[-dustin]

if a shop has good customer service, they will not go out of business because of online pricing. if a shop goes out of business and claims it was because of online pricing, i call bull****. same thing goes with other small businesses bitching about big businesses screwing them over.

 

[ThePriceSeliger]

But, you still can't spell derailleur

Dude, it's a hell of a word, I'm telling ya!

 

[DirtyMike]

Well, As for what i can see.... People with this post are stating on both side of teh arguement. Firast off let me say i didnt post here for the effort of flaming anyone or offending. If i Did ofend anyone i am sorry. As far as asking a friend to Sell to you at cheap margins???.... you would be suprized what thre margins really are. Like i said its how people Everywhere make money. But i must offer an Apologie for the industry as a whole. Seems alot of people have been burned by some crappy shops. I left the Bike tech world for the moeny. Went to automotive and i have two degrees and i am a master certed tech. Guess the bottom line really is... When you find a good bike shop... stick with the. If all you buy is tubes... thats not a worry.. tubes and cables are a Biek shops bread and butter, Huge markup on tubes. i talked to the owner of the LBS here<Former Employer> about his cost on tubes..... when he buys his Bulk supply he is getting them for abouy 63 cents each for standards and about 89 cents for HD's <Waste>. It really is all about the all mighty dollar here and Whether<SP> or not the shop owner wants to or is able to invest into the training and staffing in teh first place. My former shop was awesome about that, i got to go to a class on wheel building From DT swiss..... Was absolutely awesome, Also got to go to a class in Northern cali that was all about Tuning and diagnosing problems.

I will say return shoppers do get better deals. Thats going to be anywhere though. Biggest return customer deal at our shop is the tune ups, you buy a bike we maintain it as long as youu have it. But on top of that if your a return customer and you see for example a fox talas SC at jensons for 599 <True story BTW> and ours on the shelf is tagged at 699..... Dude we matched that without any worries. On top of the match Guy didnt have to worry about shipping so in reality he saved himself 50 bucks. As far as riding for a different team and the shop giving you the cold shoulder.....Thats just low, and totally uncalled for. With the guys telling you that you dont know what your talking about and trying to prove you wrong.... yeah some people have attitudes like that and i hate seeing it. Major turn off for people to want to come back, i would have walked off also. Fyi Fox tech will talk to you all day long. will even give you a part number. But they wont sell directly to you. Most all wholesalers will be that way. the ones that will sell to you direct will charge you what they tell teh bike shops to charge. Like in automotive..... you come to my shop and i am Puting a dealer part on your car..... a belt tensioner for instance. Im charging you samething the dealer would charge you if you were to go down and get it yourself... i just get to buy it cheaper. i am sure alot of people can do the different things i listed in this post, But i am also sure Alot more cant. Rebuilding forks.... Man thats s touchy subject. Youll notice i never mentioned that one. to do a shock overhaul all you need is the tools. no voodoo involved in teh building of these magical wonderfull things. Not that alot of shops cant do forks. Just they dont want to. i have done a ton of forks myself from fox to Marzocchi to rockshox's Even head shocks for cannondales, Lefty's for that amtter are same thing just differen shape. some reason people have come to belive its complicated. Get the manual, get some oil, Follow the directions. Very easy. Anyways like i said i didnt come on to offend anyone and i am sorry for/to those who have had the Bad happenings with there LBS. Its a shame that a few bad apples ruins the entire Bunch.


On a more comical note i have noticed that i cant spell "The" when I am typing.....Anyone else have a word in particular they misspell when typing???

 

[DirtyMike]

Dear god i Must be Drinking.... Didnt realize that last post was so long.....

 

[-dustin]

i bought a spring and some spacers direct from Fox a couple years ago.

 

[DirtyMike]

i bought a spring and some spacers direct from Fox a couple years ago.

Mind if i ask what you paid <Im just curious>?

 

[ummbikes]

Mind if i ask what you paid <Im just curious>?

Dear DirtyMike,

You are a good guy, your typing worries me a little, but I like you. You are a good guy in the bikey industry. This thread may be bothersome because you have integrity and many in your industry lack integrity. Some (Transend) are apologists for the LBS. They (Transend) like to appear as a Holy gift to enlighten us mere consumers on how we (the very people who consume his product) shoud behave. About three times a year someone who just doesn't give a damn (Burly Shirley) will start a magical thread here on the monkey stating a consumers manifesto that reads similar to this "We have money, we will spend it in a way that maximises our purchasing power, please go to hell if you (Bike Industry People) do not like it.
Then somewhere between three and ten pages of rants will take place and after all us windbags have depleted our lungs (fingers?) of venom the issue will die down for a while. Please do not take any of this personally, I would gladly ride with, buy beers for, and even help Transend or any other Bike Industry Types change flat tires (automotive or bike) at any time, I may even pay retail for the over priced bike stuff just to be able to ride my bike in the woods and get muddy.

