Hurrah For Local Bike Shops



S

Simon Wolf

Guest
Some of you may remember that a few days ago I asked for some advice
about what bike to get under my company's Cycle 2 Work scheme. Well
since then I managed to persuade them to not use the Evans scheme but
rather to be more flexible which resulted in me being able to visit one
of my local bike shops this afternoon. I had a really good chat with
one of the guys there about the Dawes Galaxy and the extras that I
wanted for it and we decided that I would be better off buying a Super
Galaxy but since my entire budget would then be used up on the bike
alone they would give me some lights and a computer for free. I then
got the bad news that the bike would not be available for a few weeks so
he offered me the use of one of their hire bikes for free when it was
not needed. I am really impressed and pleased that I can support people
and businesses like this and I am much happier knowing that I can have
the bike adjusted properly for me when I buy it and that if there are
any issues then they are a couple of miles away from where I live.

The flip-side happened about 30 minutes later when I visited another
local shop and the owner could not have been less interested in helping
me. I simply asked what his availability was for the Super Galaxy and
he grumbled that he would have to ring to find out and then said that it
would probably be the same as other people had told me. Ah well, I know
which shop will get my custom from now on!

Simon
 
Simon Wolf wrote:

[snip good shop, bad shop ...]

Care to name either or preferably both?

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"Lord, please make me the kind of person my dog thinks I am."
 
Don Whybrow <[email protected]> wrote:

> Simon Wolf wrote:
>
> [snip good shop, bad shop ...]
>
> Care to name either or preferably both?

Well the good shop is in Wells in Somerset and is called Bike City
<http://www.bikecity.biz/> . The not-so-good shop is in Shepton Mallet
and is called The Cycle Centre <http://www.thecyclecentre.co.uk>.

Now, in fairness to The Cycle Centre, the did a good job in checking
over the hand-me-down bike that I have at the moment so maybe the guy
was just busy today but I would have thought that a potential sale of a
£1000 bike would have at least made him make a bit of an effort.
 
"Simon Wolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1hwfjib.c1bjxjjbswjkN%[email protected]...
> Don Whybrow <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Simon Wolf wrote:
>>
>> [snip good shop, bad shop ...]
>>
>> Care to name either or preferably both?
>
> Well the good shop is in Wells in Somerset and is called Bike City
> <http://www.bikecity.biz/> . The not-so-good shop is in Shepton Mallet
> and is called The Cycle Centre <http://www.thecyclecentre.co.uk>.
>
> Now, in fairness to The Cycle Centre, the did a good job in checking
> over the hand-me-down bike that I have at the moment so maybe the guy
> was just busy today but I would have thought that a potential sale of a
> £1000 bike would have at least made him make a bit of an effort.

Simon
My reaction is one of "Ah a potential new customer". My LBS I have traded with
for over 40 years ( with a 30 year gap in the middle) and they still have
their sales staff interested in their customers needs -- this is J E James
at the Old fire station in Rotherham

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
 
Pinky <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Simon Wolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:1hwfjib.c1bjxjjbswjkN%[email protected]...
> > Don Whybrow <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Simon Wolf wrote:
> >>
> >> [snip good shop, bad shop ...]
> >>
> >> Care to name either or preferably both?
> >
> > Well the good shop is in Wells in Somerset and is called Bike City
> > <http://www.bikecity.biz/> . The not-so-good shop is in Shepton Mallet
> > and is called The Cycle Centre <http://www.thecyclecentre.co.uk>.
> >
> > Now, in fairness to The Cycle Centre, the did a good job in checking
> > over the hand-me-down bike that I have at the moment so maybe the guy
> > was just busy today but I would have thought that a potential sale of a
> > £1000 bike would have at least made him make a bit of an effort.
>
> Simon
> My reaction is one of "Ah a potential new customer". My LBS I have traded with
> for over 40 years ( with a 30 year gap in the middle) and they still have
> their sales staff interested in their customers needs -- this is J E James
> at the Old fire station in Rotherham

A good local bike shop is a fantastic think, perhaps made so by the fact
that generally they are staffed by enthusiasts. I hope that Bike City
serves me well for many years to come.

I still vividly remember a fantastic bike shop we used to use when I was
growing up in an area near us called Hillside (just south of Southport).
For a small child it was like an Aladdin's case and was packed with
bikes and parts. Then again, manybe the memories are enhanced by most
of my childhood bikes arriving at Christmas!
 
