why are the local bike shops closing down?

[phil_hg_uk]

Stop mentioning cake.

 

[Scruffmonster]

My LBS has moved to new premises, more than doubled in size and now has a little cafe in the store where you can chill with a coffee. Fair play to them.

This is a direction I fully expect to see more shops move in. Many stores would benefit from clearing some bikes out and putting some small tables and chairs inside. Bringing the coffee stop inside the bike shop can only ever be a good thing. Strange men in lycra sharing coffee and cake builds communities.

The irony of course being that people would happily pay £2 for 5p worth of Filter coffee, then complain about a 20% cost difference between an in store/online chainset.

 

[Britain's Shoppers]

Hi Guys,

We are looking for a bike shop to take part in our show. Its all about helping small independents survive, so if anyone owns or knows anyone who owns a shop please give them our details.

Thanks!!

Andy

Andy Bruce | Casting Researcher | Britain’s Shoppers Optomen Television Limited
102 St Pancras Way
London NW1 9ND
Direct Dial: 020 3227 5936
Switchboard: 020 3227 5900
Fax: 020 3227 5901

www.optomen.com

 

[Archie_tect]

Cue dell's brother....

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I wish I had a helmet cam. today was a day of surreal LBS encounters of the 'shake the dust from your feet' kind....

appaz my two-year-old £1000 mtb probably isn't worth servicing (I'm a bit time poor at present or would not even consider taking in to a shop) because the cost of parts and labour will be more than it is now worth because "it's from Halfords" and "It's bound to be shot if its two years old and it hasn't been serviced properly if you've done it yourself". Said diagnosis done sight unseen by someone who probably wasn't even born when I did my first XC race and was in primary school when I did my cytech course.

FFS..

 

[craven2354]

I have a friend who works at a bikes and bike accessories warehouse I get parts for cost + 10%

 

[al78]

I wish I had a helmet cam. today was a day of surreal LBS encounters of the 'shake the dust from your feet' kind....

appaz my two-year-old £1000 mtb probably isn't worth servicing (I'm a bit time poor at present or would not even consider taking in to a shop) because the cost of parts and labour will be more than it is now worth because "it's from Halfords" and "It's bound to be shot if its two years old and it hasn't been serviced properly if you've done it yourself". Said diagnosis done sight unseen by someone who probably wasn't even born when I did my first XC race and was in primary school when I did my cytech course.

FFS..

Out of interest which bike shop was that? Surely not one of the Horsham ones?

 

[velovoice]

For virtually everything else there is Brixton Cycles.

FTFY

 

[Paul J]

Hmm my daughter was after a new bike and went to LBS in Wisbech. Twice on a Saturday she was greeted by an old man who wasn't interested in selling anything and said his son usually runs the shop. So instead she went to Richardsons in Kings Lynn who where very helpful and she picks it up on Wednesday.

 

[Archie_tect]

It took me 30 minutes to persuade one local LBS that I really did need a shorter 90mm stem for my wife to use my hybrid bike.... after they'd fitted the bike to her and 'adjusted' everything again.... but they refused to sell me a new seat-post. Still, I learnt more about 'stuff'.

 

[tadpole]

My local Bike shop J woods of Hanham refused to let me pay for a new wheel , because I'd bought the wheel from the shop 4 months ago and "it should have laster longer than it did". He even swapped over the screw-on gear and fitted a new slime inner tube.

 

[Chromatic]

A little while ago my wife bought a bike and I bought myself another bike so I can pootle around with her. When I bought it I asked if they could take the pedals off and put on some spd's with flats one side and clips the other. They did have some sort there but I didn't really want them, the flat side was quite small and I wanted better ones. He suggested better ones too before I said so, showed me what he recommended in his catalogue so I said 'yep, thats more like it, I'll have them', was told they'll order them and give a ring when they are in.
So I pay the bill for bike plus pedals, the cost of which he added on without asking me if that was ok with me but I let that go, thinking I'm going to have them anyway, so no problems there but he really should have asked first. He takes my phone number and I leave the shop with the bike, having paid for the bike and another set of pedals, expecting to get a call within a couple of days saying they're in, pop back and we'll fit them. Over two weeks later still no call.
Now I could have got what I wanted quicker and probably cheaper off t'interweb, but I decided to give them the custom and this is what happens.
To be honest, I'm almost tempted to leave it to see if I ever do get the call. Whatever I do I will not be going back there subsequently.

 

[dellzeqq]

A bike shop has just opened some 400 yards from my front door!

So........I've got nine LBSs within two miles.
Brixton Cycles
Cyclopolis
Crazy Horse
Psubliminal
Evans
Apex
Herne Hill Cycles
Bon Velo
Balfe's Cycles
(I'd rather walk than set foot inside De Ver)

 

[BigonaBianchi]

If i need something fixingfitting then ill go to a bike shop...if just buying something ill shop online. Unfortunatly one LBS here doesnt do a good job and is expensive, the other just thinks you are dirt if you dont ride a top flight carbon machine, look like a skinny road snake etc...

TBH the bike shops do need to wake up a bit and realize that cycliststhese days are actually more 'bike savy' than in the past. Two or three times this guy tried to blind me with science assuming I was just riding around the corner and ignorant of anything except how to fix a puncture

 

[Chromatic]

A little while ago my wife bought a bike and I bought myself another bike so I can pootle around with her. When I bought it I asked if they could take the pedals off and put on some spd's with flats one side and clips the other. They did have some sort there but I didn't really want them, the flat side was quite small and I wanted better ones. He suggested better ones too before I said so, showed me what he recommended in his catalogue so I said 'yep, thats more like it, I'll have them', was told they'll order them and give a ring when they are in.
So I pay the bill for bike plus pedals, the cost of which he added on without asking me if that was ok with me but I let that go, thinking I'm going to have them anyway, so no problems there but he really should have asked first. He takes my phone number and I leave the shop with the bike, having paid for the bike and another set of pedals, expecting to get a call within a couple of days saying they're in, pop back and we'll fit them. Over two weeks later still no call.
Now I could have got what I wanted quicker and probably cheaper off t'interweb, but I decided to give them the custom and this is what happens.
To be honest, I'm almost tempted to leave it to see if I ever do get the call. Whatever I do I will not be going back there subsequently.

Nearly 8 years later I'm still waiting for this call.