So this cycling thing has gotten a bit expensive is so far as there is a near constant want need to buy new stuff and upgrade existing parts. Luckily currently I can stop myself buying a new bike/wheels by standing on the scales or having the need to get through the front door of the apartment.

Anyway, all this ordering means I’ve gotten 8+ deliveries between CRC and Wiggle since December. I’m continually impressed by the delivery times by CRC. Last order was placed on Tuesday at 13:08. I get an email on Wednesday afternoon stating that it had been shipping. Thursday morning at 10:42 and the stuff is sitting in reception waiting for me.

Compared this with Wiggle. An order is placed at 23:00 on a Sunday night. Monday at 7am an email arrives saying it has been picked and dispatched. All good since I paid for priority dispatch. Wednesday of the following week (yes 10 days later), the box arrives. It was shipping using ParcelForce Euro 48 meaning the shipper gets credits back for late shipping. Wiggle are contacted to let them know and their response is along the lines of priority dispatch is not shipping. You get what you pay for with free shipping.

Now a number of clarifications.

• Wiggle don’t have any other options than free shipping to Ireland.
• Wiggle were contacted so that Wiggle could reclaim the money owed to Wiggle. A percentage of 0 is still 0 so nothing was been asked for.
• Wiggle did ship it really fast so the issue is with the shipper. This kind of thing has happened to quite a few people I know too and resulted in long delays.

Oh and to further inforce things, from Wiggle a tyre was order along with a Jersey and some bottles I believe. The tyre I needed for the W200 as well as the brake pad. Jersey and bottles weren’t mine. Ended up buying pads from the LBS and got a puncture on the W200. Tyre is also scrap now with the clincher section of the wheel being striped. When nothing arrived by Tuesday, I went and order a tyre and some tools from CRC.

Personally I’ll be ordering everything from CRC unless I can wait a month for delivery and Wiggle are lots cheaper. Few of the others I talk to have already made the switch and as long as CRC keep their shipping the way it is, that is the way it’ll stay.