In article <1hwfflh.smuvrrgo0p7yN%[email protected]>,
Simon Wolf
[email protected]lid says...
> Some of you may remember that a few days ago I asked for some advice
> about what bike to get under my company's Cycle 2 Work scheme. Well
> since then I managed to persuade them to not use the Evans scheme but
> rather to be more flexible which resulted in me being able to visit one
> of my local bike shops this afternoon. I had a really good chat with
> one of the guys there about the Dawes Galaxy and the extras that I
> wanted for it and we decided that I would be better off buying a Super
> Galaxy but since my entire budget would then be used up on the bike
> alone they would give me some lights and a computer for free. I then
> got the bad news that the bike would not be available for a few weeks so
> he offered me the use of one of their hire bikes for free when it was
> not needed. I am really impressed and pleased that I can support people
> and businesses like this and I am much happier knowing that I can have
> the bike adjusted properly for me when I buy it and that if there are
> any issues then they are a couple of miles away from where I live.
>
> The flip-side happened about 30 minutes later when I visited another
> local shop and the owner could not have been less interested in helping
> me. I simply asked what his availability was for the Super Galaxy and
> he grumbled that he would have to ring to find out and then said that it
> would probably be the same as other people had told me. Ah well, I know
> which shop will get my custom from now on!
>
Once they've got your money they might not want to see you again. What
sets a good LBS apart from an ordinary or bad one is things like:

you have a mechanical emergency and they pull out the stops to get it
sorted

you want something obscure and they track it down after trying about ten
suppliers, when they could have just told you it wasn't available

you know that they'll have a whitworth-flange splunge bracket in stock
when you need one
 
Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:

> In article <1hwfflh.smuvrrgo0p7yN%[email protected]>,
> Simon Wolf
> [email protected]lid says...
> > Some of you may remember that a few days ago I asked for some advice
> > about what bike to get under my company's Cycle 2 Work scheme. Well
> > since then I managed to persuade them to not use the Evans scheme but
> > rather to be more flexible which resulted in me being able to visit one
> > of my local bike shops this afternoon. I had a really good chat with
> > one of the guys there about the Dawes Galaxy and the extras that I
> > wanted for it and we decided that I would be better off buying a Super
> > Galaxy but since my entire budget would then be used up on the bike
> > alone they would give me some lights and a computer for free. I then
> > got the bad news that the bike would not be available for a few weeks so
> > he offered me the use of one of their hire bikes for free when it was
> > not needed. I am really impressed and pleased that I can support people
> > and businesses like this and I am much happier knowing that I can have
> > the bike adjusted properly for me when I buy it and that if there are
> > any issues then they are a couple of miles away from where I live.
> >
> > The flip-side happened about 30 minutes later when I visited another
> > local shop and the owner could not have been less interested in helping
> > me. I simply asked what his availability was for the Super Galaxy and
> > he grumbled that he would have to ring to find out and then said that it
> > would probably be the same as other people had told me. Ah well, I know
> > which shop will get my custom from now on!
> >
> Once they've got your money they might not want to see you again. What
> sets a good LBS apart from an ordinary or bad one is things like:

Bah, you've ruined my optimistic good mood now! ;)

> you have a mechanical emergency and they pull out the stops to get it
> sorted
>
> you want something obscure and they track it down after trying about ten
> suppliers, when they could have just told you it wasn't available
>
> you know that they'll have a whitworth-flange splunge bracket in stock
> when you need one

Well these are all things that I will only find out over time but I am
encouraged by the fact that they arrange frequent local rides and that
they take part in a lot of the local charity rides and therefore are
obviously more than happy to get involved in the local cycling
community.

Anyway, I'll report back in a few months if I remember!
 
Rob Morley <[email protected]> wrote:

> In article <1hwfflh.smuvrrgo0p7yN%[email protected]>,
> Simon Wolf
> [email protected]lid says...
> > Some of you may remember that a few days ago I asked for some advice
> > about what bike to get under my company's Cycle 2 Work scheme. Well
> > since then I managed to persuade them to not use the Evans scheme but
> > rather to be more flexible which resulted in me being able to visit one
> > of my local bike shops this afternoon. I had a really good chat with
> > one of the guys there about the Dawes Galaxy and the extras that I
> > wanted for it and we decided that I would be better off buying a Super
> > Galaxy but since my entire budget would then be used up on the bike
> > alone they would give me some lights and a computer for free. I then
> > got the bad news that the bike would not be available for a few weeks so
> > he offered me the use of one of their hire bikes for free when it was
> > not needed. I am really impressed and pleased that I can support people
> > and businesses like this and I am much happier knowing that I can have
> > the bike adjusted properly for me when I buy it and that if there are
> > any issues then they are a couple of miles away from where I live.
> >
> > The flip-side happened about 30 minutes later when I visited another
> > local shop and the owner could not have been less interested in helping
> > me. I simply asked what his availability was for the Super Galaxy and
> > he grumbled that he would have to ring to find out and then said that it
> > would probably be the same as other people had told me. Ah well, I know
> > which shop will get my custom from now on!
> >
> Once they've got your money they might not want to see you again. What
> sets a good LBS apart from an ordinary or bad one is things like:
>
> you have a mechanical emergency and they pull out the stops to get it
> sorted
>
> you want something obscure and they track it down after trying about ten
> suppliers, when they could have just told you it wasn't available
>
> you know that they'll have a whitworth-flange splunge bracket in stock
> when you need one

