Fifty Plus (50+) - About that LBS? ? ? ?

Many of us have found out that finding the right LBS is almost more important than choosing the bike. This seems to confuse new comers so what is it about your LBS that makes it right for you?

Reason for this is to put newcomers on the right track so they can get good service and supply of the correct ancillaries for cycling from the shop of their choice.

I may be looking for a new one myself shortly as mine may be one of the hits of the recession we are having over here.

So why is your LBS so special?

I appreciate mine (Yucaipa Bicycle Center, Yucaipa CA) because they're professional without being snooty, very personable, have very reasonable prices for parts and service, and don't stick their nose in the air if someone walks in w/o wearing racing clothing. I've seen them give the same great service to "pro" riders and a lower-middle income guy buying a tiny bike for his kid.

Personal attention always wins the day in my book. I spent over an hour trying on shoes to get the proper fit. Different manufacturers, styles, price points and sizes. I was surprise how differently shoe of the same size fit from different manufacturers. In the end I was surrounded by boxes, and shoes out of boxes. But the shoes I did get fit great.

Before buying my last bike, I walked into one of our LBS and started the conversation with "I'm not buying anything today". An hour and a half later I was still getting lots of questions answered and was narrowing in on the bike I eventually did buy (yes, I bought it there, but not that day).

Another LBS around here gives a much different experience with trying to actually get two or three words together seems like a waste of time. As a result, I travel the extra miles to get to the one that actually seems to love bikes and care about their customers.

1) Offering advice when they know I'm not right!! The customer is NOT always right.
2) Good prices. When I buy something that is marked 19.99 the total is usually LESS than that amount even after tax!
3) Good services without breaking the bank.
4) They talk in every-day talk. Not snooty. Not condescending. Not anything.
5) They ride with us.
6)The mechanic used to ride dirt bikes with us and can put things in perspective about bicycles

They carry quality lines of bikes that are cost-effective. Trek, Specialized, Fuji, Redline. No Cannondale but hey, they can't be perfect ;)

I don't know if my LBS is "special" but the owner is very supportive of cycling in the area. He actively supports a local club by giving club members a 10% discount and he financially supports an annual ride that raises funds for local food banks. He also is a member of the club, leads "beginners rides" and lends a hand at the annual ride.

Well, this is a different sort of direction, but I'm my own bike shop. Sorting out and fixing problems is much more interesting than watching tv.

If I need anything, I usually get it online.

This seems to confuse new comers so what is it about your LBS that makes it right for you?

They have the little stuff like tires, tubes, air valve adapters, bar tape.....the stuff I dont want to buy online.

I rarely/ever buy anything online any more. Used to think it was cool but that has faded for me. I just see the damage it does to the local economy.

Sussex, is a long way from here , not that Brits have not visited the Oregon Coast.
The LBS here try s to take care of the passers thru,
though the other 9 months of the year wet and cool, dont make stocking
high end spares real likely, but they try to fix what is broken.

something about maritime mechanics , goal is getting back to tie up to the dock.
sometimes a creative kludge will work fine, functionally,though inelegant.

I chose my LBS because the other one in town sucks.

Nothing special about my LBS other than they have a pretty wide selection and most are way out of my price range.

That price range is just above a department store bike, but even then I know what components are the lowest and which are the upper end of the lower grade, again in my price range.

I prefer to do all my own wrench turning and I've done it for many years so I can make a "cheap" bike perform to it's maximum potential which for me is satisfactory for my needs and budget.

I've bought two bikes over the years from the shop and both times I ended up making the fine tuning adjustments that the bike shop for some reason just didn't take the effort to get it right the first time, which is what they are supposed to do without being reminded.

I know, I should have complained but I would rather do my own work and know it's done right.

My last bike I bought on line and tuned it again myself, and I'm satisfied with what I bought and will probably do it again from now on.

Three new bikes in 20 years, I don't think they are going to miss me! LOL!

My dad chose his LBS because the young lady selling bikes was a classical music student at the local university. After discussing composers and musicians, Dad chose the bike she recommended.

