Miserable rude LBS owner.

[Crackle]

Sweeping generalisation , but...

Many LBS are owned by cyclists of a certain age.

And many cyclists of a certain age are grumpy old gits.

Did not the MD of Raleigh get a bit of a pasting for saying the same thing not so long ago

 

[andy_wrx]

Dunno - you got a link ? Sounds entertaining !

<edit - found it !>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/23/cycling

"I have spent my whole career working for classic British industries that couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery - 15 years at ICI, eight years at ICL. The management spent 90% of their time rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. The number of reorganisations that we went though in those two companies over that time was ridiculous and we never sold an extra computer or an extra pound of chemicals as a result - it just gave management something to do.
"It is soul destroying. So to come to Raleigh at the point where it has got the chance of a new life is a tremendous opportunity."

"The national retailers are a bunch of vipers, the Argos, Halfords, JJBs; I'm not picking on them particularly, I think it is the nature of national retailers - there is a strategic push to command as much of the supply chain as possible and really just top and tail with brands where absolutely necessary.
"We have a smattering of presence within the national retailers but it is subservient to their own private label. Then independent retailing in the UK is a shambles. It is real Steptoe and Son stuff. Most of them will turn the lights off on a sunny day to save a bit of lecky. If you want to imagine the typical independent bike dealer, he is 50-60, highly cynical, miserable, moaning, scruffy. That's my customer. It is great."

You can see why he'd get a hammering for that...


...but he is talking about a particular type of bikeshop that I recognise !

 

[Crackle]

Dunno - you got a link ? Sounds entertaining !

Found it again:

"If you want to imagine the typical independent bike dealer, he is 50-60, highly cynical, miserable, moaning, scruffy. That's my customer. It is great."

Full article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/23/cycling?gusrc=rss&feed=business

Discussed on CC here http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=5827

Edit: it wasn't that he got a pasting for actually.

 

[DJ]

I had the same kind of thing with the owner of 'the' W*tc*mbe Cycles in Deptford(my closest LBS)a few years ago.

After a tube shredded on a busy day of appointments I rushed in to buy an inner tube from him which cost me nearly a quid more than anywhere else. I swallowed my pride as I was in a real rush to get moving.
Once I fitted the tube I realised I hadn't got a presta valve adapter for my pump I asked politely if I could borrow one to pump up my tyre.....................

'That'll be £2 please.' he said.
'Ah, sorry I've no more money, can I not just borrow one to pump up the tube I have just bought from you?'
'No.'
'Can I ask why not?'
'You'll get it dirty.'

He flatly refused to entertain any notion of helping in any way, he wouldn't even let me use the track pump that was in clear view, in case I broke it, and no, I couldn't borrow any of the workshop adapters because the mechanics 'were out at lunch'.
Regrettably I lost my temper, stacked my pump into one of his displays and told him exactly what I thought of him, his prices and vowed to tell everyone what a miserable old cn*t he was.

Oh oops, I've done it again.

Knowing that Wh*tc*mbe Cycles are a South London institution I felt seriously wronged until I read that Sheldon Brown thought their frames weren't exactly the best.

MY GOD, Dom I reckon I was right you are a Rotweiler!!!!!!


When I mentioned Wh*tc*mbe's to you, you failed to mention the details!!!!!

 

[DJ]

As a note to the OP, a lot of small busineses are suffering badly at the moment as people are not spending and are holding on to any cash that they have. The uproot is STRESS and lots of it!!


So be nice to your LBS guy, spend lots of your hard earned and he will be nice back!!!!

 

[Radius]

Not sure that's completely true DJ, sometimes they're just quite snobby and impatient. Luckily, as far as my experience goes, mine isn't...

 

[DJ]

Not sure that's completely true DJ, sometimes they're just quite snobby and impatient. Luckily, as far as my experience goes, mine isn't...

Yeah yor right actualy sometimes they are just snobby and impatient, but maybe they get fed up with cyclists breezing in and expecting them to sort out their problems for them! Perhaps it is like any other relationship, we have to build trust and respect! I have finally won the old guy over in my LBS and now his face lights up when I walk in we have a filthy chat about bikes and then I leave! With some people it takes a little time thats all!!!

Where is your LBS by the way it sounds good?

 

[Black Sheep]

There's a LBS in Padiham near Burnley where I dropped in yesterday in passing to buy an inner tube and some chain lube. At the same time I wanted an opinion on a rather loose (new) chain joining link and was ready to buy a repacement link if they advised it.

The owner came storming up and snorted in disgust: "What make of chain is it? Huh, that's cheap Taiwanese rubbish. WHERE DID YOU GET THE BIKE?" and refused to discuss the matter any further. The poetry of his situation is almost perfect - he's angry that people are buying off the web yet he insults the few customers who do take the trouble to buy from his miserable depressing shop.

I give him six more months. I'll go the closing down sale though.

there's a bike shop near me who generally won't service/ work on bikes that they didn't originally supply, i don't understand either but hey,

they're friendly about it and if they're not busy they'll look at it - guess its more a case of them bending a bit to fit someone in who's bought a bike from them.

they fitted mine in after i politely pointed out the shop didn't exist when it was bought and that it was the first ride on the bike and a loose headset would only take a moment and save me a walk home

 

[Radius]

@ DJ: Apex Cycles on Clapham Highstreet. Some people don't get on with them, but I seem to. Did buy first bike secondhand from there though...

 

[mickle]

Yesterday; wheeled my Colnago into Edinburg cycle coop in Edinburg, took the wheel out and asked the geezer to supply and fit (but not true) a spoke in the drive side. He charged me 120p. I gave him a tenner and told him to keep the change. I paid what I thought that level of service was worth even if he didn't.

I'll come back to this thread when I don't have to be up in the morning.

 

[Dave5N]

Yesterday; wheeled my Colnago into Edinburg cycle coop in Edinburg, took the wheel out and asked the geezer to supply and fit (but not true) a spoke in the drive side. He charged me 120p. I gave him a tenner and told him to keep the change. I paid what I thought that level of service was worth even if he didn't.

I'll come back to this thread when I don't have to be up in the morning.

show off.

 

[Sittingduck]

@ DJ: Apex Cycles on Clapham Highstreet. Some people don't get on with them, but I seem to. Did buy first bike secondhand from there though...

+1 for Apex Cycles. Been in there a couple of times now and they're tip-top

 

[Hilldodger]

I can't condone the shops above but you'd be suprised how many people come through our door to "just borrow your tools a moment" or "have you got an old tyre I can have?" or get offended when you wont give them a discount on a fully serviced second-hand bike priced at £35.

 

[Black Sheep]

I can't condone the shops above but you'd be suprised how many people come through our door to "just borrow your tools a moment" or "have you got an old tyre I can have?" or get offended when you wont give them a discount on a fully serviced second-hand bike priced at £35.

i can understand it at somewhere that the shop knows the person and they're a regular customer - my LBS don't let me borrow tools anymore for insurance reasons (fair enough) but will do the quick job for me most times.

 

[User482]

The attititude of some LBS owners never fails to astound. The only way they can beat online retailers is through superior customer service!