Bought a bike, it failed within a week of riding it.

[Deleted User]

Hi all, I lurk on the forums here and there, never took the time to register, I recently bought a bike, on the 23rd October to be exact from an online bike company based in Wigan, no names. On Monday I went for an 11 mile cycle which I had completed two previous times and after going up a gradient I changed in the lowest gear possible to pick some speed up however the gears went crazy and the chain wrapped itself around the pedal arm, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

I contacted the company on the night and waited for an email, only this morning did I get one and they're saying that because the gears weren't set up by a bike mechanic I'm pretty much screwed and they're saying the bike isn't fault despite it being not fit to ride as the chain is stuck in one of the sprockets.

On the paperwork I saw nothing saying that the brakes and/or gears had to be set and as a result, I have a £400 bike sitting in my dining room that I cannot ride.

Just to stress that the company I bought the bike off isn't the manufacture but a distributor of cycles and as I write this they have just said the following

As with all mail order items they arrived boxed it is your responsibility to check the bike fully and ensure it is fully and correctly set up.
Given it is being ridden on public rides the brakes and gears need to be set up and in perfect working order.
The issue isn’t a manufacturing defect it has been caused by not being set up for use.
We will not be replacing the bike for you.
The quickest way to resolve it would be to take to a local bike shop and see if that can remove the chain reattach or replace and have it properly set you for use. I would recommend making them fully aware of how the issue has occurred so they can decide the best way to resolve it for you.

Could someone please tell me what my rights are with this, because I'm getting very stressed out and agitated

Norman_Castle

The bike hasn't failed. It needs a minor adjustment. This is normal both for new and used bikes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxV_vKlgolc

Bantex_2

If you don't know how to set up and maintain a bike, buy from a local shop who will look after you.

neilmcl

If you're serious about cycling, and by the sound of it you are, then you should already know that new bikes will require setting up properly before first use and re-adjusting shortly after when the components and cables have bedded in. If you don't feel competent to do this then you should have got the bike setup and serviced or purchased from a decent bricks & mortar bike shop.