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smegballs
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PostPosted: 18:22 - 27 Nov 2012    Post subject: Bike Shops Reply with quote

Good/bad experiences?

I went in today to ask for some simple advice, how to fit a Shimano quick link. Guy goes on about how you need a chain tool etc etc makes a half assed effort to sell me a chain tool.

Ask how much to fit a link, if I bring down a the bike with the new chain attached, for just 15 seconds work to snap the link on: £9.99. I'd previously rung up and £9.99 was the rate for a full chain fitting. Rolling Eyes

As it happened, I watch a vid on youtube of how to use the quick link, all done nicely with bare hands and no tooling needed... Link goes on fine, bike ready to ride.

Is it even worth trying to tell people the wrong shit in this modern internet age? If a money is on the line, the first thing I'll do is go lookup shit online to see if I'm being ripped off or not. Surely not that many people can get done out of their cash so easily?
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KLR600
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PostPosted: 20:04 - 27 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends on what bike shops you go to. My recent experiences of Manchester bike shops are as follows:

Obviously avoid Halfords and the like unless you know exactly what you want and it's the cheapest or most convenient place to buy from. Obviously not restricted to Manchester either...

I've had mixed responses at Evans but the most recent few have been bad so I won't be going back. I don't want to wait for ages to be served then be made to feel like an idiot being told to look on the shelf for a part (no really? I didn't think of that!) then be given some sob story about how hard it is to order in said part because you can't be bothered/it's too much effort for £20 and would rather sell bikes because it's easier.

I've had good experiences at the Bicycle Doctor and will continue to go back there despite it being not particularly easy to get to. The first time I needed a BB tool to get an old BB out of a frame I had with me but instead of selling me one they just put the bike on the stand and took the BB out for free. They also gave me some Shimano Hollowtech BB spacers cheap (Evans wanted £5 per spacer...) from the workshop for my new BB (as I was going from a 73mm shell to a 68mm shell so was short of a few spacers). I was in a bit of a pickle as I was travelling to Berlin the next day and needed it sorting that day as I'm not very good at organising myself but they sorted me right out there. Next time I went in I only needed some crank bolts and they didn't hesitate to open up a pack of 5 bolts (I only needed 4!) and work out how much they'd be separately so as not to over charge. I've also had some good bike related chats with the guys in there and they seem to actually care about bikes which is always nice.

I've been riding bikes for years and years and have plenty of mates who work or have worked in bike shops, I even did it for a bit myself to help someone out and there are endless stories of retarded customers demanding the moon on a stick or else they'll just go online and buy as it's £3 cheaper there. Not forgetting the "You did this wrong/this was unacceptable/a full service should only be 10 minutes labour - Some professional mechanic on a forum said so so it MUST be true, give me all my money back" type people. I can easily see why people who work in bike shops can get so jaded. Sure it might have taken 20 seconds of his time to fit that quick link for you but if he does that to everyone who walks in he's not going to make much money is he? I've seen plenty of bike shops with signs that read something like "If your bike goes in the workshop stand it's a £5 charge, no questions". You can't expect them to work for free despite how easy a job might seem. As it happens you did a bit of research and sorted yourself out so happy days and now you'll know for next time!

Best advice I can give is make friends with people who work in bike shops and enjoy lots of discount and not being treated like a retard, it's what I did and it's worked out ok for me so far Laughing
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D O G
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PostPosted: 00:01 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

As above, I have no probs at the 'LBS' I go to, I ask for reasonable discounts on stuff an they give them to me, they've helped me out with free parts and the odd job for nothing more times than I can remember.

If you go to the same place lots and build up a rapour then you will be served well.
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chris-red
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PostPosted: 12:36 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

My LBS is great half the time then have sorted things out for me for free when there isn't much work to do. My mate asked to by a BB tool, they didn't have it so loaned him their's!
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:48 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find bike shop staff are invariably either totally disinterested, argue with you about what you want or deny its existance.

That's why I have just learned to do all the jobs myself.

Typical of the sort of conversation I have:

"Hi. I wonder if you have a 15 tooth track cog in for my wifes fixie?"

"Oh. We don't do that sort of thing."

