Bike Forums - Correct name for cable end caps?

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- - Correct name for cable end caps? (https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/688129-correct-name-cable-end-caps.html)

My first concern is what I get for my money......as the Godfather says "It's business, it's not personal". I can get EVERY repair item for my flips, on line, for less money than driving 8 blocks to the LBS; INCLUDING SHIPPING. If the LBS wants my business, they must offer me a better value.

If "doing little things to keep them coming back" means having the BEST price, I'll be back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vredstein (Post 11637412)

I'd love to see the "Shop Rates" board hanging on the wall of this particular LBS.

Basic Tune-up-$50
Derailleur Adjustment-$15
Valve Caps-$0.27
Topping off tire with air-$1.25
Nuggets of Mechanical Advice-$0.12/word
Directions to Local Trailhead-$5.00
Motivation to find a new LBS-Free with purchase of valve cap

I'm not sure what their prices are for most basic services, because I buy online and do almost all of the work myself. I did have them replace a headset and cut and install a fork. I brought them all of the parts. They charged me $25 in labor. It seemed like a fair price because a shop nearby quoted me $50 for the same service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstrong (Post 11634367)

You ARE a Grouch aren't you! The winky emoticon is an indication that I was feigning shock and indignation at the prospect of being charged for these items.

But yes...I am a cheap skate...if they want to give them to me, I'm not going to insist on paying for them...but I will come back in the future to buy other parts from them.

Lance Armstrong said all men over 30 should not use emoticons. I'll do what Lance says.;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 531phile (Post 11637613)

When I was volunteering at a community bike shop, there was this one person from Australia who asked me where the condoms are. At first I was really puzzled as to why someone would ask for condoms at a bike shop, but then he pointed to the cable end caps and then I knew what he was talking about. Now I call them condoms too, mostly to see how people react when I say it.

Hmmm. I seldom use them on personal bikes because I prefer to solder the cable ends. Now I'm wondering if that might have something to do with the bike population explosion at my house.

:roflmao:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro Grouch (Post 11639670)

Hmmm. I seldom use them on personal bikes because I prefer to solder the cable ends. Now I'm wondering if that might have something to do with the bike population explosion at my house.

:lol:

somebody said ferrules already?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cny-bikeman (Post 11634519)

You apparently have never run a business. Although I cannot see the rationale behind not giving employees lower prices than online (we actually paid wholesale + 10%) there are plenty of reasons a shop cannot afford to match online prices. The online businesses can order hundreds of cassettes on any one size at a time at a significant discount, and can hire mostly unskilled employees (possibly offshore) to take orders from mostly knowledgeable cyclists or an automated system processes web orders and produces pick lists for a warehouse, again staffed with less skilled employees. The LBS can order a few of each cassette size and has to employ at least somewhat skilled employees, manually order items, charge sales tax, etc, etc. So you left out some of the math!

I would say that I do find it hard to believe that a shop would, as you seem to imply, charge $99 for a cassette that they purchased for $50. That would be an unusually high markup at that price point, in my experience. !

I understand the disadvantages the local shop has in terms of not being able to buy in mass quantity. I also understand the advantages that the local shop has in terms of being able to charge for service and repair. The simple math part, which you're trying to complicate, is this:

If I buy the cassette online for $65, i save $35, the online guy makes $? in markup, and the lbs guy loses.

If i buy it at $99 at the bike shop, i'm out an extra $34 PLUS whatever time i have to spend waiting for it, over what the online retailer takes.

If I buy it at $65 at the bike shop, even $70, the bike shop guy wins $15+that he's *otherwise not going to get*. I don't mind waiting the extra time, b/c i can gloat about being a responsible consumer. The online guy doesn't care, because he deals in volume.

Now, I understand that bike shops, like most capitalist ventures, exist primarily thru parting fools and their money. I don't blame the lbs guy for trying to get his 100% markup, and putting a $99 sticker on that one cassette he has in his meager little shop. That's ambition, and it should be applauded. But, when someone who *knows* about the actual competition come sin and says "hi, you can make $15 off me, but i won't give you $49 to click a mouse one extra time on your next qbp order", the smart businessperson goes for that. It's $15 more than zero, and every penny counts these days, no?

-rob

my vote is for mouse condoms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultraman6970 (Post 11639864)

somebody said ferrules already?

ferrules are for the end of the housing not the end of the cable.

Aglet is indeed the shoe lace end, as we all know from Phineas;
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...UK2H-1ejJi4DU=

Quote:

Originally Posted by surreal (Post 11642590)

Yes, every penney counts, including the ones that the shop must give to others. The complicated issue, which you are trying to simplify is this:

The shop does not "make" $15 on the exchange you cite. That $15 is merely a part of gross sales. One must subtract not only the variable labor cost of ordering, unpacking and selling the freewheel but also a proportional cost of fixed expenses such as rent, utilities, insurance, etc. etc from their TOTAL sales. If the shop fulfilles not only yours but many other similar requests and total sales go way down the shop will soon go out of business. Again, I feel that 100% markup is out of bounds in my experience.