Your local bike shop. Good or bad?

[SkinnyBoy]

Went into my Local bike shop on Saturday to get some simple things. Rock upto the counter to be met by an American woman who clearly had the mental happenning. I ask for a pair of cable end stops too which she stares at me like I had just asked to rape her children. She then barks at some mouth breathing idiot who proceded to shuffle round from the back where he was butchering some poor buggers bottom bracket with a large hammer and an air rattle gun. After drawing a little sketch of what I was after I gave up. Asked for half a metre of gear outer cable and he gives me 2 metres of brake outer. fking useless! My old bike shop where I grew up was brill if Johnny didn't know it didn't exist! What grusome stories do you have regarding your local LBS?

Edited by SkinnyBoy on Monday 7th June 04:24

[Dunk76]

They're all pretty shonky round my way - despite painting themselves as 'experts', and despite the huge number of bikes in Brighton & Hove generally.

Nearest one, an MTB specialist, a couple of weeks back;

Me: What forks do you have, the Manitous on mine are on the way out...
Them: Forks?
Me: Yes, forks, shocks... do you have any?
them: Err, I dunno, I'll ask
Me: Okay, I'm not fussed about them being shocks though, I fancy trying some forks instead
Them: eh?
Me: I fancy putting some fixed forks on it, instead of shocks... maybe some Carbon Richey ones.
Them: you can't do that
Me: why not?
Them: did the bike come with shocks?
Me: Yes
Them: well you can't put solid forks on it
Me: Why ever not?
Them: I dunno, I'll ask

So I left there and went to next place about a mile away.

Me: Hello, I'm after a set of forks, not shocks, for my MTB
Them: We're out of both types at the moment
Me: Ah, can you order me some Richey carbon ones?
Them: No
Me: What if I pay up front?
Them: No
Me: Okay, can you order me some metal solid forks then?
Them: No
Me: Why not?
Them: We don't order for customers, you'll just have to ring up when the new order comes in
Me: What will you be getting in them?
Them: Dunno yet
Me: You don't know what you'll be ordering?
Them: No
Me: Whose shop is it?
Them: Mine
Me: When will you know what you're ordering?
Them: When I order it
Me: fking hell mate, I'm trying to spend money with you here, help me out will you?
Them: There's no need to swear


I'll always try to help the little guy, but sometimes people are little guys for a reason.

[ewenm]

4 bikeshops here catering for various different needs, one of which is new and I've not yet visited. There's one in particular that is very good, one average one that specialises in folding bikes (maybe it's a great shop if that's what you're after) and a triathlon focused shop that seems pricey.

[neil_bolton]

Being ex bike shop, I can well imagine it.

There's a place in Bristol that's just like it, and even the better places can be like it - especially when they're busy.

However, there are gems out there, but few and far between.

Best way to get the shops to start working with you is to simply splash the cash, and THEN start being pally. Once you've been a couple of times you'll get remembered.

Don't forget, it's a rare industry now to expect that personal touch - get it, and it feels great. However, most shops don't have the time or the reliable loyal customer base...

[Digga]

neil_bolton said:

Best way to get the shops to start working with you is to simply splash the cash, and THEN start being pally. Once you've been a couple of times you'll get remembered.

Sad, but true. And you need to keep up regular 'appearances' too, in mind of the fact you might need another favour - peculiar part locating, emergency workshop repair, bike to p/ex etc. etc. etc. - at some point in the not too distant...

ETA both LBS's, Swinnertons in Rugeley and Mammoth in Stafford, are pretty good.

Edited by Digga on Monday 7th June 10:34

[okgo]

The one closest to me is ste.

However Sigma Sport is a mile down the road, I class them as a decent shop, and Kingston Evans cycles also about a mile away aren't bad either.

All staffed with people that care about cycling.

[anonymous-user]

there are loads of bike shops in bristol and to be honest, i have tried them all for either sales or service at some point or another. its not fair to slate the bad ones by name

one or two are very good and i trust them with my bikes because they are clearly passionate about cycling in general. their prices are ok and they stock nice shiny things from the likes of cervelo and van nicholas. the staff are friendly and actually ride their bikes, some race and occasionally they give you coffee.

one or two are bearable if i need something quick and its not a major part, their prices are ok, the staff are a bit surly and think they are doing you a favour by letting you shop there. their knowledge of cycling isnt that good and they wouldnt know hinault from merckx. the stuff they sell are unit shifters from the big brands.

the rest are awful, driven by sales and would sell you the most wholly inappropriate bike for your chosen pursuit if it meant they hit a target....

interestingly, Bristol has a number of one brand stores from Giant and Specilaized, they do stock other stuff but its an odd concept. they dont offer anyhting like the full range and the stuff they stock isnt even, what i would consider to be, the best stuff from the range. odd.

having spent so long in bike shops, i believe i know what people want and i could set one up and make a tidy profit....anyone want to join me in a midlife career change?!

having a rare-ish bike like the super 4 is good as they recognise me and the bike now thus the camaraderie is building...

