If you stock it, they will come

moorey

call me Mia
I have the same problem all the damn time, from places that almost exclusively sell mtb's too, I just don't get it.

My other pet peeve is trying to buy rubber from the LBS and finding out that 90% of their stock is 650B or 29" when I ride 26". Does rubber go off or something? What's stopping the LBS just keeping a range of popular tire brands/makes in ALL sizes? I'm pretty sure there's still a 26" market around to sell consumables to, right?
BUT, grasshopper, Your LBS doesn't WANT you to continue to ride a 26". They want you to downgrade to the latest thing. Why would they cut their throats to support your outdated bikes? :thumb:
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
I have the same problem all the damn time, from places that almost exclusively sell mtb's too, I just don't get it.

My other pet peeve is trying to buy rubber from the LBS and finding out that 90% of their stock is 650B or 29" when I ride 26". Does rubber go off or something? What's stopping the LBS just keeping a range of popular tire brands/makes in ALL sizes? I'm pretty sure there's still a 26" market around to sell consumables to, right?
It depends.
Is your local a giant dealer?
Goant are pushing for 650b and 29er really hard so I can understand why they would limit their stock to those sizes.
But I would imagine there is still a market for 26" tyres.
Think of all the commuters and non 'cyclist' people that ride bikes that regularly need tyres.
Or do they go to Kmart?
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
Yeah, their tyres are perfect for us old hacks :behindsofa:
No not for you, I mean those people you see with baskets oin their bikes, or all the asian students at Uni on their hand-me-down huffys with their helmets on backwards, or the elderly couple that spent a little out of their retirment package to buy nice shiny matching hybrids so they can go for a weekly ride to the library.
You know the types.

Where do they go for their 26" tyres?
 

moorey

call me Mia
One of my favourite LOL's is Asian students on bikes. No way a racist thing, they just generally fail epically. I've seen cleeshoy handle his bike well, and only seen chopsticks stacking his, so I guess there is the occasional exception to the rule.
 

kidklein

Cannon Fodder
I do love my LBS. I just wish they stocked all the stuff I wanted and didn't have to do a special order every time I need them.
I was questioning this very same thing.

Being recently introduced to mountain biking I find LBSs stock particularly brands only. One will only stock Bontrager parts and another only Specialized parts.

I was after some Schwalbe City Jets. The LBS have them on their website yet not in store... How much room do tyres take up?!?!
 

treble

Likes Dirt
One of my favourite LOL's is Asian students on bikes. No way a racist thing, they just generally fail epically. I've seen cleeshoy handle his bike well, and only seen chopsticks stacking his, so I guess there is the occasional exception to the rule.
I've seen one particular older Asian guy a few times now riding around with his helmet on backwards, it's a rodie type helmet with fins at the 'back.' I really can't fathom how he came to the conclusion it went that way around.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
It depends.
Is your local a giant dealer?
Goant are pushing for 650b and 29er really hard so I can understand why they would limit their stock to those sizes.
But I would imagine there is still a market for 26" tyres.
Think of all the commuters and non 'cyclist' people that ride bikes that regularly need tyres.
Or do they go to Kmart?
Yep, they're a Giant dealer primarily, but also do some SC & Yeti. I get that they're pushing their own agenda with the whole 27.5 thing, but I think there should be a difference between 'we sell Giant bikes' and 'we are a Giant owned & run store' to the extent that you only push stuff supported by Giant. Besides that, you've got to sell the bike before people buy the tires.

BUT, grasshopper, Your LBS doesn't WANT you to continue to ride a 26". They want you to downgrade to the latest thing. Why would they cut their throats to support your outdated bikes? :thumb:
But I like my outdated bike :eek:hwell:. That was pretty much the response I got when I quizzed them on it though - '26" is on the way out", "27.5" is the way of the future", that sort of jazz. All the cool kids ride 650b apparently, I'm just not cool enough.:pout:
 

moorey

call me Mia
I was questioning this very same thing.

Being recently introduced to mountain biking I find LBSs stock particularly brands only. One will only stock Bontrager parts and another only Specialized parts.

I was after some Schwalbe City Jets. The LBS have them on their website yet not in store... How much room do tyres take up?!?!
They are sounding like 'concept' stores. Trek stores seem generally to be Trek/Bontrager only. Spesh are similar here, to a lesser extent, and do stock other brands. The Giant stores I know of stock more than just giant, but attempting to get non 27.5/29 quality gear is impossible.
Our local Trek store is bonza generally, they have previously had the tubes I needed......most likely a generic tube in a fancy bontrager box, mind.
 

