Kennedys

A couple of years ago I got sick of my shoulders and arms aching every time I rode more than about an hour. So I decided to get a bike fitting. I'd heard that Kennedy's was good so I went to see them.

I was impressed. He diagnosed all the issues that were causing my discomfort on my existing bike and recommended a few options to fix it. Clearly the best option was a custom made bike.

I took the plunge... gulp... it was hideously expensive but I figured that over the course of the next 10-15 years it would be worth it. And it was! I'd never known such comfort riding a bike! The next round the bay was such a pleasure. Plus the gear on the bike is terrific. I can't recommend Campagnolo gear enough. The Khamsin wheels are bombproof and the Veloce gearset is wonderful.

I also figured that I wasn't just buying a bike, I was buying a lifetime of expert servicing and follow up with Kennedy's.

Unfortunately the reality was a little different. Ever since I got the bike I've had nothing but trouble from Kennedy's. They have been surly and unhelpful and pretty much useless. From servicing to finding better/replacement parts they have been so unhelpful.

The final straw
After a service by Kennedy's my bike started missing gear changes. When I shifted down on the front chainring it started getting stuck between the chainrings. So the pedals would spin and I'd have to stop to sort it out. At first this only happened occasionally but as time went on I got paranoid about shifting gear because I knew it would eventually fail.

I took my bike in to Kennedy's for a service and asked them to pay special attention to the noises coming from the bottom bracket and to the issues with gear shifting. I picked up the bike after they were done and all they had done was change the chain. To their credit that's all they charged me for, but it certainly wasn't addressing what I'd asked for. I realised they weren't even slightly interested in looking after their customers in the long run.

The aftermath
In subsequent attempts to get the issues with the bike sorted I discovered that the problem with shifting gears was that Kennedy's had fitted a shimano chain which wasn't compatible with my Campag gearset. So the only thing they actually did when I asked them to try to sort out my issues was to charge me for another chain that only exacerbated the issues I was having. More on how I discovered this in subsequent posts....

So if you're looking for a custom bike... look elsewhere. I've heard good things about Baum's but have no first hand advice.