Probikekit - keep away

Annoying, I'd buy the wiggle ones, send back the probikekit ones when they arrive, not the best for finances though.

Thats a shame, ive used them a few times with no problems. But then, never had a problem to resolve to find out how good they are.

If you paid with a credit card just dispute the charge with the CC provider. Simples. 👍

I had exactly the same issue with Morvelo (who are part of the same umbrella business now).

Items out of stock, but order can't be cancelled cos they've 'planted' a ****in tree in my name. Cheers ****ers.

Ended up complaining to Paypal who refunded me.
Avoid, avoid, avoid!

*Edit... Oh and customer service (ha!) are a bloody bunch of clowns. I assume it's centralized within the business, as they have no clue on what items you've bought and fob you off with bullshit platitudes.

Part of The Hut Group I think, I've had no issue with Pro Bike Kit, but had an unsatisfactory experience returning some Morvelo kit which is also THG.

Had a couple of issues - most recently I was sent a present but all I got was the shipping label and an apology from royal mail. Contacted pbk who were useless - I wasn't sure who had sent the item to me but they wouldn't contact the buyer to let them know there was an issue so I had to ask someone if they had bought from there (fortunately got it right first time) and get them to contact pbk to sort it out. Then it turns out one part of the order was out of stock and they wouldn't cancel that part of the order etc etc.

I ordered a DMR defy35 stem, they sent me the wrong one... a bit of a b&llache but they resolved it in due course. Not sure I'd buy from them again though.

Bought a few things from them, no issues. Had a warranty claim on power meter and it was easy and pretty quick.

The Hut Group rang a bell. I had a search and it turns out they own Myprotein, which might explain why they were the worst online retailer I've ever had to deal with.

My experience with them is probably 50:50. Either really good, quick delivery or lots of "what do you mean you dont have any stock when the site says you have stock?" I try to avoid

I've had some very long waits for orders from them but so far everything has arrived eventually.

They have some bargains but I wouldn't buy anything from them if I needed it in a hurry.

The Hutt group?

I've used PBK once in the past - no complaints from that.

Probikekit won’t allow me to cancel the order. because it’s classed as “partially shipped”

You are legally entitled to cancel the order up to 14 days after you receive the goods. Ask them to confirm that they're refusing to honour your statutory rights under the CRA.

Have used them a few times, definitely less reliable/more cock-ups than other online retailers, but the customer service has always been good and I've ended up 'up' on the deal as I got a carbon railed saddle instead of a cheaper steel railed one.

But this 'plant a tree' scheme sounds new, maybe it's causing issues (I think their systems are heavily automated so I'd bet this isn't an actual policy being implemented by real people at the other end of the line).

I've used them quite a bit. Especially trying to build a Di2 road bike during COVID when no one had any stock except them. Never had any real issues with them. They even tried to get me a refund on an Avio power meter that went faulty and was returned to Avio the day before they went bump.

I understand your concern about the principle but...a pair of grips priced at about £19 which you could buy elsewhere and then return your PBK order when it's delivered.
Just do that and move on.
Check Ts & Cs and read their returns policy to see if they're complying with their own terms.
Check consumer law re cancelling part of an order.
I would be doubtful that their claim to have planted a tree in respect of your order has any weight or relevance in law; can they prove they've planted a tree?

send back the probikekit ones when they arrive

I wouldn't do that, they never refunded me when they sent out the wrong rear mech. Claimed they never got it back and I should have posted it so that it had to be signed for. Given I had to pay the postage for their mistake I wasn't keen.

Definitely avoid all brands under The Hut Group banner.

Founders of the Hut Group are £500k per year donors to the Tories and have whinged on numerous occasions about workers having too many rights etc etc.

You might guess from my username that I am not a fan of that party of charlatans.

That said, apologies to all for politicising another STW thread - but it's important people know these things.

It’s their problem, just tell them you are cancelling. Dispute it via CC or PayPal. Or send them a couple of sticks and tell them you’ve returned the tree. 👍. Make sure to post it signed for at your local branch.

I had a shimano road wheel freehub self destruct , and their returns process worked well for me  - free returns postage

Only downside was they would only do a full refund, not a replacement wheel, but  got a winter use out the wheel and was able to pick up a nicer wheel from else where

so their not all bad..

That said, apologies to all for politicising another STW thread – but it’s important people know these things.

Thanks, that is good to know. I honestly can't say I research every company before buying but when highlighted as you have I know which companies not to use.

Eventually they agreed to cancel the order. I still had to contact PayPal to block the transaction as it remained - “pending” I think was the term.
I hope that’s the end of it.
But yes repeated replies from support which almost seem down to ‘bot level of relevance to my issue.
I still say avoid.

I was surprised to see here that Morvelo are “Hut” group too. My experience of PBK support was that it seemed highly tailored to frustrate to the level of - oh bugger it - it takes so much time and repetition.
Their plant a tree offer could actually be designed to subsequently block cancellation of an unavailable item due to “partially shipped” status.

The corporatisation of our lives continues as does the race to the bottom on tech support.

OMG Chris P and his team at Geometron Bikes are SUCH a marvellous highlight given their bloody marvellous support - in the world of bike bits.

can they prove they’ve planted a tree?

This. Not so much related to your problems with them, but one tree per order? Where, how, what?

OMG Chris P and his team at Geometron Bikes are SUCH a marvellous highlight given their bloody marvellous support – in the world of bike bits.

Just make sure to never ask for a bottle mount 😉

The YT bottle fits in down by the BB so it's not an insurmnountable issue. TBH I'm more interested in suspension kinematics than in making space for a bottle ;~}