# experience with ordering from Hincapie for a club



## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

About almost 6 months ago, our club put in a sizable club kit order with Hincapie. The kits were made in Colombia, and then were supposedly shipped to us directly. Since then we've not received the package from Fedex. Turned out that the package was lost somewhere along the way. Fine, we get it. Shipments can get lost, it happens. However, we feel like that we didn't get good customer service from Hincapie. First they told us to wait as they deal with Fedex. Fedex said that they will need some time to look into this, and during this time, Hincapie told us to wait too. So we waited for well over 3 months. Then we were made aware by Hincapie that the shipment was underinsured by Hincapie, which didn't inspire any confidence in us. Then recently, when we kept asking for a solution, Hincapie told us that we should call Fedex and deal with them directly. At this point, we're like "are you serious". We're not the shipper, how can we even deal with Fedex? We've asked them to make us replacement kits, but they're unwilling to do it unless we pay for them again. So at this point, almost 6 months in, we're still playing the waiting game with Hincapie as they themselves claim that they're still awaiting for Fedex. At this point, we have zero hope that Fedex will find the package, but yet Hincapie is not doing anything to resolve the problem other than saying they're waiting for Fedex. It's a total joke of a customer service at Hincapie.

We made a big mistake ordering with Hincapie with we met their reps at the Vegas Interbike show. Thought we'd give the Hincapie brand a try. Big mistake. Should have stuck with Castelli like we have for the last few years. Castelli kits cost a tad more, but they're made in the USA, not shipped from Colombia.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Hope you paid via credit card...


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Castelli makes stuff in the USA?


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## Ryder's (Oct 18, 2013)

Is it just coincidence that Columbia is a major drug supplier and a package from Hincapie gets lost ? Maybe Big George was getting a prescription refill and they got the packages mixed up ? 
I'd file a claim with my credit card company immediately. You'll get the sellers attention pretty quickly.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Hincapie is junk. Our shop dropped them. They're not good people at all. They undercut their stores by selling their stuff on ebay for pennies, totally devaluing the brand. They're rude and their customer service is laughable. 

Oh, and their kits suck. The pads are really cheap, thin and unsupportive. The cuts are terrible, either too baggy or incorrectly proportioned... they seem to have no idea what a cyclist looks like.

It's a company named after and run by a cheating doper scumbag. I'm not surprised really that they have no morals.

Hopefully it's not too late, call the credit card company today! Chargeback!


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

looigi said:


> Castelli makes stuff in the USA?


yes surprisingly their custom order kits when we ordered them were still made in the USA. We went with their "Aero" line at the time (which is just a cut below their topline Bodypaint series).


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

MMsRepBike said:


> Hincapie is junk. Our shop dropped them. They're not good people at all. They undercut their stores by selling their stuff on ebay for pennies, totally devaluing the brand. They're rude and their customer service is laughable.
> 
> Oh, and their kits suck. The pads are really cheap, thin and unsupportive. The cuts are terrible, either too baggy or incorrectly proportioned... they seem to have no idea what a cyclist looks like.
> 
> ...


everything said is true about their shoddy customer service.

and yes their kits have inconsistent sizing. either too big or too small, but often times too big. For example, I wear their xs in the full zipper race jersey (as I do in many other brands' jersey too), but then I'd need to go to medium in their half zipper race jersey. That's 2 sizes different, wtf! For bibs, I wear small or xs in most other brands and it would feel just snug tight (the way I like it). But even xs in Hincacapie feels like a goddam diaper on me, and if I wanted to go smaller, they recommended I go with the womens bibs. Yeeah.

It was not my idea to go with Hincapie, but my vote was in the minority so the club went with Hincapie. At the time I was totally against going with Hincapie just because the name Hincapie reeks of dope cheats and didn't want associate with such name. But dammit my vote didn't count. I'm now so tempted to point my finger and our club president and say "I told you so!".

For our next kit order, we're thinking of going with Pactimo as they're local here in Socal and they have a rep right here in Socal, not some bullshiat rep somewhere in the East coast.


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## bigjohnla (Mar 29, 2010)

I club ordered from Primal. They were great.


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## BelgianHammer (Apr 10, 2012)

Isn't George's brother that founded, runs and manages the Hincapie brand? I find it hard to believe George knows about stuff like this and doesn't correct it immediately. I don't understand how companies can keep doing this, especially to cyclists who are loyal if you treat them well, and yet, here it seems we have a very, very bad case of looking out for the customer. Them saying they'll handle it and then later pointing a finger at FedEx, is just feckless.

Hope you get resolution (soon) and at the least get all your money back. And Big Geroge, if you're reading this, you might want to step in and get it corrected, yesterday.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

aclinjury said:


> So at this point, almost 6 months in, we're still playing the waiting game with Hincapie


Why??


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

MMsRepBike said:


> Hincapie is junk. Our shop dropped them. They're not good people at all. They undercut their stores by selling their stuff on ebay for pennies, totally devaluing the brand. They're rude and their customer service is laughable.
> 
> Oh, and their kits suck.* The pads are really cheap, thin and unsupportive.* The cuts are terrible, either too baggy or incorrectly proportioned... they seem to have no idea what a cyclist looks like.
> 
> ...


I used to like their stuff, but I agree that now their pads are thin, cheap and unsupportive.

