fish_antlers
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The Truth is Out There
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posted August 08, 2003 08:10 AM
Cyclebrakes.com ... Customer Service ... "How it should be done" (long)
What a patient company.... I have a little background with regards to Cyclebrakes... first off I have to thank them and I do highly recommend them...
I often feel like one of those "secret food tasters" who covertly visit restaurants when I deal with motorcycle companies because of my involvement with this website...
Like most people I have a pretty standard range of experiences with businesses.... most of them are average... the odd bad experience... but rarely do I experience "amazing service" from a company, especially when I am a complete stranger to them....
We all expect "amazing service", and we usually get it after developing a relationship with a store... ie: your dealer... you've bought 5 bikes from them so right off the bat you always get 10 points more off the price of things then the next guy... you need your bike serviced... they're jammed but they squeeze you in anyways..... you all know what I mean..
So on to "Cyclebrakes" ...
Cyclebrakes sells braking components (braided lines, rotors, pads etc) made by Galfer.
Every year they have a booth at Laguna Seca. Two years ago at one of our Laguna Seca rallies I bought a set of steel braided lines for my 12R and PK's 6R... It happened to be from Cyclebrakes, but I didnt know that at the time... pretty standard transaction.
This year I saw their booth and I thought of buying braided lines for the DR650... they were out of stock but gave me the part #..... told me I'd have to mail order them...
When I got back home (to Canada) I called the # on their business card and some very helpful ladies looked up the part #, said they had no problem honoring the price from the racetrack, and proceeded to ship the lines to me.
Now all of you must understand that this is the point at which, dealing with another company, the transaction could have gone horribly wrong.
There are some bizarre problems involved in ordering products into Canada.... the parts distributors have the market locked up to make it next to impossible for you to bring goods in unless it is through them and they get a cut... Cyclebrakes very nicely worked with me to label and package the lines appropriately so I would'nt get screwed in some governmental customs thing...
You must understand the not only does Cyclebrakes NOT have to do this, but they could simply say, like many other companies... "aww screw it.. we dont ship to Canada" (this is specifically why I have an American PO box)
Well.. the lines arrived at my door, and UPS had decided to levy a $25 customs and brokerage fee on the parcel... (hefty since the whole order, shipped was just shy of $90)
I flipped out and called Cyclebrakes... I spoke to a lady on the phone... . I said I was going to refuse the parcel because.....
She cut me off and said... "I know exactly what's happened.... UPS has tried to charge you extra.... dont worry... we are very sorry... please pay the fee, fax me the receipt and I'll pay the charge"
wow! my jaw dropped! No need for me to rant... not even a chance to! I said thanks! She said "no problem!"
Too boot, this is NOT her responsibility... honestly it's mine since I'm the one who is importing the lines into Canada...
So I paid the fee... then I noticed that the banjo bolts were missing... I called her back... "oh shoot" she says "I'll have to have a word with quality control.. what can I do to help you?" ... I offered to trade a couple of speed bleeders in lieu of the brokerage fee and she could send them with the banjo bolts..
"That sounds fair!" she says...
wow... this is going so smoothly....
So you think this is over? Stay tuned as I am now about to become the customer from hell!
That afternoon I go to Burnaby Kawasaki and spot a DR-Z400 on the showroom floor. Suddenly I trade in the DR650!! ... ack! now I have lines for the wrong bike at home!
I shamefully call her up.... "uh... you know those lines we did ALL that work on?" ... I tell her the story....
she says "aw.. that's a nice new bike.. my husband just did that.. he traded his KLR for a KTM.... I totally understand... I'll switch the lines for you!"
nice!
and
"I'll wave any restocking fees and we hope you remain our customer!"
wow.
So thanks for putting up with me.. .my emails... my phone calls...
That was a lot of work and patience for some brake lines (which just arrived and are now on the DR-Z).. (good thing I'm not a CSR.... I could have NEVER pulled that off!)
BTW.. the fit and finish of the Galfer lines is great.
