Poor Service and Attitude at Papanui Cycles in Christchurch

I unfortunately had a rather unpleasant experience recently at Papanui Cycles. A couple of weekends ago I brought a bike in as I had just done McCleans with a friend and the breaks were screatching and weren't working properly which made riding quite scary. I explained this when we booked the bike in for a service, that this was why I was bringing it in. I was told straight off it would be $80 for the service, which to me seemed quite expensive compared to what I had paid elsewhere a couple of years before with another bike. But I decided was ok as it was a bike I had bought for my dad while he was on holiday from South Africa, and I wanted him to be safe on the bike and have it running decently for him. I got an email on Tuesday to say it was ready for collection, so went to fetch it and paid the $89( as all the lubricants etc were extra). I asked the young man who assisted us on advice for raising the handles as my dads back/neck was getting a bit sore due to his posture on the bike. He rattled off that we could look at a different shape handle bar and that it would cost around $50 - $90, didnt show me the options, which I am sure they sell at the shop or give me much info. The family all went straight out for a ride only to find the bike's breaks were still screetched and werent working properly. I called the store in the morning and they said to bring it in and they would have a look. So I finished work that day, fetched my dad and his bike and took it in. On seeing the bike and explaining why I was there I was told that "there is not much they could do for this level of quality of bike". Now, I know that its not a great bike, but i was absolutely humiliated, standing in front of your three staff members and my dad. I am a single mom with a limited income but I had really wanted to do something nice for my dad while he was here and that bike was all that I could afford at the time. I had spent the little extra I had for two weeks on getting this bike sorted for my dad. And here the staff were telling my dad and I that it was ******* and there is nothing they could do for me. I honesly wanted to cry and felt sick to my stomach that my dad who received it as a gift, was hearing this. I sucked it up and hesitantly asked if there was nothing that could be done about the front disc break not working properly. I might be stuck with a screaching back break but hopefully I could get this front break fixed so it would work properly. I was told that as there was oil in the front disc break there was nothing they could do but replace the front break for me. By this time I really was quite upset as the reasons I had bought the bike in which I had specified, could not be addressed, I had been "bike shamed" (I cant believe thats even a thing) and there was nothing that more I could do besides spend a lot more money. I said that I would never have booked it in and spent $89 if someone had been honest with me and told me straight off that there was nothing they could do to fix the issues. (It took all of 2 minutes to look at the bike and tell me that nothing could be done the second time around). After admitting that they should have told me about the breaks straight off ands said there wasnt anything they could do, it was just shrugged off and we took the bike and started walking away. As we were walking away I turned around only to see the young staff member looking at us and having a good old s****** at us. I got the bike on the car and drove home trying to hold back the tears. I got a phone call later in the week from my dad asking me to stop at a bike shop and look for spacers to try raise the handle bars. So I went to a competitor in the area with great tripidation. I spoke to someone about what I was needing and he patiently showed me what I was looking for and gave me other options like the extender to raise the handlebar. He spoke me through the options and explained that they would happily help me fit it on if I brought my bike in. He was patient and kind as I weighed up the best way forward. I decided to speak to him about the front disc break and was told that a simple break degreaser would work and showed me the product. This was very diferent from what I had been told before. So I got home with the degreaser and the extender. My dad had googled the screathing of the back break. And a simple video showed him what he could do to fix it. And it worked. The degreaser worked. The extender worked. So my low quality bike is now rideable and enjoyable. I find it sad that this is the level of service received at Papanui Cycles. I would always rather support the independant stores than chain stores, which is why I chose to go there. But I will not be returning, which Im sure with the attitude I received, is no big deal to them. Me and my 4 bikes will do our services elsewhere. My friends that have gotten into riding and are buying bikes will look elsewhere. Im writing this in hope that the next time someone comes in to the store, that they do not come away feeling insulted or humiliated because their bike is not up to your standard, that the service they get is with genuine interest and helpful and that they are treated fairly and honestly and not use just to make money.