- Snapped Spoke (wait time for replacement over 3 months, had to buy new wheels set in order to get back to riding).
- Defective 105 shifter (knew this might happen, when mentioned to sales person his response was " not a problem.. haven't heard of any defects", 120 clicks from home the sucker popped and I had to wait almost a month for replacement).
Eventually the owner of the shop stepped in and as much as he tried to soften the blows with free shit the damage was done, the sour taste ever present. The Dukes of 1914 are rolling in their graves.
Fast forward to yesterday. Brought my bike into a new shop, Cyclemotive of Toronto and it was like stepping into a new pair of shoes. Great service, great personalities and helpful beyond belief... The fact that they pointed out my chain on the 105 groupo (gear set) wasn't even 105 and that it ended up destroying my cassette was a reminder of how shitty Duke's truly is.
What sparked all this you ask? Well Duke's is open again in their old plot of real-estate that was lost in a fire a while back. Maybe their politeness went up in flames too!
I had the pleasure of eating breakfast while the TV personality at CP24 interviewed the cockeyed idiot who sold me my bike in the first place... Thanks Duke's for the memories, the pain in my ass, the bad knees due to bad fit, and the wonderful need for me to replace my cassette. I should send you the bill.
If you are a weekend warrior buying a bike and you don't have over $10,000 to spend, ignore dukes like the fuggin' plague.
I write it as I see it....