Yours,

Ummbikes

 

[-dustin]

Mind if i ask what you paid <Im just curious>?

i really can't remember. the spring was $25, i do remember that much.

 

[sanjuro]

My final comment is my perception of this thread is that "I got a great deal on parts from Jenson, so forget the evil money-grubbing LBS".

I have worked in enough shops to say that I have seen plenty of screwups and ripoffs. But I try hard to make it worthwhile to my customers to come in, even if most of their purchases on online.

And finally, through my association with my shop, I get prices either below wholesale (which is always cheaper than mailorder) or no charge at all. So "screw Mail-Order"!

 

[jdcamb]

Don't you love it when they feed you the line, "I can't do that price, its below my cost"

Most of time it isn't and I've confirmed it when I went to college and made friends with the owner of another LBS and got access to his prices from the various distributors...

Did you also factor in his rent/mortgage, taxes, shipping, payroll, accountant, utilities, interest, etc. ??

Then on the other side of the coin there are LBS wrenches who do not know what they are doing or just don't care and figure they can get away with doing a half assed job cause most people won't know any better. Often they won't even bother to try to warranty something without being prodded cause its easier to sell new and they make more money that way.

Average shops make the most money from the low-end rigs and simple repairs. They don't have a ton of experience with high-end parts and/or new products or maybe you came in on the day the good mechanic was out. People don't want to pay to train some inexperience kid doing the work for the first time on their own rig. They don't always have the specialized tools/training you need and don't pay attention to detail the high-end parts/enthusiast biker demands.

Why would you want to pay full price for parts when that goes on? Thats not customer service and there is little value gained in their patronage especially when the customer is able to do most of their work at home.

Mail-order shops on the other hand can support and afford to focus on specialized high-end needs. Do you think most shops have as much experience in the enthusiast market as places like Go-ride or Speedgoat?

You have so masterfully explained the bike business to me. You must have some sucky shops in your area of Jersey. If you ever get to the chance to go to Speedgoat in person you may find the experience quite similar to you local shops.....

 

[-dustin]

perhaps if shops would stop selling stuff to emplyees below wholesale cost, or giving them stuff for free, their overall markup could be lower?

i worked at a golf course. we got discounts, but never got anything that cheap. we couldn't EP stuff, we didn't get favors or hook-ups. we paid "cost plus 10%", though we were never allowed to know what the actual cost was. i paid $580 for a set of irons that retailed for $700. the mark-up in the shop was little more than what was found at places like Golfsmith.

 

[syadasti]

You have so masterfully explained the bike business to me. You must have some sucky shops in your area of Jersey. If you ever get to the chance to go to Speedgoat in person you may find the experience quite similar to you local shops.....

Most of them are as bad or worse than car salesmen except they work on your bike too besides trying to rip you off

The closest shop a friend works as the head mechanic but the owner is a real jackass. Every local I know has a horror story about him and what he's pulled on fellow bikers and/or their friends. The owner has no f*cking clue about most things related to mountain biking.

The only other shop I like in the area is no longer an option as the only decent employee there moved to the other location too far away and the new guy there has pulled sh*t almost every time I've gone there - things like trying to pass OEM or lower quality product off on me as if he was giving me a deal - it a good thing I tried to buy there instead of Jenson

When I was living in upstate NY there was only one decent shop in town and as time went on they eventually pulled sh*t with a good friend who had been dealing with them much longer than me and I don't want to deal with businesses like that.

Most LBS aren't run by people who understand how to run business. The practices they use both internally and externally wouldn't fly in most other industries.

As for Speedgoat, I haven't used them in a long time. Go-ride occasionally and they do a great job.

 

[robdamanii]

Most of them are as bad or worse than car salesmen except they work on your bike too besides trying to rip you off

The closest shop a friend works as the head mechanic but the owner is a real jackass. Every local I know has a horror story about him and what he's pulled on fellow bikers and/or their friends. The owner has no f*cking clue about most things related to mountain biking.

The only other shop I like in the area is no longer an option as the only decent employee there moved to the other location too far away and the new guy there has pulled sh*t almost every time I've gone there - things like trying to pass OEM or lower quality product off on me as if he was giving me a deal - it a good thing I tried to buy there instead of Jenson

When I was living in upstate NY there was only one decent shop in town and as time went on they eventually pulled sh*t with a good friend who had been dealing with them much longer than me and I don't want to deal with businesses like that.

Most LBS aren't run by people who understand how to run business. The practices they use both internally and externally wouldn't fly in most other industries.

