From the first day I hired a bike, I knew there was something dodgy about the shop. The young man who assisted me, appeared to hate his job, moving slowly without a friendly smile. I hired a bike for a week since it was much easier to get around town by bike and only thirty mins biking to the city center. On the third day of wanting to bike, I come outside from my flat, to find my bike stolen, lock and all. I thought maybe I parked it somewhere else, but I remember the bike staff telling me that the lock is the same code as the zip code of the city. Not very smart is it?
So I went back to the bike shop, same young guy looked at me with a smirk and I told him my bike was stolen. He kind of shrugged his shoulders and laughed a bit. He told me "it happens all the time" I said "Really?! Couldn't you have warned me or made me sign a waiver recognizing that theft is major around these parts of town?" He chuckled a bit and said "Well, behind this shop is a drug and prostitute house, and down the street is where they all hang out" I was beyond shocked and even more upset until he went to the back room and grabbed be another bike of the same sort, with the same lock code. I looked at him relieved and happy I was going to be on my way again. I asked "do I own you anything for the stolen bike?" He said "no don't worry about it. Just be careful and find a better parking." So I went off my way and every night for the rest of my stay in St Kilda I carried that bike up three flights of stairs.
My last day in Australia, I returned the bike to the shop. Same young guy looked at me and without a hello, he went to the back and out comes a bald older man with glasses. He looks at me and says "so you are the person who had the bike stolen." I look down and sigh, "yes that's me." He said "well looks like I'm going to have to make you pay for it. $450 is what you owe us." I was in disbelief. Everything the other guy said was a lie, and I felt completely cheated and I felt very set up. Especially with the same lock code on every bike, the mention of the high theft due to drug and prosititutes. Which when I mentioned to the older manager guy he said that doesn't exist and he laughed it off.
I've been trying to contact the bike shop through emails and phone calls and even had friends who live there call and they haven't returned my calls. I've been asking for a police report so I can get my travel insurance and credit card company to come up with a solution. Thank god I didn't pay cash which I almost
did, and that would not be a way to track. Leaves me to this review.
Beware. read more