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02-10-03, 07:17 AM
My lbs rules. Back in December, I ordered a set of SRAM XO shifters and rear mech. We took the quiet Xmas/New Year into account and likely delivery date was mid-January. January came and went, and still no sign of my XOs. I phoned the UK distributor, Fisher, and they told me they'd had them in stock and while they enter and leave the inventory quite regularly they still had about 18 units of each and could deliver anywhere in 24hrs. I then phoned another bigger bike store and they confirmed they had the rear mech available and could source the shifters the following day. So, the components were on hand. I phoned the lbs and asked what was going on. I told them what I'd found out for just a few local calls, and they could do the same, etc, etc. They said that until Fisher deliver they could not get them any sooner. I have a cash credit with the lbs and said I can get them this week so could I have some of my bucks back to go and buy them, and they could cancel their order, as 6 weeks was now stretching credibility a bit far. No problem they said. Two hours later the lbs phone me, apologise for the delay and that if I want to buy the XO from another shop (get this) the lbs will fit them to my Gemini - for free. In fact, the chief spanner, Darren, said that to keep the customer/lbs relationship amicable and secure, would I like to bring the bike in and they'll let me use the workshop facilities and their expertise and fit them myself. Point of this is that I just would not get that from the larger shops. True, the lbs depend on people like us, but isn't it really nice to know that long after the money has changed hands, they still offer something above the deal, something you can't put a price on?