They built my bikes. When I walk through the door with a broken bike, they put it on a stand and fix it on the spot. They do excellent work. They listen when I describe what I want to do, they ask questions and offer advice.

My dad chose his LBS because the young lady selling bikes was a classical music student at the local university. After discussing composers and musicians, Dad chose the bike she recommended.

Yeah, bikes and classical music go together. Especially operatic music. Something Italian about riding a bike. Or even German.

But back to the subject: there is nothing "local" about my LBS. The shop I've got the best relationship with is R&E in Seattle, and I live in Vancouver, BC, about 200 km away. But I like them because:

1. They know way more about bikes than I do, and I thought I knew a lot.
2. They don't go in for fads or bleeding-edge technology. They'll sell you what you ask for, even if they don't recommend, but they usually end up being right.
3. They have a solid philosophy that I largely share about the bike market, and about technology, trends and fashions, and although they tend to be on the conservative side, this approach avoids mistakes and disappointment.
4. They built my bike. In fact, the guy who built my bike (the fixie) is arguably one of the best in the world at designing and building tandems (Dennis Bushnell).

The reason I had them build my fixie is because after my previous fixie broke, I determined that I could trust nobody in British Columbia to fix it (no, I'm not impressed with the way Brodie builds road bikes), so I sent R&E an email with a bunch of questions. Now typically, you send ANY company a list of questions, and they'll maybe answer one and ignore or gloss over the others. Well, the guy who responded from R&E answered EVERY question in detail. This impressed me so much that I had them build me a new frame. And then when I picked it up, they assembled it for free with the parts I had brought. And when I brought it back in a year later to get some frame repairs and adjustments done, they did that and repainted the back section (it's coupled) for free. Their motto is "don't buy a bike, buy the shop."

So there's my plug for R&E in Seattle.

Luis

So why is your LBS so special?

Why that's easy. It always comes down to people. I want people who show me a degree of respect and I want to deal with people who can talk intelligently about the kind of riding that I do.

I bought a bike from an LBS who gave me a really good deal. Problem was, they couldn't fix it, they couldn't set it up correctly out-of-the-box. After about 6-8 return trips, sometimes leaving it for a week or more, I finally took it to another LBS. They fixed the problem. Guess which one I will return to?

Excellent service by knowledgeable and attentive staff,nice selection of bikes and gear, and they respect and value their female cycling customers--they host a couple of Women Specific nights each year!

Yeah, bikes and classical music go together. Especially operatic music. Something Italian about riding a bike. Or even German.

But back to the subject: there is nothing "local" about my LBS. The shop I've got the best relationship with is R&E in Seattle, and I live in Vancouver, BC, about 200 km away. But I like them because:

1. They know way more about bikes than I do, and I thought I knew a lot.
2. They don't go in for fads or bleeding-edge technology. They'll sell you what you ask for, even if they don't recommend, but they usually end up being right.
3. They have a solid philosophy that I largely share about the bike market, and about technology, trends and fashions, and although they tend to be on the conservative side, this approach avoids mistakes and disappointment.
4. They built my bike. In fact, the guy who built my bike (the fixie) is arguably one of the best in the world at designing and building tandems (Dennis Bushnell).

The reason I had them build my fixie is because after my previous fixie broke, I determined that I could trust nobody in British Columbia to fix it (no, I'm not impressed with the way Brodie builds road bikes), so I sent R&E an email with a bunch of questions. Now typically, you send ANY company a list of questions, and they'll maybe answer one and ignore or gloss over the others. Well, the guy who responded from R&E answered EVERY question in detail. This impressed me so much that I had them build me a new frame. And then when I picked it up, they assembled it for free with the parts I had brought. And when I brought it back in a year later to get some frame repairs and adjustments done, they did that and repainted the back section (it's coupled) for free. Their motto is "don't buy a bike, buy the shop."

So there's my plug for R&E in Seattle.