I have their signature bib. While the pad and materials are decent, they are not worth the $240 MSRP that they were asking. I got mine on Chainlove for $100. It's good for $100.

My "go to" bib is still the Primalwear EVO corsa.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Why??


That is because half our club already received their kits. Half hasn't due to the missing package. If we cancel the remaining missing order (assuming Hincapie will go along with it), then half our club won't have the Hincapie kits to wear, and we won't look uniform when we do our club ride. On top of that, we are also obligated to wearing sponsor names too.

Now if nobobdy in our club has received any Hincapie kit, then I think the leadership would have called the credit card and canceled it already. But.. so that's the situation.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

aclinjury said:


> yes surprisingly their custom order kits when we ordered them were still made in the USA...


A but OT, but: I can understand Castelli stuff still being made in Italy. It's the still made in USA that's surprising to me, as I didn't know they ever did.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

looigi said:


> Castelli makes stuff in the USA?


My Castelli stuff sure as heck isn't, it's actually from all over the world. Strange places like Morocco too. I always look on my Castelli gear to see where it was made because it isnt never the same.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

bigjohnla said:


> I club ordered from Primal. They were great.





looigi said:


> Castelli makes stuff in the USA?





aclinjury said:


> yes surprisingly their custom order kits when we ordered them were still made in the USA. We went with their "Aero" line at the time (which is just a cut below their topline Bodypaint series).


Primal has done well for the club orders I have been around. 

Primal and Voler seem to be the companies that I have recd stuff from that can "handle it". I know Voler is made in USA. I'm not sure about Primal.

Primal does have the slightly better make and materials IMHO. However, I'm kind of splitting hairs as it's like "great" and "really great" or 98% vs 99%.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

MMsRepBike said:


> Oh, and their kits suck. The pads are really cheap, thin and unsupportive. The cuts are terrible, either too baggy or incorrectly proportioned... they seem to have no idea what a cyclist looks like.


Funny, as Hincapie is my favorite fitting brand. Their higher offerings use top shelf chamois from Elastic Interface Technologies, the same 3rd party supplier to Assos, Giordana and others. The club line bibs may suck and your gooch may not be snuggling against E.I.T. chamois, but not all of their products are made the same.

Second for the fit, Hincapie is the only brand which fits me like it should (catalog look). I'm six feet, 200+, big up top skinny in the middle and sturdy below. No need to size up or anything... the holy grail of cycling clothing sizing really! Jackets fit perfect as well.

We're all entitled to opinions, and for all I know Hincapie eats dope for breakfast and their customer service people may be laughing at OP but their products definitely do not suck across the board. 

George was at my local LBS past weekend on a group ride btw.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

How come EIT doesn't list Hincapie as one of the brands? They list "All Brands" and guess who's not on the list?

As of a year ago, I had tried every single piece of clothing and gear that company had made. Every one of them. The only two chamois worth anything were the Power GT and the Metric. The "Pro Team" or "Team" or whatever it is that's in the vast majority of all their stuff, including team kits is pure junk. There's no way that chamois comes from EIT. As far as I remember they only had 4 pads. The (pro)team, metric, power gt and the signature. The metric and power only on the shorts of that name, neither available for club order.

I will say that rarely I've found a piece that fits me well and has good enough fabrics. One of the crestline jerseys, most of their thinner winter long sleeves, etc. Just little bits here or there that are actually decent quality with an acceptable fit. I think their winter stuff is far better than their summer stuff but that's not hard to do.

Lucky you that you're a large American build, that's what the brand seems to fit. What it doesn't seem to fit well are the typical cyclist bodies.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

MMsRepBike said:


> Lucky you that you're a large American build, that's what the brand seems to fit. What it doesn't seem to fit well are the typical cyclist bodies.


Don't you guys have enough brands which fit you perfect off the rack? 

Crap may very well be available for club order, I wouldn't know. I just wanted to pipe in and add that at the higher levels (Metric, Power GT, Emergence and Signature) things are more than fine. Truthfully, the above bibs are probably the only ones with decent pads, the other stuff - probably club included - are lukewarm at best.

These are my all time favorite bibs, and I believe that's an EIT stamp on the right cheek pad: Review: Hincapie Emergence bib short. | Twisted Spoke

They are a few years old so Hincapie may have moved away from EIT in some attempt to save money (you know how these things go from year to year).

If you are not Castelli skinny, Hincapie is definitely the brand to wear.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

9W9W said:


> Don't you guys have enough brands which fit you perfect off the rack?
> 
> Crap may very well be available for club order, I wouldn't know. I just wanted to pipe in and add that at the higher levels (Metric, Power GT, Emergence and Signature) things are more than fine. Truthfully, the above bibs are probably the only ones with decent pads, the other stuff - probably club included - are lukewarm at best.
> 
> ...


No it's not. My 3/4 zipp jersey is already has its stiches split down the middle where the zipper ends. I sent it back to them and they said that's normal wear and tear. I may have worn this jersey for a total of 10 times max. Always hand washed and line dried. $80 jersey that's best described as fragile. My club Castelli Aero kit has lasted 3 years and still going on strong.

But let's get one thing straight. My post is not really about Hincapie quality or lack there of. It's about Hincapie's shoddy and pitiful customer service. Never again from this thief company.


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## myhui (Aug 11, 2012)

And yet, they get glowing reviews in this N Y Times story today: How Sorry Saved the Family Business


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