# Fetish Cycles a Scam Operation?



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

December 19th I "won" a 53cm frame from Fetish Cycles. I checked out the responses from previous buyers and all looked well and legit. After winning the item I used PayPal to pay for the item, along with size info and a request for a UPS tracking number.

I have since emailed and called several times, leaving voicemail messages and a request to be contacted again. Emails have gone unresponded and the voicemailbox is full and no longer accepting messages.

I have called my credit card company and requested a stop of payment.

Does anyone know about this company? Should I chalk this up as a no sale? I emailed a few of the other "winning bidders" and did get a some responses. 2 said also had no contact, but did receive their products within a month.


----------



## cloughja (Jan 19, 2004)

*Give it some time...*

Although that doesn't sound like very good customer service, I would probably wait a few more weeks before getting really worried. From what I've seen about Fetish Cycles, they are a small framebuilder and probably get pretty badly backlogged, like alot of places. The first bike frame I bought from ebay, from just a regular seller, took almost 2 months to get to me. Supposedly his bike shop took too long packing it up. My point is, while not great, 5 weeks isn't an unheard of length of time for getting an ebay auction. If you call your CC company now, they may tell you the same thing. If you haven't heard anything at all in another month or so, then I'd recommend that you try and get the payment refunded through your CC company.


----------



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

i am just worried that there is absolutely no contact...plus their voicemailbox is full...guess i just worry too much.


----------



## pnassmac (Jan 15, 2004)

weltyed said:


> i am just worried that there is absolutely no contact...plus their voicemailbox is full...guess i just worry too much.


Wrong, wrong, wrong. Poor customer service is poor customer service and your expectations should be higher than the previous poster's comments.

Now imagine if you had a warranty issue regarding this frame. Would you feel the same way? Be as patient? Doubtful.

It doesn't take much to listen to messages, write numbers down and return a call, if even just to acknowledge your existence by leaving a message. I don't know how long it's been since you've left a message and expected a return call, but any true professional, regardless of profession should return your call within 24 hours. If you want to be patient - 48. But no response after weeks is unacceptable. Expect more of the same treatment in the future.

The beauty of our wonderful capitalist system is that you have choices, choices to go elsewhere to purchase a similar product. I mean really, is their product really that unique. Bikes are practically a commodity (able to buy similar items from other manufacturers). I say, take your money and walk.


----------



## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

Jan 18th you should have filed a paypal non-receipt complaint (now its too late), which would have forced them to respond in about 7 days with either a refund, tracking # for shipment, or I can't remember what the third option is.


----------



## Belfrey (Jan 12, 2004)

I agree with Pnassmac... I'm not sure that Fetish is a scam operation, from looking at their website I suspect they're overwhelmed with more business than they were prepared for. 

But like Pnassmac said, there's no excuse for their lack of contact with you. The law generally gives businesses an unspecified, "reasonable" length of time to remedy customer problems such as this, but I don't think anyone would feel that 5 weeks is reasonable at all. I think you're justified in being upset, and also in trying to get your money back through your CC company. If they're really so swamped with business, they could afford to pay a person to do nothing but call and email people who have unfilled orders and let them know what's up.

Just my thoughts.


----------



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

I did file a non-receipt with ebay. I even went to Fair Trade and started an "investigation" with them. I called my CC and had them put a hold on the payment. I emailed FC (voicemailbox still full) three times before stopping payment and once after. If I do get the frame within 4 weeks I will accept it and inform my CC. If after 4 weeks, I will return the shipment.

I was really looking forward to getting this frame. It seems to be a great frame, and is what I am looking for. Other winning bidders had praise for the product. Just wish I could have something to start my build. I hoped this thread would bring out people who have dealt with FC, or even someone at FC...


----------



## Fast Freddy (Dec 25, 2003)

Just caught this thread... I road with a guy on a Fetish Cycles hardtail last fall and he bought the frame direct from them and got a sweet deal - couldn't beleive it myself. It was a super nice bike and LIGHT. This is no real help to you now - and since I'm assuming you "won" this from Ebay.... but from the way this guy acted about them he had nothing but good to say. Let me dig through my old emails and see if I can find his name and see if he has any contact info for them that can help...

FF


----------



## Mackie (Dec 30, 2003)

Does anyone know about this company?

I have a Fetish Cycles Discipline model. I won it on Ebay, and built it as a single speed. It rides really well, and is surprisingly light. Pretty nice black powder coat. There were one or 2 issues - Hyrdo guides only on the chainstay, none on the top tube, and the BB was oversprayed & needed facing & chasing, but otherwise, it was OK. But this is not the info that you were after.

