Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - No, Clydes aren't stupid! And Yes.......

No, we aren't stupid and we know about bikes. I don't visit the shops much but when I do, the guys think I'm stupid. Maybe they aren't used to us big guys knowing something about bikes. I walked into a shop today and asked for a 9 speed SRAM chain (I like the ez link thingy). The guy pulls out a box and says $43!

"Uhh no, I want the $21 chain" I said. He says, oh sorry, I didn't realize we had that one! Yeah ok, like a lighter chain is going to serve me better!:p

Ugh, I dread going into certain establishments based on past experiences where certain assumptions appear to be in place about my knowledge of what I'm shopping for.

Thankfully, I have found that the more I go, the less this seems to be happening.

After being thoroughly underwhelmed by the LBSes here I generally order from online sources and have collected the tools to do my own maintenance. Oh well.

my guys are great. That being said I walked out of 3 other shops becaue they either cater to races and will ignore the fat guy or tried to sell me a bike that was totally wrong for me and was on there sale rack.

Man, I'm happy with the LBS I deal with! They've ALWAYS taken good care of me, and go with the most cost effective solution.

Man, I'm happy with the LBS I deal with! They've ALWAYS taken good care of me, and go with the most cost effective solution.


I have hope for one, even though I once proclaimed that I would never again darken it's doorway. I have another LBS that isn't much for accessories, but great on service.

I have actually become quite fond of a local chapter of a national chain. The guys working there are really helpful, and don't mind just talking if there isn't someone else who needs help.

I've walked out of 2 specialized shops feeling somewhere between ignored and insulted. I had a shop back in KY that was great; I would walk in, tell them exactly what I wanted, we'd strike up a conversation on what I was doing to the bike, I even got advice that I hadn't heard anywhere else before.

Funny, REI's kinda like that up here.

But if you really want some decent attention, just show up in stinky kit. Works every time no matter how much they'd like to neglect you.

No, we aren't stupid and we know about bikes. I don't visit the shops much but when I do, the guys think I'm stupid.

You have no idea. Try being female.

(and yet, I've never had a problem at my LBS...but in general, when it comes to anything involving a)money b)driving c)physical activity d)mathematics e)science f)politics g)finding one's way from point A to point B or h)fixing that which is broken, men are presumed to automatically know more than women)

a local shop I've purchased accessories from wouldn't take 5 minutes from their "busy schedule" to do a simple derailleur adjustment. The other shop got me fixed up in less than 10 minutes and made a spare spoke for me. I saw a nice rack bag on the way out (large enough for my new camera and lens) that I had to buy.

Of course I was admonished for buying a department store bike. After all, he can order anything I could have wanted in a touring bike... I didn't have to "settle" for my Randonnee.

No, we aren't stupid and we know about bikes. I don't visit the shops much but when I do, the guys think I'm stupid. Maybe they aren't used to us big guys knowing something about bikes. I walked into a shop today and asked for a 9 speed SRAM chain (I like the ez link thingy). The guy pulls out a box and says $43!

"Uhh no, I want the $21 chain" I said. He says, oh sorry, I didn't realize we had that one! Yeah ok, like a lighter chain is going to serve me better!:p

You should've hucked off his head.

I have a 2007 Schwinn Fastback that I picked up off a ebay a few months ago. When I tried to drop off my bike for a tuneup a few weeks ago, the high school kid behind the counter told me that they would not work it, because it was a department store bike. After explaining to the kid that there is a difference between an X-Mart sold Pacific bike with a Schwinn logo, and a Schwinn road bike, he finally agreed that they could work on the bike.

You have no idea. Try being female.


Can I keep all my pieces parts, but still get invited to the pajama parties? :D

Can I keep all my pieces parts, but still get invited to the pajama parties? :D

No. You may not.

(if you want, I'll tell you my mom's story of what happened when an ImposterMan was discovered at the annual Wellesley College hoop roll)

No. You may not.

(if you want, I'll tell you my mom's story of what happened when an ImposterMan was discovered at the annual Wellesley College hoop roll)

As long as it doesn't include graphic photos....:twitchy::eek:

You have no idea. Try being female.


I've been trying for the last 15 minutes. Nothing happened. I give up.

kid behind the counter told me that they would not work it, because it was a department store bike.

Very poor business practice, if you ask me.

I heard a story about a guy I used to work for... back in the early 70's a major dept/hardware/autoparts store began agressively marketing and selling bicycles. There was a meeting between all the bike shop owners in the city (like a summit of all the 'Dons') and the primary idea they were considering was to not service department store bikes for people. My boss said: "someone is going to offer me money to fix their bike and you think I should refuse? No way!" He heard someone say quietly to another "let's see how long the new guy stays in business..."
I started working for him in 2000 (he was 30 years in business) and he has just recently passed his stores (small chain now) on to his sons. All but one of the other businesses represented at that meeting are long gone. :D

Of course I was admonished for buying a department store bike. After all, he can order anything I could have wanted in a touring bike... I didn't have to "settle" for my Randonnee.