moorey

call me Mia
But I like my outdated bike :eek:hwell:. That was pretty much the response I got when I quizzed them on it though - '26" is on the way out", "27.5" is the way of the future", that sort of jazz. All the cool kids ride 650b apparently, I'm just not cool enough.:pout:
Yeah, but uncool is the new cool. :high5:
I have 5 26" bikes, 8 counting the good kids and wifes bike.
I'll buy a 27.5 one day, after they roll out the 28.25" (all the advantages od the 27.5, none of the disadvantages of the 29"), and everyone sells off their 27.5's for nothing.....
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
They are sounding like 'concept' stores. Trek stores seem generally to be Trek/Bontrager only. Spesh are similar here, to a lesser extent, and do stock other brands. The Giant stores I know of stock more than just giant, but attempting to get non 27.5/29 quality gear is impossible.
Our local Trek store is bonza generally, they have previously had the tubes I needed......most likely a generic tube in a fancy bontrager box, mind.
Yeah, I have purchased bontrager tubes before, two of the same brand, model and size, purchased at the same time and when I opened them one of them said 'Bontrager' on it and the other said 'Cheng Shin'.
I have had a bit of insonsistency with bontrager tubes and why I won't them any more.

Another example is when a packet says 26 x 1.25 - 1.5 and then the tube inside says 26 x 1.0.
Little things, but little things like that give me the shits.
 

wombat

Lives in a hole
No, they're not. A 1.7-2.1 looks like a catheter tube, and is generally already thinner for the weight weenies. By the time it expands out to a 2.4 tyre, it's the thickness of a Johnny hat.
I call bullshit. I've been using small tubes in big tyres for 15 years (and still am in old dmr) and it's never been noticeably different from running tubes that are fatter. Look at what schwalbe spec their tubes as, the 1.7 and 2.4 are both covered by the same tube.

The next size up covers 2.1 to 3.0, but you said you don't want fat tubes either, so I'm not surprised you can't find what you want.

With cheap tubes yeah, I understand the problem, but cheap tubes are a problem in themselves.
 

swaz

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I remember working in a LBS when online bike stores like Probikekit and Wiggle were just taking off and the shop paid more wholesale for all the Shimano gear than Probikekit were selling them for retail.

Same for tyres. They buy in a some rubber which might be from an importer they don't normally buy from and have to have a $500 order and because so many people buy tyres online they might sell 1 out of those 10 tyres not making enough $ to cover GST paid on the order.

I think there is a possible solution that a LOT of bike shops, especially chain and large shops just do not get. If someone comes in wanting something that you don't have:
1) find out how much it will be, when it will arrive and take the order on the spot with a small deposit if it is something special.
2) take a phone number, find out all the above and CALL THE FRIGGEN CUSTOMER back with said info.

It's customer service, it's good, it makes sales and encourages future sales.

I am as tight as moorey, but I am willing to pay retail for things I want right away and support someone worthy of my $.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I call bullshit.

The next size up covers 2.1 to 3.0, but you said you don't want fat tubes either, so I'm not surprised you can't find what you want.

.
call away :thumb:
I think what I usually but are 2.1-2.4, and they are most definitely different.
 

driftking

Wheel size expert
Why not just do a bulk order of 3 of each item or whatever you feel necessary.

I mean that solves your issue of chasing parts, it lets you buy from the local and means you don't need to wait for stock.
On the down side yes you need to have the cash up front But You could probably ask for a discount if you are buying a bunch of things like that. So may workout cheaper.

From a bike stores point of view stocking a range of items just in the chance one customer will buy them is pretty risky really.
 

johnny

I'll tells ya!
Staff member
I call bullshit. I've been using small tubes in big tyres for 15 years (and still am in old dmr) and it's never been noticeably different from running tubes that are fatter. Look at what schwalbe spec their tubes as, the 1.7 and 2.4 are both covered by the same tube.

The next size up covers 2.1 to 3.0, but you said you don't want fat tubes either, so I'm not surprised you can't find what you want.

With cheap tubes yeah, I understand the problem, but cheap tubes are a problem in themselves.
Agree. I'm a total plow-hack and the 2.1 I'm running on the rear has been fine.


Wow you're still on that same DMR you used to ride like 10 years back, mate? Guess I shouldn't be surprised, I still have and regularly ride that black Chase as well.
 

C0na

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I was after some presta tubes the other day. Not super light xc 1.7-2.1, or heavy DH 2.5-2.7".
4 local shops, zero tubes. Might have them in in a few weeks.
Bought online, $34 for 10 delivered.
I tried, I swear :noidea:
At work today, decided to go to the Bike shop down the road to pick up some tubes. As my tubless set-up was giving me the shits and kept burping. walked into the store, asked for a 26" 2.35 presta tube.
$6.50. Walked back to work. I are you sure you were calling pushbike stores?
Its easy to confuse pushbike with orthodontist. Might have to double check.
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
At work today, decided to go to the Bike shop down the road to pick up some tubes. As my tubless set-up was giving me the shits and kept burping. walked into the store, asked for a 26" 2.35 presta tube.
$6.50. Walked back to work. I are you sure you were calling pushbike stores?
Its easy to confuse pushbike with orthodontist. Might have to double check.
Such a common size I reckon the even orthodontist may have a few kicking about.
 

moorey

call me Mia
You win the internets, Fred.
Ok, I made the whole thing up. All my locals stock everything I need, all the time, at competitive rates.
Im so ashamed I lied to you all. :pout:
 
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