Hi Greg.

Creaks in your bottom bracket and bolts that either come loose or were loose to start with are common problems on new bikes. It's also common for it to take time for your body to adjust to a fitting and even to make minor setup changes after a fitting. I don't think that has anything to do with Felt or Bikesport.

It's fair to have high expectations when you drop $4500 on a bike, but it is common to have minor problems in the first few rides on a new bike. More exotic bikes are also usually less reliable than mid-range bikes, so the chances of odd problems are only magnified when you are dealing with carbon and titanium doo dads.

Any bike shop can fix your creaking BB and tighten up your handlebar binder bolt. Maybe in this case you should take your bike to a LBS and have those two problems fixed. You're still getting the best of both worlds: Quick availability, a good price, and a good fitting from Tom and good service from a local shop.

Good Luck,

Marc

Bet you $10.00 he's watching

---

__________________________________________

http://thechuckblog.blogspot.com

excellent points. i really trust my lbs a great deal and told them to build up my bike the way they saw fit within the given budget. she turned out great. but i'll tell you upon my first ride my saddle ended up being loose, and there were some tweaks that needed done with the bars. took her back in, got it squared up, and then got it tuned up again after a few hundred miles. after that she was pretty much perfect for 2000 or more miles, and have done one tune up this summer. i don't think it's uncommon to have an adjustment phase in the beginning with a new bike. or is that wrong?

Agreed. I recently got a Tequilo, not a high end bike, but def not cheap. I had bottom bracket issues in the first 200 miles. Nothing the LBS couldnt fix in a day. I also ride with whatever tools I think I might need to adjust or tighten something. The bike is still new and until it has about 500 miles I will assume that some bolts will need to be tightened over the course of a ride.

---

- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"

You are both uterly wet & weedy and I discard you.

Great point Chunky Lover. What a beautiful microcosm of life Slowtwitch is. What started out, at its genesis, as a well-intentioned forum for people to commune, share information, and enjoy a sense of kinship has predictably denigrated into its own mini-reality, complete with a xenophobic mob mentality. The very idea of a "troll" is unbelievably amusing. In fact, the other day I saw a post warning of "trolling," as if somehow uninformed or mal-intentioned postings might somehow disrupt your everyday life and cause you emotional harm. This Greg dude was called a fraud and a liar, then was publicly castigated, inexplicably researched, and subsequently "outed" for the sin of blaspemy, or as it's better known here on Slowtwitch, criticizing one of the alpha dogs. I will say, however, the guy had it coming. How dare he voice his complaint about a triathlon retailer on a free, open forum? Well, we showed him. Take a bow everyone!

your bike is a "her"?

---

_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

   

greg: I just wanted to tell you that you are complete trash. To think you can call someone out to hurt their business b/c you aren't happy, then get called out is the greatest thread ever.

yes, her name is Baby Girl. My other bike is Baby Blue--both are girls. :)

I've wasted more time on the post than I care to admit.

Gee, Greg "can't get no satisfaction" from Tom. He bad-mouths Tom on ST. Everyone jumps his ass. Tom comes on and is all conciliatory. Suddenly, very suddenly, Greg is taken care of to his satisfaction. Looks like that post worked its magic, eh?

You know, I knew someone would suggest that.

The problem with saying that is that you are assuming (incorrectly in this case) that I did not become conicillatory until Greg elected to take this public.

That is factually incorrect.

I wrote, at a minimum, 64 e-mails that I could quickly find and count to and from Greg Gilson and three officers/reps at Felt.

That is Sixty-four e-mails. 64. If each mail takes 90 seconds that is over an hour and half of e-mailing alone, let alone numerous phone calls and in-person meetings with Dave Koesel, John Georger (regional sales manager- I met with him in person about this) and Dick Brink, our new sales manager.

This is the text of an e-mail I sent to Greg Gilson on September 15, 2005 at 9:48 PM, more than three days before he posted his concerns publicly on Slowtwitch, but after he had spoken with Rob Warren at Felt and Dave Koesel of Felt- each of whom suggested the very same outcome that Greg Gilson accepted today. "Hello Greg, We'd like to work with you to make you satisfied with your new bike. As new bikes are final sale, as depicted in writing on the terms of sale agreement you signed at the time of purchase, we are unable to provide refunds, and I apologize for that. However, we are sincerely willing to work with you to insure your satisfaction with your new Felt. Additionally, the entire staff at Felt who has been in contact with you and with me have pledged to work hard to insure your satisfaction. Felt was even willing to dispatch a professional factory mechanic, Richard Brink, the new territory manager, to your location to personally address any problems. Your satisfaction is important to us. If you have any suggestions as to how we may be able to correct your concerns please let me or one of your contacts at Felt know and we will do our best. Sincerely, Tom Demerly, Bikesport, Inc."

So, the facts of the matter are that we have worked tirelessly and dilligently from day one, some time ago, to address Mr. Gilson's valid concerns, and did so proactively, involving every resource at our disposal, bar none. This including taking Mr. Gilson's concerns to the very highest levels at Felt- and Felt was highly responsive.

Perhaps a drawback to an intense "trial by internet"- either some suggestion or inference about Greg Gilson's credibility and intentions and/or our credibility and intentions- is that it is done in a vacuum of true accountability and anonymously.

That is neither fair nor accurate to either party.

So for the parties who have made derogatory comments about Greg Gilson or about Bikesport, Inc, I suggest that both are poorly informed and these statements are inaccurate.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Good stuff T-man. Some people just can't be pleased that was the case a few times when i worked at Tiffanys and Heavenly. Best of luck!

---

------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.GetEndorFit.com
Personal Training and Sports Conditioning
------------------------------------------------------------

"The problem with saying that is that you are assuming (incorrectly in this case) that I did not become conicillatory until Greg elected to take this public."

Whoa, Tommy Boy. You're assuming that I was assuming something I was not, in fact, assuming. I was just pointing out that it sure looks like the squeaky wheel gets the oil...or not in some cases...but then that would be a whole other issue. I'm sure you were both 100% right, both 100% forthcoming and both 100% fine gentlemen!

"it sure looks like the squeaky wheel gets the oil...or not in some cases...but then that would be a whole other issue."

Or not.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

That's Tibbs.

So now that this issue appears to be resolved, maybe Greg or some one else can let us know what the final structured settlement was? Enquiring minds want to know. Did it involve spinning gold or first born children? A large first payment and smaller monthly payments for life? A new Felt each year for as long as he rides?

J

You know, I wish I could get that kind of response from my dealer for a small problem I am having with my new Element.

---

_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man