I purchased an e-bike (** ****** ** ** * ***** *****) in 2022 from Giant Toronto Order #*****. Giant Canada website states “Our dealers will get you on the right bike: *** *** ********* ***** ***** **** ********** **** ***** ***** *** ******** ***** **** ** **** *** **** ****** That means they know how to properly size you and will help you find the perfect bike for your style of riding.”
I was between sizes (small or medium). I emailed Giant Toronto to which size to order and Chris of Giant Toronto responded that the medium would be best and that Giant Toronto had that bike in stock. I ordered medium and the invoice states that I purchased a medium (indicated by the “M”).
In 2022, when I picked the bike up, I said that it seemed too large, but Chris had me sit on the seat, and straddle the bike, and assured me that it was the correct size of bike for me. I expressed that I felt that the crossbar seemed too high. Chris visualized my stance over the bike and assured me that it was the appropriate clearance. Chris had the seat post cut to shorten it twice, but did not want to further shorten because the length of post left would make it unsafe, as there was not enough to hold it in the slot if the seat was raised; he said that I would get used to it at that height. He took the time to go over additional items with me (helmet, lubricants, lock), and take a photo. We were not rushed; the store was not busy when we were there.
Since then, I have been struggling with the comfort of the bike. I am new to biking, so had no idea what to expect from fit and comfort etc. I have been trying different seat material, shape, seat height, seat position (4 directions-front, back, tilt), and wearing gloves for tingling in my hands, and nervous after a minor injury where I hit the crossbar.
Recently (April 8, 2024), a friend who works at a bike shop adjusted the seat position as much as he could, and said that the frame was too large for me, and that this was the foundation of why I have been having so many problems.
I remembered that I had been between 2 sizes, but forgotten what size I had ordered 2 years ago, so I examined the bike to find the size so that I knew what size was incorrect. I found a sticker on the frame that said “L”, indicating large. I checked my invoice, which confirmed that I had ordered a medium, and the serial number on the invoice matched the serial number on the bike.
I emailed Giant Toronto to notify them of their mistake (April 9, 2024), and noted that they still had the ** ****** ** ** * ***** ***** available on their website, on sale. Chris returned my call April 10, and I returned his call on April 16. Chris offered to alter the seat, seat post and handlebars to improve the comfort, but confessed that there was no practical way to improve the standover/crossbar height. I suggested a swap for the medium size, and Chris refused. I asked to speak with the owner of the store, and Chris said that he *** ** *********** *** *** ****** **** *** refused to speak with me.
I searched online to see how to contact the owner, and found that the store is co-owned by brothers Jabir and Hassan H********. I emailed Chris on April 16, recounted our phone conversation, and asked that he show the email to the owners. I followed up April 18, and Chris responded that he had forwarded the email on April 16 and expected that if the owners changed their mind that they would contact me directly. I called Giant Canada and left a message for Customer Service to contact me.
April 20 I had not received a response, so I called Giant Toronto and spoke with Jabir H******** who confirmed that he was an owner of Giant Toronto. He said that he was aware of my correspondence with Chris and the problems that I was having with my bike and the mistake that was made and the modifications that Chris had offered. He asked my height and I told him 5’7”, which confirmed that the correct bike size would be small or medium, and at that point he said that he wanted to make me happy.
I asked to negotiate about swapping the large bike that Giant Toronto sent home with me (paid full price of $4999 plus tax) for the medium bike that I ordered and is now listed on Giant Toronto website on sale for $3750. Jabir said that would cost me an additional $2500. Jabir said that the “wholesale” price for the bike is $3750. Therefore, this amount of money is exactly the differential between the profit that was made on my original purchase and the $3750 sale price of the medium bike. Therefore, if I were to pay $2500, Giant Toronto would brake even and cleared their dated inventory at $0 cost to Giant Toronto and 0% accountability for the mistake that was made by their store, whereas I would have paid $7499 plus tax to obtain a late model bike that I purchased 2 years ago, and financially covered 100% of the cost of their mistake. I rejected this offer.
I counter-offered to pay 50% of the $2500 in order to expedite the process of resolving this issue. Jabir firmly rejected this offer, and would not accept less than $2500. He said that even if I gave him the large bike I have, it is now worthless.
Reviewing the registration of the bike, I also found that the serial number of the bike is actually a 2021 model, not the 2022 model that I purchased. There would be no way for me to know this by looking at the bike. * ******* **** ** ***** ****** *** ****** ***** ** *** ***** This is another error in the sale of this bike to me by Giant Toronto.
If the medium bike is no longer there, then the differential increases from $2500 to about $4500 to replace this bike with one that is the correct size.