mortar-store

Their facebook page has a couple of posts from satisfied customers making and receiving orders in March (but there is a message from February asking "is the shop still open, tried calling a few times and a couple of e mails").

[bobzeller]

Well it has been about two weeks since Ifirst tried to contact them about new mudguards and there has been no response. Couple that with the other comments and I have to believe they are either out of business or not concerned about staying in business. Either way they won't be getting my business in the future.

Bob