"Are you sure? You have a Surly fixie in the shop window and you're a Surly dealer so I'd suspect you actually do do that sort of thing."

"Oh. Well I'll ask the boss."
*wait a while until he comes through*
"Hi. I'm looking for a 15 tooth track cog."

"Oh. You don't want one of them."

"No, I do."

"No, 15 teeth is far too small, you want an 18 or something."

"But you don't even know what gearing I'm using. It's running 16 on the rear and spinning out."

"Nah. You'd best check that again."

"Look. Do you actually HAVE a 15 tooth track cog?"

"No."

"Bye then."

Or. At a totally different bike shop in a different town.

"Hi. I'm looking for some 27" road tyres, what do you have in stock?"
*wanders off for a bit*
"Sorry. We don't have anything like that."

I go to walk out and a guy (obviously the owner) pops his head round the corner from building a window display.
"Couldn't find what you were looking for today?"

"No. I was after some 27" tyres for an old Coventry Eagle I'm doing up."

"Oh. Just wait here a minute."
*Goes behind counter and pulls down two, gum sidewall 27" schwalbe road tyres from the rack directly behind the counter*
"How about these? £20 the pair."

Or the guy at halfords who swore blind that chainring bolts are a fixed part of the chainset which can neither be removed nor supplied seperately.

I could go on.
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D O G
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PostPosted: 14:47 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tbf Stinky you will be asking for obscure shit that most employees would have no clue about. Laughing
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chris-red
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PostPosted: 15:14 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

D O G wrote:
Tbf Stinky you will be asking for obscure shit that most employees would have no clue about. Laughing


I know what he is talking about and I don't work in a bike shop.

I have only recently got into cycling again 6 months or so don't have great experience, only in the last 6 months have I started fixing/building etc. I have however replaced a chain ring and bought and fitted a pair of 27" tyres in that time. I would expect anyone working in shop to know far more than me.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.
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jackw72
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PostPosted: 16:42 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

My local LBS is Evans and they seem to be helpful but as previously mentioned understaffed and occasionally not keen on the little things. But they have been good, snapped one of the screws for my cleats and just needed one which they gave me from out the back which was awesome!

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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 18:20 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

D O G wrote:
Tbf Stinky you will be asking for obscure shit that most employees would have no clue about. Laughing


They work in a bloody bicycle shop ffs.

27" tyres are hardly difficult, it's probably the third most common tyre size (after 26" and 700C). They were right there, the lass behind the counter just couldn't be arsed finding out or looking.

Every multi-gear bike, other than really cheap ones, has chainring bolts. I even showed them to him on one of the bikes in the shop and he still insisted they were fixed on (despite them clearly having a socket head). This is the guy who is assembling and PDI-ing new bicycles so I guess checking the stack bolts for tension is not something they do. Worth bearing in mind if you ever buy a bike off them.

I will agree that a track cog is a bit obscure, which is why I went to a Surly main dealers. Surly specialise in fixed gear street and track bikes and track cyclists are never done fucking about with their gearing. The lad at the counter didn't know about it, the boss did but for some reason wanted to argue with me about my choice of gearing. (They go all the way down to 11 tooth if you look hard enough for them).
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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D O G
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PostPosted: 22:32 - 28 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did have my tongue in my cheek. Wink
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400bandit
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PostPosted: 22:51 - 29 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Again, mixed for me and not the way round you would think!

LBS - Took my stripped down road frame to them to have the old square taper BB taken out and the hollow tech one installed. On taking it there I was told it would £10 which though only a 15 minute job (at the most) required three different tools that I didn't have or could see me needing again in the future.

After a couple of "no sorry, it's not ready yet" despite them saying it would be, it was finally done. Goes to pay, that will be £20 please.

What?! I explained that I was told £10 - "By who?" he asked and on key the exact guy walked in the shop "Him" I said.

His exact words - "Ok, they'l normally a bast@rd to get out but this one was alright?!"

Why try ripping me off then?

Halfords on the other hand, went in for a spoke and nipple, not a problem, got the correct length and was only 50p - I was quite surprised they'd sell just one tbh.

All the best,

Joe
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