Support your local bike shop ... puh !!

[daj]

popped into Evesham this morning (not the best start!! )

Dragged my Other half from one end to the other to pop into a cycle shop that we passed on the way in , Always cool finding a new shop!!

So we walk in , as soon as we close the door ..... " Can I help you?" grumpy looking 50 year old barks at us .... " errm thought we would have a look around " :shock: . He turns his back and starts spannering a bike ( quite rough and clumsey I thought too!!) So for 5 uncomfortable mins we have a look round and instead of following my gut feeling and leaving I ask for something I need.

"Have you got a spanner for clamping a 1" threaded headset?"

His reply

"No such thing.... They are all different sizes ...could be 28mm to 34mm so pointless buying one ... what you need is one of these waving an adjustable clamp at me ...but we dont have any "

Oh I said :shock: we both left the shop :roll:

Yeah .... Will deff pop back there over chain reaction anyday :roll:

 

[cannondale king]

some shops are just not worth the time of day and at least with crc you get your items next day and at a price thats low and customer service is still better than some shops. the shop i used to work at has from what iv'e heard gone right down hill since i left as the boss was only intrested in money and didn't give a dame who he spoke down too and all he wanted was money and porn, sex lines, holidays 4 a year all expencive (cos he can only afford to pay min wage) :roll: :roll:


crc wiggle ribble merlin rock

 

[llamedos]

My LBS is great they can never do enough to help .... They will match CRC prices so tip top

 

[fagin]

As the office biking fundi (ha) a girl came to me last week as her BSO (in her defence she uses it daily) wouldn't stop. Using my vast experience I deduced that she had no pads left. Not even any adjustment left, so I told her if she popped into the bike shop up the road and bought some I'd fit them. 10 minutes later she's back with two pairs, £7.99 a set. £16 total, probably more than her bike is worth. What a rip.
I'll stick to Ebay, CRC and the nice people here.

 

[tintin40]

And they wonder why they go out of business :roll:

 

[velomaniac]

I miss my LBS, the owner was a cheery Irish chap, a ex road bike type, always did me some great bargains.

Unfortunately he was into too much wheeling and dealing and fled back to Ireland when some of his Creditors called in his debts. I suspect said creditors were of the thick necked, negotiate with a big stick types :roll:

Most other LBS round here are the knowledgable eager to please types so no complaints

 

[Steve Kish]

I've seen the demise of Birds of Colindale, Don Farrell, Whiskers of Kilburn AND Goff's Oak, Dave Russell, Dauphin Sport and Stuart Bikes of Acton - all good lads but now, just memories.

 

[skinnyboy]

Popped into one that is on my route home from work the other night. Some chap asks me xo I need help so I ask him "do you stock magura pads for their rim brakes". His reply was "what are they?" thank you goodbye! And the prices in there... Crc eBay and here are miles ahead in value. I know they have to turn a profit but there must be a vacuum of common sense in the general cycling buyersphere if these shops are still open.

 

[saltyman]

the amount of bike shops i have been in and they have no idea about makes/models of bikes past or present is shocking........they all seem to be ex roadies who last rode a bike in the 80's........no help at all round my way.

 

[beagle]

My LBS is great so they aren't all bad. Round my way the pricks of the world work seem to at Evans and places like that.