Not all independent shops are good

skyhawk":a5ngy4h2 said:
Can anyone here suggest GOOD shops I am sure we would all like to know, me for one please

For stoke, cycle discount centre. very reasonable and well established.
 
skyhawk":ds7l8ldx said:
Can anyone here suggest GOOD shops I am sure we would all like to know, me for one please
I'd rather not.
Many of the good shops are small one/two/three person places, so it's very easy for me to have a good experience (I know what i want, i know how much i'm willing to pay, i know the owner/staff, i know their limitations.)

On the flip side, someone else on here might just be passing through, catches the shop when only the Saturday/PT staff are in, or asks about something that isn't in their repertoire, or decides they are more expensive than CRC or catches the owner/staff on a bad day, or just asks lots of pointless questions with no intention of buying and doesn't get the arse kissing they expect/want/need.

And then they think it's a shit shop.

And things like that can snowball. Either in here. Or in real life.
 
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FluffyChicken":td7gzuup said:
Buy online or at the shop and do it yourself.
That bike shop can't be crap then.
Oh it can........ many times i've had to sort out problems caused by customers........
 
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mattr":rwymmh8r said:
FluffyChicken":rwymmh8r said:
Buy online or at the shop and do it yourself.
That bike shop can't be crap then.
Oh it can........ many times i've had to sort out problems caused by customers........


Could not agree with you more

Personally i give Carmarthen Halfords 5.5 out of 10

Good staff, polite but adequate quality
 
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mattr":2rg5w4dz said:
FluffyChicken":2rg5w4dz said:
Buy online or at the shop and do it yourself.
That bike shop can't be crap then.
Oh it can........ many times i've had to sort out problems caused by customers........
That's not a bike shop being crap, they only have themselves to blame and can't moan about it.
Of course it usually done with screw drivers, hammers and blocks of wood.
And that's just the chain ;-)
 
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Many years ago I purchased an X Lite Chris Peat stem from Halfords.
I didn't trust them with the relatively small job of removing the old stem, adding a few spacers, and then fitting the new stem, so I thought I'd ask my local bike shop to fit it instead.

What a waste of time !!!
I was told by my lbs,that they would not fit my new stem because I had not purchased it directly from them,and because of this, they were not insured to do so !!!!!

It's safe to say, I wasn't terribly impressed with the excuses that I was given and promptly left the shop, never to return.

In my experience,Halfords service may not be the best,
but sometimes independent local bike shops are far worse !!!
 
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Last time i paid a bike shop to repair something was a bucked wheel back in 87. Went on a Uni touring ride and the wheel collapsed, resulting in a long walk and expensive trip back. That was it. I spent a fortune on tools, a wheel building book and never had an issue since.
 
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FluffyChicken":15jmkiol said:
Buy online or at the shop and do it yourself.
That bike shop can't be crap then.
More satisfaction doing it yourself, and specific or difficult tasks you can always take it to a shop. At least whatever it is they have the tools to do it.
 
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