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 7th June 10:49

[Nolar Dog]

Dunk76 said:

Me: Whose shop is it?
Them: Mine
Me: When will you know what you're ordering?
Them: When I order it
Me: fking hell mate, I'm trying to spend money with you here, help me out will you?
Them: There's no need to swear

That is brilliant. I doubt I'd have stuck around for the swearing to be honest.
I must stop reading this sub-forum, I'm in increasing danger of buying a bike.

[danyeates]

I was excited when my mum said she was moving house to opposite Horswills Cycles in Bournemouth, they've always been great and I've spent quite a bit of money with them. When she moved I drove over there to see her new house and visit Horswills only to find they'd closed down. The shop's still empty months afterwards.

I now use Primera who are really helpful, but found out yesterday they're not open on Sundays! Also Cycle-Ex in Brockenhurst (closer for me) are really good but it's quite a small store. I've not come across a bad bike shop yet.

[AyBee]

ewenm said:

4 bikeshops here catering for various different needs, one of which is new and I've not yet visited. There's one in particular that is very good, one average one that specialises in folding bikes (maybe it's a great shop if that's what you're after) and a triathlon focused shop that seems pricey.

Couldn't have put it better myself

[paddy27]

Trying to find a decent one in Shorpe. found a couple. One seemed ok and the otehr was closed for the Bank Holiday weekend.

[Puggit]

Hollywood A-listers use my bikeshop

[Justayellowbadge]

Puggit said:

Hollywood A-listers use my bikeshop

"He bought 2 bikes....I don't know what he spent but it must have been in the hundreds."

Feck, they breed 'em real smart round there.

Edited by Justayellowbadge on Monday 7th June 19:16

[3216]

ewenm said:

4 bikeshops here catering for various different needs, one of which is new and I've not yet visited. There's one in particular that is very good, one average one that specialises in folding bikes (maybe it's a great shop if that's what you're after) and a triathlon focused shop that seems pricey.

You've missed one, there's a fifth as well but it's fairly small.

The new one is good though.

[ewenm]

3216 said:

ewenm said:

4 bikeshops here catering for various different needs, one of which is new and I've not yet visited. There's one in particular that is very good, one average one that specialises in folding bikes (maybe it's a great shop if that's what you're after) and a triathlon focused shop that seems pricey.

You've missed one, there's a fifth as well but it's fairly small.

The new one is good though.

Is that the one in Weston Village? I didn't think it worthy of mention

[superlightr]

Dunk76 said:

They're all pretty shonky round my way - despite painting themselves as 'experts', and despite the huge number of bikes in Brighton & Hove generally.

Nearest one, an MTB specialist, a couple of weeks back;

Me: What forks do you have, the Manitous on mine are on the way out...
Them: Forks?
Me: Yes, forks, shocks... do you have any?
them: Err, I dunno, I'll ask
Me: Okay, I'm not fussed about them being shocks though, I fancy trying some forks instead
Them: eh?
Me: I fancy putting some fixed forks on it, instead of shocks... maybe some Carbon Richey ones.
Them: you can't do that
Me: why not?
Them: did the bike come with shocks?
Me: Yes
Them: well you can't put solid forks on it
Me: Why ever not?
Them: I dunno, I'll ask

So I left there and went to next place about a mile away.

Me: Hello, I'm after a set of forks, not shocks, for my MTB
Them: We're out of both types at the moment
Me: Ah, can you order me some Richey carbon ones?
Them: No
Me: What if I pay up front?
Them: No
Me: Okay, can you order me some metal solid forks then?
Them: No
Me: Why not?
Them: We don't order for customers, you'll just have to ring up when the new order comes in
Me: What will you be getting in them?
Them: Dunno yet
Me: You don't know what you'll be ordering?
Them: No
Me: Whose shop is it?
Them: Mine
Me: When will you know what you're ordering?
Them: When I order it
Me: fking hell mate, I'm trying to spend money with you here, help me out will you?
Them: There's no need to swear


I'll always try to help the little guy, but sometimes people are little guys for a reason.

when you find a good one let me know as well. Im just outside Brighton.

[Chris B.]

Hi dunk 76,
What do you do as a job,in my business i need many trades.
Regards
Chris.
Baker St Bikes Brighton.
Caterham B.D.R. Thats a Cosworth by the way.

Edited by Chris B. on Monday 7th June 23:34

[Dunk76]

Hi Chris

I'm in B2B IT sales, so probably paid a bit more than retail sales.

[LewisR]

I found two very good ones in Norwich: Street Life Cycles & Specialised Cycles. Neither laughed me out of the shop when I rolled in on a 25+ year bike. They were both very helpful in getting the gear I wanted and both seemed to be run by proper cycling enthusiasts.

[CerbitonFlyer]

I'm spoilt for choice really, Sigma in Kingston, Coridori in Banstead and Dauphin Sport on Boxhill all within easy riding distance. There's plenty of bad ones too though!