As for Speedgoat, I haven't used them in a long time. Go-ride occasionally and they do a great job.

Just curious....what shop in what town?

 

[jimmydean]

I like my LBS, good bunch of guys who I will get to race for this year. I buy most of my crap off ebay, or here, but I bought my bike there. I have used LBS tools to install or service parts I've bought elsewhere becuase I don't have bike tools, or a stand or any of that crap.

I have ridden with they guys at my LBS and even another shop I used to frequent when I lived closer. I used to ride with the guys at Santiam even though I bought my bike down the street at a different shop. They didn't care, as ong as you rode.

I like to attend movie premiers and stuff that are put on by my LBS too, it's cool to hang out and have a beer. I have also gone in there just to say hi because I consider them friends, even if I don't need anything.

So is it cool to get stuff for cheap? Hell yes it is. Do I like having an LBS? Hell yes I do.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

What bugs me with shops is inconsistency - excellent work or prices one time and damaging work and stupid prices the next.

My experience is that this happens at all bike shops. Not sure what to make of it.

 

[sanjuro]

Then on the other side of the coin there are LBS wrenches who do not know what they are doing or just don't care and figure they can get away with doing a half assed job cause most people won't know any better. Often they won't even bother to try to warranty something without being prodded cause its easier to sell new and they make more money that way.

Average shops make the most money from the low-end rigs and simple repairs. They don't have a ton of experience with high-end parts and/or new products or maybe you came in on the day the good mechanic was out. People don't want to pay to train some inexperience kid doing the work for the first time on their own rig. They don't always have the specialized tools/training you need and don't pay attention to detail the high-end parts/enthusiast biker demands.

Why would you want to pay full price for parts when that goes on? Thats not customer service and there is little value gained in their patronage especially when the customer is able to do most of their work at home.

Mail-order shops on the other hand can support and afford to focus on specialized high-end needs. Do you think most shops have as much experience in the enthusiast market as places like Go-ride or Speedgoat?

I didn't mean to comment again, but I have to agree with your accessment. Many shops do not have the specific knowledge, nor the inclination to gain it.

I feel fortunate to be part of a shop where do care...

 

[jdcamb]

My God I didn't realize it was that bad out there?? In my area we are lucky with a couple of great shops. And then a couple of good ones. Maybe because I have worked a few shops and been involved in my local cycling community long enough to not have the problems you have had. To think about it even when I travel I only go to shops I have heard of. So maybe I am spoiled.

I might add I am also a wrench so...

If you happen to be in Rochester NY and want to recharge your LBS batteries stop be either Trailblazers in Victor (right between exits 44&45 on the NYS thruway) or Mendon Cyclesmith (by exit 45). Both great shops.

 

[syadasti]

If you happen to be in Rochester NY and want to recharge your LBS batteries stop be either Trailblazers in Victor (right between exits 44&45 on the NYS thruway) or Mendon Cyclesmith (by exit 45). Both great shops.

Thanks man. I actually bought my last bike while I was living in New Zealand from a LBS in NY state cause the model I wanted wasn't available in NZ or AU (Burkes Cycles in NZ is a great chain of shops BTW). Paid for 4-day shipping (all that was available) and it took 24 days from the time it left their shop. They never followed up with DHL to file a complaint so they/I could get a shipping refund (actually it was their fault cause they got the shipping label wrong and I gave it to them TWICE in writing in email but DHL was also guilty of bad communication as far as I could tell). It was my effort that finally got the bike delivered after numerous calls to DHL - the LBS didn't seem to be doing too much to get the ball rolling as I emailed them 3-4 times in the 24 day period and called them in the states numerous times (there was a 18 hour time difference too!). It cost $600 to ship it too :mumble:

After I moved back to NJ I talked to my friend who is captain of a NE DH team the shop sponsors and he told some of his own questionable experiences with the shop.

It happens to be from a manfacturer who illegal practices restriction of trade and bans mail-order - glad they could at least allow me to buy how I should legally be allowed to buy. I've heard some stories about the reps doing some questionable things to various former and current dealerships too...

 

[JRB]

Were we done bickering about this yet?

 

[SilentJ]

Ever try to see if they would Price match???

My LBS encourages this. He won't match sale items, but he'll match any regular priced item and beat it in some cases.

I've found that you don't even have to buy much to get the bro deals from a shop - just showing up once in a while and bs-ing with the guy that can make the deals will get you the deals.

 

[RhinofromWA]

On a more comical note i have noticed that i cant spell "The" when I am typing.....Anyone else have a word in particular they misspell when typing???

HAHA

Well I type "the" as hte a lot. "just" turns into jsut. But I have a bunch more.

Rhino
(ps- I typed "just" wrong above just trying to give you an example) lol