A big issue in the bicycle world is supporting your local bike shop versus buying online from eBay sellers or cheap outlets like ProBikeKit.

I won’t rehash the arguments here, I’m sure you can imagine what they are.

Anyway, I need a new helmet. I think at some point I’ve dropped mine and put a bit of a crack in the foam. I happen to like Specialized helmets, they fit my odd shaped head and feel comfortable. Unfortunately they are a little hard to find in Sydney. So rather than calling every bike shop I could find, I did a google for the model I wanted and ended up here at the Bicycle Riders shop website. From what I can tell, Bicycle Riders are a small Brisbane bike shop that have set up an online presence.

They had the helmet I was looking for, but they also have the next model, on special for only $10 more. So I ordered one.

After a slightly longer wait than I would have expected, the helmet arrived today. With no box, just in a postpack. With the helmet straps blackened with dirt. With the “InStrap” adjustment system ground down from a scrape with some hard, brick-like object. With a big gouge out of the foam at the back. I’m guessing it’s been their shop demo model for a while, essentially it’s not a new helmet, and I don’t trust that there isn’t more damage to it.

So I rang them, and very politely explained the problems I had. After being told to wait for thirty seconds, the guy got back on the phone and said “send it back and we’ll refund you”. I was a little stunned by that response, said OK and hung up.

Now I suppose it could have gone worse, he could have told me to shove it. That would have been fun though, I was quite ready for a fight. But he could have said “Sorry mate, it was the only one we had. Is there something else you’d like to swap it for ?”, and we could have gone from there. But he wasn’t interested in keeping me happy in the slightest. I can only imagine they are getting rid of all their grotty demo helmets and figure that anyone who will accept it… great, anyone who doesn’t like it can have their money back.

I know that various people in the bicycle industry see the internet as a major threat to their business, and nobody here wants to compete in a global marketplace, I know that shop staff have their time wasted by people using their retail locations as a way to try on clothes, but DAMN. Do these guys even want to TRY to keep customers (I also realise that I did actually buy this via the internet, but this shop is primarily a bricks and mortar retailer, and doesn’t really count amongst the PBKs and eBay sellers).

Anyway.. I know it’s a rant. I’m cranky. 

UPDATE : Looks like this has a happy ending. I posted the helmet back and the store manager / owner rang me. I had been sent a demo helmet which never should have been sold. He apologised for me being messed about and all is good. Unfortunately they didn’t have any more of that model helmet left, but I have another one on the way with a decent discount. So I’m happy now, but it’s not cool to go deleting blog posts when you think better of it.