Solent Cycles Ltd

I started using Solent Cycles after my local bike shop stopped being a distributor for Trek and I needed some Trek parts for my bike. The customer service is second to none! Mike and Simon spent a lot of time making sure I got exactly what i needed. I have since used them as my go to local bike shop despite them being 15 miles away.

I've used a number of local bike shops in the area over the last few years and have now settled on Solent Cycles. Every interaction has been positive - great service, customer service and support, pre and post sale. Bought bikes and had bikes serviced with them and cant recommend highly enough.

Stunningly appalling customer service.

Now and then, you have an experience where you think 'Is this really happening?' I can't quite believe that someone so unsuited to customer service should be front of house in a nice looking bike shop.
Let me describe the experience. Think of a drill sergeant barking at some raw recruits - 'I can't do anything unless you do this', 'We didn't sell you the bike so it's not our responsibility', 'You've only spoken on the phone to people, you need to prove it' - on and on it went and it got even worse. This from the authorised seller and servicing shop for Trek Bikes (which are renowned for good after-sales service). I was asked to provide proof of purchase for a warranty claim. I wasn't making a warranty claim and I made that clear on more than one occasion. That's beside the point. The point is that this guy was incapable of listening to the customer. He got fixated on a solution and was trying to railroad me towards something that didn't suit me. Thank goodness I was in a good position because I had actually spoken to Trek customer service who were wonderfully helpful and South Downs Bike Shop (another Trek bike shop) in Worthing and they were also wonderfully helpful.
It could easily have been one of those situations where you walk out of a shop and start thinking about all the things you wanted to say but didn't or thinking, why did I end up agreeing with that. Thankfully, something clicked and I avoided such a bad outcome for me. I explained to the chap that he was 'Aggressive, wasn't listening and had a thoroughly unpleasant manner and that he was responsible for the absolute worst customer experience I've ever had from 20 years of being in bike shops'. He reacted to this by becoming apologetic as he was probably surprised that someone had stood up to him. It must have been a pretty interesting spectacle for the workshop staff. He offered to phone Trek then and there so I told him to go ahead. I phoned South Downs Bike shop who were consistent and said that they could look at the bike and ascertain there and then (by getting the components in of varying size) whether it needed sending off to Trek. Even after speaking to Trek, the Solent guy offered a more complex solution which would take weeks to run.
I realised that I would feel bad if I had anything to do with Solent Cycles in the future so I told him that I would not be leaving my Trek with them. I also told him that his customer service was singularly the worst customer experience I've ever had by a country mile in a bike shop. I said it politely.
I had asked my bike friend Duncan who lives nearby what he thought of them and he said he went there but noone seemed to want to speak to him about a new bike so he left. I told him I'd give them the benefit of doubt given they were local.
Ironically, South Downs Bikes in Worthing recommended I try Solent Cycles as they were closer and they should provide a good consistent customer service. Not their fault.
I had felt positive about Solent Cycles as I had spoken to someone on the previous day at Solent Cycles on the phone and he was really helpful but the chap in the shop was the absolute polar opposite. There you go. Not recommended!

Great local bike shop which carries a lot of bikes and accessories.

Excellent place to go with knowledgable people who are always willing to help with ideas and solutions. Even when you turn up with a muddy and dirty wheel with a broken spoke to be repaired.

We recently decided to get a little fitter and so wanted to purchase bikes. We visited a number of stores however found many of them to be rather unhelpful and happy to bombard you with jargon (which is not great being novices).

Upon visiting the Solent Bike shop at Lee-On-Solent we arrived 5 minutes before closing on the Sunday however were not rushed or ushered out (as most places may do) and so impressed were we that we returned a few days later. Leon was excellent explaining everything we needed to know and gave us advise on not only the bikes and what was best for us (considering our planned terrain type) but he also advised on kit and accessories. after explaining everything in detail and matching us to bikes based on information given we were set up on a couple of bikes for a test run. So impressed were we that we purchased two fantastic bikes and collected them a few days later.

We had a great ride home from Lee-On-Solent and cant wait to get out on them again tomorrow. Could not recommend this store highly enough the team are fantastic, knowledgeable....

Thanks guys!