Sombrio out of business?

Well that's interesting…

Say it isn't so

DaveM,
What paper is that from?

I saw it in the globe and Mail

I have some of their older gear which is built proof. Bought some new stuff and it sucked (2 pairs of gloves ripped after a few rides, jacket seam fell apart the third time I put it on). I have been trying to get warranty on the jacket since August. I have a pair of their shoes which have been okay.

If that is how they treat customers good riddance.

Mountain bikers don't make the best business leaders.

I bought a pair of pants and a jacket in 2007. I still wear the pants and I'd still wear the jacket if the zipper didn't finally go after around 4 years of almost daily use. It's a shame that almost everything that they sold from 2008 on-wards was hideous.
Freeride died (ha…) and mountain biking isn't cool enough to attract the 'mainstream' to want to wear clothing from such a background (who wants to be associated with a culture that thinks it's acceptable to wear an XC lid with goggles… :D ). I'm sure Raceface do well with their clothing, but they have a solid product line which people want to be associated with, hence buying the clothing.

Ah crap, that's a shame!

I have 3 pairs of their shorts, 3 of their jerseys and a jacket. All good kit! Has to be said that non of it, like many others have said, is more recent that about 2010…and also generally bought in sales…

I haven't been massively keen on their more recent offerings (mainly as i'm 35 and not 17) but they always seemed like a good rider driven company that made some solid gear.

I guess I will be looking at raceface and dakine for my riding gear now.

I think Dave may be taking a bit of an unfair beating here. Its easy to kick a guy when hes down.

Mountain bikers dont make the best business leaders? Im sorry, yellowdogx, but do you run a business, and do you know what goes into it? You base your opinion on the fact they haven`t handled a warrantee well?

Seriously

I applaud Dave for taking a run at this and surviving as long as he did. It was a difficult, almost impossible task as a start-up from the beginning. His original partners bailed right off the bat, and he stuck with it.

Most businesses go through not just one, but several failures in their plan before they hit their stride. Its easy to criticise his moves (marketing plan, style, quality, diversification, warrantee issues) in hindsight, but it took balls of substantial size to put himself out there. Talk about bold moves, his were so they didnt pan out it happens more often than not. Starting a business is a cutthroat endeavour. You can trust me on that- been there, done it.

Obviously the writing is on the wall, marked in red ink, but you won`t see me pilling on. Hold your head high, Dave.

…
I applaud Dave for taking a run at this and surviving as long as he did. It was a difficult, almost impossible task as a start-up from the beginning. His original partners bailed right off the bat, and he stuck with it.

Most businesses go through not just one, but several failures in their plan before they hit their stride. Its easy to criticise his moves (marketing plan, style, quality, diversification, warrantee issues) in hindsight, but it took balls of substantial size to put himself out there. Talk about bold moves, his were so they didnt pan out it happens more often than not. Starting a business is a cutthroat endeavour. You can trust me on that- been there, done it.

Obviously the writing is on the wall, marked in red ink, but you won`t see me pilling on. Hold your head high, Dave.

oh thnx now i feel like a real jerk…i have to agree with what you said tho..

I think Dave may be taking a bit of an unfair beating here. Its easy to kick a guy when hes down.

Mountain bikers dont make the best business leaders? Im sorry, yellowdogx, but do you run a business, and do you know what goes into it? You base your opinion on the fact they haven`t handled a warrantee well?

Seriously

I applaud Dave for taking a run at this and surviving as long as he did. It was a difficult, almost impossible task as a start-up from the beginning. His original partners bailed right off the bat, and he stuck with it.

Most businesses go through not just one, but several failures in their plan before they hit their stride. Its easy to criticise his moves (marketing plan, style, quality, diversification, warrantee issues) in hindsight, but it took balls of substantial size to put himself out there. Talk about bold moves, his were so they didnt pan out it happens more often than not. Starting a business is a cutthroat endeavour. You can trust me on that- been there, done it.

Obviously the writing is on the wall, marked in red ink, but you won`t see me pilling on. Hold your head high, Dave.

I am not "piling on" just giving my opinion of their customer service and how the quality of their products seem to have gone down in recent times.

I ordered directly from their online store, they neglected to include one of my items. No problem mistakes happen. I email, no response. I email again a few days later no response, third time I get a response that item is on its way.

The two pairs of gloves I ordered from them fell apart in less than a month of ridding each. Unfortunate but gloves don't seem to last that long.

