What bikeshops do you avoid at all cost?

[utahdog2003]

I did a good long tour in multiple shop employment in my time, and I support mail order. If I go into a local shop here in town and request a part to be ordered (because nobody stocks a damn thing around here), they will invariably order what they feel is a comparable part instead of what you wanted. Order a Race Face bash guard?...get a QBP/Salsa. Order a Magura brace?...get a Tektro...Order RS shock oil?...get Finish Line. Irritating...I ask for a part by name, that's what I want, do not take it upon yourself to second guess me. These turkeys always seem to be able to order what they want for their $7K dirtless, never ridden, 'personal bikes' that hang all over, but when it comes to the customers request...well lets just say the customer is apparently never right. I wind up having to give people my cycling industry resume and a terse "look, people...I know what I'm doing. Just sell me the 261 mm spokes already and save the 'wheelbuilding is hard' speech for another time! :? :x

If I'm buying shoes or a helmet, something that is very fit specific, I'll do it locally, but even then it means you'd better be OK with a private label branded helmet and not the newest Giro stud-bucket.

I order online, and I never have to talk to an idiot, I pick exactly what I want or I go to another online shop, It's on my doorstep faster than waiting for the local shops to get around to their "order day", and again, and most importantly...I get what I want.

Best thing is, I don't have to hear a load of editorial crap about how my steel fork and quill stem make my road bike heavy, or how the Beast of the East is too old to worry about, or about how my EWRs are too heavy or not very good because "I haven't heard of them" or about how Cannondales are supposed to creak or blah blah blah.

Shops have a problem, they don't want to pay people to stay and work to gain knowlege, but they expect the bicycle public to believe that the 16 y/o kids are 'trained mechanics'. You have to pick one or the other because it' s like Bontrager says..."Pick two...Light, Strong, Cheap."...16 and experienced are not likely descriptors of the same body.

As for specific shops to avoid, in my experience they are all very similar in todays industry...much like the carbon black wonder-bikes they hock. Why target one particular shop for exclusion? :cry:

 

[Radar]

Utahdog - you are clearly my long lost twin/ alter ego.
Agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying... I remember asking a local bike shop for some Park cable cutters (I only really buy Park tools as I'm fed up buying cheap tools that work twice then break) - the shop was a Park dealer and they refused to get some for me, prefering to offer me something else. Yes I know they are expensive, but they will last for ever! Bought them online instead, cheaper, faster and no lecture! (And that is from a quite good rated local bike shop)

 

[stevet1]

Utahdog is on the money with his rant but I'd like to add I've had piss poor service from most places but the worst offender has to be Winstanley cycles in Wigan. Last time I wanted a few parts that they were showing in stock as they're localish to me I decided to pay them a visit to check colours etc so after a 20 minute drive on my lunch hour I spent 30 minutes standing at the counter waiting to be served, two of the items were out if stock, one item was apparently 'in stock' but they couldn't find it and the last item was a chainring which they sold me but when I got it home it was the wrong size in incorrect packaging which had been resealed.

 

[Pointer]

I guess everyone on this forum is a 'specialist' - we have knowledge built up over years of trials and riding.
Everyone knows a 'good little shop' somewhere, Evans etc is fine if you know what you need and they have it in stock. I recently took a Kona Explosif frame into Evans in Milton Keynes to get a bottom bracket - unsure of the length I needed ( I am using 1995 Sugino cranks) and they were helpful and even fitted it for me for free...what's wrong with that?
I guess it comes down to who is standing behind the counter really, if they're half your age then they're hardly likely to know about products that have long since disappeared..luckily we have Retrobike!
There was a really good couple of shops in Cornwall in the 90's - I live in Northants now, there's nothing much around here. So I am afraid I do actually order most of my stuff online. :?

 

[dyna-ti]

