Originally Posted by
JeffS
off-topic rant...
I'd ridden into work the other day and walked across the street to the bike shop around lunchtime. I was looking for a different quill stem for the bike I carry my daughter on. The guy's asking me more questions than he needs to and then gets all in a snit and gives me some safety-nanny rant when he hears that she's riding in a front-mounted bike seat.
...blah, blah... I'm going to fall on her during my inevitable crash... stems weren't "made to do that"... etc. - as if noone's ever ridden on a handlebar before.
This was the only bike shop in town I could tolerate, but I think I'm done with them as well. Came back and ordered the stem online.
All Star on Falls... I probably won't be back.
Too bad, I've heard some good things about them.
It seems to be getting like that everywhere now. You can rarely have a discussion in a shop without the sales guy/tech start preaching to you. I know it's nowhere near you, but if you are in Chapel Hill any time soon, check out Back Alley Bikes. Jason is running what I call a pure bike shop. No one cares how old, or weird the bike you ride is. And there are no corporate contract sales. He'll order whatever you want because it's what YOU want.
http://www.backalleybikes.net/