Quick credit question regarding posted vs authorized charges... UPDATE: Supergo rocks, problem resolved in under 5 min

[Viper GTS]

I ordered a bike from Supergo, for a grand total of $429.99. Only problem is they double authorized my credit card.

My question is, since my available balance is virtually nil, does this mean I can't use my CC until one of the authorizations drops off? (ie it will get rejected due to insufficient funds)

I have no doubt that one of the charges WILL drop off, but I use my CC for everything & the available balance won't cover a happy meal at McDonald's.

Neither charge has posted yet, but between the two they're sucking up $860 worth of available credit.



Viper GTS

 

[fenrir]

I had this happen to me (computer parts from Newegg). I simply called my credit card company and had them remove one of the charges. It really does suck since it eats up your available credit. In my case, it would have taken 3 or 4 days before the second one dropped off. It caused an order from another company to get rejected (thus the reason I knew something was wrong).

Matt

 

[ZeroBurn]

when it's authorized, the funds are reserved and until they're dropped you're not able to use them. i'd just call the credit card company asap to have them drop the extra charge, it'd be a lot quicker than waiting for them to post.

 

[jjones]

In a situation like this, I would call the credit card company about it; actually in some cases it can take up to 30 days for the authorization charges to be dropped off your card.

 

[dude]

Normally, within a week, it dissappears. It's to give the company some leeway between authorization and actual charge.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: fenrir
I had this happen to me (computer parts from Newegg).

me too, except i had to fight them for 3 days, the second authorization put me over my limit, so they denied the first charge for lack of funds

 

[Viper GTS]

Why is this so common, are they authorizing once to make sure the card is valid & then again to actually make the charge?

I keep pretty close tabs on my CC balance, & if I hadn't checked it I would have gone & used the card again last night - Because I should have had well over $400 available.

Viper GTS

 

[Viper GTS]

I just called Supergo, & he agreed to call the bank for me (although he only showed one charge). Less than 5 minutes later I have a voice mail saying he called & had them remove one of the charges, & my available credit is back where it should be.



All is good.

Viper GTS

 

[Fausto]

So which bike did you end up getting?

Fausto

 

[Viper GTS]

I grabbed the i-Drive 6.0, in red.

I decided that I couldn't really make a wrong decision between the two, & the i-Drive was what I really wanted. It will be better than any bike I've owned or ridden thus far, & should be a decent start to upgrade if I decide I need more.

Viper GTS

 

[Fausto]

Excellent. Have fun with your new toy.

First upgrade I would recommend would be clipless pedals and the shoes to match. Kinda awkward at first (you'll have a few tipovers while getting used to them....trust me) but the difference in pedaling efficiency is amazing. You also get better traction on steep hills/loose soil offroad as you can pedal smoothly in circles instead of just being able to mash down on the pedals. Just my 0.02

Fausto

 

[RossMAN]

Sounds like they screwed up and GT bikes still suck.

You need a larger cc.

Wanna borrow my $10k Fleet Platinum VISA?

 

[Fausto]

What exactly sucks about GT? I'm curious as to why you seem to feel so strongly about this.

 

[RossMAN]

It's just my own biased ignorant opinion stemming from an experience I had 8 years ago, that's why.

 

[Fausto]

So what happened...don't leave us all hanging like that dammit.

 

[RossMAN]

It was probably low end Shimano components but I dunno since I didn't know that much aboot mtn bikes back then. Exchanged it for a super fast and heavy 286 which had a massive 20MB hard drive, damn those were the days!

 

[Viper GTS]

Clipless pedals are pretty near the top of my upgrade path, though I'm not sure how necessary they are for right now as most of my riding will be on pavement (90%+). I don't like the idea of tipping over on pavement either. I suppose I could get used to the pedals in the grass first. What other upgrades would you suggest after that? Clipless pedals are pretty cheap, so I can toss that in with the next item you'd recommend.1

And Ross, GT doesn't suck.

Viper GTS

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
You need a larger cc. Wanna borrow my $10k Fleet Platinum VISA?

Yeah! Post the number so I can use it too

 

[RossMAN]

4..............3 expires 03/04

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Clipless pedals are pretty near the top of my upgrade path, though I'm not sure how necessary they are for right now as most of my riding will be on pavement (90%+). I don't like the idea of tipping over on pavement either. I suppose I could get used to the pedals in the grass first. What other upgrades would you suggest after that? Clipless pedals are pretty cheap, so I can toss that in with the next item you'd recommend.

Clipless is pretty much a Good Thing(tm) across the board regardless of where you ride. You'll see what I mean once you try it out. Being able to pull up on the pedal as well as push down makes a big difference. As far as learning how to use them, just clip in and out a few times to get used to the feeling (kinda like a ski binding: step down to clip in and twist your heel out to clip out) and back the release tension off at first. Go for a few rides on back roads or in a park and practice stopping and clipping out. It will become second nature very quickly. It's actually much faster than a strap/cage setup once you're used to it. FWIW, tipping over at a stop is more embarassing than painful...you just sort of roll into a ball and end up with your bike half on top of you and a dozen or so laughing motorists. Just take a bow and keep going.

Other upgrades: Hmmm. Kind of a tough question. It depends on how much more loot you feeling like dropping.

Bar ends- I really like these for climbing or being a tad more "aero" on the road. They're kinda "out of fashion" right now, but I like 'em.

Saddle- Manufacturers often cut corners with the OEM saddle, knowing it will likely be replaced (saddles are very much a personal preference thing). Sounds like you and I are built similarly and I've been really happy with my Selle Italia Turbomatic. You'll have to experiment and see what fits your butt.

Derailleurs- An upgrade to LX or higher will give you crisper shifting and drop some weight as well. Not too expensive either.

Wheels/Tires- You'd be amazed at the difference a lighter wheelset makes as far as how the bike feels. Since they're rotational weight that you have to spin up to accellerate, taking some weight off here will make your bike feel snappier. You may want to go for some slick tires for road riding as well since the knobbies are heavy and add rolling resistance. A set of tires and light innertubes is also a fairly cheap upgrade.

Fausto