A shout out to the LBS

[Science]

In the past year or so, I've found myself swayed by the prices and range that web based stores such as ChainReactionCycles have to offer, that I rarely visit my LBS anymore. There have been the odd time where i've copped a flat, or snapped a chain where a quick trip to the LBS has had me sorted and on the road again in no time flat.
But I feel that i'm taking the LBS for granted recently. Until today.

Whilst installing new cranks to my commuter, i discovered my chainline was way out using the spare BB i had laying around, and the original one was even further.
Now, i could have jumped back on to CRC and just bought another BB, waited a few days and slapped it in, but i had no idea what one i needed. It turns out what i needed was a professional. So, into my bag went the new cranks and the old BB, jumped on the Marin and 10 minutes later greeted at the front door by the owner of my LBS, CycleInn. I showed him my bits, explained my problem and within moments, knew exactly what BB i needed, with the option to pop right back if it turned out he was wrong.

Now my Commuter is up and running, the chainline is perfect, and it's all because of the expert knowledge of my LBS.

So here's to the LBS. May they always be around, to help those in their moment of need.

 

[shakes]

Sometime in the future, probably 15-20years away. There will be a big swing back towards local shopping as people will realise the value of good service. It wont be until alot of retailers have gone by the wayside and attitudes change on both sides of the fence.

Glad you got some good help :clap2:

 

[jhb]

"I showed him my bits, explained my problem and within moments, knew exactly what BB i needed"

replace 'BB' with 'antibiotic' and you've got an awkward trip to the doctor.

 

[frensham]

Sometime in the future, probably 15-20years away. There will be a big swing back towards local shopping as people will realise the value of good service. It wont be until alot of retailers have gone by the wayside and attitudes change on both sides of the fence.

Glad you got some good help :clap2:

It's been quoted over and over on many different threads. The LBS does not rely on cyclists who do their own maintenance and parts buying. These people represent less than 5% of their daily customer. The LBS will always be around because there will always be customers who want kids bikes, who don't want to know how a bike works and who have no interest in replacing parts until they break, and then they simply take the bike to the shop. Online buyers are absolutely no threat to a good LBS. Any LBS that goes out of business because of online buying deserves to.

 

[harmonix1234]

^^


True that. I was in my LBS last week getting a bike fit for my new roadie and customer walks in with a mid 90s full rigid giant and says "Can you sort out the back tyre"?
I look down and he has a flat rear tyre and the tube is hanging out. That's it.

After customer walked out I asked LBS "Is this for real? He just wants a new tube and then pumped up"? and LBS advised me that many customers come to them for tyre changes, tyre pump ups, to get new brake pads fitted, to tighten up pedals that have come loose, to re-align the bars after a spill, all the things that you and I look at as no-brainers.

Apparently HEAPS of people don't even know how to change a tyre! And when their tyres wear out they just go to LBS to get new ones put on.

 

[Nautonier]

That is truly disturbing. I guess it precipitates the rather awkward question: if people can't change a tire on their bikes, can they change a car tire?

 

[3viltoast3r]

That is truly disturbing. I guess it precipitates the rather awkward question: if people can't change a tire on their bikes, can they change a car tire?

Nope that's what mobile phone and NRMA are for.

 

[thecat]

^^


True that. I was in my LBS last week getting a bike fit for my new roadie and customer walks in with a mid 90s full rigid giant and says "Can you sort out the back tyre"?
I look down and he has a flat rear tyre and the tube is hanging out. That's it.

After customer walked out I asked LBS "Is this for real? He just wants a new tube and then pumped up"? .

I once had a customer buying a new pump. Somehow it come up in the conversation that he was buying a new pump because the old wasn't working properly.

"What do you mean not working properly?"

"Well it pumps the tyre up a bit but as soon as you stop pumping the tyre goes down again."

"Did you check the tube?"

"What tube?".......

You'd be amazed at how many grown men don't know how to change a bike tube.

 

[fazio]

Its good to hear the stories of the LBS giving good service!
its a shame there are plenty who dont, and over charge / dont offer sound advice. unfortunatley for me, the one at the end of the street is terrible!

props for naming the store as well, good feedback is hard to earn there days

 

[harmonix1234]

I once had a customer buying a new pump. Somehow it come up in the conversation that he was buying a new pump because the old wasn't working properly.

"What do you mean not working properly?"

"Well it pumps the tyre up a bit but as soon as you stop pumping the tyre goes down again."

"Did you check the tube?"

"What tube?".......

You'd be amazed at how many grown men don't know how to change a bike tube.

That's ^^ a cake taker
I was in a bike shop in Bowral buying some tubes and a guy walked in with his helmet on backwards.

 

[retroenduro]

I once had a customer buying a new pump. Somehow it come up in the conversation that he was buying a new pump because the old wasn't working properly.

"What do you mean not working properly?"

"Well it pumps the tyre up a bit but as soon as you stop pumping the tyre goes down again."

"Did you check the tube?"

"What tube?".......

You'd be amazed at how many grown men don't know how to change a bike tube.

My brother used to work in Halfords, a big UK bike retailer kinda like supercheap. Anyway he always used to get this too. A couple of times people brought back bikes wanting a replacment under warrantly because they had a puncture!?!?

Or there was always the old haggling for a discount on a $99 bike.

 

[Dirt Devil]

A good bike shop with knowledge you can trust can be hard to find. At leat you have one near you - not everyone does.

Working in a shop it's scary to see how little some people value their own safety (or just don't realise how dangerous a poorly maintained bike can be). I've seen a couple of horror examples of people who've left it up to God to hold their front QR wheel in the fork. One poor bloke damn near killed himself when the wheel fell out at speed.

 

[harmonix1234]

^^ Hey Dirt Devil, I was quite lucky in Tas. McBains always did good by me. Can't rave enough about the help and knowledge I got from Tom while I was there.
There was one LBS in Tas who should remain anonymous though who royally screwed up a couple of simple jobs that I just didn't have the tools for.
But for the most part, Hobart has some great bike shops with a sound knowledge base. Quite tempted to move back there for the riding actually. I really miss the trails and blacktop in Tas.

 

[Elbo]

Another shout out to a LBS. I recently went with a friend to Blackman Bicycles in Parramatta as she was interested in getting into cycling. The staff were quite helpful with general information and didn't try to steer her towards one particular bike, but instead they explained the different styles of riding and spoke directly with her about what she wanted to get out of her riding. I was pretty impressed.