Removed

[harleysteve08]

I know the feeling. Thankfully, poor bike shops are in the minority. However there are still a few shops whose staff quite seriously believe that anything pre-2010 is "retro" and anything pre-2000 is obsolete.

In fact, I was having a conversation with a member of staff from one of my local bike shops on Twitter yesterday (well, more a bike store than a shop). He posed the question, "what would you buy if you had a budget of £200. New lights, new cycling wardrobe or a Garmin".

I replied with "A XTR (M95x) equipped, mid-90s Kona Cindercone. Sod the Garmin!" - There's actually one for sale on here right now which isn't far off £200.

He then replied to me and said "Wow, I'd hang that thing on the wall, not ride it"..

:roll:

 

[dyna-ti]

Bike mechanic should know the basics at least :?

 

[legrandefromage]

the shop I worked at only seemed interested in fixing the newer stuff - I often got called out for saying yes to older repairs and servicing despite the margins being better. It was an image thing.

 

[Matthews]

I'm having a little "service" issue with one of my LBS's at the mo too, took my stumpy wheels in a couple of weeks ago to show sidewall degredation on the tyres I bought from them in Jan, no probs they say we'll take some pics and get in touch with the manufacturer, great I think, can they grab the camera there and then , no it took 2 days to take the pics, told me the manufacturer had had a couple of issues with these tyres so would replace them, 3 weeks later not heard anything so I rang them this morning to double check they hadn't lost my phone no (was on a tag on the wheels), person on the other end of the phone them bimbled off to speak to someone else and finally told me they hadn't arrived yet and they would be in touch when they did, didn't bother to ask who I was or anything and when I originally ordered the tyres they took 2 days to arrive, you would have thought with all the internet competition and pricing these shops would try and be a bit more helpful, it's not a chain or tinpot fly-by-night outfit either but a very long established shop.
Matthew

 

[Mr Panda]

Took rear wheel from daughter's in last week for a couple of spokes to be replaced.
Was told they'd look at it over weekend and it was a nice rim (Mavic)
Left it there.
Phone call a few days later - can't fix it need new wheel, £55 or £85 depending on your (my) budget
Fek me I buy whole bikes for less than that
Went to collect wheel as I wanted the cassette.
They did ask if I wanted them to remove cassette for me :roll:
Took wheel home.
Fitted two spokes.
Now perfectly useable until the one I bought here for £20 turns up, even then I may keep it as a spare.

I fully accept the wheel is passed its sell by date but it does function perfectly well, has a good rim with plenty life left. Issue is the slightly worn/grumbly bearings so I can see why they wouldn't want it to have their name on it in terms of a repair, liabilities and all. But still :roll:

 

[We_are_Stevo]

I guess I must have been pretty spoilt for choice BiTD when I lived in Norwich...

...couple of LBS' were my favourites; one on Wroxham Road in Sprowston that used to be a garage when I did my paper round from the newsagents next door. The two sons took it over when the old man retired and ran it as a bike shop for years and yes, I could just pop in and borrow their tools for quick running repairs. Also bought my '88 Marin Palisades Trail and my cro-mega there, and my Saracen DH frame. It's a Tesco Express now :cry:

The other was a tiny pro-outfit on Spencer Street, again run by a couple of brothers, where no idiotic query on my part was too much trouble

 

[bren]

I count myself very lucky with my LBS. they don't push the fact they are retro friendly, far from it, they look like any other as far as the showeooms concerned, but if you catch the bossman on a good day and mention that you are doing up an old MTB you'll get offered a coffee while he or his minions root around upstairs for any suitable parts!
To be fair my idea of retro and his may differ, (m750 rear mech isn't retro to me) but they are more than happy to work on old bikes and seem prefectly competent setting up cup and cone bearings, cantis etc.
As far as a bad day is concerned, Ive no idea. But at least one of their members of staff is registered on here, they were selling NOS STi units on here a while back. Further proof they have the right stuff hidden away

 

[frantik]

my LBS is cool, they work on retro and modern stuff w/o blinking an eye.

I actually found my Diamondback apex at the LBS.. someone had bout it off Ebay just for the wheelset and left the rest of the bike at the LBS. they parted most of it out but the frame was still there. They hooked me up with a free ubrake too if i bought the brake bads

 

[kirbdug]

I count myself very lucky with my LBS. they don't push the fact they are retro friendly, far from it, they look like any other as far as the showeooms concerned, but if you catch the bossman on a good day and mention that you are doing up an old MTB you'll get offered a coffee while he or his minions root around upstairs for any suitable parts!
To be fair my idea of retro and his may differ, (m750 rear mech isn't retro to me) but they are more than happy to work on old bikes and seem prefectly competent setting up cup and cone bearings, cantis etc.
As far as a bad day is concerned, Ive no idea. But at least one of their members of staff is registered on here, they were selling NOS STi units on here a while back. Further proof they have the right stuff hidden away

I guess you are talking about ricci in Redruth. They sorted my super v headshock out a few years back while I had a coffee that they had made me.
They also have loads of nos syncros stems upstairs

Kirbdug

 

[Pyro Tim]

Mine isn't too bad at all, and I know one of them is on here. Mentioned I'm missing the dust cap, bottom cap of my XT 7 speed shifter from my 91 Axis Pro, he said he'd root around, and took my number.