I rip my jacket putting it on while at crankworx this summer (I had worn it twice before this). I cruise over to the Sombrio truck hopping for a little help, no dice, email with proof of purchase and a photo. (understandable they are no set up for warranty, however a bit of a bummer when it is raining and your jacket is falling apart).

I get back to the city and email, no response. Wait a few weeks then email again, no response. I try the online contact form on their website, no response. Wait a few more weeks and then I facebook message them FINALLY I get a response. They email me the warranty form and tell me they will get right back to me….still waiting!

This is not how you run a business if you want to stay open!

As far as my comment as mountain bikers not making great business leaders goes it is not only Sombrio that this comment applies to. If you want to stay in business you have to be at the top of your game 24/7, my wife has a successful small business that she has ran for the last 7 or 8 years so I know how hard it is.

I hope it works out for them I like their gear and the fact they are local.

However their customer service sucks balls.

Hey, I'm not going to defend their current poor customer service. That being said, I have just as many positive customer service stories I can tell.

Think maybe their current state has anything do do with your issue? Maybe?

This:

If that is how they treat customers good riddance.

Mountain bikers don't make the best business leaders.
Today 04:38 AM

Tells me you're ingorant.

This:

As far as my comment as mountain bikers not making great business leaders goes it is not only Sombrio that this comment applies to. If you want to stay in business you have to be at the top of your game 24/7, my wife has a successful small business that she has ran for the last 7 or 8 years so I know how hard it is.

Tells me you have no fucking clue.

I'm a mountain biker…am I a less than great business leader? How would you know? I know personally my own business has gone through, in 16 years, four or 5 massive roller coasters, each one having me doubt myself and my plan. You suggest Dave wasn't on it 24/7, again, how would you know? Have you ever laid awake at night with a sick feeling to your stomach, wondering how you're going to meet payroll for your employees? Lost weight stressing over customer issues? Plans gone bad? I've done it, and I am suggesting you have no clue. I wouldn't still be in business now if the reward wasn't so sweet, but I tell you what, every, and I mean EVERY small business person is a leader, and every one sweats blood and tears for their business. Sometimes (most of the time), they fail. Failing sucks, but surving a failure, then coming out on top…that's what keeps entreprenuers going. I'm suggesting you have no clue what either feels like, even if your wife is running a small business. My wife has NO CLUE about some of the issues I've kept out of sight, so as to not worry her.

So you had a bad experience…big deal…suck it up…

Hey, I'm not going to defend their current poor customer service. That being said, I have just as many positive customer service stories I can tell.

Think maybe their current state has anything do do with your issue? Maybe?

This:
Tells me you're ingorant.

This:
Tells me you have no fucking clue.

I'm a mountain biker…am I a less than great business leader? How would you know? I know personally my own business has gone through, in 16 years, four or 5 massive roller coasters, each one having me doubt myself and my plan. You suggest Dave wasn't on it 24/7, again, how would you know? Have you ever laid awake at night with a sick feeling to your stomach, wondering how you're going to meet payroll for your employees? Lost weight stressing over customer issues? Plans gone bad? I've done it, and I am suggesting you have no clue. I wouldn't still be in business now if the reward wasn't so sweet, but I tell you what, every, and I mean EVERY small business person is a leader, and every one sweats blood and tears for their business. Sometimes (most of the time), they fail. Failing sucks, but surving a failure, then coming out on top…that's what keeps entreprenuers going. I'm suggesting you have no clue what either feels like, even if your wife is running a small business. My wife has NO CLUE about some of the issues I've kept out of sight, so as to not worry her.

So you had a bad experience…big deal…suck it up…

Wow. you are really worked up about this aren't you?

I have been trying to get warranty since august! I was simply giving my opinion.

I am sorry you are so angry.

Go ride your bike.

I'm not angry, I'm just pointing out you are being a dick. Which you are.

I'm not angry, I'm just pointing out you are being a dick. Which you are.

Honestly how am I being a dick?

Did I swear at someone giving a opinion on a companies quality or customer service?

Did I question someone's intelligence for stating an opinion?

No.

Not sure why you are so worked up about this.

Have a great day :)

Well, yellowdogx, back to your original post:

If that is how they treat customers good riddance.

Mountain bikers don't make the best business leaders.

Good riddance? Seriously? Because you had a bad warantee experience? No, I think I'm right here, you're being a dick. Pretty sure of that. Just stop being a dick, and people will like you more.