[Yak] Re: Yak Digest, Vol 51, Issue 15

[Wilbur Goltermann Jr]

I bought a Tikit in December 07 (didn't get delivery until March 2008  
- I think), and had some initial difficulty getting it to work  
properly (the rear swing arm wouldn't lock into place when unfolded).

The diagnosis of the problem took a bit more time than I would have  
liked, and we tried a number of things which simply didn't work.   
After a longer time period than I would have liked, the finally  
replaced the bicycle about a year after it was delivered.

While I would have liked a more timely solution, I am more-or-less  
satisfied with the final solution.  I would also note that my BF  
salesperson has always been fairly responsive to my needs.

I'm a bit dumbfounded by this thread, because it doesn't match my own  
experience with BF on the two BF models I own.

My oldest BF is a SatRDay Mk II, and there were a number of design  
issues which had to be fixed.  Dave and Ian at BF worked very closely  
with me to resolve these issues.  Again, I would have liked more  
timely solutions, but I went into the purchase of a brand-new design  
expecting that there would be some things which were not quite right.   
All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with the support I received.

If BF is, indeed, not standing behind the specific failure being  
addressed in this thread, then something in their support process  
needs to be modified.  However, I have always found that addressing  
the issues with BF as a "partner" in the solution, they have always  
responded in a satisfactory fashion.

Wilbur Goltermann


On Sep 10, 2008, at 9:10 AM, yak-request at bikefriday.com wrote:

> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:59:49 -0400
> From: x <ulltraz at tvcconnect.net>
> Subject: [Yak] Failure of BF Service
> To: <Yak at bikefriday.com>
> Message-ID: <C4ED4B15.6872%ulltraz at tvcconnect.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Several years ago I wanted to do business with BF and get two custom  
> bikes
> from them.  They built the first bike and then when it got to powder  
> coating
> after months of waiting  and out of the blue they decided they did  
> not want
> to sell me the bike because they said they could not get the fade  
> right (a
> standard offering) and they sent my rather large deposit back.  I  
> was never
> so dumfounded or disappointed in my life.  At this point as a  
> business owner
> myself I realized that 1) there is a definite cult at this company,  
> 2) I
> obviously did not fit the guidelines of this cult, 3) they do not  
> want to
> deal with people who are technically knowledgeable because the poor
> craftsmanship of the bikes would be very disappointing to that  
> customer and
> they are aware of this and 4) I agree that their handling of  
> customers is
> poor especially if are the type to ask more advanced questions since  
> they do
> no want to answer them.  Therefore, if you like very good  
> craftsmanship, you
> want some questions answered about how they do things to assure good
> craftsmanship and you are knowledgeable about how to achieve it then  
> it is
> suggested that you do not get involved with a BF.  I agree you  
> should have
> simply been given a new bike.