So there ya have it... sorry it was so long!
   
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k bryant
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posted August 08, 2003 08:15 AM
Great story. Wow! Cyclebrakes.com just went into my address book.
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fish_antlers
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The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21896
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posted August 08, 2003 08:18 AM
Not to mention that the Galfer lines for the 12 fit PERFECTLY when the others missed the mark (specifically Goodrich).
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necro
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My Grandma Is A Virgin
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posted August 08, 2003 08:30 AM
They are misguided though. Their employees trade their KLR's for KTM's 
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted August 08, 2003 11:27 AM
just added them to my favorites....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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worm~hole
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Miles to go before I sleep....
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posted August 08, 2003 12:24 PM
 Edited By: worm~hole on 8 Aug 2003 13:31
...hey fishbreath...as you know, I bought the 320mm brake kit that PK pointed out to me at the CycleBrakes tent at Laguna...the only problem I've had was when I torqued the factory steel caliper bolts through the caliper bolt bosses on the fork legs and into the aluminum adapter (as opposed to how it bolts onto the steel caliper in a stock set-up)...as I approached a little past 10ftlbs by my guestimations towards the Kawasaki OEM torque values on the bolts (18ftlbs) as per CycleBrakes instructions, the steel bolts stripped the threads in the aluminum adapter...this was about 1030 at night ad I wanted to go riding in the morning...AARGH!!!!!!I'M PISSED!!!!...so I calm down and call the number on the card at 1035 with the intentions of leaving a message for them to call me back...and a lady answers!...at night!...I tell her what happened and she tells me she'll have a talk with the shop guys in the morning and she'll call me back...she was very plesant...
Long story not so short, she tells me they'll sell me a bracket at half their cost (not much) and I ask her to sell me two at that price just in case, but she declines (I don't think she's the one calling all the shots)...I also tell her that the steel bolt to aluminum using OEM torque values will strip the adapter...she tells me to torque it down to 10ftlbs and use blue loc-tite...I confirm this method of steel-to-aluminum interface with my local bike mechanic...I tell the lady at CycleBrakes that the instructons specified OEM torque values...she said they will insert the '10ftlbs' value in their instructions from now on...
I'm convinced that it was their goof (per their instructions) and they should've provided an exchange free of charge...it wasn't much $$$ for the adapter (I bought one at half and one at cost), but in principle, they should've warrantied it...they didn't come out and say they goofed up or I crossed threaded the bolts (cuz I didn't...I finger-tightened it flush down to the head of the bolts)...
Optimum material for the adapter should be the same steel as the caliper...we're talking BRAKES here...not something you wanna skimp on...
Not to stir the shit, but whadday guys think now?????...overall, though, I'm very saitisfied and happy with the performance of my upgraded brakes.
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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k bryant
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posted August 08, 2003 12:38 PM
10 ft lbs torque on a caliper bolt? No thanx....
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worm~hole
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Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted August 08, 2003 01:39 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 8 Aug 2003 14:40
quote:
10 ft lbs torque on a caliper bolt? No thanx....
...that's what I'm concerned about...but if it stays in place and the vibration doesn't cause the steel bolts to 'work' their way side-to-side-and-around in the threaded holes causing teh hole to widen and causing the bolts to walk out, then I should be ok...still, steel to steel with 18ftlbs and that reassuring 'snap' when you loosen a caliper bolt from the caliper is better, right?
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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k bryant
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Posts: 2911
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posted August 08, 2003 02:45 PM
Kinda. But do you want to find this out when you grab a handful of brake and discover a problem??? Yea, me either...
In many cases, the "snap" is reassuring and ok. If you're gonna stick with this deal, I'd suggest Locktite on the threads and safety wire the bolt heads. You'll sleep better at night.
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted August 09, 2003 11:38 AM
...yup, blue loc-tite...and checked every so often...how does one safety wire the cap screw head on these things?...pics would be helpful...thanks!
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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