Luis
When my twenty-three-year-old tandem broke, someone recommended that I get in touch with R+E to see about a repair. (A previous repair had been done by the original builder and it took him a year to get it back to me.) Dan at R+E answered every question I had and then some. They did an outstanding repair that should have been expensive but turned out to be quite cheap because they came up with a brilliant solution. While they were at it they added a bit of reinforcement to the weak area and did a very attractive paint job and got my bike back to me in one week. After many emails and a couple of in-person chats (hey, it's only a train ride away), I am sold on R+E. I really like their attitude towards what are appropriate components; they're the first shop that I have ever been to that totally shares my views in this regard. They are currently sitting on the drawings for a tandem they are going to build for my wife and me. We would have had it built already, but my wife had a few unexpected medical issues (all resolved now) that has forced us to put this off for a bit. Anyone who is even remotely considering a custom bike should definitely check in with R+E.

Locally, I also have a nice little shop that I go to (Wheelworks). They do everything they can to get me back on the road ASAP when something happens. Last year I purchased a rim that turned out to be defective and they gave me a loaner wheel while we waited for the replacement to come in. When I pick up small stuff on the way home from a ride they often just wave off any payment, which is nice. They're too small to stock everything I need, but they always get things ordered quickly from sources that have them in stock and their mechanics are first rate.

Wheelworks opened its doors about the same time I moved to this area. I initially didn't go to them because they also sold motor scooters and that made me question their commitment to bikes. That bigotry cost me a lot of woe. I even had a bike stolen by one of the other shops in town before I finally went into Wheelworks.

Special? Well, it's the only one in the area, but it's still special: Honesty and integrity, which results in trust. When I traded in my old bike, he asked "What did I say I'd give you for that comfort bike?". I told him what he said, "$200 to $250". He gave me the higher amount without even looking at the bike. He trusts me, and I trust him and his staff. Can't do better than that.

Special? Well, it's the only one in the area, but it's still special: Honesty and integrity, which results in trust. When I traded in my old bike, he asked "What did I say I'd give you for that comfort bike?". I told him what he said, "$200 to $250". He gave me the higher amount without even looking at the bike. He trusts me, and I trust him and his staff. Can't do better than that.

That's my LBS when I'm at the permanent residence. Agree in all regards with the above.

Up here in the hills, I have three LBSs I frequent. One for parts. One for service and some parts. Another for clothing and endurolytes. The owner of the service LBS is an outstanding mechanic. As often as not, he will perform repairs on the spot and teach me about what he is doing. I bought the Cannondale from him.

Why that's easy. It always comes down to people. I want people who show me a degree of respect and I want to deal with people who can talk intelligently about the kind of riding that I do.

Agreed. Very important component of the LBS experience. The owner (age 60) of my LBS and his mechanic (age 25) ride with customers every week on a variety of club events and "Hey, you want to go ride tomorrow" rides. Both have invited me to go riding with them numerous times and often I have. I consider them friends and always enjoy going into the shop and just talking with them.

I use Cycle Sports of Pensacola http://www.cyclesportsbicycles.com/ because of the knowledge and courtesy that is in every one of the employees. They are well stocked with a range of bicycles for each brand they carry (Cannondale, Specialized, Schwinn, Masi and Jamis) at each price point. Vintage frames are hanging waiting for someone that does the C&V thing and a lot of parts are available. Road, triathalon, comfort or off road are all there waiting for you to test out.

Every accessory, part and piece of clothing you can ever want or need. Their 2 mechanics are first rate, one guy my age and a young 20+ ace, both super wrenches that take pride in professional work, as they well should. They will both come out and answer any question, no matter how innocuous. The 2 guys at the counter put on Park aprons and turn wrenches for someone that comes in needing a quick fix or installation. They give honest estimates on time to complete more in depth repairs and cost is reasonable. If something doesn't work as advertised they will tell you and probably sell you what will at the lower price, when they can.

My last N+1 was here and they held open the doors far past closing time to let me test ride the models I had chosen and then fit me properly. Tom, the manager will stop and chat when he isn't over his head with walk-ins. Good selection of various endurance supplements and those tasty Clif bars on the counter. I drive 30+ miles to shop there and it is well worth the time to do so. Even my wife who rides a Trek is sold on their service and community activities. A great local place to do bicycles.

