This is mostly for anyone who works at a bike shop. And if this type of post is in the wrong thread I apologize. I was just wondering if any bike shop owner's or employee's have had trouble dealing with Santa Cruz. Mostly coustomer service in general or shipping days that are months off. It just seems like Santa Cruz is that hot girl that everyone wants. And if you dont like thier service, tough S*&$, theres a hundred shops right behind you just dying to get thier bikes if you complain. I could be way off base, Im just wondering if anyone has had any problems with them. I want to be clear, there a decent company who make sweet bikes. But could there be room for improvement?
SantaCruz, anyone deal with them?
- Thread starter hilldown
- Start date
My shop has determined that Santa Cruz employees need to spend less time hitting the bong and more time organizing and getting shipments right.
AS it is they are a pretty cool company and willing to help us out, but they sometimes just make some dumbass mistakes. Such as having someone to answer a phone during normal office hours.
The Ito
AS it is they are a pretty cool company and willing to help us out, but they sometimes just make some dumbass mistakes. Such as having someone to answer a phone during normal office hours.
The Ito
"My shop has determined that Santa Cruz employees need to spend less time hitting the bong and more time organizing and getting shipments right."
Funny, my shop said the same thing.
Funny, my shop said the same thing.
It was the same when my brother tried to order a frame through our LBS. The shop couldn't put in the order one day because no one was there. They were all off surfing. Kinda crappy if you ask me, but they build sweet bikes, so I guess if you want one you sorta gotta put up with some of the BS.
When I ordered my Blur from them there was no problem. Also the customer service questions I've emailed them have been promptly answered. So I haven't had any of the expriences with them you guys have.
Dirt Merchant said:
They have terrible shop service, esp if you are looking for them to call you back...in addition to the above mentioned horrible accuracy when it comes to estimating ship times.
The manager at my shop thinks half them are asses because they won't let my shop become a dealer because the nearest S.C. dealer is "only 10 miles away" but its seriously a difference between downtown, and the booming suburbia area... I've never really had to deal much with SC though, but I love their bikes. 
One of my friends owns a shop, and he didn't have too many positive things to say about their customer service. It seems that Santa Cruz kind of does what they want, and makes you feel that they are doing you a favor by selling you bikes and products.
In addition, they give you the Ellsworth response when you want to warranty something: " Dude, we'll give you a smokin' deal on a new one."
Here's a good example. The shop ordered a bike, and SC sent the wrong one, I think it was the wrong color. Nevertheless, when the shop contacted SC to let them know that it was the wrong frame, their attitude was like, well what do you want me to do about it.
In addition, they give you the Ellsworth response when you want to warranty something: " Dude, we'll give you a smokin' deal on a new one."
Here's a good example. The shop ordered a bike, and SC sent the wrong one, I think it was the wrong color. Nevertheless, when the shop contacted SC to let them know that it was the wrong frame, their attitude was like, well what do you want me to do about it.
So they hit the bong and take off work to go surf. Humm, I think I could work at that place. lol
No kidding! Take off when they want, answer the phone when they want, and when they make a mistake they just turn it around on the customer. Sounds like a stress free place to work, but a stressful company to deal with...spookydave said:
My LBS just dropped them...
You mean Chainwheel?????MunkeeHucker said:
horrible to deal with but sick bikes
OOPS,Andyman_1970 said:
this might not be fact right now consider it an "alleged rumor" that may or may not come to pass......
It wouldn't surprise me given the management of said LBS.........MunkeeHucker said:
When I ordered my supa light...I got really lucky...they happened to have JUST powder coated small black supa lights, so I got it in about a week...HOWEVER...when the guy at the shop pulled it outta the box...the swingarm had a big ole dent in it...he called while I was standing there and the guy at SC was trying to get him to convince me to just get a 50 dollar refund instead of a new swingarm...yyyyeeeahhhh...
I have gone on a few road trips and most of the shops I spoke with said they cant stand dealing with SC. Of course thats just heresay. One of the guys at our shop ordered a Superlight about 2 months ago. We have been getting the runaround ever since. In fact we called them two weeks ago to see when the bike would be shipped (not the first time) and they said it was going out that day. How long does it take to ship a bike to a place thats a 4 hour drive away? Over two weeks I guess.
Yup, thats Santa Cruz.
I worked at a shop last year and boy were they ****ing difficult to deal with. We requested a rental fleet of SC Blurs and never got them, i think they got them in this year.
We used to get Santa Cruz bikes outta the box with super ****ty powder coat jobs. I remember this one red Julia we had and part of the rear triganle was undercoat, no powdercoat on it at all. I mean, were talking about a really expensive retail bike here.
I worked at a shop last year and boy were they ****ing difficult to deal with. We requested a rental fleet of SC Blurs and never got them, i think they got them in this year.
We used to get Santa Cruz bikes outta the box with super ****ty powder coat jobs. I remember this one red Julia we had and part of the rear triganle was undercoat, no powdercoat on it at all. I mean, were talking about a really expensive retail bike here.
The shop I race for is a Santa Cruz dealer.A week before the points series opener i started having serious drivetrain issues,breaking chains and ghost shifting.Turns out the frame was misbuilt,rear was offset to the right.The last incident when the chain broke it wrapped around the rear derailluer and ripped it out of the frame(Superlights have no hanger).New XTR der down the drain.After 3 days of phone tag and emails we were told to send it back.Next communication was the frames were in quality inspection.A week later i got a call that my frame was in,and it was indeed my frame,with dirt on it and a stripped out der hole.I couldn't believe it.More calls and emails,races goin by and my frame no where to be found.It finally made it in 3 weks later.I understand that every bike company has quality issues at some time or another but it's the not returning phone calls and such that got me.Don't get me wrong I loved the bike but there customer service was a nightmare.Oh well i'm on a Trek for next year so i guess i will see how their customer service is.
We had to call SC again this week, and now they are saying that the bike is going out tommorow. I wonder if they mean tommorow like friday, or tommorow like 2 weeks from now?
