Yet another Roberts D.O.G.S... of a rebuild

[NeilM]

I've sort of given up hassling them as it makes no difference! :cry:

This is why I have stopped ringing Chas Roberts.

As for what I think about waiting seven months to have a top tube replaced and a frame sprayed.......

I'm just glad I have other bikes to tinker with and ride.

 

[BoyBurning]

I've sort of given up hassling them as it makes no difference! :cry:

This is why I have stopped ringing Chas Roberts.

As for what I think about waiting seven months to have a top tube replaced and a frame sprayed.......

I'm just glad I have other bikes to tinker with and ride.

You have more patience than me Neil, and it's fortunate you have more bikes at your disposal!

Let's hope the finished article lives up to expectations - it sounds like it'll be pretty special when finished...

BB.

 

[NeilM]

I went through expectation, excitement, impatience, patience and am now resigned.

Sinnerman assures me it'll be worth the wait and given the sheer quality of each of his builds, I believe him.

I only hope I can do it justice.

 

[sinnerman]

7 months just seems like awful service to me.

It's almost as if the long delivery times are engineered to perpetuate the myth of greatness. If I took a frame to be resprayed and was told I'd be waiting that long I'd piss myself and turn on my heels.

What's even worse is how they don't even advise you of anticipated time, and simply keep you hanging - leaving you to chase them for info all the time!

Why do people continue to use them - it's ridiculous!

To put things into context somewhat, whole houses are built and finished in less time than that - and I'm not referring to mass built shitty noddy boxes either!


I can't understand how people find this standard of service acceptable and continue to give such companies their business...

BB

7 months is no short length of time, you are correct about that.

And ref your comment, on engineering delays to perpetuate the myth of greatness....

This is the most school boy comment i think i have yet to read since joining this site.

Can i ask when was the last time you actually took a frame that really should have been thrown away to a frame builder or painter and asked them to sort it out....? Can i also ask.... have you ever actually painted any frames yourself in the past....?

The next question id like to ask is have do you or have you ever run your own business....?

I only ask the above, because you are quick to Judge without all the facts, and follow on by running down a company with a good reputation.

if you wanted a cheap quick job, spend £30 and go to a commercial powder coaters. they will knock it out in a week and it will look tidy when its finished.

If you have a frame that needs, damaged and seized parts removed, frame stripping, then carefully treated with all corrosion and pitting from 23 years of rust removed/treated etc, then prepared for a difficult customers paint idea, this of course in itself will take time, thats also not forgetting Jig time to ensure the frame is straight and true of course.

you would be looking at 4 different colours, done in enamal, as well as decals, clear coats, chroming (outside company commisioned for this, price and time included postage etc) then of course you have to take into account the drying times of each colour etc etc etc.

Not only is some of this work a slow process its tedious and unless done in conjunction with other frames, it isnt cost effective to do.

and furthermore there are very very few companies (certainly in the south of england) that would be prepared to take on such a task in the first place. Slagging off a company with only half the facts to my mind is Bad form, especially given the profiability of such work.

 

[BoyBurning]

Are you for real Carl?


To be honest, it's people with your kind of attitude that let them get a way with it.

It's a bike frame - think you need to put that in context.


They're not bloody magicians...


No offence, but 'school boy comments' are you serious?

The last time I took a frame to a framebuilder for repairs was last month. Lee Cooper over Coventry way.

He's very good, doesn't have any form of 'myth' to maintain, and doesn't take the piss with his customers.


WTF does whether I run my own business or not have anything to do with the price of fish? Yes, I do as it happens, and if I treated my customers with such little respect I'd be in court.


If they can't turn around in decent time they should be upfront about it - and not responding to calls or contacting customers when they have said they will is inexcusable in my book.

But hey, probably that's just a rookie error on my part.

I think the best approach is to accept I know shit, you are a legend, and I shall sit back and await updates on Neil's frame.


So, looking forward to updates Neil - as I mentioned in my previous post, it sounds like it'll be very special when finished.


BB.

 

[sinnerman]

If its Colour-Tech doing it then I've been waiting since may for a Roberts frame too.

I spoke to the guy about month ago and he said it would be ready the next week. I have sent numerous emails and had no response...

I've sort of given up hassling them as it makes no difference! :cry:

That standard of service is simply astonishingly bad.

In fact, I struggle even to call it service.

I can't think immediately of any sphere of work / service delivery where such incompetence would not be very reasonable grounds for complaint and some form of compensation.