Bill

1) Offering advice when they know I'm not right!! The customer is NOT always right.
2) Good prices. When I buy something that is marked 19.99 the total is usually LESS than that amount even after tax!
3) Good services without breaking the bank.
4) They talk in every-day talk. Not snooty. Not condescending. Not anything.
5) They ride with us.
6)The mechanic used to ride dirt bikes with us and can put things in perspective about bicycles


This, plus the staff, an endless pot of coffee and cold beer in the refrigerator after a hot dusty summer MTB group ride.

I use Creekside Bikes (http://creeksidebikes.com/) because they recognize that I have absolutely no goals for anything in bicycling besides simply enjoying my ride, I don't mind riding a 12-year-old steel bike, I can live with minor defects in the bike - although they are always careful to point out what it would take to make the bike "perfect" and I generally only have "safety items" fixed, and that I know to fix everything to "new standards" would cost more than a new bike, that I am a total klutz when it comes to bicycle repair and it would be a disaster, and that I will bring them a "token" present at XMAS.

This is a 2 man shop, and I often see the owner on the trails, and he NEVER fails to recognize me.

been to several bike shops in my area over the years. all carry good products. all have decent service. some are big box stores some small operations. of these I won't go back to some of them. why? I think it's the personality of the store?
they all are committed to their community, ride locally etc. but there is just something about these stores that puts me off.
I have a fab store that I really like above all the others. I will travel the extra miles just to go there. it's not a snooty issue with the other stores just they appear to be distracted when I work with them or I get the oddest reactions from them while there?
This is probably 6-7 stores in the area. One just stands out for me. The crew is fun, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, helpful and just really pleasant to talk with. I don't know why the other stores do not have that appeal but they just aren't quite there.
Advice? Shop around and see what else is out there. Not all bike shops are the same.

I won't go into details here, but the last 30+ years of trying to do business with my LBSs have taught me to order what I need and do my own wrenching.

I was using two bike shops, but I have just added a third and all within a 10 mile radius of me. The first shop (Temple Terrace Schwinn) is a small Schwinn/Giant dealer where I have purchased three of the 4 bikes I've owned since getting back into cycling. We are all on first name basis and anytime I walk in, it's like walking into your best friends house. They don't carry a large inventory of road bikes but they do a pretty good business on comfort and hybrids. His mechanic is a young man that I would let work on my hybrid but I have some reservations about letting him work in my road bike. I normally buy most of my cycling related items here.

The second shop (University Bicycle Center) is a bit further away, but is one of the largest and oldest bike shops in Tampa. They carry C'Dale, Scott, Fuji, Specialized, Colnago, Pinarello, Krestrel, Kuota and a few other brands. Their shop area is probably larger than many of the bike shops in the area and their mechanics are top notch. Their inventory is mostly road bikes and they also have a large inventory of accessories, parts and tools. The staff is friendly and never pushy. Since their inventory is much larger, I get items that I don't want wait on from them. I also have my road bike serviced there.

The third shop is where I recently purchased my new Colnago. They are geared more to the triathlete than a regular bike shop, and they carry bikes that many of the other shops in the area don't; Blue, Lightspeed, Quintana Roo, Scott, Colnago and Bianchi. Although UBC also carries Colnago, they didn't give me the deal that The Ironman Store gave me. I had heard from several people that this shop was not a very friendly place and that they didn't treat their customers very well. However, after dealing with them, I find that isn't the case. They went out of their way to help me with my bike purchase. The Ironman Store is also the only Retul shop left in my county so if I ever have any fit issues, it will be done there. I don't know where my original fitter went when he left the shop (shop was at the other end of the county) he was at but for other Retul fitters, I would have to go across the bay to Clearwater or St. Petersburg. Dave at Ironman is excellent at Retul fittings and did the adjustment on my Defy in a very short time and matched the Colnago to the Defy pretty much dead on.