That's just wrong. I guess I'm just lucky. Both the LBS's near me offer great service with no attitude or high pressure sales tactics. So does my local REI where I bought my Randonee...:D

I've been really fortunate. I live in a small town and only have one shop within 50 miles and it's owned by a guy almost as big as I am. They've been helpful and supportive and the more enthusiastic I get (the more obvious I'm going to buy another bike soon) the more cooperative and helpful they've been. They originally sold me an upright hybrid comfort bike because that's what I asked for. It's perfect for my commuting and it's helped me lose weight and get stronger. Now that I'm looking to go further, faster they keep showing me my options without pressuring me. When I replaced my chain they showed me options beginning with $15 and going up. I decided to spend a few bucks more but they made it my choice.

I'm an equipment mechanic for a living. I sometimes have to shop during my lunch hour and I'm usually pretty shall we say "grungy" by then. I've been around road bikes since my Campy equipped 1972 Legnano. While shopping at one of the local shops I was told the Tiagra gruppo on the bike was the same as Ultegra.

Young pierced mechanic at the same shop (after my mentioning liking an old steel frame road bike there) that it wasn't steel it was chrome moly. Didn't bother to tell him I'd been an aircraft mechanic for years and was very familiar with 4130 and the like.

You have no idea. Try being female.

(and yet, I've never had a problem at my LBS...but in general, when it comes to anything involving a)money b)driving c)physical activity d)mathematics e)science f)politics g)finding one's way from point A to point B or h)fixing that which is broken, men are presumed to automatically know more than women)

Oh yes I do. The best parts person I ever worked with was female. I'd love to have made a dollar every time some idiot would want to speak to someone who knew what they were doing. Always made me laugh when she would go get one of the managers and he would ask what the problem was. The customer would usually reply something to the effect of needing to speak to someone that knew something and the guy would turn the customer back over to Karen.:lol:

You have no idea. Try being female.

(and yet, I've never had a problem at my LBS...but in general, when it comes to anything involving a)money b)driving c)physical activity d)mathematics e)science f)politics g)finding one's way from point A to point B or h)fixing that which is broken, men are presumed to automatically know more than women)

My LBS is owned and run by a woman, so I get good service there.

My LBS is owned and run by a woman, so I get good service there.

Must...resist...asking...

After visiting some of the LBS around the NYC area, I found one that was able to help me with my first buildup. Even though I didn't purchase any major components from them, the manager gave his time and opinion on what was out in the market and what would be suitable for a first time roadie/clyde. After completing my buildup, I didn't hesitate to bring the bike to them for some fine tuning. Not only did he tune my bike at a very reasonable cost, he even matched the lowest price from another LBS for a set of shimano rd540 pedals. I've already put close to 100 miles since last weekend and I'm glad Allan from Buddy's Bicycle in Queens was helpful from day 1.

Must...resist...asking...


Oh come on, ASK:)

Must...resist...asking...

:lol:

that is a lolz

working on department store bikes probably took 10 years off of my life. By far our favorite customer back in the day could be called a Clyde. It wasn't always easy keeping his bike running, but he was a great customer, always enjoyed it when he came into the shop.

The local LBS's here are kinda split on the service issue; the new ones are the ones providing it, the established ones aren't. Contrarily, my co-worker and I also offer service on the bikes our company sells (think Big Smiley...). We are the only two real mechanics working for that company within probably a 150-mile radius, at least. (We work there because the LBS's can't match the pay.)

I'm mixed on the issue; I do think that, if you're in the bike business, you need to work on bikes. OTOH, there's so little return on it for the LBS ("HOW MUCH?!? The BIKE costs less than that!"), that I understand them not wanting to waste valuable shop time. Also, the overall quality on big-box bikes has PLUM-MET-TED!!! A bike that, just four months ago, took an average of 20-25 minutes to assemble AND tune now takes over an hour because of the shatty quality of the components. Example: a BMX-style bike came out of the box with fork dropouts TOUCHING, due to an irreparably bent fork leg. Two replacement forks later, the bike went to the sales floor. Profitable at $67 for the bike?

I know there are plenty of average joes out there riding cheap bikes because that's all they can get; a guy last week was riding an old 10-spd home on a SEVERELY bent rear wheel, at about 6-7mph. I almost offered to fix it for him on the spot, but I was afraid I'd bust a spoke, and leave him with nothing to work with.