I went to Halfords Once and I'll never go back.
My story of woe-
I needed to have my Z2 Bams serviced [for the first time since new,it was 8yold at the time]
After 3 months of repeated phoning ,them telling me they'd lost the paperwork,and the fork was still at the service dept,i was lucky and got through to an area manager who was visiting at the time and just picked up the phone by chance,with his intervention they 'found' it very quickly and returned it back onto the bike and said they'd only charge £20[about 1/2 price]because of the hassel i'd suffered[the REAL suffering started later]
Got the bike home but didnt use it for about 7-8 weeks[silly]when i did use it i discovered they had f***ed the rebound cartridge by leaving off a circlip causing it to cross-thread into the pre-load adjuster knob[new rebound cart'+ preload knob is about £100]
Decided to check the whole bike- and found another bit of shoddy workmanship- nearly made me cry
how had they removed the fork??- tapped down on top of the steerer till they have enough room to get they're fingers under the upper ball race and pull it off?
NO! they decided to try and lever it off using a small screwdriver ,taking a chunk off it
1 CHRIS KING no thread set now with a F***ed upper ball race
Bad enough to leave off a circlip ,but with so many parts it can happen to even the best mechanic,but to try and lever off a chris king h/set with a screwdriver is just crazy!! what did he[the mechanic ,and i use the word loosely]think was going to happen?
Got onto halfords ,and what do you think they said--
Not our fault and refused point blank to help saying its the fault of the service dept which is a seperate company

I've also just sent a copy of this to halfords ,we'll see what they say
Prob' the- it's not they're fault, line again

 

[legrandefromage]

Ha Ha - Halfords...


GF's nephew was given an Appollo MTB at christmas one year - about 9 months later the bearings fell out the back wheel - I took it back with him to where it was bought from, had reciept had service stamp had 12 month warranty and, a very good condition bicycle.

Halfords said 'not covered as you've used it off road'

er - its a 'm o u n t a i n bike'

'yes but you've used it off road - it wasnt designed for that'

ok - but what bike is that in your advert on the wall behind you?

It was said appollo flying through the air on a nice bit of wooded singletrack.

Wheel fixed.

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

I went to Halfords Once and I'll never go back.
My story of woe-
I needed to have my Z2 Bams serviced [for the first time since new,it was 8yold at the time]
After 3 months of repeated phoning ,them telling me they'd lost the paperwork,and the fork was still at the service dept,i was lucky and got through to an area manager who was visiting at the time and just picked up the phone by chance,with his intervention they 'found' it very quickly and returned it back onto the bike and said they'd only charge £20[about 1/2 price]because of the hassel i'd suffered[the REAL suffering started later]
Got the bike home but didnt use it for about 7-8 weeks[silly]when i did use it i discovered they had f***ed the rebound cartridge by leaving off a circlip causing it to cross-thread into the pre-load adjuster knob[new rebound cart'+ preload knob is about £100]
Decided to check the whole bike- and found another bit of shoddy workmanship- nearly made me cry
how had they removed the fork??- tapped down on top of the steerer till they have enough room to get they're fingers under the upper ball race and pull it off?
NO! they decided to try and lever it off using a small screwdriver ,taking a chunk off it
1 CHRIS KING no thread set now with a F***ed upper ball race
Bad enough to leave off a circlip ,but with so many parts it can happen to even the best mechanic,but to try and lever off a chris king h/set with a screwdriver is just crazy!! what did he[the mechanic ,and i use the word loosely]think was going to happen?
Got onto halfords ,and what do you think they said--
Not our fault and refused point blank to help saying its the fault of the service dept which is a seperate company

I've also just sent a copy of this to halfords ,we'll see what they say
Prob' the- it's not they're fault, line again

As you paid Halfords your contract is with them

Call trading standards

 

[dyna-ti]

it was a couple of years ago now ,i'd prob' be time barred of something like that,bikes long sold now
I'm just chancing my luck ,see if they'll cough up,i'm not holding my breath though

 

[Bike Hoarder]

I've worked in loads of different shops over the years, and bought from plenty more. It certainly seems that, from my experience and others, the shop is only as good as it's staff. If they are friendly and actually have some knowledge, then it's all good.

I worked for Halfords for nearly 2 years back around 2000, and i must say that our store was a good one. We were all enthusiasts, between us we had enough experience and knowledge for all eventualities. The fact that we rode together as well, meant there was always a great atmosphere. We knew how to bend the rules to get people good deals, and we knew how the special order system worked.

But, people left, including myself, and it rapidly went downhill. I popped in there only a few days ago, and overheard two members of staff trying to work out if a 700c tube could be used for a 27" wheel :roll: !! I did manage to buy some ITM road bars for a fiver though.

Now, i'm an internet shopper (CRC), either that or i find what i need from my contacts down the tip!!!

 

[Copey]

There is a bike shop near me called 'Planet Bike'.. wow, weird bunch.. I go in now and again to buy tools and cables, etc..

Everytime I am in there, I hear a burp or a fart coming from the workshop out back.. then the sales staff are trying to serve you with a straight face.. customer service at its finest.... AHHH BISTO!!!!