Evans cycle shops?

Tumbleweed said:

Went into an Evans in London yesterday and was amazed at the load of old
tosh I was told re some bikes I was looking at. Is this unusual, they
are a
pretty big chain (for a bike shop), I assumed they might know what they
were
talking about.

People in bike shops do have off days, y'know....
I went in one ages ago looking at a tourer (Cannondale T800 was on special
offer,
but somehow didn't do it for me). Their advice was pretty good, and I was
impressed
that they wouldn't let me buy one without riding it (there are shops in
Reading
where I live that think you're messing them around if you ask
for a test ride).
The young skater-ish looking guy I spoke to seemed reasonably clued up,
although
I doubted tourers were really his thing. He asked other staff questions
that he didn't
know the answers to.
In short I'd use them again, but I couldn't call myself a long-standing
customer so I
might be wrong.

Chris

--
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Tumbleweed said:

Went into an Evans in London yesterday and was amazed at the load of old
tosh I was told re some bikes I was looking at. Is this unusual, they are a
pretty big chain (for a bike shop), I assumed they might know what they were
talking about.

I've had mixed experiences with Evans - I once had a good long chat with
one of their chaps in the Waterloo branch about wheels, which I found
very interesting and informative, while at other times my questions to
Evans staff have been met with blank stares of bewilderment as if I was
talking a foreign language.

But I have other issues with Evans, not least regarding their labour
rates, which are excessively high, eg £30 to change a bottom bracket -
yes, I could have bought the tools and done it myself but I didn't have
time. I've learned my lesson, though - on another occasion I'll bloody
well make time. Or go somewhere else.

d.

"Tumbleweed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Went into an Evans in London yesterday and was amazed at the load of old
tosh I was told re some bikes I was looking at. Is this unusual, they are
a
pretty big chain (for a bike shop), I assumed they might know what they
were
talking about.

Found that they have good stock levels, which is most important for
emergency purchase stuff. Prices are high, though never tried servicing
prices as all these shops seem to have 3 weeks of bookings at all times
(however in the diary it's normally crossed out with 'first service', so
they probably don't want to waste their time with general servicing and want
to sell bikes - fair enough). Other than that, Wiggle do well out of me.

in message <[email hidden]>, elyob

(') said:

Other than
that, Wiggle do well out of me.

They do well out of me, too, because their web system works very well
and in my experience their fulfilment is good. However, they aren't
cheap.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

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"Chris Davies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tumbleweed said:

Went into an Evans in London yesterday and was amazed at the load of old
tosh I was told re some bikes I was looking at. Is this unusual, they
are a
pretty big chain (for a bike shop), I assumed they might know what they
were
talking about.

People in bike shops do have off days, y'know....
I went in one ages ago looking at a tourer (Cannondale T800 was on special
offer,
but somehow didn't do it for me).

Thats interesting, it was on special offer again there yesterday (But they
didnt have my size or I might have bought one)

Quoted message said:

Their advice was pretty good, and I was
impressed
that they wouldn't let me buy one without riding it (there are shops in
Reading
where I live that think you're messing them around if you ask
for a test ride).

FYI I've had a test ride at awcycles and also Cyclezone in winnersh.

And berkshirecycles would have let me have one, had they got the bike i
wanted in stock

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com

Tumbleweed said:

"Chris Davies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tumbleweed said:

Went into an Evans in London yesterday and was amazed at the load of

old

Quoted message said:

tosh I was told re some bikes I was looking at. Is this unusual, they
are a
pretty big chain (for a bike shop), I assumed they might know what

they

Quoted message said:

were
talking about.

People in bike shops do have off days, y'know....
I went in one ages ago looking at a tourer (Cannondale T800 was on
special
offer,
but somehow didn't do it for me).

Thats interesting, it was on special offer again there yesterday (But
they
didnt have my size or I might have bought one)

Quoted message said:

Their advice was pretty good, and I was
impressed
that they wouldn't let me buy one without riding it (there are shops in
Reading
where I live that think you're messing them around if you ask
for a test ride).

FYI I've had a test ride at awcycles and also Cyclezone in winnersh.

And berkshirecycles would have let me have one, had they got the bike i
wanted in stock

I didn't mean all the shops in Reading.

Cyclezone in particular is a superb shop. They're selling one of my road
bikes for me at the moment.

I don't think it's fair to say which shop discourages test rides. But
there is one.

Bikes and trikes on the Oxford Road was the best shop in Reading, the best
I've ever been to for that matter. Chris(the owner) was really responsible
for me getting into cycling in the first place. Had I followed the advice
of a couple of other (again nameless) places, and bought some /really/
unsuitable kit, I probably wouldn't be riding now. I was so shocked when I
heard about his accident. Still miss going to see him for a chat.

--
|C|H|R|I|S|@|T|R|I|N|I|T|Y|W|I|L|L|S|.|C|O|M|
Remove the bars to contact me

I go in Evans in the cut a lot. i live fairly nearby. In my experience the
only person whose advice you can really rely on is the manager at that
branch. The rest of the staff just seem to want to sell bikes, irrespective
of wether the bike is suitable for you.

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, elyob

(') said:

Other than
that, Wiggle do well out of me.

They do well out of me, too, because their web system works very well
and in my experience their fulfilment is good. However, they aren't
cheap.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

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In my case it was the opposite, seemingly doing their best to put me off
some bikes with incorrect info (for example, saying the Tifosi coulnt have a
properly attached rack even though it can (AFAICS on their web site anyway).
FWIW it was The Cut i went in.

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com
"Dulwich Cyclist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I go in Evans in the cut a lot. i live fairly nearby. In my experience

the

Quoted message said:

only person whose advice you can really rely on is the manager at that
branch. The rest of the staff just seem to want to sell bikes,

irrespective

Quoted message said:

of wether the bike is suitable for you.

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, elyob

(') said:

Other than
that, Wiggle do well out of me.

They do well out of me, too, because their web system works very well
and in my experience their fulfilment is good. However, they aren't
cheap.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

---===***<<< This space to let! >>>***===---
Yes! You, too, can SPAM in the Famous Brooke Rotating .sig!
---===***<<< Only $300 per line >>>***===---

"Dulwich Cyclist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I go in Evans in the cut a lot. i live fairly nearby. In my experience the
only person whose advice you can really rely on is the manager at that
branch. The rest of the staff just seem to want to sell bikes, irrespective
of wether the bike is suitable for you.

ditto the Crawley one, and it replaced a fairly good LBS as well (and
an even better one has also gone in the town). I often have to pick up
the in-store catalogue and point to the item I want. Have only really
ever used them for new bikes/frames. I beleive they will be having
another clearance sale at their Gatwick HQ soon, which is very crowded
but may throw up a few bargains if you get there early enough.