Finding a good LBS...an adventure....

(Rob Woozle) said:

Whew - it pays to shop around.

The other day I mangled one of my clipless pedals riding in the forest. My mechanical skills are
non-existent so I took the offending pedal off to the shop that services my bike to look at. The
bored guy behind the counter took a quick look at it and said there was a piece missing and I
needed to buy new pedals. He then proceeded to not be bothered to talk to me about new pedals - no
sale there.

So...took the pedal to another LBS.....they said it could be fixed but "why would you bother". Left
there in a hurry.

At this stage I am resigned to getting new pedals....until...on the way to work I went into a third
LBS.....the guy looks at the pedal.....says that the "tensioning spring" is out of place. Then he
advises me that they can fix it if I like. No worries. I set an upper limit for the repair as
suggested by the sotre guy at $25.

Today I got my pedal back.....fixed for $15.40....and I'm off into the forest as soon as it
gets dark ;-)

So, a BIG thumbs up to Lonsdale Street Cyclery in Braddon in the ACT.

A big raspberry to the other two shops which I will never set foot in again!!!

don't be a wuss, tell us what the other shops were 😉

Quoted message said:

Cheers, Rob

On 09 Jan 2004 07:57:47 GMT, Rob Woozle <[email hidden]> Wrote :

Quoted message said:

Whew - it pays to shop around.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Today I got my pedal back.....fixed for $15.40....and I'm off into the forest as soon as it gets
dark ;-)

So, a BIG thumbs up to Lonsdale Street Cyclery in Braddon in the ACT.

I've heard that before about those guys. Looks like you've got a new LBS eh ?? ...:-)

--

BAH Humbug

Rob Woozle <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Whew - it pays to shop around.

SNIP
: A big raspberry to the other two shops which I will never set foot in again!!!

Here's my version of a similar experience with LBSs. At the local hardware store I came upon a
friend trying to buy bolts to mount mudgards to a MTB. When I asked why she didn't try the LBS, she
said they had told her they were too busy to do the job and merely gave her a list of bolts required
for the job.

In the end, I fitted the guards for her and sorted a few other things out on the bike. Probably
spending an hour or so - that's real money for a bike shop.

Now, while I'm not fond of the local LBS and its proprietors, I wouldn't go out of my way to do
damage to them - other than refusing to ever enter their shop again. They seem to be able to do
enough damage to themselves without my help. By all reports, the shop is struggling and it isn't
hard to imagine why, so it seems quite nuts to be turning customers away. Perhaps they want to
become bankrupt, but there's easier ways of doing that than deliberately alienating customers (me
being an ex-customer).

Go figure!

Cheerz, Lynzz

Well, I won't tell you their names but the initials of one are MA and the other one is OB.

Both are in Canberra.

I'm sure locals can work them out :-)

Quoted message said:

don't be a wuss, tell us what the other shops were 😉

One comment, non-withstanding with other's opinions, is that judgement must be fair. A single case is not enough to judge an LBS in this case.

If the MA is the MA that I think, you just stumbled over a bad apple. They are generally good and knowledgeable. OB, again if the one I think it is, is more of a chain store, so one should not expect much from them.

I basically go to LSC, BC and RS first because mechanics and sales people are generally knowledgeable, helpful and fair. The after sale service at LSC is second to none.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rob Woozle
[B]Well, I won't tell you their names but the initials of one are MA and the other one is OB.

Both are in Canberra.

I'm sure locals can work them out :-)

Quoted message said:

don't be a wuss, tell us what the other shops were 😉 [/B]

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Rob Woozle
Whew - it pays to shop around.



So, a BIG thumbs up to Lonsdale Street Cyclery in Braddon in the ACT.

A big raspberry to the other two shops which I will never set foot in again!!!

Cheers, Rob

Hi Rob
You are the first person in Canberra that I know who has a good word to say about Lonsdale Street Cyclery.

Quoted message said:

Hi Rob You are the first person in Canberra that I know who has a good word to say about Lonsdale
Street Cyclery.

Well someone else in this thread liked them as well so that makes two ;-)

Seriously though - their attitude from two staff members was excellent, they didn't patronise me or
look down their noses at my "cheapish" VP pedals and they were friendly.

In the other two places that I went they made me feel like I wasn't worthy to be in their store
(especially MA). I do not profess to be a cycling guru of any kind but I ride my MTB and my road
bike a LOT and I like to be taken remotely seriously when I go to them, money in hand, for
assistance.

Cheers! Rob