There are a few more shops located close to me, but I haven't done any business with them so I can only comment on the Trek dealer that made me feel as if I didn't belong in the shop because I didn't look like their normal, yuppy looking clients.

I have four that I use, and portion out my business according to their strengths.

One has great fitters. I send newbies there just for that. They also know that I'm car-free and usually do my own work. So when I drop by for service, they know it must be important. Location is good too since it's right on my commute. I've learned to never special order anything there. It can take weeks and months for them to actually place the order with their suppliers.

The second is 100 yards away across the street. They're the oldest and largest shop in town. I don't steer newbies there because the only fitting they do is by the standover method. The service there has been spotty. But they have a huge parts department, and lots of whacked-out accessories in stock that one only ever sees online. (Heated handlebar grips anyone?)

Twice I've had stuff warrantied there and twice I've just shaken my head because I don't know how they can stay in business with their awesome warranty policy. On my first bike, I had 900 miles on it when both tires developed egg-sized bulges. The owner let me pick out any replacement tire I wanted in the store, and didn't restrict me to size or brand that came with the bike. I rode in on $8 40mm Kendas and rode out on $35 32mm Armadillos.

Last week I walked over with my floor pump. After six years of daily use, it needed new seals in the pump head, or a whole new pump head. I was all prepared to buy or order what was needed. The owner joked to me, "Quit breaking my stuff!" and handed me a brand new pump, several models up. "Make this one last ten years" he said with a wink.

The third store is where I go for tools and special orders. Every special order I've placed has come in within days.

The fourth store has good stock of upscale parts. They're the only store in town that stocks Dura-Ace derailleur cables, for instance. I'll steer newbies there too, since they seem to have good fitters.

I appreciate mine (Yucaipa Bicycle Center, Yucaipa CA) because they're professional without being snooty, very personable, have very reasonable prices for parts and service, and don't stick their nose in the air if someone walks in w/o wearing racing clothing. I've seen them give the same great service to "pro" riders and a lower-middle income guy buying a tiny bike for his kid.

Same reasons for me! I live outside Seattle WA and we have a superb LBS on Mercer Island named Veloce Velo. They rise to the occasion no matter who walks in. It's all about service and relationships.

In 2008 we hit "bottom" financially, all I could afford for transportation was a "Wal-Mart", Roadmaster MTB. I got it in a box and then started calling around to the "many" shops in our area to have it "built up right", I basicly got , laughed at, told to by a "REAL" bike, etc. from the majority of shops here in Colorado Springs. Most of them seem to only want to deal with you, if your a USCF lic. racer and can afford "carbon fiber" racing machines, other wise, "BUG OFF"!

I called the last shop on my list, The Colorado Springs Bike Shop (719-634-4915) and they said, "NO PROBLEM", they regreased all the bearing, set up the bike adjust the cheap stamped brakes so they worked perfect, etc. and charged me $70.00, yep, it was the "same amount" that I paid for the "bike" but for a solid YEAR (till I SOLD it), it ran like a top and I even pulled my "homemade utility trailer" with it! I asked them, WHY, they were willing to work on my POS Wal-Mart bike, they said: WE are a FAMILY bike shop, not a Pro Race shop and we know that not everyone can afford a better bike! We hope that if we can keep your beater running great, that when you CAN afford a better bicycle, you will buy it from us!

I've now bought several bikes from them and spend a LOT of money on upgrades, conversions and accessories since that time and the wife and I think of the owners like "FAMILY" and friends and they even give us a bit of "priority" cause we are, CAR-FREE and our bikes are our MAIN transportation to keep them running. It's not the shop for the "RACER BOY" rider but if you NEED your bike to run great, get a good price and be treated with care, It's THE shop here in Colorado Springs! JMHO, YMMV.

Black Mountain Cycles in Point Reyes Station is a great shop.

Whichever has LARABARS and Nuun. . .

I split my time amongst three shops in my "area"-- all depending on what I'm looking for (a Specialized shop (lowest labor rates), Trek shop (best hours), and a, um, dedicated MTB shop (best sales).

