Cycling: Tiagra road bike groupset?

[NorthernRyland]

I went to Cherry Bike to get a Shimano Tiagra groupset installed while I was away over the weekend in Pai. When I came back today to get my bike I found they put the 2012 model on which is obviously totally outdated and not worth 11,500 baht price tag. I got them to agree to remove it but they said they don't know when they can get the new model so they're just going to put back on the old set.

 

Are they just messing with me to get me to settle for old crap?? Why can't they get the newer Tiagra which was released in 2016? They even have a distributer in BKK they claim so apparently all of Thailand can't get this thing.

 

Since these people seem to have problems doing simple orders does anyone have any other suggestions to get the group that doesn't involve ordering from Hong Kong?

 

 

 

[StreetCowboy]

You might get a more knowledgeable response on the cycling forum

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/156-cycling-in-thailand/

 

[NorthernRyland]

3 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

You might get a more knowledgeable response on the cycling forum

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/156-cycling-in-thailand/

 

Thanks, I'll post there also.

[chingmai331]

Must admit that same bike shop mucked up my new chain installation by shortening new chain by one link.  Result of course, could not shift into topmost gear.

Not sure if my patronage of that shop will continue.

[BritManToo]

15 hours ago, genericptr said:

Are they just messing with me to get me to settle for old crap?

Can I ask why you are changing the groupset?

And what your original groupset is?

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Can I ask why you are changing the groupset?

And what your original groupset is?

It's an OLD Claris off a Trek 1.1 that I kept after I bought a new carbon frame. It's totally dead after 6+ years of action.

 

I just got my bike back today after they installed the old group. Cost me 4 trips to the shop and 370 baht in service fees.

 

My girlfriend said it was MY fault for not asking them and the only reason they took the return at all was because I was a Farang. The owner wasn't very nice during the entire process either and confirms that they can not order a newer group. This is common stuff and was released in 2016....

 

Another lesson learned buying stuff in Thailand.

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, genericptr said:

It's an OLD Claris off a Trek 1.1

Sure, but replacing an entire groupset is a bit of a con.

Generally, you only need to replace the LH shifter if it's broken (and a rear cassette/chain to match).

The derailleurs, cranksets and RH shifters are mechanical all the same, with different labels printed on the sides.

 

So was wondering what you were hoping to achieve by a complete replacement?

8/9/10/11 shifters are just fashion items, if you aren't a top athlete the number won't make any difference, it's the cassette range that matters for most riders.

(Tiagra parts are a bit rare in Thailand for some reason, Claris, Sora and Ultegra are much easier to find)

 

Changing a LH shifter/cassette/chain combo takes about 20-30 minutes.

Hardly a big job.

Edited October 2, 2018 by BritManToo

[NorthernRyland]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Sure, but replacing an entire groupset is a bit of a con.

Generally, you only need to replace the LH shifter if it's broken (and a rear cassette/chain to match).

The derailleurs, cranksets and RH shifters are mechanical all the same, with different labels printed on the sides.

 

So was wondering what you were hoping to achieve by a complete replacement?

I think you're a little off base here.

 

The chain, crank and cassette are all totally trashed and worn out. The shifters are the old thumb design and don't shift very smoothly even when perfectly tuned. Everything is worn out and outdated (even the jockey wheels). I guess the front derailer and perhaps the brakes could be kept.

 

That's a reason for a new group in my opinion unless you're desperate to save $50.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Lots of bike shops in CM will get the latest gear and happily order it for you. I am thinking Triple Cats, Chaitawat, Jacky Bike, the shop on the corner of the NW moat and others.  One thing i have noticed at Cherry Bike(i have not been for a long time) is they have a lot of old stock. Complete bikes from years ago looking dated at full price. My impression is they are loath to discount any old stock to shift it. Presumably you saw the groupset before you bought it. The shifters would stand out as not being the latest design. 

[BritManToo]

41 minutes ago, genericptr said:

It's an OLD Claris off a Trek 1.1 that I kept after I bought a new carbon frame. It's totally dead after 6+ years of action.

They got me earlier this year, in April I needed a new tire in a hurry, they sold me a VeeTireCo Easy Street for 900bht. The rubber perished in 3 months and I replaced it with a BTWin costing 200bht. The tire they sold me must have been 3-5 years old. I won't buy anything there again.

 

There isn't a cycling shop in CM worth using, buy your parts online and fit them yourself.

Edited October 2, 2018 by BritManToo

[Ron19]

Posts with  inappropriate comment have been removed.

 

6) You will not post comments that could be reasonably construed as defamation or libel.

Defamation is the issuance of a statement about another person or business which causes that person to suffer harm. It does not have to be false to be defamatory. Libel is when the defamatory statement is published either in a drawing, painting, cinematography, film, picture or letters made visible by any means, or any other recording instruments, recording picture or letters, or by broadcasting or spreading picture, or by propagation by any other means. Defamation is both a civil and criminal charge in Thailand.

[NorthernRyland]

Update:

 

So I got my bike back from Cherry with the old group on and took it out for a ride. Chain slipping constantly and totally unusable. Idiots.

 

That was the final straw so I went to Ton's place in Mae Rim (just a single guy and small repair shop but he's smart and an actual cyclist) and told him the story. He said he could order a new Tiagra for about 12,000 (roughly the same price as Cherry's old 2012 model) and it would be ready in a day or maybe 2.

 

Conclusion: Cherry Bike is incompetent and/or malicious in their intent. I suspect they lied and said they couldn't order a new group because they wanted to pressure me into buying their old crap. Ton was able to accomplish this in a single phone call and secure the parts from inside CM even.

 

There's everyones warning to not use Cherry Bike, I know I won't be using them again.