Ribble service

[roadie7]

I'm looking to buy 2 Continental Grand Prix 400s tires from Ribble in the UK for the first time. I was wondering if anyone had good or bad experiences with receiving their products. I once used Probikekit and discovered it took several weeks to receive the items even though they said it would be faster.

Thanks.

[Louis]

I've had no problems with Wiggle or PBK. Never used Ribble.

[Tokeat]

I use Ribble quite a bit. It is slower than Wiggle to ship but it eventually gets here. I would say that the average delivery time to Vancouver BC is about 2 weeks from order date. If you're not in a rush, the prices are hard to beat.

[rwsaunders]

I've never had an issue with any of the three big Brit websellers.

[tele]

I've never had an issue with any of the big three Brit websellers.

Same here

[gomango]

Ribble and Shineybikes are my UK go tos if my two local shops can't handle the orders for whatever reason.

Ribble has usually been very fast for me. I live in Minnesota and small packages usually get to me in about a week.

[JasonF]

I just placed a largish order with Ribble and it took exactly one week to arrive from the UK to my doorstep: not too bad.

A day or two after ordering, and while the status was still "processing" but not yet shipped, Ribble announced a 10% off everything sale. They still haven't answered my email asking them to apply the discount to my order. Maybe I'm being a bit too cheap but it would knock another $75 off my bill.

[GT2R]

I ordered two separate orders from Ribble in the last two months. I received the first in exactly a week to TN. The second shipment was interrupted by Columbus Day and took a week and a half. Both were free shipping without tracking and were received in good shape and as ordered.

[lovebird]

I've ordered from Ribble four or five times over the past few years and have always been very satisfied with them. Never took more than a 8 days or so to California, and (fingers crossed) haven't been hit with a customs charge yet.

[Llewellyn]

I've ordered from Ribble loads of times and the gear generally arrives between 1 and 2 weeks after placing the order.

Not as quick as Wiggle but about the same as CRC and quite acceptable - especially considering that the stuff comes from half way round the world and I've been waiting a week for some stuff that I ordered from Melbourne and Brisbane :mad:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . from PBK and bought a SRAM groupset from Wiggle a few years ago. Never any problems getting the merchandise.

But I never count on getting it quickly. I ordered some tires from PBK a month or so ago and it took 10 days to get them. That's slower than in the past, but I just consider it the price I pay for being across an ocean and the money I save on the low prices. I really do like to support my LBS but I can't argue when PBK has the Michelins for half the price and the LBS won't deal.

Order four tires instead of two and you're stocked up.

BBD

[slidey]

I've ordered a couple of times specifically from Ribble. The whole experience has been hassle-free, and shipping (cheapest mode) to the west coast took around 10 days.

[Raffy]

I've ordered several times from Ribble this year. Took anywhere from 10-14 days to get to Florida. You can't beat the prices and the selection IMO.

[Tel]

I'm very surprised that you guys order from the big UK online retailers, does the US not have equivalents?

[Ralph]

I think dealing with a UK supplier is about the same as a US one. I use PayPal with Ribble, seems to eliminate some outrageous bank currency exchange rates. I got a cut tire once from Ribble. Corresponded with them about it, they said send it back. I did, and they sent me a new one. Maybe it took a little longer than a US supplier, but I was satisfied they acted promptly.

Like some above have said, I use my LBS for all I can, but if they don't stock it, and have to order it, heck....I can do that.

[gomango]

I'm very surprised that you guys order from the big UK online retailers, does the US not have equivalents?

Of course we have online equivalents, but not at some of the prices available in the UK.

Fwiw I often give my favorite two local shops the first shot at orders to see if they can get close.

They know they will get me on lots of things, considering we have purchased three new Salsas from them in the last calendar year.

I also have them perform service on some of our bicycles as well.

[thirdgenbird]

Our distributors generally don't have a retail front. Our local shot and websites often have prices 40% higher.

A lot of times when I order from the UK, it is to aquire parts I can't find in the USA. Deda tires for instance. I am tempted to buy some deda tubulars but can't find them here.

Lead times are frustrating for me. We are one day shipping aw. From PBK but my local shop only orders once every week or two. I often get UK orders faster than local.

[Tel]

Really! Do you have to pay import duty on your UK orders? Who are the big online traders in the US makes me wonder if I'm missing out on other countries too. I know that these German (?) guys are pretty cheap http://www.bike-discount.de/

[phcollard]

Ribble takes about 10 business days to get to Canada. They use Royal Mail (post) so usually parcels under $100 require no tax payment.

That being said their service is abysmal. You pay for what you get but if you ever have a problem expect slow communication. Thy usually fix their mistakes though if you insist.