I really liked Blackwater Bike Shop in Lynchburg, VA the one time I went.

I've got three all with in five miles of my home and try to spread the money around since they are all local small family businesses.

As much as I liked the closest one it was how they handled the warranty repairs on the new bike I purchased from them that ruled them out for any future new bike purchases. While they did go above and beyond even picking the the bike up for the repairs and bring it back the fact is they charged me for what really should have been covered under warranty. Granted they gave me a major break on these cost it was still money out of my pocket. The final straw was when they rebuilt the black rear wheel after the fourth broken spook (costing me 20$ each time) with silver spokes instead of black. When I mentioned this their response was oh it had black spokes? I was like look at the ones sitting on your sales floor!!! That cost me 20 bucks too. And for the kicker. Two weeks later the axle on that rebuilt wheel broke!!! And before someone says I was abusing the bike. I'm 50 and used the bike on MUP to commute to work and pleasure rides. Needless to say they don't touch any of my bikes any longer and I've since traded in the POS on a new bike from shop number three. I spend very little in this shop now using them for small stuff because they are just a few blocks from home..

Bike shop two is RASMUSSEN & SONS BICYCLE SHOP in West Des Moines, Iowa. They have the best selection of parts, clothing and accessories of all the places here in town and a good selection of top quality bikes in all styles. I like this place, friendly knowledgeable staff and they support the sport with rides, events and riders. I went in just before Christmas looking at cold weather clothes and was handed a beer(s) just for stopping in. When it was time for that new bike I gave them a shot. Answered all my questions gave me an idea of what things might cost me and so on. Nice guy. Than I asked when I might be able to go for a test ride since they didn't have one built up in my size but had it in stock. I was told in a couple of day and if I wanted they would call me when it was ready so I could ride it. After two weeks I stopped waiting for the phone to ring. Needless to say they didn't sell me a new bike. That might seem harsh but if they couldn't call me back and try to sell me something, what was it going to be like after the sale? Again I like this shop and will continue to buy parts and clothes from them happily.

Bike shop number three, Barr Bike and Fitness in Urbandale, Iowa, and I started doing business shortly after bike shop #1 failing to fix my bike. It's the smallest of all of them with limited clothing and accessories but again quality brands with a fair selection of all types of what they do sell. It was buying my fourth or fifth inner tube for that new bike that they proved their worth. They wheeled the bike in the shop and found the cause of the 20+ flats I had up to that point in time (4 months) with that bike. They found the front tire was the cause for the front and the rear wheel, yes that wheel, was the cause for the rear flats. When the first shop had thrown their hands up at the cause of the flats this shop that didn't sell me the bike dropped anything and found the problem. A set of new tires, installed for free no less, and some new quality rim tape and the flats were a thing of the past. So needless to say when it came time for that new bike I bought last weekend they were the only choice left. Did they win out by default? Maybe but not really because of the way I've been treated in the year plus I've been doing business with them. Not once was I shun because I didn't buy the first bike from them. Instead they were more than happy to help me fix it when it needed it often times while I waited. So last weekend not only did a get a smoking deal on this new bike (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/798133-Look-At-What-Followed-Me-Home) but I've got a shop I know will stand behind what they sell and do it promptly and happily. Now I just wished the weather hadn't turned back to winter so I could ride it :(

So that's my story and how customer service, which is so lacking these days, wins over price every time in my book.

fasthair

Nothing like pedaling your ass off listening to a Rossini Overture! La Gazza Ladra is my fave.[QUOTE=lhbernhardt;13852358]Yeah, bikes and classical music go together. Especially operatic music. Something Italian about riding a bike. Or even German.

bikes and classical music go together. Especially operatic music. Something Italian about riding a bike. Or even German.

I used to have a delightful Chinese mechanic who worked in my shop. He insisted we listen to opera ever Saturday afternoon. I loved working with him and learned to love listening to opera.. Years later, when he became a naturalized American citizen, he invited me to the ceremony. I loved that too.