Mountain Bikes · Public discussion

If You Can't Beat 'Em...

Nelson Binch · 2003-03-13T18:00:09+00:00

...well, you know the rest! Last fall, I was walking around in a Super Wal-Mart (killing time on a Sunday off) and out from the back roll their very first Schwinn bikes. I knew they were coming, but these 'looked' better than I expected they would. All the usual bells and whistles you'd expect from a $350 LBS quality bike, mostly around $250. I didn't take too long looking at them, but I turned to my wife and said "This is the end." So true, so true. By the end of November, the owner of my bike shop decided he didn't want to weather another bad turn in the economy and sold the building, dissolving the business. We worked together through December selling off the last of the stock, mostly on eBay. I went to work at a furniture store and let me tell you, that was an unmitigated disaster. So, after noodling about for a few weeks, living on savings and my wife's paychecks, I hit the job trail for the first time in 10 years. The second place I applied jumped all over me. Yes --- Wal-Mart It started out as a temporary position, working on a reset crew as my local store was being remodeled. Today I picked up my final paycheck and met with the manager about a full time position. He already had my original application out. His first question "When you worked for Spokes & Pedals, did you assemble bikes?" Well, that was the first thing I did there. Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing - Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I was making at Spokes & Pedals. Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time --- __o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^= http://intergalax.com Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.461 / Virus Database: 260 - Release Date: 3/10/2003

Started by Nelson Binch · 13 March 2003 · Last activity 18 March 2003 · 12 posts · 840 views

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Original section: Mountain Bikes
Published: 13 March 2003
Last activity: 18 March 2003
Original author: Nelson Binch
Posts: 12
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 840
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Spoke count Home workshop setup

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Original post
Nelson Binch
Archived post

13 March 2003, 18:00 UTC #1

...well, you know the rest!
Last fall, I was walking around in a Super Wal-Mart (killing time on a Sunday off) and out from the
back roll their very first Schwinn bikes.
I knew they were coming, but these 'looked' better than I expected they would. All the usual bells
and whistles you'd expect from a $350 LBS quality bike, mostly around $250. I didn't take too long
looking at them, but I turned to my wife and said "This is the end."
So true, so true.
By the end of November, the owner of my bike shop decided he didn't want to weather another bad turn
in the economy and sold the building, dissolving the business. We worked together through December
selling off the last of the stock, mostly on eBay.
I went to work at a furniture store and let me tell you, that was an unmitigated disaster.
So, after noodling about for a few weeks, living on savings and my wife's paychecks, I hit the job
trail for the first time in 10 years. The second place I applied jumped all over me.
Yes --- Wal-Mart
It started out as a temporary position, working on a reset crew as my local store was being
remodeled. Today I picked up my final paycheck and met with the manager about a full time position.
He already had my original application out. His first question "When you worked for Spokes & Pedals,
did you assemble bikes?"
Well, that was the first thing I did there.
Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing -
Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I was making at Spokes & Pedals.
Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time
---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.com
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Josh
Archived post

13 March 2003, 20:00 UTC #2

"Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
...well, you know the rest!
Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing -
Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I

was
Quoted message said:
making at Spokes & Pedals.
Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time
At lease we can have confidence that the forks will be installed facing the correct direction...
J Seen it before...

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Nelson Binch
Archived post

13 March 2003, 20:15 UTC #3

"Josh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
|
| "Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
| "]news:[email hidden]...
| > ...well, you know the rest!
| >
| > Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter
[censored])
| > but I noted one thing - Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I
| was
| > making at Spokes & Pedals.
| >
| > Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time
| >
| >
|
| At lease we can have confidence that the forks will be installed facing
the
| correct direction...
I've even seen ads from 'Big Box' retailers where the forks were installed backwards, among
other problems.
Wal-Mart has wisely dispensed with the building services, opting instead to have a dedicated
assembler. My store just got lucky to find a real mechanic.
---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.com
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John G
Archived post

13 March 2003, 21:30 UTC #4

Nelson Binch said:
Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing -
Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I was making at Spokes & Pedals.
The bitter-sweet irony of it all..... Ohh, the humanity!

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Ctg
Archived post

14 March 2003, 02:00 UTC #5

"Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
...well, you know the rest!
Do you get to wear the spiffy vest?
--
Chris
________________
www.chrisgroff.com

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Penny S.
Archived post

14 March 2003, 02:15 UTC #6

ctg said:
"Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
...well, you know the rest!
Do you get to wear the spiffy vest?
what I am waiting for is the real story.... I hear nothign but horrible things about union busting,
forcing people to work off the clock and wage descrepancies between men and women.
walmartwatch.comwalmartwatch.com
but hey a job's a job.....
penny

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Nelson Binch
Archived post

14 March 2003, 02:45 UTC #7

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
| ctg wrote:
| > "Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
| > "]news:[email hidden]...
| >> ...well, you know the rest!
| >
| >
| > Do you get to wear the spiffy vest?
|
| what I am waiting for is the real story.... I hear nothign but horrible things about union
| busting, forcing people to work off the clock and wage descrepancies between men and women.
| walmartwatch.comwalmartwatch.com
|
| but hey a job's a job.....
I've heard the good and the bad about Wal-Mart, and so far I've seen mostly the good. I can't speak
for the wages, but there were just about as many women on my team as men (in a very physically
demanding role.) Yes, there was some division of labor within that job, basically the big burly men
got appropriate assignments.
As for union busting, I've only run across some of the same anti-union rhetoric that I've seen in
other jobs I've held. It doesn't matter as much to me, as I'm very anti-union (especially after
seeing what "Unite" did to Kannapolis.)
I don't know the details about what has gone on before, but now Wal-Mart wouldn't be caught dead
trying to make folks work off the clock. I can't even push in more than one buggy from the lot until
I clock in.
And, I've only worn the 'spiffy vest' once (at re-grand opening.) Tonight I'll wear a shop apron.
---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.com
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Bill Wheeler
Archived post

