Why I don't shop at Iron Pony (ironpony.com)

When I got my first bike about 5 years ago, I knew it needed tires, so I dismounted the wheels myself and took them in to IronPony to replace (they charge a bunch more if the wheels are on the bike).

A naive neophyte, despite having read that the wheels were supposed to be tubeless, the two IronPony service guys I spoke to both insisted that the wheels needed inner tubes, so I acquiesced to the additional charges.

I didn't pay much attention until a couple of months later when, trying to inflate the tires, the inflation head got stuck between the stem and the hub. The stem on the inner tube was just too damn long. Trying to get the thing out, I managed to actually break the valve stem. The tube still held air, but there was no way to put more in. While struggling with this, I note that the rims clearly state "Tubeless" on them. Argh! They lied directly to my face, scum balls.

Okay, lets get it back there and have them do it tubeless and put in an angled stem (or at least shorter) like they should have done the first time. Their service department REFUSES to service the wheel, stating they will only install a NEW tire. The also refuse to do anything about the blatant fraud of getting me to pay for the inner tubes which I didn't need in the first place of which they have a clear record in my name in their system.

I ended up calling around and spoke with someone at Bikes2NV, a local customization shop, and they were quite nice about pulling the inner tube and properly mounting the tire the way it should have been the first time. I think they charged me $10 and I was out of there in 15 minutes. I thought they were very nice about it.

Being a few miles from their actual brick and mortar store, Iron Pony (now a joint operation with Yamaha of Columbus) would be very convenient to go to. However, I refuse to use them except when the situation demands something faster than mail order AND no one in the area has the needed product. I despise stores that lie to you and those who fail to stand up to their "satisfaction guaranteed" claims. Iron Pony fails both criteria. Not only do they not deserve my business, but I can't trust anything they say or do.

 

i have a nice white Iron Pony t-shirt i got a vintage bike days one year.
i guess i'll start wearing it to change oil and eat spaghetti

 

Situations like those is where its nice to be able to say "well then I will just go talk to my cousin, the assistant district attorney". Surprising how nice people get when you say that. I would have contacted the better business bureau at least though, I'm not one to let stuff like that stand.

 

Polock, that is what mine is used for now. I won't wear it in public.

Maverick,
If I had a friend or relative who was the district attorney, I might have. Unfortunately, the officials I know are all in Gahanna, not Columbus. Something just clicked in my head today and made me realize I never reported this before.

On the other hand, and to be clear, there is one guy there by the name of Mike, a former professional rider of stature, who now has to jockey a wheel chair, who is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and nice to work with, and I have to say such is true about most of the parts guys in general. It was the guys in their service center who committed fraud and lied to my face.