What do you think is the biggest gimmick in bike equipment?
- Thread starter Crankyfeet
- Start date
I work at a bike shop, so I sell people a lot of stupid stuff they don't need. I never recommend the stuff, but if people are requesting them, I'll sell them. Some of the stupider sales I've made, all of which involve carbon fiber parts.
One customer purchased CF look bar tape, CF end caps, and two CF water bottle cages.
Today, I had a customer come in to see some CF quick releases with titanium shafts by E3. He was curious if we had any in stock, and if we had a scale so we could weigh them for him. I forget what kinda he currently had, but he didn't like them b/c they didn't look cool enough.
One customer purchased CF look bar tape, CF end caps, and two CF water bottle cages.
Today, I had a customer come in to see some CF quick releases with titanium shafts by E3. He was curious if we had any in stock, and if we had a scale so we could weigh them for him. I forget what kinda he currently had, but he didn't like them b/c they didn't look cool enough.
It's just the Bling Factor again. It is so much easier to look like you are a competent competitor than to actually become one. If you show up for your event sporting the best looking bike and equipment, you must be serious, right? Hey, don't knock it, it is one of the reasons there are so many successful LBSs out there!lbraasch said:
Such a good point. The last race I did I encountered a guy talking a LOT of **** to everyone around him, maybe late 20s for age, and WAYYY overweight. He was sporting a Look 595 with all carbon parts and campy record group with an SRM power meter (dura ace version...). Kept yelling at people and acting like he was some big shot, and then got dropped within the first 200 yards.kdelong said:It's just the Bling Factor again. It is so much easier to look like you are a competent competitor than to actually become one. If you show up for your event sporting the best looking bike and equipment, you must be serious, right? Hey, don't knock it, it is one of the reasons there are so many successful LBSs out there!
Its funny about how much people ***** about stupid ****, Pull the tampon out and just ****ing ride and enjoy the bike. Buy what makes you happy. As far as shops selling gimmick products.... its a buisness.... they are there to make money. Dont get ****** at the sales ppl who push **** like that. I do it... if i dident i wouldent have a job.
how about the gimmic that the most expensive bike in the shop will make you a racer?
Had a guy come in, ask to see what the best deal he could get on a "race bike". After informing him that there were a number of bikes we sold that could be used for racing. He said "I want to go fast. What's the fastest bike you've got?" I showed up a Fuji Roubaix RC, pointing out ultegra set up. He didn't know that they were. I informed him of the different levels of components by shimano. His next question was "Do any of your bikes have Dura-Ace?" Walked him over to the Fuji Team RC that we had. After being informed that it was currently the best bike we had in stock, he promptly purchased it.
lets recap:
-Guy new to cycling wants to buy a "race bike" to go real fast on
-Turns down full ultegra bike citing that it's not the top of the line
-Picks a full dura-ace bike based on the fact that it's the best in the shop, and will facilitate his go fast needs
-After purchasing the bike, asks "so how do these shifters work?"
The shop was laughing for a good while after the guy left. The thign that struck me as strange was he wasn't someone who seemed particularly obsessed with image, nor expensive things in life. Some guys come into the shop, and you expect them to be weight weenies, and equipment snobs. I originally expected to sell the guy a hybrid or steel touring bike.
Had a guy come in, ask to see what the best deal he could get on a "race bike". After informing him that there were a number of bikes we sold that could be used for racing. He said "I want to go fast. What's the fastest bike you've got?" I showed up a Fuji Roubaix RC, pointing out ultegra set up. He didn't know that they were. I informed him of the different levels of components by shimano. His next question was "Do any of your bikes have Dura-Ace?" Walked him over to the Fuji Team RC that we had. After being informed that it was currently the best bike we had in stock, he promptly purchased it.
lets recap:
-Guy new to cycling wants to buy a "race bike" to go real fast on
-Turns down full ultegra bike citing that it's not the top of the line
-Picks a full dura-ace bike based on the fact that it's the best in the shop, and will facilitate his go fast needs
-After purchasing the bike, asks "so how do these shifters work?"
The shop was laughing for a good while after the guy left. The thign that struck me as strange was he wasn't someone who seemed particularly obsessed with image, nor expensive things in life. Some guys come into the shop, and you expect them to be weight weenies, and equipment snobs. I originally expected to sell the guy a hybrid or steel touring bike.
COOL…I had no idea …..all I had to do was buy a FAST bike to be QUICK on a bike….after all these years of training...and it was just the bikelbraasch said:
