Miserable rude LBS owner.

[stoatsngroats]

My LBS is expensive, but ok with advice over he phone. I've only once had excellent service in (the reasonably) LBS, and would use that shop in the future.
Halfds has always been good, but the 'techie' there is an enthusiast.....

In my work, I pride myself on first class customer service, if I don't get that wherever I go - I never go back!

 

[Andy in Sig]

I think the distinction made between the bike lover who has become disillusioned and hence miserable and the bike lover who realises that first and foremost he is there to serve his customers does indeed explain a lot. For instance it is probably the former who is likely to get snobby about the kind of bike being brought in and refusing to touch it, whereas the latter will gladly help out because firstly it is good business and secondly it is the decent thing to do. The latter will also have the opportunity to point out to the customer that bikes have become a lot more efficient/lighter etc in the 30 years since his bike was made and perhaps he would care for a test ride. Not difficult to work out who will succeed in the long run.

 

[pubrunner]

I think the distinction made between the bike lover who has become disillusioned and hence miserable and the bike lover who realises that first and foremost he is there to serve his customers does indeed explain a lot. For instance it is probably the former who is likely to get snobby about the kind of bike being brought in and refusing to touch it, whereas the latter will gladly help out because firstly it is good business and secondly it is the decent thing to do. The latter will also have the opportunity to point out to the customer that bikes have become a lot more efficient/lighter etc in the 30 years since his bike was made and perhaps he would care for a test ride. Not difficult to work out who will succeed in the long run.

+1

 

[pubrunner]

It's weird isn't it here in harrogate there are 3 types of bike shops:

1 - If it's more than a couple of years old and not worth at least a few hundred and not bought from them they are not interested.

2 - Great for touring stuff and very helpful but wouldn't take my cheap mountain bike there.

3 - Will tackle any job very reasonable prices and I always take my mountain bike there and have recomended loads of people to them and they are all very pleased but no good for more expensive and specialist stuff.

In my experience, bike shops are generally in the first category; I'd love to find 2 or 3.

 

[Black Sheep]

Am I alone in being the owner of a steel-framed bike who isn't practically minded ?

my '68 carlton doesn't seem to have a problem with people working on it other than its cotted cranks getting some odd looks.

 

[tyred]

Funny enough, when I bought a spare 27 x 1 1/4" tube for my Carlton in an LBS near where I work but had never used before, the owner asked me what type of bike I needed it for and when I told him, he told me to look after it as it's better than any of the rubbish you can buy now. I was expecting the opposite response.

Clearly he hasn't got the hang of being a salesman if he had any intentions of selling me a new bike, that wasn't the way to go about doing it!

 

[tdr1nka]

Talking of borrowing tools from your LBS I noticed today that Brixton Cycles has a sign that says simply; 'NO MANNERS - NO SPANNERS'.

 

[Fnaar]

Talking of borrowing tools from your LBS I noticed today that Brixton Cycles has a sign that says simply; 'NO MANNERS - NO SPANNERS'.

Do they still do their rather funky cycle jerseys?

 

[Black Sheep]

Clearly he hasn't got the hang of being a salesman if he had any intentions of selling me a new bike, that wasn't the way to go about doing it!

most likely knows he's only ever gonna sell you parts or servicing

 

[tdr1nka]

Do they still do their rather funky cycle jerseys?

Indeed they do!

 

[peanut]

Had a bad experience in my local bike shop (the biggest store in the UK apparently)
Requested a set of STI brake cables . Told they don't stock sets ??? wtf ? we are talking about a shop with 4x of everything hundreds of top of the range bikes in a vast warehouse/shop
Ok I said can you please cut me off 2 mts of brake and 2x metres of gear outer of the drum and sell me the generic inner cables .
I bought some other stuff paid what I thought was a rather high price and drove 15 miles home.
When I went to build my bike I realised that the cretin who cut the cables had cut them into 1x metre lengths! ???

What kind of stupidity is that ?

Looked at the receipt and realised that Tryhard uk had charged me £36.00 for 4x metres of off the drum cheap cable with no ferrules or cable crimps included.

When I returned to get replacement cable outers I queried the extortionate cost of the cables and the Manager said that things bought individually always cost more than sets. I said so why don't you sell sets as well to which he had no answer. He was so rude and ignorant I lost my temper and stormed out never to return.