Snobby local bike shops.
#1
Portland, OR, USA
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: portland
Posts: 1,626
Bikes: kona paddywagon, trek 2.1, lemond nevada city, gt zrx
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Snobby local bike shops.
Dear Local bike shop OWNER,
thank you for scowling at my broken spoke, as you dutifully inform me that my broken wheel was the reason your shop didn't not carry any entry level bikes, insinuating that my wheel was a piece of junk. Hate to break it to you, but half of the brands you carry were also lovingly made by Taiwanese robots!!!Only two spokes broken and 5000 miles on those bad boys is pretty good I would say. Anyway, not all of us have deep pockets and can afford them fancy bikes.
thank you for scowling at my broken spoke, as you dutifully inform me that my broken wheel was the reason your shop didn't not carry any entry level bikes, insinuating that my wheel was a piece of junk. Hate to break it to you, but half of the brands you carry were also lovingly made by Taiwanese robots!!!Only two spokes broken and 5000 miles on those bad boys is pretty good I would say. Anyway, not all of us have deep pockets and can afford them fancy bikes.
Last edited by pdxtex; 07-04-07 at 04:33 AM.
#2
militant buddhist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Old Bridge, NJ
Posts: 1,613
Bikes: '08 Scott CR-1 Pro, '02 Jamis Nova
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Recently I broke a spoke while out on a ride, and was right by my LBS, so I stopped in, they changed it for me on the spot, trued up my wheel, and refused to take any money for it.
Oh wait...that wasn't the kind of story you were looking for? Guess not everyone lives near a bad LBS.
Actually, wait - not completely true. I ride past one bike shop to get to the one I like. It's still local, though.
Oh wait...that wasn't the kind of story you were looking for? Guess not everyone lives near a bad LBS.
Actually, wait - not completely true. I ride past one bike shop to get to the one I like. It's still local, though.
#3
Portland, OR, USA
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: portland
Posts: 1,626
Bikes: kona paddywagon, trek 2.1, lemond nevada city, gt zrx
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
well thats the thing, most local shops around me a super cool....booo snobby bike shop owner.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 272
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Such is life. A fair number of bike shop owners seem to adopt the same hollier-than-thou attitude of record and instrument store employees commonly known as the "High Fidelity" attitude.. I've only experienced this in a few shops. The LBSs that I frequent are employed by generally nice folks. I try to avoid the ones with upity employees.
#5
NYC
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,714
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1169 Post(s)
Liked 107 Times
in
62 Posts
How about the (nameless) LBS we wandered into while taking a break on a looong ride... and the owner cornered us and regaled us with story after story about.... insurance fraud.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
#6
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Cleveland, Alabama
Posts: 37
Bikes: 2007 Specialized RockHopper, (2) 2004 Trek 3500's, 1980 something Fuji Absolute, 1970 something Schwinn Suburban
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My local shops are awesome! Every time that I have a problem/concern, they do everything that they can to help. I'm just getting back into cycling, so I'm not that experienced. They ALL took time to talk to me. Never felt talked down to.
Those guys may not be around long. Word of mouth can be a business's(sp?) best friend or worst enemy
Those guys may not be around long. Word of mouth can be a business's(sp?) best friend or worst enemy
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 272
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by nycphotography
How about the (nameless) LBS we wandered into while taking a break on a looong ride... and the owner cornered us and regaled us with story after story about.... insurance fraud.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
#10
Portland, OR, USA
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: portland
Posts: 1,626
Bikes: kona paddywagon, trek 2.1, lemond nevada city, gt zrx
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
veloce bikes on hawthorne. to their credit, i actually have had good luck with that shop, and their prices are fair, but essentially bad mouthing my choice of bikes in front of me is poor business practice. but whatever....life goes on.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 116
Bikes: Jamis Quest; Trek 8000
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
snobby local bike shops are like a*@holes, everybodys got one.
haha not to be cliche but I thought it was a good line
haha not to be cliche but I thought it was a good line
#12
Peloton Shelter Dog
Snobby LBS's RULE.
Keep that piece of crap bike out of them.
Keep that piece of crap bike out of them.
#14
well hello there
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,430
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Liked 336 Times
in
206 Posts
Originally Posted by patentcad
Snobby LBS's RULE.