The fact that members here provide them with a not inconsiderable amount of work makes it all the more galling.


Pretty shocked, regardless of how fine the finished quality may be.

BB.

This whole statement above is sheer Nonsense. If you had any clue as to what was needed to start and complete the work to the level of standard required, you wouldnt possibly dream or writing what you have.

Whilst i appreciate each job is different, i suspect each length of time to complete is different too. It stands to reason a straight repaint will of course be a smoother quicker process and therefore a quicker turnaround time too.

I think a little common sense is needed here, and each job taken in context.

And to use the term iincompetent, is a laugh, i wish i had there skills, i really do.

I certainly dont consider, the length of time or the price i paid for the work i had done, as bad or Astonishingly bad, in fact i would go completely the other way, and do everything i could to shout scream and rave about how Good the service, finish and turn around time actually was from Argos, Mark and the team.

But then i am aware of all the facts, and what work was involved.

 

[BoyBurning]

Oh for cryin' out loud...

I shall post no more after this as it's unfair on Neil.


Carl - are you completely incapable of distinguishing between 'work' and 'service'?

Do you take time to read what others have written, before being in such a rush to retort all the time?

 

[sinnerman]

Are you for real Carl?


To be honest, it's people with your kind of attitude that let them get a way with it.

It's a bike frame - think you need to put that in context.


They're not bloody magicians...


No offence, but 'school boy comments' are you serious?

The last time I took a frame to a framebuilder for repairs was last month. Lee Cooper over Coventry way.

He's very good, doesn't have any form of 'myth' to maintain, and doesn't take the piss with his customers.


WTF does whether I run my own business or not have anything to do with the price of fish? Yes, I do as it happens, and if I treated my customers with such little respect I'd be in court.


If they can't turn around in decent time they should be upfront about it - and not responding to calls or contacting customers when they have said they will is inexcusable in my book.

But hey, probably that's just a rookie error on my part.

I think the best approach is to accept I know shit, you are a legend, and I shall sit back and await updates on Neil's frame.


So, looking forward to updates Neil - as I mentioned in my previous post, it sounds like it'll be very special when finished.


BB.

Yes mate, i am for real, and i am responding with a level of common sense, you cant possibly know what level of work was required to be undertaken by argos, so how could you possibly comment.

You seem quick to be able to judge and also asume its a personal attack on you, have a word with yourself, it wasnt.

As for the running of a business comment, i was merely trying to work out, if you had any experience of taking on work that isnt cost effective to do,...?

In regards to your statement of rookie or legend, i have no idea what you are, or how you see me, and to be frank i couldnt care bloody less.

What does grip my shit, is how you think its ok to slag off a business, that a lot of us do rely on, WHEN YOU CLEARLY dont have all the facts.

Bad Form as i said.

Sorry but thats the way i see it.

 

[sylus]

I think if anything this higlights the difficulties some business's have and how you handle it

If your a small unit and you've reached the maximum say for your premises, staff levels and costs but you need to expand because your business has grown..at what point do you heavily invest in larger premises, more staff, more expenditure and hope you get it right without dropping quality and going under

I look at a paint company called dream machine that specialises mostly in motorcycle painting but other things also. in the early 90's they were THE company for a paint job..but as more and more people wanted them the waiting list grew so they decided to expand, take on new painters and yes it reduced the waiting list but..the quality fell quite a lot leaving their reputation as a less than perfect one they had before they expanded.

This is where some smaller companies so far seem to have got this wrong. If they are honest and say, yup we can do it but we have such a list it maybe 7 months then they know most of you will go somewhere else.

In this internet age 3 months is considered to be a life time ..I have no problem waiting for the right thing..but it should be my choice to wait or not

and that about sums it up really..if your happy to wait then fair play and if your not then you and the company do have options

 

[matt24777]

I feel for you Neil, I've just got to the point where I can mock my bike up and I've been twitchy as, waiting for all the bits.

Your patience is admirable, and it's a shame they haven't come through with it for this weekend But I'm sure it will be worth the wait in the end, after all you wouldn't have taken it in if you had no confidence in their abilities.

I do feel that honest communication with people goes a hell of a long way & I kind of agree with some of the above (which has somewhat overtaken the main reason for the thread :? )

If I was in the same situation, which I might well be in a month or 2 when I've decided the paint scheme for my project, I would be very much like you, There's no point making a big to do about it, what are they going to do? Rush it and it will be less than you wanted.

Looking forward to seeing it when it does return to you