The Aabsolutely Ridiculous Paint Job

[MtnClimber]

SORRY, this post has been DELETED.
Serotta noticed this post and had my dealer contact me. They have decided to remedy the situation.

[e-RICHIE]

"This time they explained that they had to order a new fork, but the forks were delayed from Reynolds."

why a new fork?

"Three and a half months later we finally got the Ottrott back! Three and a half months for just a paint job!!! ... IT STILL WASN'T PAINTED
CORRECTLY!!! "

what's wrong with it?

[MtnClimber]

"why a new fork?"
I don't know. I never did get a good explanation for this. The inferno paint scheme has flames on the fork. I imagine it's one of two things: Either they couldn't paint over the finish of the original fork, or they messed it up and needed another fork to do paint it over again.

"what's wrong with it?"
The seat tube and chainstays were supposed to be polished titanium. They are painted white.

[Andreu]

We accepted delivery of the "wrong" bike only because they promised they would deliver the "right" bike in the future.

Assuming that this is all true...did you get the above "deal" in writing...if not...their word against yours... I cannot see how you can get a win situation.

As for the fork...presumably the old fork needs to be scrapped or used on another bike if the colour scheme is really screwed up as they cannot repaint carbon forks?

[hooverone]

Did they know you did not want those sections painted or did they think the 2nd time they got it right...

It is suprising that they would send the bike back to you the 2nd time wrong and know it but not even tell you that it was wrong, why was it being discoverd by you on your front porch and not told by Serotta to you we can not repaint your bike because or we will need to build a new bike becuase? Wierd.

I bet if you call Serotta due to the circumstances they can send you one of the demo bikes.




Jim

[hooverone]

and the demo bike would just be used while they are fixing the paint job on your wifes bike.


Jim

[Andreu]

assuming this is true.....sounds like they need to build a new bike for this gentleman as the paint is not going to come off the titanium tubes to get the polished effect he wants.

[Ahneida Ride]

Serotta got the decals wrong on my bike. I just knew it would happen.
My dealer got it correct. Even Serotta had the order correct. I called the
factory and verified the placement of the seat tube decal. so far, so good.
Upon delivery, two S seat tube decals were applied instead of one.

opps ! But it looked fine, perhaps better, so I said nothing.

I'd suggest contacting Ben personally.

It must be a nightmare for Serotta to get every paint job correct.
Serotta offers too many options.

[va rider]

I can certainly understand your disappointment in not getting the Ottrot painted as you ordered. But, either your lbs or Serotta should provide you with a loaner while the problem is being addressed. I know my lbs loaned me a Csi for a little over a month, while my CIII was being built.

I echo the others, I would contact Serotta personally to determine if the frame can be painted as ordered. I would also check the spec sheet sent to Serotta by your lbs and signed off by you, to be ascertain who is at fault. If your wife can live with the frame, you may want to see if your lbs or Serotta will kick you back some reasonable amount of $$$. Alternatively, there are a number of great Serotta paint schemes, is there any other one that is close to the inferno with bare ti, that is acceptable to your wife? Maybe in the off season, you can have Serotta re-paint the frame an acceptable scheme and throw in a jersey or something.

Good luck. But, I definately would contact Serotta directly. They always seem to be willing to go the extra yard....

[bostondrunk]

For a 5-6k frame and fork, don't settle for anything less than exactly what was agreed upon!!

[Sandy]

I would do the following:

1. E-mail your post above to Ben Serotta and your shop.

2. Send your post above as a letter, to Ben Serotta and your shop.

3. Insist, in writing and verbally, to both Serotta and your shop, that Serotta, through your dealer, furnish you with an acceptable loaner bike. Have your dealer send your Ottrott back to Serotta, for them to do with it as they please, but not to be returned to you, under any circumstances.

4. Insist that Serotta build you a NEW bike and paint it precisesly as your wife wished.

5. Insist upon seeing and signing off on the spec sheet, including the paint design.

6. Have Serotta give you a reasonable and acceptable time frame in which you should expect to receive your new bike. It has been an extraordinarily unreasonable long time. I think that it should go to the head of their production schedule.

7. Be totally courteous and respectful, but expect and communicate that you want precisely what you ordered and for which your money was accepted.

You met your obligation and now Serotta should meet their obligation, which I certainly believe they will. I wouldn't be willing to negotiate price at all. Have them deliver what you paid for, period.

All the above is under the assumption that what you say is what happened, which I would assume is what did occur.

Sandy

[Sandy]

I think that your experience is not typical, and I think that Ben Serotta and the Serotta "family" will take care of it. I do believe that Serotta makes too many errors in painting/applications of decals. I have bought 2 bikes from them and they made mistakes on the decals on both.


Picture Perfect Serotta Somebody

[Sandy]

I totally agree with the Drunk, and that REALLY REALLY scares me. Drunkster-You have my vote on this one!!!

Drinking with the Drunk,

:) Sober Sandy :)

[bostondrunk]

I totally agree with the Drunk, and that REALLY REALLY scares me. Drunkster-You have my vote on this one!!!

Drinking with the Drunk,

:) Sober Sandy :)

:beer: <burp> don't freel badly sandys, i think nothing wrong is agreeing with the drunkard....off to the pub after a looong weak at work! <burp> :beer: :crap: :banana:

[va rider]

Well, since many of us have taken the time to post our ideas on how to handle the situation, and for Serotta's benefit, I think you should post the remedy.

[MtnClimber]

Serotta finally decided to just replace rather than repaint the frame. I didn't get all the details yet, but my dealer promised that Serotta would make this a high priority. I'm still frustrated that things had to take so long, but at least they're still working on getting it right.

[Ozz]

There was some communication issues regarding the paint on my CSI, and both my shop and Serotta stepped up and took care of me.