Keep that piece of crap bike out of them.
Keep that piece of crap bike out of them.
__________________
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
#16
Bike Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: South of Raleigh, North of New Hill, East of Harris Lake, NC
Posts: 9,622
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Specialized Roubaix, Giant OCR-C, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, Stumpjumper Comp, 88 & 92Nishiki Ariel, 87 Centurion Ironman, 92 Paramount, 84 Nishiki Medalist
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 68 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 37 Times
in
27 Posts
All the local bike shops in my area are pretty good. There are about 20 shops within a 30 mile radius from my house. That heavy competition tends to keep the 'snob' rate to a minimum.
__________________
Roccobike BF Official Thread Terminator
Roccobike BF Official Thread Terminator
#17
Tandem Mountain Climber
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 4,104
Bikes: Calfee Tandem, Litespeed Gravel, SuperSix Evo HM, Larry vs. Harry Bullitt (e-cargo)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by nycphotography
How about the (nameless) LBS we wandered into while taking a break on a looong ride... and the owner cornered us and regaled us with story after story about.... insurance fraud.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
No lie... you like that cervelo?? Leave your Denali outside and when it's stolen, I'll write you up a receipt for 8 grand. Your insurance will buy it for you.
Geez.
#18
AKA Nathan
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 514
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There's a shop here that I stopped in when I was looking for my new ride. I wasn't sure what I wanted, and was just looking at / test riding anything in my price range, so I let the owner know up front that I wasn't there to buy anything that day. He basically told me that I was wasting his time, and to come back when I had money to spend.
It seemed like a pretty nice shop, and they have a great reputation for quality work, but I haven't been back since.
-DR
It seemed like a pretty nice shop, and they have a great reputation for quality work, but I haven't been back since.
-DR
__________________
'08 Bianchi San Jose
'06 Giant OCR C3
'04 Specialized Hardrock Comp
'08 Bianchi San Jose
'06 Giant OCR C3
'04 Specialized Hardrock Comp
#19
Its Freakin HammerTime!!!
one of mine like that too.
I call up ready to buy a new one but Im an hour away and just wanted to make sure its in stock and that the price is what is suposed to be.....
"Im sorry we dont price our bikes on the phone"
Um, do what?
I bought a new bike that day but I didnt make the trek to their shop.
Just wanted a price
I call up ready to buy a new one but Im an hour away and just wanted to make sure its in stock and that the price is what is suposed to be.....
"Im sorry we dont price our bikes on the phone"
Um, do what?
I bought a new bike that day but I didnt make the trek to their shop.
Just wanted a price
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Mountain View, CA
Posts: 925
Bikes: 1999 Seven Sola, 2004 Bianchi Axis, 2005 Trek Madone 5.2 SL, 2006 Merlin Works CR 3/2.5, 2009 Kona Ute, Spot Acme, 2017 Raleigh Roker Comp, 2016 Specialized Camber Expert 29
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by C_heath
Um, do what?
I never heard "do what?" growing up in the Chicago area.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,279
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I like Veloce but it sounds like you should head over to City Bikes on Ankeny, they'll only be snobby if your bike cost more than $100 or is less than 10 years old
#23
Over the hill
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,376
Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 998 Post(s)
Liked 1,206 Times
in
692 Posts
We have snobby shops and nice shops as well, and they all have their finer points. I just go to whichever I think can serve me best. When I want to buy a Serotta, I'll go to the snobby shop. Being a school teacher, they probably won't see me for a while.
__________________
It's like riding a bicycle
It's like riding a bicycle
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: fogtown...san francisco
Posts: 2,276
Bikes: Ron Cooper, Time VXSR, rock lobster, rock lobster, serotta, ritchey, kestrel, paramount
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
there are shops around here where the people are nice and helpful. and there are shops where they give me atitude. guess where I like to go. I think the reason these shops have atitude is the owner is a grump and they open a little shop because with their atitude, they can't work for anyone. and they wonder why they don't have much business.
#25
Portland, OR, USA
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: portland
Posts: 1,626
Bikes: kona paddywagon, trek 2.1, lemond nevada city, gt zrx
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by MONGO!
I like Veloce but it sounds like you should head over to City Bikes on Ankeny, they'll only be snobby if your bike cost more than $100 or is less than 10 years old