My LBS is Great. Ruben (left) gave me a perfect fit.
Terrry (right) sold me the bike, he weights in at about 230 lbs.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/CLT07.jpg

Terrry (right) sold me the bike, he weights in at about 230 lbs.

Is that with or without the goatee? :lol:

A dork disk and reflectors?

And a gas tank?:eek:

You have no idea. Try being female.

(and yet, I've never had a problem at my LBS...but in general, when it comes to anything involving a)money b)driving c)physical activity d)mathematics e)science f)politics g)finding one's way from point A to point B or h)fixing that which is broken, men are presumed to automatically know more than women)

If you don't mind me asking which shop do you go to?

If you don't mind me asking which shop do you go to?

Nowhere near you. I commute in Boston, I live in western MA.

Nowhere near you. I commute in Boston, I live in western MA.

Ahh ok. My girlfriend goes to Simmons and has some friends who bike. I try to recommend shops but I often have a better experience than they do in a lot of the shops around here for some odd reason...

Ahh ok. My girlfriend goes to Simmons and has some friends who bike. I try to recommend shops but I often have a better experience than they do in a lot of the shops around here for some odd reason...

Yeah, I wish I could help -- the most I've ever done is stop in for a blinky or something like that, and always on the wrong side of the river for your gf. It's too bad that Bikes Not Bombs is a ways away from her, they're pretty cool folks.

Amen, sister.

I complained long and loud to a clerk at a Performance Bike store in Pt. Loma today because my daughter and I were completely ignored, and we were in there a good thirty minutes. No one acknowledged us, greeted us, asked if we needed help with fitting her for shorts, help with their little fitting room cubby thing, nada. If she didn't need them so badly (we're training for an 18-mile ride next month), I would have left. Meanwhile they're greeting the men who came into the store by name. Yes, we were the only females in the place.

She's a kid and I'm big, so we don't look like your typical cyclists, but we're training for the Tour of Poway, which I explained to him. Plus, I was spending close to a hundred bucks outfitting her. We deserved some attention, too. The clerk apologized and explained that he'd been at lunch the last half hour, then gave me an extra discount on the shorts.

I hope this kind of treatment isn't typical of bike stores.

AR

Amen, sister.

I complained long and loud to a clerk at a Performance Bike store in Pt. Loma today because my daughter and I were completely ignored, and we were in there a good thirty minutes. No one acknowledged us, greeted us, asked if we needed help with fitting her for shorts, help with their little fitting room cubby thing, nada. If she didn't need them so badly (we're training for an 18-mile ride next month), I would have left. Meanwhile they're greeting the men who came into the store by name. Yes, we were the only females in the place.

She's a kid and I'm big, so we don't look like your typical cyclists, but we're training for the Tour of Poway, which I explained to him. Plus, I was spending close to a hundred bucks outfitting her. We deserved some attention, too. The clerk apologized and explained that he'd been at lunch the last half hour, then gave me an extra discount on the shorts.

I hope this kind of treatment isn't typical of bike stores.

AR

It shouldn't be, but sometimes it is. Follow up on your experience by contacting Performance:

Performance Inc.
P.O. Box 2741
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 1-919-933-9113
Fax: 1-919-942-5431

BTW, I can relate. Back when I was 400 pounds and just starting exercising, I was ignored at a Foot Locker store in King of Prussia, PA. I took my money elsewhere, which is the best revenge.

Amen, sister.

I complained long and loud to a clerk at a Performance Bike store in Pt. Loma today because my daughter and I were completely ignored, and we were in there a good thirty minutes. No one acknowledged us, greeted us, asked if we needed help with fitting her for shorts, help with their little fitting room cubby thing, nada. If she didn't need them so badly (we're training for an 18-mile ride next month), I would have left. Meanwhile they're greeting the men who came into the store by name. Yes, we were the only females in the place.

She's a kid and I'm big, so we don't look like your typical cyclists, but we're training for the Tour of Poway, which I explained to him. Plus, I was spending close to a hundred bucks outfitting her. We deserved some attention, too. The clerk apologized and explained that he'd been at lunch the last half hour, then gave me an extra discount on the shorts.

I hope this kind of treatment isn't typical of bike stores.

AR

Don't complain to a clerk, usually they can't do anything, what you do is ask the clerk to get you the manager, then, in a nice, civil manner, explain the issue to the manager. The manager can do something about it, and usually does. See, customers who have a bad experience in a store do not, generally return, customers who have a good experience, generally do. The larger rider, will tend to lose weight, sometimes a lot of weight, which means they could outfit themselves completely several times on the way down. That represents a lot of potential sales.

Must...resist...asking...


Very clever. Haha. :)