Trying to buy a tandem!!

[David Hull]

My other half and I had decided to buy a Discovery and went down to the shop last November.  We duly placed an order and were then encouraged down the Rohloff route and decided to plump for a Discovery with a Rohloff hub.  Problem is, there aren't any frames - they are still being procured from Taiwan and the final spec has been subject to some, ahem, iterative revisions.  The bottom line is that some sample frames are HOPED to be here for final sign off around Easter prior to the main batch being manufactured.  Net result is that despite wanting the bike to take to France in July, I've been advised that we'll be fortunate to get it by August.  I'm sure it will be worth the wait but November 2004 to August 2005 (and that's unconfirmed) seems to me to be a bit tardy.  Robin told me pre Christmas that he hoped the Rohloff brochures would be on the website by Christmas - you can get an order form but no brochure - guess that's because the spec hasn't been signed off yet.  Come on Robin - can't you just fly to Taiwan, sign the spec off, quality review it and get the main order moving....

[Robin Thorn]

Hi
I'm sorry we were too keen to tell you about the new models and options before they were fully decided and a definite date set BUT the point is if we didn't mention it, you'd have said "why didn't you tell me?" The fact is that getting this frame spec and detail 100% correct is important, we never want to offer "just OK" products. This design has stretched the Taiwanese to their limits, Andy has had to send 100's of emails, it's just taken longer than we'd expected. When they are @ last available NO-ONE else will have a Rohloff tandem this good, let alone this cheap!
As to flying to Taiwan, I can't do this as we need to BUILD the samples up to check them.
The bike brochure is waiting on the sample frames for it's pictures.
I'm currently on holiday in France, and won't be looking on the forum again, I only saw your posting because someone from the shop emailed me the link, if you feel the need to vent your feelings directly to me before I get back on April 1st(!) call the shop and ask for ext 19, this will forward to my mobile here.