14 March 2003, 03:15 UTC #8

On Thu, 13 Mar 2003 12:21:29 -0500, "Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote: [snip]
Quoted message said:
Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing -
Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I was making at Spokes & Pedals.
Is it always about the bottom line? What happened to your principles? You "sold out". I can't
believe it! Have you no spine?
Jack up, homey I'm just funnin wit cha!
Go for the Mo money, Mo money, Mo money!
Quoted message said:

Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time
Yep!
Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind
should give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]

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John Harlow
Archived post

14 March 2003, 04:30 UTC #9

They got a good one with you, Nelson. At least now the bar-ends won't be pointing up towards the
kid's faces.
But from what I understand, some of their other employees are quite perceptive as well... For
example...
A lady goes into Wal-Mart to buy a rod and reel for her hubbie. She doesn't know which one to get,
so walks over to the register. A Wal-mart associate is standing there with sunglasses on. She says,
"Excuse me sir ... can you tell me anything about this rod and reel?" He says, "Ma'am, I'm blind,
but if you'll drop it on the counter I can tell you about it."
She didn't believe him, but dropped it on the counter anyway. He said, "That's a 6' graphite rod
with a Zebco 220 reel and a 10-lb test line ... It's a good all-around rod and reel, and it's $20."
She says, "It's amazing that you can tell all that just by the sound of it dropping on the counter.
I think it's what I'm looking for, so I'll take
it."
He walks behind the counter to the register. She bends down to get her purse and farts. At first,
she's embarrassed but then realizes that there's no way he would know it was her because being
blind, he wouldn't know she was the only person there.
He rings up the sale and says, "That will be $25.50."
She says, "But didn't you say it was $20?"
He says, "Yes ma'am, the rod and reel is $20, the duck call is $3, and the catfish stink bait is
$2.50. Thank you for shopping Wal-Mart."

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Nelson Binch
Archived post

14 March 2003, 13:31 UTC #10

"Bill Wheeler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| On Thu, 13 Mar 2003 12:21:29 -0500, "Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote: [snip]
| >Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter
[censored])
| >but I noted one thing - Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I
was
| >making at Spokes & Pedals.
|
| Is it always about the bottom line? What happened to your principles? You "sold out". I can't
| believe it! Have you no spine?
|
| Jack up, homey I'm just funnin wit cha!
|
| Go for the Mo money, Mo money, Mo money!
The funny thing is; when S&P closed, I decided to walk away from the bike industry and go back to
being "Just a rider" (as I stated in a thread before my recent hiatus.) I went to Wal-Mart to do
good, honest work. They assigned me as the assembler based on my experience, so basically the
industry sort of sucked me back in.
I went in last night (I just now got home) and discovered the entirety of their bike tool collection
is a set of cheapo metric sockets, some Stanley tools and one oddball size Park cone wrench (must
have been accidentally left by the last assembler) I'm going to have to put together a kit of basic
tools to take with me and do it correctly. It's a good thing my Park repair stand is on casters!
---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.com
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Release Date: 3/10/2003

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John G
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14 March 2003, 15:15 UTC #11

Nelson Binch said:
The funny thing is; when S&P closed, I decided to walk away from the bike industry and go back to
being "Just a rider" (as I stated in a thread before my recent hiatus.) I went to Wal-Mart to do
good, honest work. They assigned me as the assembler based on my experience, so basically the
industry sort of sucked me back in.
"You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

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Westie
Archived post

18 March 2003, 10:30 UTC #12

"Nelson Binch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
...well, you know the rest!
Last fall, I was walking around in a Super Wal-Mart (killing time on a Sunday off) and out from
the back roll their very first Schwinn bikes.
I knew they were coming, but these 'looked' better than I expected they would. All the usual bells
and whistles you'd expect from a $350 LBS quality bike, mostly around $250. I didn't take too long
looking at them, but I turned to my wife and said "This is the end."
So true, so true.
I couldn't agree more. K-Mart has been bring in these cheap mountain bikes with "Not for offroad
use" stickers all over them. They sell them for NZD$249. That's about USD$110. I can't even think of
the brand but they are everywhere on the streets around here. They must have sold thousands and
thousands of them... It's either taking a lot of business away from the LBS or providing them with a
lot as the things fall apart... Sad to see the LBS loosing the sales.
Westie
<snip>
Quoted message said:
Now, I know these bikes I'll be putting together now are [censored] (utter [censored]) but I noted one thing -
Wal-Mart is going to pay me almost twice what I

was
Quoted message said:
making at Spokes & Pedals.
Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree the whole time
---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.com
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.com). Version: 6.0.461 / Virus Database: 260
- Release Date: 3/10/2003

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