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golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
Cuz now I hve a story to back up how hard they FAIL when I do try to include them on one of my bike builds.

Blew up one of my hayes HFX 9s last week. Sent it out for warrantee which is going to take forever. Since they blew up that easily I figured I tear them off, wait for the warranteed brake to come back and hock them on ebay for $70-80... the going rate for a pair. In the meantime I was going to snag a pair of hydros locally. So I called my LBS... no hydraulic disk brakes in stock of any kind. Next shop had one POS avid Juicy 3 (front) in stock. So I called the next shop (huge shop) who said they have a set of juicy 7's but the adjuster knob has been scavenged. Next shop, gives me this long speech about Online stores and how they don't stock parts anymore. This went on for like 3 hours... I called a dozen shops literally. Not one of them had any disc brakes in stock. And not one of them would pull the brakes off a bike and sell them to me @ retail. They all offered to order stuff for me @ inflated prices with slow shipping times.

Ok so LBS=FAIL. I will never again feel bad for ordering my parts online.
I'll just be riding the hard tail till the Elixirs I just ordered come in from GreenFish Sports ($150 less than the LBS was trying to sell them to me for).

:monkey:
 
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stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,513
7,056
Colorado
That's just poor CS. I"ve pulled parts from bikes before. Sure, it takes a sellable bike off the floor, but I'd gladly take $150 profit now and order at my next QBP order.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Well, I think the shops in your area are lame.

I can think of 3 shops in my area which would have sets of Avid 7's (or Elixers) in the case.

However, this is a 7 million metropolis, home to 3 major bike manufacturers, two wholesalers, and scores of bike shops.
 

RyanSG

Chimp
Apr 1, 2004
30
0
That's just poor CS. I"ve pulled parts from bikes before. Sure, it takes a sellable bike off the floor, but I'd gladly take $150 profit now and order at my next QBP order.
Ouch, $150 profit!

Is that how the LBS swings? $150 in materials + $150 profit (I guess that is for the 15min labor required to remove the brakes).
 

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
How many bike shops does Tulsa have?
In the teens somewhere. Believe it or not we have a pretty large cycling community here. Road especially. The group training rides out here are like whole peletons.

Anyway, we have several that I know and trust. One is a huge store with hundreds of bikes in stock and a seperate room with a really high tech infrared fitting system in it. It blew my mind that they didn't have any at that shop.

Usually I feel guilty for buying all my parts online, now I don't have to because I really really tried to buy locally and couldn't. Kinda liberating really :)
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
In the teens somewhere. Believe it or not we have a pretty large cycling community here. Road especially. The group training rides out here are like whole peletons.
You have to understand there is a huge disconnect between road and mountain in the LBS.

Most shops are owned by a cycling enthusiast of some type, usually road because of the relative short lifespan of mountain bikes.

As soon as that person becomes an owner, he virtually stops riding because he works 80 hours a week at the shop. So all he knows is the kinds of bikes he used to ride.

He might stock a variety of bikes, ordered by the sales reps, but in actuality his focus will be the bikes he knows the best.

The owner of my last two shops never did mountain, so they don't know what's it like to split a housing or shatter a lever. That doesn't happen on the road.

They be proactive to serve the customer base, but really, they don't care.
 

Konabumm

Konaboner
Jun 13, 2003
4,383
87
Hollywood, Maryland, United States
My LBS is awesome - Bike Doctor in Waldorf MD. They bend over backwards to help my when I'm in a pinch. They are about 45 min away from my house so I call in advance if I need my wheels worked on - they make time for me to stop by get my wheels fixed and leave. I've even walked in with quotes from the internet and the will match the prices ( I try not to do that to often unless theres a big price difference.

Sorry you had a bad experience -
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,513
7,056
Colorado
You have to understand there is a huge disconnect between road and mountain in the LBS.

Most shops are owned by a cycling enthusiast of some type, usually road because of the relative short lifespan of mountain bikes.

As soon as that person becomes an owner, he virtually stops riding because he works 80 hours a week at the shop. So all he knows is the kinds of bikes he used to ride.

He might stock a variety of bikes, ordered by the sales reps, but in actuality his focus will be the bikes he knows the best.

The owner of my last two shops never did mountain, so they don't know what's it like to split a housing or shatter a lever. That doesn't happen on the road.

They be proactive to serve the customer base, but really, they don't care.

Do Steve and Frank even know how to ride bikes?
 

Bigdroptoflat

Monkey
Jan 24, 2008
118
0
Maryland
Most of the time parts sales for most LBS's, especially higher end stuff, are a very small percentage of total business. I've had the same carbon easton bars sitting in a case collecting dust while we crank out complete bikes with a much higher demand and profit margin which extends past the initial sale with continued labor costs and accessory purchases.

Sadly, its just a matter of business, which leaves the high-end low-volume stuff out of most local bike shops.
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
I wouldn't pull them off a bike either unless you were a good customer of the shop.

That said, $350 for a set of Elixir Rs is high...
No kidding. It's high, but understandable. I wouldn't ever pull them off of a bike unless I had at least 2 extras, but yeah, they'd have to be pretty special. I guess labor to remove them and labor to put them back on should be included in the budget price match you'd have to do to get the business. :plthumbsdown:
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
Most of the time parts sales for most LBS's, especially higher end stuff, are a very small percentage of total business. I've had the same carbon easton bars sitting in a case collecting dust while we crank out complete bikes with a much higher demand and profit margin which extends past the initial sale with continued labor costs and accessory purchases.

Sadly, its just a matter of business, which leaves the high-end low-volume stuff out of most local bike shops.
Sadly that is very true. Some big cities enjoy moving high end parts, but my town of 60,000 does not. It's also super cool how few people give you a chance to compete on price for them. They have to order them anyway, right??? :rolleyes:
 

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
Did you see that article in brain about the NYC shop that has seen the AVERAGE BIKE SALE drop from $10k to $7,500? ****!

We're kind of lucky...J&B and HJ are a day away from us, and they've got most things...although their prices are higher.
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
Did you see that article in brain about the NYC shop that has seen the AVERAGE BIKE SALE drop from $10k to $7,500? ****!

We're kind of lucky...J&B and HJ are a day away from us, and they've got most things...although their prices are higher.
I use SBS a ton too. They are all a day away in most instances. QBP is no more than 3 days, and mostly 2. You really just have to be asked to get it and it's done. That said, you should drop in sometime just to see how much little inventory we keep. Not a ton of high end stuff, but it's really almost as good as I've ever seen at BSS. I try anyway.

edit - oh yeah...poor bastards. I'll bet my average is like $650 - $800.
 

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
I use SBS a ton too. They are all a day away in most instances. QBP is no more than 3 days, and mostly 2. You really just have to be asked to get it and it's done. That said, you should drop in sometime just to see how much little inventory we keep. Not a ton of high end stuff, but it's really almost as good as I've ever seen at BSS. I try anyway.

edit - oh yeah...poor bastards. I'll bet my average is like $650 - $800.
I'll be going through Temple this weekend...Friday and Sunday...you open?
 

Ithnu

Monkey
Jul 16, 2007
961
0
Denver
I agree that high end mtn bike parts are not really worth stocking for shops. Most people see hydro brakes and think "cool", they don't know what the difference between elixirs and H-9s are.

Most shops don't care you need the new high end brakes. They'd rather charge Johnny Normal $120 for a tune. Less work, less overhead and more
people looking for that.

And road bikes cost WAY more than mtn bikes. Ever looked? Wholly crap:crazy: Many more road bikers out there than mtn bikers.
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
I agree that high end mtn bike parts are not really worth stocking for shops. Most people see hydro brakes and think "cool", they don't know what the difference between elixirs and H-9s are.

Most shops don't care you need the new high end brakes. They'd rather charge Johnny Normal $120 for a tune. Less work, less overhead and more
people looking for that.

And road bikes cost WAY more than mtn bikes. Ever looked? Wholly crap:crazy: Many more road bikers out there than mtn bikers.
Wow...that is exactly our business model. :rolleyes: Less the $45 - $65 tunes we do on bikes that are in disrepair states and need 2 hours of labor from someone that can install high end disc brakes in 30 minutes max. And all those super expensive road bikes...they are super cheap to buy and we make a killing so the overhead on inventory is really cheap. Half hour fits on $600 bikes really help the profit margin too. :think: You should post in BRAIN, as there are many shops that don't have it figured out quite as well as you do. :huh:
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
I came to the realization long ago that LBS's are really only good for two things. Predatory extortion of the mechanically disinclined, and predatory extortion of those they've guilted into the concept of "buying local".
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
LBS charged me $20 for 5 single ring chainring bolts. WTF. I thought I needed them so I bit, but I won't be going back there again. Thanks A$$ wheelworks in Porter!

I generally use the LBS for "gotta have it" parts or little things I don't want to waste shipping on, like lube or spacers or things. There are some good shops in my area, like JRA, but they're harder to get to. Bike loft in Burlington cut some spokes for me for free, and always offer super good service. I never mind paying retail there, just because they actually work for you.
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
I always loved it when the LBS would say, "We don't have it but I can order it for you".

Yeah...I can do that myself. The only reason to buy from a shop is if you need to walk away with the parts in your hands right now. Why would I order through a shop? Like I want to make the extra trip to go retrieve the parts that I could just have sent to my door?
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
I always loved it when the LBS would say, "We don't have it but I can order it for you".

Yeah...I can do that myself. The only reason to buy from a shop is if you need to walk away with the parts in your hands right now. Why would I order through a shop? Like I want to make the extra trip to go retrieve the parts that I could just have sent to my door?

Imagine a world in which all business were as woefully unprepared as bike shops to serve their clientel.

"Hi I need suit for a job interview tomorrow"

"Well, we have this blue polyester liesure suit from 1974 in stock. Only $450 too."

"I was looking for something a little more modern"

"We can order it, will take about a week"

"Yeah but the interview is tomorrow, and I can order it myself"

"Oh sure, go ahead and support the corporations, conformist sheeple"
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
We have one local shop that does a good job stocking just about everything you might need. Performance Bike.
 

Ithnu

Monkey
Jul 16, 2007
961
0
Denver
Wow...that is exactly our business model. :rolleyes:
Be as sarcastic as you want.

I'm just saying I sympathize with a bike shop owner who has to put up the $$ to get those parts in stock and watch them sit. Tunes require no overhead.

I race DH here in Denver and run a team sponsored by Canyon Cycles. Great guy who owns the shop and will hook people up on prices because he has to order things, he takes that into account.

If I need something right away, I head to Mojo Wheels. They have it in stock and I realize I'll pay more for it. That's the business, I don't see why people get so ticked otherwise.

* Also, I know there isn't much of a mark up on high end road bikes, a friend of mine was a road racer. But despite the low mark up, the volume is higher.
 
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loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
Be as sarcastic as you want.

I'm just saying I sympathize with a bike shop owner who has to put up the $$ to get those parts in stock and watch them sit. Tunes require no overhead.

I race DH here in Denver and run a team sponsored by Canyon Cycles. Great guy who owns the shop and will hook people up on prices because he has to order things, he takes that into account.

If I need something right away, I head to Mojo Wheels. They have it in stock and I realize I'll pay more for it. That's the business, I don't see why people get so ticked otherwise.
I see your point but you then talked about how we just care about raping folks on labor.