Evans Cycles - Cheltenham Cotswolds

Shop good but young staff, OK but know what's what and bent over backwards to help me.

I tried to buy a C2W scheme bike but Evans didn’t seem to want my money. First, I was given incorrect product information, then contradictory details by different members of staff about the disc brakes (looking it up later, one was definitely wrong and the other right!).

When I called and left a message, no one called back.
When I emailed, no one replied.
The store IT made any kind of ordering painful.......I must have given my address and postcode ten times, to four different members of staff.

I won’t be rude about the staff because although they are inexperienced, they did mean well and were apologetic. They’ve not been given any training and that’s Evans’ fault, not their’s.

The final straw was being told I could buy a compatible product (mudguards) when I collected my bike. It wasn’t compatible with the tyre width. I asked for it to be ordered and delivered to my home but Evans told me they'd charge for this.......so they make a cock-up; but I get charged for it. I gave up.

The next day I went to one Leisure Lakes to order a different bike and it was just....so easy! I'd bought from there once before so they had all my details ("no need to give them again"). They knew exactly how C2W works so gave me all the details I needed in minutes. Less than three days later they'd emailed to say my bike was ready to collect. So easy, so helpful.......just the opposite of Evans, I'm afraid.

What a complete waste of space this shop is!! Doesn't stock anything unless you want a puncture repair kit!! About as helpful as a ash tray on a motorbike 😡

I dealt with Evans Cycles, as I hadn't before, as they had the bike I wanted for my daughters birthday. On the day before collection there had been an issue with the supply of the bike. However despite the problem and my concerns they were dealt with brilliantly by Wayne and the following day I collected the bike as planned with any issues having been resolved quickly and to my satisfaction. When I went in to collect the bike I though the service was great, the staff we're attentive and happy to help. When I come to get a bike for my younger daughter I will go here again. I feel they went above and beyond what I would have expected from a large firm and let me very happy with the buying experience from them

Popped in to window shop and they have a great range of bikes.

Staff aren't always engaged with the customers when going in, but every time I've asked for help or advise they have been great. Efficient service when collecting an online order.

Staff are friendly enough and always offer help. The store is clean and fairly well laid out and the prices aren't bad. No dramas to date - I've not used their servicing for my bikes, just purchasing goods

Taking the "people only ever write reviews when they've had a bad experience" with a pinch of salt, I don't really feel I can recommend this store. I followed friends' advice in trying them out and I've been fairly underwhelmed consistently.

Upon arriving to find a new bike, I asked for advice in picking a hybrid. There were several staff milling around but they spent most of their time chatting by the tills rather than helping customers. Eventually I got one guys' attention who recommended the most expensive hybrid bike, but when I asked him why, he couldn't tell me anything about it. Bizarrely I seemed to know more about Hybrids than he did which is saying something.

Anyway, purchase made I returned a week later to collect the bike and was passed to a young lad with no customer service skills to deal with my collection. He didn't have the skills to process my order (completely understandable if he's new) but the senior colleague I was passed to had to spend 20 minutes correcting a technical error made by the unknowledgeable staff member a week earlier. After correcting this error, he passed me back to the young lad who proceeded to retrieve my bike from the back and then walk off! There was no handover, introduction or completion. It took me a while to realise that we were done and he wasn't coming back. Disappointing.

The saving grace was another colleague outside caught me before I left and helped me with my questions about the bike, albeit that was purely by chance.

2 weeks on, I like the bike but in light of the rattling of some of the components, I'm not 100% confident of it's build integrity. Given the service I've had so far, I'm also not exactly sure of whether to take it back or not!

In summary, product is as advertised and the store seems great at first glance however service just isn't what I would have expected for £800's worth of bike. Won't be using again I think.

A 2 star at best, probably a 1 star most of the time. I'm being kind. It depends on who you get as to the service you get and the bike knowledge to back up that service. Most of the staff are clueless and simply cannot be bothered. They hang around talking, laughing and get easily distracted. The problem is too many of them think they are cool but actually they are muppets. Its quite sad really. I am not sure what the recruitment policy or criteria is for Evans for staff or store management but they have got it very wrong. I've spent small fortune in here on a bike, gear etc. My strongest recommendation is go to Leisure Lake Bikes in town. These guys know their stuff, are friendly, go out of their way to help, nothing is a problem. The majority of them ride seriously too. Superior in all respects.

I am a novice cyclist that was looking for advice on purchasing a new road bike. I went into the Cheltenham store a couple of weekends ago and spoke with Peter for about 20 minutes, who was incredibly helpful, answering all of my questions. All customer service should be like this, he was brilliant. I didn't purchase my bike from Evans as they didn't have the size in stock but I would definitely buy from them in the future. I know that some other people have said that the level of service at this store is poor, all I can say is that my experience was superb.

Excellent service, the guys in the shop are friendly and really know their stuff. I've just recently moved into touring from mtb and they were really happy to chat offer advice and no hard sell! Will definitely be a return customer.

Worst service experienced for many years. There are so many good bike shops around which are much cheaper. AVOID

Shocking service very disappointed. Went in expecting to spend around £1k to 1.5k on a bike and a full set of kit.
1st day went in and waited around by the bikes for 20 minutes trying to get attention and nothing. 3 members of staff just walked past with one pretty much pushing past me. I left.
Had positive reviews though from people who had used the store so decided to give them another chance.
Went in the next day a young lad asked if he could help (a better start than the day before)
I explained what I thought I was after but clearly said I needed guidance because I was not a cyclist and wanted to be steered in the correct direction. Not sure if it was just me or not but when I said I was 'ONLY' looking to spend around 1k on a bike and then whatever else on kit for it, proper pedals, shoes, reinforced types shorts, etc etc he wasn't too interested.
I wasn't totally put off because there was a bike that looked like it may fit the bill although he was very unhelpful so I decided to ask him if I was to get a bike and then spend a few hundred pound on accessories, making a point to explain there would be a fair few, I asked if there was likely to be any discount.
His answer was totally shocking, sorry Sir we are a big chain and we don;t need to give discount, the price is what it is. I couldn't do it anyway, you would need to speak to a manager.
I asked if I could speak to a manager and was told no, one would not be in for another hour.
All in all disappointed.
If I had taken the plunge and bought the bike and kit I would have almost certainly become a regular customer and a loyal one to boot.
I guess things may have been different if I was going to spend 10k or more.
Shame really :-(