I can go into ANY bike shop and say I need a 26" wheel, 7 spd freewheel, 26"tire and 26" tube for my Huffy I got in 1998 and they will hand it over to me, just like a 1994 ranger alternator. It is a part that a lot of people need. How many rangers and explorers did ford build that use that specific part? 800,000? probably more.Do you think that's the case because bicycling is usually thought of as more of a hobby, rather than as something serious? So it's "no big deal" when stuff doesn't run smoothly?
I just can't imagine these types of consistent lapses being the norm in more serious industries. I hope that as cycling gets more popular and people begin to rely on them more in the future, we'll see some more competence.
Or are you just saying it's impossible for a business to carry a reasonable amount of stuff? Cause I don't think I buy that.
I mean, I can go to autozone and say I need an alternator for a 1994 Ford Ranger, and unless someone just bought a couple, it will be in my hand in a few minutes. I could also do the same thing with my last 2 jeeps, and every other car I've owned. And vehicles have many more parts, with many more standards, which are larger and cost more, and they somehow manage to have the stuff on hand.
I understand there are exceptions of course, you aren't going to get replacement Lamoborghini seats there. But as a bicycle shop, you should at the very minimum have a full stock of replacement and upgrade parts for the line of bicycles you carry.
Well, they don't have to... I mean obviously they are staying in business without doing this, but if they want to satisfy customers it seems like a pretty reasonable thing to do.
Also, as for me not working in a bike shop any longer. There's just not enough money for one thing. Plus it gets real old putting together POS Haro BMXs and $300 MTBs because that's basically all people buy. That or they come in and ask you to figure up the price for a dozen different high-end components and then say "thanks" and dont buy anything, because costs are exorbitant, but only after you spent half an hour totaling the stuff up. The job's not for me.
The exception is the Lambo parts, that is the high end cyclist. If I snap the lowers on my 2008 Fox Float RLC I am probably going to want to try out a Rock Shox fork, maybe a 2010 Float with a FIT and 15mm upgrade. Bikes have way to many plug and play parts for there to be a profitable demand to stock these items.