Commuting - Riding downtown Atlanta yesterday when...

I know it's best to carry your own tools/tubes and other especially if a serious commuter.

My front tire went flat. I knew of a bicycle shop 1/2 mile down the road. I pushed my bike there. I bought a tube for my bike. I asked the mechanic on duty to use his tire tool. He told me I couldn't use his tire tool but I could buy one. Well I did not have my tool bag with me and did not want to buy a second one. So I improvised by using an old key on my key chain to remove tire. I had the tire changed in 5 minutes. I used a pump at the bicycle shop to inflate tire.

Overall, it's best to carry what you need with you. I wonder if they make a tire tool that can be carried on your keychain.

hmmmm.... I would have thought that the Bike Shop would have helped you out and mounted tube for you. Clearly you were in a "distress" situation and you did buy the tube from them.

A reasonable mechanic would have had you going in a few minutes.

Bah! Whats another potential long term customer!

Ditto

Which shop?? and what do you ride i have probally seen you around. I go to GA state.

Since I'm also in the Greater ATL area, I too want to know what shop so I can avoid them.

and don't forget to e-mail the link to the owner!

Maybe a bottle opener on a keychain would do in a pinch?

I've had the same thing happen.

The guy would loan me a 17mm open end wrench (bmx) but not tire levers.

I had the choice of either buying the levers for $5 or getting him to change it for $7.

...I ended up changing the tube with the box end of the wrench, in front of the guy, in 2 minutes.

I wanted to throw the wrench back at the jerk when I was done, but I refrained.

I know it's best to carry your own tools/tubes and other especially if a serious commuter.

My front tire went flat. I knew of a bicycle shop 1/2 mile down the road. I pushed my bike there. I bought a tube for my bike. I asked the mechanic on duty to use his tire tool. He told me I couldn't use his tire tool but I could buy one. Well I did not have my tool bag with me and did not want to buy a second one. So I improvised by using an old key on my key chain to remove tire. I had the tire changed in 5 minutes. I used a pump at the bicycle shop to inflate tire.

Overall, it's best to carry what you need with you. I wonder if they make a tire tool that can be carried on your keychain.

How about your QR lever?

How about your QR lever?
Good idea

Any LBS that would sell you a tube but not loan you a tire lever to mount it is undeserving of your business, IMO. That's just petty and obnoxious.

Now, of course, you should buy three tire levers and carry them with you just in case something like this happens, but you can improvise with your QR lever or other handy items you have lying around or in your pockets, as others have mentioned.

EDIT: Thought I would mention that one time when I went in to the LBS to change a tube, the guy not only let me use his tire levers, but also let me use his floor pump to reinflate my tire. This was back when I wasn't very savvy about basic bike maintenance. He saw I was having trouble getting the tube in there and seated correctly, so he came over and showed me the trick to getting a tube and tire onto a rim quickly and easily. No charge for anything except the new tube. Out of gratitude, I continue to do business with his establishment, even though I could probably get quite a few things more cheaply on the internet and elsewhere; you can buy a product, but you can't buy good service, IMO.

I too need to know the name of this shop to avoid.

It would have been nice if the shop had loaned some tire levers.
Next time I have a problem with my Jeep in front of an auto repair shop, I'll just ask to borrow a few tools.

It would have been nice if the shop had loaned some tire levers.
Next time I have a problem with my Jeep in front of an auto repair shop, I'll just ask to borrow a few tools.

Most likely you'll get the tools too. At least from my experience. Especially if you bought the parts there.

The shop in question was the Skate Escape Bike shop on Piedmont across the street from the Piedmont Park entrance.

I do not frequent this shop. I have talk to the manager there before who was nice to me. However, on this day the only person in the shop was the mechanic of the shop.

Whew, I was hoping you would not say it was Intown or Outback. I went to S/E once on my way home to look around. A worker there saw my beater/commuter and went on to tell me how my bike was old/worn out and that if I was serious about riding that I needed to buy a new bike. He assumed that I knew nothing about bikes and before I could leave he was on me like a used car salesman trying to get me on a hybrd.

That attitude made me avoid that shop from then on. Admittedly, they are mainly a bike/skate rental shop by the park, but that's no reason to assume the customer's needs without asking first.

Whew, I was hoping you would not say it was Intown or Outback. I went to S/E once on my way home to look around. A worker there saw my beater/commuter and went on to tell me how my bike was old/worn out and that if I was serious about riding that I needed to buy a new bike. He assumed that I knew nothing about bikes and before I could leave he was on me like a used car salesman trying to get me on a hybrd.

That attitude made me avoid that shop from then on. Admittedly, they are mainly a bike/skate rental shop by the park, but that's no reason to assume the customer's needs without asking first.


I go to Outback mostly, the guys there have gone out of the way to help me. I had first met them when I bought Specialized from them. Later I bought a Cannondale as a second bike which is not one of their brands but they still helped me out when I rode by the shop.

The shop in question was the Skate Escape Bike shop on Piedmont across the street from the Piedmont Park entrance.

I do not frequent this shop. I have talk to the manager there before who was nice to me. However, on this day the only person in the shop was the mechanic of the shop.

Before we hang the shop without trial I suggest you personally call the manager and ask if that is the store policy. I know the bike shop that I use has an explicit **will lend** tools policy. Maybe they just need to see your side of this to change their approach. If so, the next guy will certainly appreciate it.

I too am glad it wasn't Intown or Outback. Both great shops.

I'm surprised the mechanic at Skate Escape treated you that way. Most of the folks there are usually friendly and helpful.

Good service gets customers. Not bike related but along the same lines.

If you have a nail/screw in your tire, America's Tire/Discount Tire will remove the tire, patch it, replace the stem, reassemble, balance for free.

Why, it gets customers in the door. Maybe you'll get new tires if yours have any issues. Regardless, its free.

I have 7 tires from them currently, and bought 2 previous ones there. The one in question was from Just Tires, they wanted 20 for repair of their own tire. Wife bought that one there because it was close and urgent to where her flat occured. She did make them match their price from their tires.com/americas/discount website.

Not to mention when there was a problem with my TSW's, they upgraded me to some 200 dollar more Panasports they specially ordered from Japan for me at no extra charge. They have gone out of their way for me, and I never asked for anything for free, they did it themselves.

Why would I go anywhere else if I could by all means get to their store?

Would I go to a bike shop that handled things in a similar manner, yes. For now I have a preffered bike shop.

Until an issue arrises that is.

I too am glad it wasn't Intown or Outback.

I agree about this. I have to give a shout out to the guys at Intown for letting me hangout and talk shop without buying anything last Thursday. They've consistently helped me with even the most minor problems. I've never been by that Skate Escape place, I just assumed it was only rentals for weekends in the park.

i got some crap about it being an insurance risk. charged me for the tube and labor. never heard of that before. the other shop i've frequented charges for air. welcome to l.a.