i don't do much work on the bikes i have mainly lack of intrest. thus
having moved to an area that has a local bike shop that seems to make
it's bed and butter on repairs. is a real plus more than makes up for
the lack of hills.

roger
 
permajeo wrote:
> I think I have one in garage but with a left hand thread.

triple start buttress acme, of course...

hth,

Sir Joseph Whitworth, BART., C.E., F.R.S., LL.D., D.C.L. (deceased)
 
Tony B wrote on 12/04/2007 17:44 +0100:
> permajeo wrote:
>> I think I have one in garage but with a left hand thread.
>
> triple start buttress acme, of course...
>
> hth,
>
> Sir Joseph Whitworth, BART., C.E., F.R.S., LL.D., D.C.L. (deceased)

Who made an instrument in 1840 that could measure accurate to a
millionth of an inch.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell
 
Simon Wolf wrote:
> Don Whybrow <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Simon Wolf wrote:
>>
>> [snip good shop, bad shop ...]
>>
>> Care to name either or preferably both?
>
> Well the good shop is in Wells in Somerset and is called Bike City
> <http://www.bikecity.biz/> . The not-so-good shop is in Shepton
> Mallet and is called The Cycle Centre
> <http://www.thecyclecentre.co.uk>.
>

It's good to read through threads - I drive through Wells on occaision so
can add that to my list!
 
cupra <[email protected]> wrote:

> Simon Wolf wrote:
> > Don Whybrow <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Simon Wolf wrote:
> >>
> >> [snip good shop, bad shop ...]
> >>
> >> Care to name either or preferably both?
> >
> > Well the good shop is in Wells in Somerset and is called Bike City
> > <http://www.bikecity.biz/> . The not-so-good shop is in Shepton
> > Mallet and is called The Cycle Centre
> > <http://www.thecyclecentre.co.uk>.
> >
>
> It's good to read through threads - I drive through Wells on occaision so
> can add that to my list!

Well as an added bouns my tip is to park in the pay and display car part
at the back of the bus station and then you can walk through to the shop
which is about 20 yeard away. There is a small courtyard in front where
you can park if you are lucky but it does get congested and the one-lane
street does get blocked by delivery lorries.
 
Tony Raven said the following on 12/04/2007 21:01:

> Who made an instrument in 1840 that could measure accurate to a
> millionth of an inch.

How did they know?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
Rob Morley proclaimed to uk.rec.cycling ...
> you have a mechanical emergency and they pull out the stops to get it
> sorted

Very true. A friend of mine recently bought a bike which had spoke snappage
problems (expensive bike). The dealer he bought it from went bust about 2
months after he bought it, so he took it to another local dealer. They
repaired it under warranty and told him to come back in 100 miles to have
the wheels checked.

Well afte 50 miles or so the spokes started coming so loose you could undo
the nipples by hand and it was causing major wobbles as you'd expect. I
have built my fair share of wheels so i had a look at it and tweaked it
back into shape as he needed it to ride home from work. He kept asking for
them to look at it and told them it was falling apart, they told him to
wait another 2 weeks or so. I tweaked it another 2 times in 60miles. He
then took it back to them and said "FIX IT" or words to that effect. They
then said "You should have brought it to us earlier, its really bad".

He nearly hit the roof!

LBSs can be good and bad, but i find the best ones are the ones that have a
small shop front, arent open when you want, cost a fortune but will drop
everything to help and advise. Its a shame because even im guilty of
ordering from CRC for the prices and speed, but then CRC have always been
VERY helpful so i feel less traitorish!
 
In article <46234131$0$8726$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-
reader02.plus.net>, usenet.dont.work@plusnet says...
> Tony Raven said the following on 12/04/2007 21:01:
>
> > Who made an instrument in 1840 that could measure accurate to a
> > millionth of an inch.
>
> How did they know?
>
>
Maybe they made a million things a millionth of an inch long and
put them end to end and got a ruler.
--
Cheers
the.Mark
 
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