Urban Tri Gear — Local services in Westmont

Called twice during business hours to confirm they were open before I rode 8 miles to buy a swim cap. VM said they cannot take the call and to call during regular business hours. It was noon. I took a chance because I needed a swim cap for an upcoming tri. There was a woman at the desk and I asked are you the only one here? She said yes. I said I called twice to confirm you were open. She said, why wouldn't we be. I said it happens. Since Covid, my experience has been that businesses do not answer their phones, probably due to understaffing due to cost cutting measure due to Covid. She (I found out later that she was the owner) said she was very busy the past few hours. It is frustrating to not be able to reach a business to ask questions or simply confirm if they are open before biking or driving to discover they are not. This literally happened to me a couple of weeks ago with a coffee shop and it's not the first time. I walked several blocks to buy a coffee before boarding a train and there was a note on the door that they would be closed that entire week. I also called as I was walking over but no one answered. There was no VM message explaining the circumstances in either case for those of us who choose to be prepared. The owner of Urban Tri Gear seemed surprised that happens. I can understand that times are tough for businesses as a result of Covid and maybe you have to let staff go or reduce hours to stay afloat but if you cannot hire enough staff, how about leaving a message on your VM stating "If you have reached our VM, we are assisting customers and cannot take your call. Today is July 29th and we are open from 10-6p. Please stop in and we would be more than happy to assist you in all your tri-gear needs. Thank you for your understanding." Pretty simple. On another note, I arrive at an sports store on a bike and there is not a bike rack to be seen. Perhaps the landlord does not allow it. If I were the owner, I would inquiry about installing something for bikes. I used the handicap sign. This owner may care less, she made a sale with me out of necessity but I will not go back. Poor...

I was referred here by a helpful leader of the First Timers Program associated with the Chicago Triathlon. This person spoke very highly of this business so I was truly excited to support, but unfortunately I was turned off by the customer service experience. As an avid cyclist and aspiring triathlete, I fully understand the financial investment required for the sport. I also know that in order for me to make an investment (especially in a higher ticket item like shoes, wetsuit, bike, etc), I'm going to take my time and try on different brands to figure out sizing, feel, etc. During my brief visit today, I feel as though I was denied the right to shop and try on different suits without guaranteeing a purchase. I absolutely understand not wanting to waste time or effort on a potential customer (I guess??), but I think in general a business that is not an ice cream shop should assume that someone walking in has the intent and means to purchase what they came in for unless they don't find what they're looking for (and that's not the fault of the shopper). Maybe having a few products available for try-on would be helpful, but not sure of the logistics for this. All I know is that at other sporting stores, I have tried on multiple products, and in many cases spent wayyy more than I planned simply because of the patience and high quality customer service I experienced while shopping for the perfect product. From my quick glance around the store, there were plenty of products I could and would have purchased for training, but I got the vibe that I wasn't worth their time, and so I'll have to...

I bought a Zoot tri suit and after wearing it for only one race, the material tore. I wore a belt that I have worn in races for years with other Zoot tops and this has never been a problem. Zoot has a two year limited warranty, so I tried returning or exchanging it since the quality was definitely not what I expected for the price. Their policy states that a product purchased from a retailer, in this case Urban Tri Gear, can be returned to them and they will process the warranty with Zoot on your behalf. This is the part where I had a really bad experience with this company. I'm not upset that I couldn't return it, but I feel that there no willing to help in the process. Even after sending customer service Zoot's policy, they were not responsive at helping with the warranty process.

Update: I am surprised you mentioned that you reached out to them. I kept waiting for your message and never got a follow up from you. I reached out directly to Zoot and they were very responsive. It is a very reliable company, they sent me a new top. I wish my experience had...