Basically, they are a small frame designer, not builder, who contracts frame building out to Taiwan. I got turned on to them on the old Single Speed board, as they were planning to make a singlespeed model. I contacted them about this back in July, and they were really responsive - sent me the plans for the frame and everything. We traded about 6 emails in less than a week. Anyway, the SS frame was not going to be ready for months, so i just bought the regular frame.

Recently, I emailed them (at [email protected]) about the singlespeed, and got no reply. So i called the number on the site - no reply.

I 'm thinking they went belly-up. But i could be wrong. Try this email:
[email protected]
which has worked well for me in the past.

Sorry you are having a crappy experience. It's a pretty good frame, if you ever get it.
Hope that helps.


----------



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

i've tried both those email addresses and nothing. 

as far as going belly up, that is a possibility. but someone won a ss frame AFTER me and they have already posted feedback on ebay. wonder if something happened during the holiday season.


----------



## Casual Observer (Jan 12, 2004)

Strange, they were out at the first MBAA race here in AZ 3 weeks ago, with all their frames. I had been emailing them, waiting for the SS frame to come out. They seemed totally legit to me, although I knew they only sold through ebay and Scottsdale Airparks Bikes in Scottsdale. Might be worth a try calling Airpark Bikes in Scottsdale to see if they have any info.


----------



## Casual Observer (Jan 12, 2004)

P.S. I do know they are a very small operation, and have got note from them saying they were out of town, and they would not get back for a couple weeks.

Nonetheless, I agree with the above poster that if you purchase a product from a company, big or small, timely response and delivery should be expected.


----------



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

thanks for the info on the bike shop and the "note" from them saying they were outta town. i will check with the shop and see what they know.


----------



## Casual Observer (Jan 12, 2004)

FYI, that "note" about being out of town was probably a year ago. I was just using this as an example of how small a company they are. But good luck.


----------



## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

guess what i got in the mail today? yup, my sweet new candy apple red frame. i have dropped all cc disputes. the frame looks pretty sweet. i am upset at the lack of customer service. but the frame is nice...and the ebay price of 150 is good


----------



## cloughja (Jan 19, 2004)

*Great!*

Glad to hear that the frame made it alright. I agree on the cust. serv., but at least you have the frame now!


----------



## Tumbleweed (Jan 29, 2004)

*my experience....*

I bought two Discipline frames from Fetish in early Dec and received the frames within a week of ordering. Both E-mail and phone contact worked well for me. Although I sent a follow-up email shortly before Christmas and never received a reply. Maybe they're having some personal issues and have gotten behind at work. They should have at least let you know about it though. Hope you like the frame.

Here is a pic of my recently completed Discipline. I really enjoyed putting it all together myself. First ride will be tomorrow.......


----------



## dansjustchillin (Apr 8, 2004)

*shady customer service*



weltyed said:


> December 19th I "won" a 53cm frame from Fetish Cycles. I checked out the responses from previous buyers and all looked well and legit. After winning the item I used PayPal to pay for the item, along with size info and a request for a UPS tracking number.
> 
> I have since emailed and called several times, leaving voicemail messages and a request to be contacted again. Emails have gone unresponded and the voicemailbox is full and no longer accepting messages.
> 
> ...


i bought one of the discipline frame on ebay and it arrived within a week. my deraileur hanger had bent and i emailed and called them and the only responce i got took about a month to get and it was " we are sold out right now but will let you know when we have more." i'm stll riding the same bent deraileur hanger. i love the frame, just don't brake anything.


----------



## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

meanwhile they have like 40 frames listed in seperate ebay auctions. How hard is it to pull one hanger off to satisfy an existing customer's needs ?!?


----------



## dansjustchillin (Apr 8, 2004)

*impossible*



DeeEight said:


> meanwhile they have like 40 frames listed in seperate ebay auctions. How hard is it to pull one hanger off to satisfy an existing customer's needs ?!?


evidently it is impossible, i'll ride the bent hanger till i snap it then i'll probably have to get someone to machine one for me. who knows maybe i'll start something new. here's my fetish, bent hanger and all.


----------



## bikeophile (Jan 7, 2005)

*All I know / have learned from Fetish*

Hey Folks,

I have been dealing with Fetish now for a little over a year and let me tell you what I have learned both good and bad.

#1. Sometimes REALLY slow to respond to emails

#2. They do not sell frames/bikes on ebay, nor have they ever to my knowledge (If anyone has definitely bought from them directly on ebay I'll stand corrected). Distributors that they sell to have been selling on ebay for some time now, and like any ebay user, the customer service and response and reliability varies from user to user.