Just explain clearly and politely what you expect and what will make you happy and I am sure you won't be disappointed. It will probably take a little time while the two of them sort our who pays for what...

I rode my bike for a whole season and they fixed the paint over the winter. The shop manager (Bike Gallery, Lake Oswego, OR) then drove my bike from the shop to me (Seattle, WA) for delivery.

Good Luck!

[dave thompson]

....I rode my bike for a whole season and they fixed the paint over the winter. The shop manager (Bike Gallery, Lake Oswego, OR) then drove my bike from the shop to me (Seattle, WA) for delivery. Good Luck!
Aren't the Bike Gallery stores great? That's why I drove 362 miles (really!) each way to the Sandy Blvd. store to buy my Ottrott there. Great customer service/satisfaction/treatment all the way.

[Ozz]

Aren't the Bike Gallery stores great? That's why I drove 362 miles (really!) each way to the Sandy Blvd. store to buy my Ottrott there. Great customer service/satisfaction/treatment all the way.
Absolutely!

"362 miles each way"!!! That makes my 180 miles each way look like it's just down the street :rolleyes:

:beer:

[IXXI]

The Bike Gallery store on Sandy is absolutely the best. Far and away the best shot I've ever trolled-- and I have trolled many. Great people, and their service department has saved my sorry butt so many times I've lost count.

Haven't had as good a luck at their other locations, but the store on Sandy more than makes up for it.

I'm proud to sport their water bottles, jerseys, whatever it takes to drive more good business their way. A customer for life.

[alembical]

I had not very good experiences with the bike galleries (Lake Oswego mostly, but years ago), but nothing real bad either. I then dealt with the downtown Bike Gallery and was real impressed. An accident by someone caused my newly painted stem to chip and they offered to pay to get it repainted, when it was at least some mine and likely some the painters fault (I took it directly to them from the painter and should have given it 48 hours to cure). The Bike Gallery offered to pick up the cost, but the painter restripped it and painted it again free of cost.

In the long run, the made a customer happy, and it happened to be me, a customer who blows way to much money in stores like theirs and it ended up costing them nothing.

I have been spending more time in the Sandy store, and they have been extremely helpful as well. Ben spoke there last year and there was a good crowd present.

Alembical

[William]

I'll give a shout out for the Sandy Blvd. BG. The one in Beaverton was good when Sandy was there. If your still out there Sandy...You're the best!:cool:

Still have my BG water bottles...though the image is rubbing off now. Oh well.

I second the be patient and tell them exactly what you want. My first fram got damaged in shipping. It was fixed and I got a second one free for the trouble. It was well worth the extra wait.

William

[dave thompson]

Absolutely!

"362 miles each way"!!! That makes my 180 miles each way look like it's just down the street :rolleyes:

:beer:
Yup. My house in Spokane to the Sandy Blvd Bike Gallery = 362 miles. I started early in the morning so I could be there when they opened at 10AM. I was 20 minutes late. Then back to my house in time for dinner and a bike ride!
:beer: :beer: (Fat Tire Amber!)

[Bill Bove]

Does Bike Gallery have a web site? Owning my own shop, when I hear you guys speak so highly of a shop I want to know them and learn from them. I think we do a pretty good job at our shop but there is always somrthing new to learn.

[dave thompson]

Bill: Bike Gallery is a locally (Portland, Oregon) owned chain (I think by one guy or a family. I could be wrong about the ownership)

http://bikegallery.com/site/intro.cfm

[William]

www.bikegallery.com

In my opinion, each bike gallery shop had a different feel. The Sandy Blvd. shop was the best. The Beaverton shop was good when Sandy was there and before they moved to the current location. She went to the Sandy blvd. shop and I've heard she later left the company. To bad for them, to bad for us.

For me it boils down to being well stocked with good equipment, good mechanics, good prices, but most of all...good customer service. It's nice when you can go into a shop regularly and people remember your name...NORM!

I have a shop that's close to me, maybe a 10 minute drive. I quit going there. I can't stand going into a shop and having it be like pulling teeth to get someone to help you. Then when they do, they act like you are bothering them. Thier mark ups are ridiculous. $16.00 for an old school cotton cycling cap? Yeah right. It's a nice looking, up-scale shop that won't be getting my business.
Now I drive 25 minutes out of my way to go to a small hole-in-the-wall shop in a sleepy little town (even if it's just for a tube). The moment you walk in you, you say, "yes, this is it.". These guys are riders, the shop is small and looks like a shop. But they have the good quality equipment, and they know their stuff. Tons of well used race videos piled up on the shelf and one always playing. Old shool jerseys every where at reasonable prices. They don't mind going out of their way at all. I took my old Aerospoke hub in and asked if they thought it could be converted to a fixed gear. The guy looks at and says, "let's find out", and starts taking it apart. I like that. BTW, I bought two cycling caps for my kids here, together almost half of what that other place wanted for one.

GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE and reasonable prices. That's what I like.


William :D

[Needs Help]

Serotta is well known on this forum for excellent factory side customer service. They always seem to rise to the occasion to fix problems. It's a shame that there are paint/decal problems in the first place, but Serotta demonstrates their commitment to their customers every time they fix those problems. It's too bad the whole process is taking so long for you, but hopefully the end result will be satisfactory.

I don't think deleting your post was necessary(although I didn't see it) because even though it was evidence of a problem at Serotta and/or your LBS, the resolution of problems reflects highly on Serotta.

Sandy,

I would think a fair settlement with Serotta for the decal mistake on your Ottrott would have been the sum of the 'untoward' price increase you were subjected to.

[shinomaster]

And some down town as well. When them messed up a campy part of mine they just got me a new one...no questions asked.