Obnoxious cycle shop owners.

[jazzkat]

There's one in Rochdale, they have a sign at the entrance...WE DO NOT ALLOW BIKES IN HERE, or something of that ilk.

It's on a very busy main road, they haven't anything to lock to. I was in the process of wanting a winter bike as my Brompton had slid from underneath me on a roundabout near the shop in question.

I half folded the Brompton and went in, the look I got from them was disgraceful and their attitude was awful. I didn't buy a bike from them but got it the same night from lbs.

I thought they'd be out of business soon, but 2 years later they're still there.

Oh boy....'that' shop! I had dealings with them many years ago. Totally trashed a wheel for me replacing bearings (I was a newby and should have done it myself) It has a terrible reputation in the area and I found out later that the local cyclists stay away. I think it stays open selling kids bikes for christmas.

I could write war and peace about what I think of Formby Cycles(merseyside)!! Needless to say I went to another nearer shop with a less bling shopfront but better well established business called MOSSCROPS (Southport) who i could also write war and peace about but in a good way! I now live 30 miles away from Mosscrops but will always pop in and say Hi to the owner and see if he has anything i'm after at the current time.Now looking for new LBS in South Liverpool!!

Just goes to show, when we bought Mrs Jk's newest bike we had great help and advice from Formby cycles.

 

[matthat]

Oh boy....'that' shop! I had dealings with them many years ago. Totally trashed a wheel for me replacing bearings (I was a newby and should have done it myself) It has a terrible reputation in the area and I found out later that the local cyclists stay away. I think it stays open selling kids bikes for christmas.


Just goes to show, when we bought Mrs Jk's newest bike we had great help and advice from Formby cycles.

I had great advice at sale! But after sale and warranty issues well that's another story!
Not been in for 3yrs now!!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Oh boy....'that' shop! I had dealings with them many years ago. Totally trashed a wheel for me replacing bearings (I was a newby and should have done it myself) It has a terrible reputation in the area and I found out later that the local cyclists stay away. I think it stays open selling kids bikes for christmas.


Just goes to show, when we bought Mrs Jk's newest bike we had great help and advice from Formby cycles.

Ahh so it wasn't just me they don't like the look of then? It's a fair sized shop, you'd think they'd want more custom, observable old gits.

 

[Herr-B]

When I was looking for a bike through cyclescheme I visited all the lbs, one had a young adult on the computer who told me to 'have a look on their website', rather than around their showroom - will never go there again. One told me that through the scheme I must use the RRP and add their admin few - their cash (or finance through them) price was roughly 40% discount across the board - never used again, and not recommended to bro-in-law who used them and regretted it just a couple of weeks later. Another didn't stock anything below a grand that didn't only have a Sora groupset. Two were quite helpful - out of these two I've since used one for repairs after I cross threaded a pedal to replace the crank - he could not source the part at a reasonable price but when I said I could get it from Ribble for a lot cheaper he told me to order it and he'd fit it for about 25 quid.

Velosport in Cleethorpes, I will use you again and recommend you.

 

[inkd]

As Stevede mentioned, I was bought up to "speak how you expect to be spoken to"

 

[geo]

Not read all this thread but a positive word for my local (well not so local as its 20 mile away ) bike shop. Jack Parker cycles in Burscough cant do enough to help always a friendly ear a very experienced cyclist and fair prices for servicing and kit. Not the biggest shop around but in my opinion a very very good LBS and well worth the trip whenever I need anything.

 

[snorri]

i. The shop assistant just said "Is there anything you want or can i carry on with my repairs"? Totally brushing aside my comments!

Reminds me of the day I was in my LBS for some spare part or other when I mentioned to the owner that I had done a LEJOG on the bike I had bought from him a year earlier. I don't know of anyone else locally who has done a LEJOG with a locally purchased bike so thought my achievment might have been of interest, instead he gave a grunt and looked at me as if to say what did you do that for? Anyway, I know he is pathetic on customer relations and won't improve now so I continued to give him my business.

 

[matthat]

Not read all this thread but a positive word for my local (well not so local as its 20 mile away ) bike shop. Jack Parker cycles in Burscough cant do enough to help always a friendly ear a very experienced cyclist and fair prices for servicing and kit. Not the biggest shop around but in my opinion a very very good LBS and well worth the trip whenever I need anything.

I have window shopped there and yes very helpful.

 

[400bhp]

Secondly they told me that I shouldn't be using my mid range Shimano RS80 to commute on when I took it in there to be trued, when challenged what is the differnce between riding at the WE and commuting that makes the RS80 "unsuitable" they couldn't answer me.

Very very true.

Perhaps the roads change form in the week.

 

[Moodyman]

Very very true.

Perhaps the roads change form in the week.

True to some extent, but it also depends how and where you commute.

I carry two heavy panniers and ride on crappy urban roads. My weekend rides involve smoother country roads with no luggage, racks or mudguards

 

[nickyboy]

I really don't know the answer. I would hate to see the end of the LBS, but they have to be competitive, and it must be hard when you are up against bulk buyers with low overheads.

Answer = supply something you can't buy online

Repairs, specialist niche products and advice to go with, products with local affiliations like bike club discounts
Everything else leave to online retailers

 

[fudgepanda]

Secondly they told me that I shouldn't be using my mid range Shimano RS80 to commute on when I took it in there to be trued, when challenged what is the differnce between riding at the WE and commuting that makes the RS80 "unsuitable" they couldn't answer me.

I know you described the Shimano RS80 as mid range, but.....er......I must admit I'm not actually sure what one is. Anyway, isn't mid range what you really need for commuting? If you have the cycling equivalent of a Ferrari then you'd probably want to save it for high days and holidays rather than expose it to the grind of commuting. But, I think that perhaps this is a trap many who are supposed to advise us fall into. If you should read a car magazine you'll probably find that, for instance, that the FIAT Panda is best with the normal 1.2 petrol engine, whereas the 500 is best with the 0.9 litre turbo engine. They are jumping to conclusions about "our" own needs. A Panda is quite a utilitarian kind of car, a bit like a hybrid. But I have a hybrid yet it comes with Deore gears which I believe are quite a fair way up the Shimano pecking order. Does that mean that because I have a hybrid I've got to have the lowest price/quality gears?

 

[Hicky]

Ahh so it wasn't just me they don't like the look of then? It's a fair sized shop, you'd think they'd want more custom, observable old gits.

I took my lads rear wheel in one day to have it trued as he somehow managed to buckle a 20inch mtb wheel!
Well he looked at it "I'll have a go but that is knackered pal", alarm bells start ringing as I've seen much worse in my youth(by me).....anyway, came back the next day was charged. NO difference in the wheel.
Miserable and useless, PC no parking for cars or bikes!!

 

[youngoldbloke]

I know you described the Shimano RS80 as mid range, but.....er......I must admit I'm not actually sure what one is.

Remember ....... Google is your friend. (OK, to save your clicks, RS80 is a Shimano 700c wheelset).

 

[Lanzecki]

I know you described the Shimano RS80 as mid range, but.....er......I must admit I'm not actually sure what one is.

20 secs on wiggle : http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=rs80