#3. They are not a huge company. There are literally four guys who run the whole show. So during the last few years I imagine their growing pains of increased orders may have slowed down their responses. I am not making excuses for bad customer service, if anyone experienced that, but being a small company myself, I know first hand how growth can sometimes hurt your ability to get everything done as fast as you would like it. I know that about a year ago I had been contacting Fetish to get some information and it took months to hear back. But I also know that I talk to these guys almost daily now, and have bought several bikes and frames from them.

#4. They do stand by their products. If you have a real defect in their products, they will replace it. I know that they may have had out of stock issues in the past, but I do think that this was part of those "growing pains" I mentioned above. Again, no excuses for poor communication or bad service...But although none of my purchases have had any issues, I know one person who had purchased a frame from them which came with a significant scratch on it...Not a DEFECT, but not what they paid for either. Fetish offered 2 solutions...#1 Discount or #2 replacement....He took discount and got a certain amount of the price back.

#5. Their website is not 100% up to date...ok, so not even close to 100% up to date...but I have noticed that they are getting better...I've seen some significant updates in the last couple of weeks.

Anyways all in all I have had positive experiences with the guys at Fetish, so much so that I am considering becoming a dealer for them on my website (coming soon! 

Cheers

Rob
www.bikeophile.com (opening Feb1 2005)


----------



## bmateo (Jan 13, 2004)

dansjustchillin said:


> evidently it is impossible, i'll ride the bent hanger till i snap it then i'll probably have to get someone to machine one for me. who knows maybe i'll start something new. here's my fetish, bent hanger and all.


No offense, but that is the ugliest bike I've ever seen. (So ugly I wish I had one, but ugly nonetheless  )


----------



## bmateo (Jan 13, 2004)

dansjustchillin said:


> evidently it is impossible, i'll ride the bent hanger till i snap it then i'll probably have to get someone to machine one for me. who knows maybe i'll start something new. here's my fetish, bent hanger and all.


No offense, but that is the ugliest bike I've ever seen. (So ugly I wish I had one, but ugly nonetheless  )

BTW: A buddy of mine just got a powdercoat gray FC bike, it is beautiful. I don't know what his experience was, but he was not griping, so I assume it was OK.


----------



## Ottoreni (Jan 27, 2004)

*They are sloooooooow*

I bought a D&S model directly from Fetish a year ago. 
When I first emailed them in late October, their website, the old one, said the bike was out of stock. A few months later I got an email saying I could buy it from them.

On a side note, the "Ebay dealer" sure does charge plenty for shipping. Something like $59, that is why I went directly to Fetish. I have had a frame shipped UPS ground from WA to FL for around $25. They must use some type of expensive container box  .

Well, knowing that derailleurs can bend I emailed to buy an extra one or where I could get one. To this day, a year later, I never heard back from them.

Nice bike, not so good customer service.


----------



## rash (Nov 24, 2004)

*i just got one off ebay....*

and it showed up on my doorstep 5 days later! this is from the current ebayer selling these things, so not sure if they are actually fetish cycles. $99 for the discipline frame, $35 shipping.

Rash


----------



## dansjustchillin (Apr 8, 2004)

Ottoreni said:


> I bought a D&S model directly from Fetish a year ago.
> When I first emailed them in late October, their website, the old one, said the bike was out of stock. A few months later I got an email saying I could buy it from them.
> 
> On a side note, the "Ebay dealer" sure does charge plenty for shipping. Something like $59, that is why I went directly to Fetish. I have had a frame shipped UPS ground from WA to FL for around $25. They must use some type of expensive container box  .
> ...


i got 2 frames shipped from the ebay dealer for 40 bucks. how do you like your D&S? i've been thinkin about picking one up. it is really as light as it's claimed to be?


----------



## Ottoreni (Jan 27, 2004)

*My D&S*

I really like the frame. Mine was 2.8 lbs on my scale for the 17". SO it was under. Nice frame. The welds are nice. Like I stated in my previous post, I bought straight from Fetish. They added a Cane Creek headset for an extra $25.



dansjustchillin said:


> i got 2 frames shipped from the ebay dealer for 40 bucks. how do you like your D&S? i've been thinkin about picking one up. it is really as light as it's claimed to be?


----------



## dansjustchillin (Apr 8, 2004)

Ottoreni said:


> I really like the frame. Mine was 2.8 lbs on my scale for the 17". SO it was under. Nice frame. The welds are nice. Like I stated in my previous post, I bought straight from Fetish. They added a Cane Creek headset for an extra $25.


i'll definatly have to pick one up when i get a chance then. i keep trying to make my discipline lighter but with that frame i'm not gonna get the end result i want. the only thing i'm not big about is the internal headset but if i can get a king for it then it's on.


----------