[oldpotatoe]

Our distributors generally don't have a retail front. Our local shot and websites often have prices 40% higher.

A lot of times when I order from the UK, it is to aquire parts I can't find in the USA. Deda tires for instance. I am tempted to buy some deda tubulars but can't find them here.

Lead times are frustrating for me. We are one day shipping aw. From PBK but my local shop only orders once every week or two. I often get UK orders faster than local.

Really? I know of at least 2 US MO places that are owned by distributors, one here in Broomfield. Not really sure who owns the 2 but getting closer.

As for Euro distributors running retail places, of course they do but the laws are much different laws there.

[regularguy412]

Ribble and Shineybikes are my UK go tos if my two local shops can't handle the orders for whatever reason.

Ribble has usually been very fast for me. I live in Minnesota and small packages usually get to me in about a week.

+1

I use Ribble a lot. Count on about a week. 'Normal' sized packages arrive via USPS/Royal Mail.

Mike in AR:beer:

[jds108]

I just placed a largish order with Ribble and it took exactly one week to arrive from the UK to my doorstep: not too bad.

A day or two after ordering, and while the status was still "processing" but not yet shipped, Ribble announced a 10% off everything sale. They still haven't answered my email asking them to apply the discount to my order. Maybe I'm being a bit too cheap but it would knock another $75 off my bill.

IIRC they're not going to do it for you. You can cancel the current order if it hasn't shipped then create a new unrelated order. My guess is that they're trying to keep the process on their end streamlined, and in the process they won't modify pending orders.

[thirdgenbird]

Really? I know of at least 2 US MO places that are owned by distributors, one here in Broomfield.

That's why I said generally. Maybe i should have worded it differently. I haven't found the selection or prices offered in the UK. Sure, there are a number of sources to get things, but it is rare I can find everything on one website like I can with ribble. I haven't seen a US distributor with the selection of QBP that sells direct. Maybe I am wrong.

Are you referring to Planet Cyclery? They may be a distributor, but they won't sell me a stem, handlebars, or the tires I want with my Campagnolo cassette. I am also only seeing two bottle cages on their site.

Again, this really wouldn't be a complaint for me if I had a local shop that that would make orders without taking weeks and complaining about it. (Remember, this is the same shop that refused to service the bike my friend bought elsewhere)

[wgp]

Ribble has been superb for me. I wait for their sales and it's off to the races for me - top-end Assos bibs for $205 (instead of 380 US), Veloflex Carbon tubulars at 75, etc. And I usually get my order in a week's time. Great service but ...

As for Jason F's request for a sale to be applied to his order, I was quite disappointed by Ribble last spring. I ordered two pairs of Look pedals at around 7am on a Friday. At 10am I got a sale email on Look pedals and they refused to honor the sale price when I contacted them because the order was "completed" already - I'm talking two or three hours after I placed it! I was pissed ...

Still, they have nearly unbeatable prices when you wait for sales (like their current 10% off one)!

[Llewellyn]

[QUOTE=wgp;1438791]
As for Jason F's request for a sale to be applied to his order, I was quite disappointed by Ribble last spring. I ordered two pairs of Look pedals at around 7am on a Friday. At 10am I got a sale email on Look pedals and they refused to honor the sale price when I contacted them because the order was "completed" already - I'm talking two or three hours after I placed it! I was pissed ...

[QUOTE]

Not quite sure why you would be pissed off about this. You bought something at a price that you were presumably happy to pay and then you got an email later saying they were on sale. That's just how it goes sometimes. I bet you wouldn't offer to go back and pay a higher price if you got a screaming deal and then the price went back up 3 hours later.

So you were a little unlucky with your timing. Why should Ribble (or anyone else) be under any obligation to then go back and apply a discount after you've bought the item?

You wouldn't expect to be able to do that in a bricks and mortar store would you??

[rustychisel]

I'd be annoyed at the timing but not the seller.

Like Apple: every time I've bought a Mac the price comes down within 3 weeks as a newer model is introduced.

Hey there C, how's the weather in sunny WA?

[rileystylee]

When i lived in NZ i used ribble/wiggle etc - if you spent over a certain amount postage was free and you didn't have to pay VAT (currently 20%)!!!

I dare say US buyers don't pay the 20% either

So i could buy stuff cheaper there than i can now i'm back in the UK:mad:

VAT is a bitch and we also get stung if we import from the US with hefty charges.

[Llewellyn]

Hey there C, how's the weather in sunny WA?

It's been wet but seems to be fining up now. Much better than those poor sods in NSW - raging bushfires in Spring - unbelievable :eek: