Rang my LBS today

[My_Teenage_Self]

I'm surprised.

Not because Maguras are obsolete (although they're still making them) but because they're HUGE in the trials world. How can any bike mechanic worth their salt not have encountered them? Just a bit weird really.

 

[walleater]

Re:

And what percentage of cyclists are trials riders? It's approx 0% around here. Re. BMX. Most don't run brakes at all!

 

[legrandefromage]

That chaotic short spell I served in a bike shop had me dealing with all the 'old stuff'

Bleeding obscure disc brakes as nobody else seemed to able to do/ be bothered as it didnt had Avid or Hope written on it.

And fitting a Rollamajig to a tandem as the previous effort had made a complete arse of it - that 'effort' complaining that it was old and designed badly - despite the fact the tandem was about 6 months old and was running Ultegra (hence the need for some sort of translation from the canti pull of the Sti to the V-brake).

The current market shouts discs and road bikes so thats what the yoof are concentrating on. Cantilevers only appear on the cheap and on the rare sale of a cyclocross bike.

Doods like us that have a wider experience/ span over the years are a rare breed so cannot expect others to be as aware of obscure old tat as we are.

Unless you subscribe to MBR and buy the latest kit every six months following the shrinking herd who believe every word written (''...that 1 degree headtube change really brought the trails alive...''), you'll be deleted from the yoofs brain within a week.

I've encountered open hostility in some bike shops and out on the trails when riding something obscure which has left me quite upset at the time. All it has served to do is to think a big '**** off' to the 'all the gear, dont give a **** about others on the trails' types and straight to the internet for parts.

And that was 2006!

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

They're big in the trials world, eh? So that's 99.98 cyclists who don't use them then. Your argument isn't compelling.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

They're big in the trials world, eh? So that's 99.98 cyclists who don't use them then. Your argument isn't compelling.

Neither are your statistics!


My point was simply that they are still a current product, and I'm surprised that someone working in a bike shop for any amount of time wouldn't have encountered them.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

If he's a young Herbert, how he supposed to have worked in a bike shop for any length of time?

 

[reindeer]

Re:

Recently they wanted to sell me a 68 mm bb in a lbs for a 73 mm and even insisted that there aren't 73 mm bbs. Same with a wrench for 15 mm campa crank bolts. "There are only 14 mm crank bolts."

 

[Dossa]

Not sure Quinns who it was been around for years and they sell and service all sorts of bikes, to put it in comparison i was at Formby Cycles yesterday and asked the same question he knew right off, and went rummaging around the store and online to see when they next had stock in but i don't get down that way to often. Wont put me off going to them for anything in the future its just one them things and in fairness after looking at the Clarkes compatibles don't think i would have got them for less. Under £8 per for front and back

I hate Quinns - was quoted £50 last year to remove a BB and headset cups from my Alu O...

"Specialist tools are required"

Would never entertain them.

Paid £12 in Picton Cycles instead.

 

[highlandsflyer]

My friend runs a local bike shop. Recently they hired an assistant. He is nineteen, keen as mustard on competitive cycling of the downhill variety but as knowledgeable on most other forms of the sport.

Were I back in the business I see no reason at all why I couldn't find workers who knew their stuff, and would have the nous to pull up Google, or another worker rather at least, rather than draw a blank to a customer's enquiry.

By contrast there is another local bike shop that is full of assistants who basically blank you when you go in, and know nothing about anything but new carbon road bikes.

 

[computerbitz]

Oh i agree on that Dossa they aren't cheap. I haven't been in Picton in years My 2 fave places in Liverpool are no longer about was the YHA Outdoor adventure shop on Bold Street and Pete Mathews on Lower Breck.

Used to get all work done on anything at the YHA back in the 90's had an arragment with the guy in the shop as i worked in Dixons way back when so gave the mechanic discount when he came in and he returned the favour.