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LBS Fail, Belmont and Ace Wheelworks

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Man, if only bike shops were as good at satisfying customers as they are at coming up with excuses.
"Why should we carry a bunch of stupid parts for people's bikes?"
:rofl:
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
For the record, I'm talking about little obscure parts. I have to give them away some times, or toss them out, because you can't store it all. Parts come and go and you have to make room for some newer stuff. I'm not making an excuse...just a statement from someone that does it for a living.
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
God forbid bike shops comply to the same customer expectations as say..........well any business in the real world.:rofl:
No...it's not that. It's that this guy just said that he's not going to support them but wants to be able to go in and have instant gratification. I'm just saying that you shouldn't be able to have it both ways. I wish you could, but that's not the way any retail/service market should work. And yes...I've been on both sides of this.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
God forbid bike shops comply to the same customer expectations as say..........well any business in the real world.:rofl:
Why don't you go into Best Buy and ask for a replacement knob for your TV?
Why don't you go into REI and ask for a replacement strap for your backpack?
Why don't you go into Stop & Shop and ask for a box of cereal in the same color as your jacket?

Now go into your bike shop and ask for a replacement low limit screw for your X.9 front derailleur?
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
No...it's not that. It's that this guy just said that he's not going to support them but wants to be able to go in and have instant gratification. I'm just saying that you shouldn't be able to have it both ways. I wish you could, but that's not the way any retail/service market should work. And yes...I've been on both sides of this.
Im not saying shops should carry shock bushings for a 1993 K2 Animal on hand at all times, but c'mon... at least for the brands of bikes you sell, and the models you've sold in the past, replacement bits should be readily available at the shop or available within a day or so.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Why don't you go into Best Buy and ask for a replacement knob for your TV?
Why don't you go into REI and ask for a replacement strap for your backpack?
Why don't you go into Stop & Shop and ask for a box of cereal in the same color as your jacket?

Now go into your bike shop and ask for a replacement low limit screw for your X.9 front derailleur?
I think a decent shop should be able to come up with something to work for that particular situation. Maybe keep a few busted FDs around to cannibalize, or an assortment of nuts and bolts (I know most do this, actually).
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
Im not saying shops should carry shock bushings for a 1993 K2 Animal on hand at all times, but c'mon... at least for the brands of bikes you sell, and the models you've sold in the past, replacement bits should be readily available at the shop or available within a day or so.
I can't stock them all though. It's just not possible. There are even linkage parts that are unavailable through manufacturers, sadly. It all just changes too much.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I think a decent shop should be able to come up with something to work for that particular situation. Maybe keep a few busted FDs around to cannibalize, or an assortment of nuts and bolts (I know most do this, actually).
Almost all shops do. Now the question is who is going to get it?

A stranger who obviously has bought every thing from online?

That's the problem with this. Yes I could find a screw, take about 15 minutes and I'm going to charge a buck.

I am more likely to save it for a repair or let a regular root through the spare parts box himself.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Almost all shops do. Now the question is who is going to get it?

A stranger who obviously has bought every thing from online?

That's the problem with this. Yes I could find a screw, take about 15 minutes and I'm going to charge a buck.

I am more likely to save it for a repair or let a regular root through the spare parts box himself.
... yeah we know. Only after you kiss enough LBS ass can you expect decent service.
 

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
You mean, spend money there, right?
This is the inherent problem with the whole LBS argument. You guys b!tch about everyone buying online but don't do anything to try and convert people to buy local.

I know that if I had a shop locally that treated me like royalty when I needed a derailleur screw, I'd damn sure buy everything else there. I just don't see the problem. Spend the 15 minutes and be nice and the return will be 10 fold.
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
You mean, spend money there, right?

Remember when you asked me where my recent purchases were? Pretty sure I listed them and explained how I've spent at least a couple thousand at this shop the last few years. Still waiting for some sort of response? Not that I feel like I should be treated any differently because of the money I spend (spent) their.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
This is the inherent problem with the whole LBS argument. You guys b!tch about everyone buying online but don't do anything to try and convert people to buy local.

I know that if I had a shop locally that treated me like royalty when I needed a derailleur screw, I'd damn sure buy everything else there. I just don't see the problem. Spend the 15 minutes and be nice and the return will be 10 fold.
I just don't think that's the case.

I've done several specialty installs/repairs for mail order guys, gave them instant service too because it was nice stuff. Never saw them again.

What I think even trumps repair service is shop involvement in local rides/races.
 

seth505

Monkey
Jun 9, 2006
519
0
CA
You mean, spend money there, right?
How are you supposed to spend money there if you get CRAP service and even drive to several locations (when you were supposed to recieve a phone call) and they still don't help you?
Honestly, go back and read the original post about 99 times and maybe it will sink in that your posts in this thread are complete garbage.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
How are you supposed to spend money there if you get CRAP service and even drive to several locations (when you were supposed to recieve a phone call) and they still don't help you?
Honestly, go back and read the original post about 99 times and maybe it will sink in that your posts in this thread are complete garbage.
Hey, stuff happens. They tried, screwed up.

I don't think the world should be set on fire.
 

chicodude

The Spooninator
Mar 28, 2004
1,054
2
Paradise
The phrase ‘The Customer is Always Right’ is the single worst philosophy that has ever been adopted by American culture. It gave an entire generation of people the green light to be as impolite, unreasonable, and demanding as their little hearts desired because they were always going to be considered right. It destroyed the entire concept of courtesy and rendered manners obsolete. People began to treat their peers in the service industry like incompetent morons, lacking in feelings or human dignity, who deserved to be browbeaten and abused for no other reason than they had the audacity to run out of a particular brand of coffee. Furthermore, instead of suffering negative repercussions for their appallingly disrespectful behavior, they are awarded with free coupons and plenty of ass kissing. In reality, they should be shunned and humiliated for behaving like such self absorbed little children.

-stolen-
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
In all the shops I have ever worked at we always say that we have whatever it is your looking for when you call us, when in actuality we seldom do. It is the only fun we have while we are working. That and hopefully you will buy a lesser product we do have in stock instead of leaving all frustrated, mad, and empty handed. When you storm out all mad we always laugh at you behind your back then open the quality book and order whatever it is you were looking for. When it comes in we put it on our bikes. All the books I read say this is exactly how to run a business. That and we most certainly are better riders then you are.... Think about it...The last time you were in our shop did you notice a pair of Hope lightning bolt 8" rotors in the case or a pair of Maxxis Minion DHF UST tires on the tire rack??? Yea it is a good idea to stock 3 or 4 Fox 40 RC2's since your bitching about having to pay $12 for your DH tube. Oh the fun never ends...

I generally pay for all my parts with all the tips I get from you guys after I install the parts you get off the internet and have neither the tools or sack to install them yourselves. The boss gets all the beer so he can cry in them about all the money he is losing by running a bike shop and over the thought of having to pay us for what amounts to nothing after I pay for my health insurance. Thank god for the union and the big ass pension I got coming to me for all my years here.... :evillaugh: