UKC

I've never dealt with Vanilla Bikes before but I ordered a new groupset from them a few weeks back. It was showing on their web site as being on back order, due 5th June. Since then it's slipped to 16th June, and now 20th June. In their last communication with me on the subject earlier this week they said they "had an order arriving at the end of the week". It looks like that didn't happen, given the further slippage shown on their web site.

I'm wondering whether they're just being unlucky with this order, or just careless, or something worse.

They have generally very positive reviews on their web site. I was wondering whether anyone on here has bought stuff from them in the past, and whether the experience had been a good one?

In reply to Martin W:

Never heard of them but you could cancel and order elsewhere, Merlin usually deliver next day if it's on stock and are usually pretty good on price.

In reply to Martin W: merlin usually pretty good on price but also have a look at the German sites - bike24 and bike-discount.de - depending on exchange rate they can be very good value and they deliver in 3-4 days.

In reply to Martin W:

Unfortunately Merlin don't have the groupset I'm after in stock, nor do they offer the specific options I'm after. I don't want to have to end up chopping and changing bits of the groupset, that rather defeats the object IMO!

One of the German discounter sites does have what I'm after, but at a significantly higher price than Vanilla Bikes advertise (but can't so far supply). For that price, there are places I've already researched where I could treat myself to 105 rather than Tiagra. But I don't really want to pay that much anyway.

I think I'll give Vanilla Bikes the benefit of the doubt for a bit longer just now, but I'll definitely cancel the order if the delay starts to get silly.

In reply to Martin W: I bought a trainer from VB about 2 years ago and can't fault their service but only based on that single transaction.

In reply to Martin W:

Is it a shimano groupset? If so, and assuming supplier is getting it from Madison, id say the distributor is the issue. I work in a bike shop and we are finding it very frustrating right now. Dates changing constantly!

Just got to be patient I am afraid.

In reply to Martin W:

I know Kev who owns it, they're just up the road from me. I don't think they're trying to do anything dodgy.

In reply to Jack_Lewin and Escher:

Many thanks for the reassurances, I'll persevere!

In reply to Martin W:

They are round the corner from me and I have never had a problem with them, give them a ring and I am sure they will set your mind at ease.
Kev usually drops stuff I order off on his way home

In reply to Martin W:
Just to update this thread: I eventually received the groupset last Tuesday. That was two months after I placed the order! However, Tracy at Vanilla Bikes did keep me reasonably well informed, although the date did slip with depressing regularity.

All I need now is a bottom bracket wrench, and some bar tape. And time. There's never enough time...