This would've never been a 3 page thread if you guys hadn't fed the troll.

I just recently went through dealing with an unfair opinion of another poster. I won't get my bowels in an uproar here. Just this - If someone enters a place of business expecting poor service, they are often rewarded with it. Attitude from customers often dictates how the encounter unfolds. As a bike shop employee, I do my best to disarm the attitude. But once one of my buttons is pushed, I sometimes sink to their level. That is not to say that all LBS's are straight forward and fair in their dealings with the public. I have had negativie experiences in some myself. But I refuse to cast the wide net of loser over all of them. Anyone who does must have a negative opinion about almost every group they come in contact with. I feel sorry for them.

I was not trying to insult you, except maybe the first one, I was just be my usual disarming self. Seems to work better in person. I have heard the Australian shops are run a lot different than in the US. I know the pricing is high because of Tariff. And have heard that, while service is not bad, it is very slow. Australia has to be alright, they produced Vernon Wells.

You say that like you were not biased against LBS before. :roflmao:

As to the comments about commission, I've only been on commission once at all the shops I've been at, and it was 2%. Not exactly an incentive for upselling...

I admit that my description of the big company was harsh. Chuck sumed it up well, they do treat there dealers well unless they decide to open up a concept store in the same area. Then it's bye bye big company, nice doing business with ya, sorry it's the middle of the season but you got to find something else to sell. This is happening more often, by more than one bike company. If you want a real "car salesman" experience buying a bicycle, just wait untill each bike shop you go to only offers one brand of bicycles and house branded accessories.

As far a sucky LBS's, sure there out there. Some of them are actually consistantly sucky, they either change or go out of business. As another poster pointed out, going into a shop with a bad attitude will get you one in return...and I'll wager that this is the source of 90% of these "my LBS sucks" posts.

I brought up the LHT as a suitable alternative to the 520. I think the 520 is an awsome bike, I really wish there were more "off the shelf" alternatives.

Fuji also has a decent Touring rig for sale. Might want to check them out. Ask about close outs from 05.

Rev Chuck,
I'm not taking any sides as to theLBS issue here but I am taking issue with your attitude toward someone else who's just voicing an opinion like the rest of us. As a moderator on these forums, you're an embarrassement , not only to this forum, but to the other moderators as well. I don't think it's appropriate for a moderator to respond to anyone the way you've responded to cycloholic. We all have our own opinions ,and and whether or not we agree with each other, we should be able to voice those opinions without personal attacks and insults from moderators. I don't know how forums are administered or run, but the powers that be should have you removed as a moderator.

aj

Report me then, [SPAM] button lower right. The other moderators and admins have seen the amount of crap the industry guys have taken on this forum for years and decided to put one of them in as a mod. You don't like it cry to them. I have never used my "power" as a mod to stop someone from saying what they want, but I sure as hell am not going to let them just say it with no reply. I could simply ban members I disagree with, by trumping up violations against them, but I don't. I could get rid of a half dozen shop haters in the next hour, using the three warning system we have, if I wanted.

"I don't think it's appropriate for a moderator to respond to anyone the way you've responded to cycloholic."
You want to defend someone at least look close enough to spell their name right.

"We all have our own opinions ,and and whether or not we agree with each other, we should be able to voice those opinions without personal attacks and insults from moderators."
So it is OK to have an opinion and disagree with anothers view as long as you are not a moderator? Did I come down on him as a mod? NO. No one even mentioned me being a mod til half way down the page. I never brought it up*. I was speaking as a bike shop person that has posted thousands of times here, most all posts in reply to a technical questions.

Even as big a jerk as you think I am I managed to get most helpful member two years running before the PC police decided that having "best ofs" would keep some members from feeling special, said members are, of course, already special. Just not how they think they are.
I see you are the starter of the thread "Another LBS rant"( http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=165281 , this required no "mod" power, I just looked up his name, thought I remembered it ) just so any other readers know where you stand. (Altho in another thread you mentioned gettting the runaround from an online shop but not getting burned by your LBS)

Again, if you ever find me banning a member, for shop bashing, you might have a leg to stand on, otherwise sit down. Hugs and kisses, Chuck


*Edit, I see I mentioned it in post #17. It was not as a threat, only because another member brought it up.

First off, I am sorry about post #13 esp. the part, "Plus he has nothing to deal with but other Australians, explains the crookedry. Like father, like son" It was supposed to be a joke, but did not work that way. Any insult was aimed at everyones favorite group to hate, THE LBS EMPLOYEE
Second, none of the posts were aimed at MMACH 5 except #23 This: "I am not familiar with every bike we offer and have no problem looking it up.
Same with repair. I don't know the procedure for every fork overhaul and will tell a customer up front that I intend to read theu the pdfs before I touch the thing just incase there is an unusual aspect to the repair.
i just looked that bike up, it is pretty buried in the Trek site. It looks like the only steel bike they offer. I have one of their lugged bikes, 531 reynolds from the eighties, nice ride.
JoshFrank brought up the longhaultrucker. That and the crosscheck are made by Surly and any bike shop(most shops do deal with them) that deals with Quality can get them. They are both very much like the 520, steel bikes aimed for the distance rider that wants a comfortable ride and the ability to run loaded."


Third, AND MOST IMPORTANT, whatever your opinion of your local LBS, the guys that work in industry and post here only want to help you guys. They get real tired of the shop employee bashing. More than a half dozen of them have left in the last year. Just because of the bashing. They were great guys, only here to help, and now they are gone, thanks to you, Ranger, operator, aj in ma, fredmertz51, G-unit, EnigManiac, wildjim and others. Remember guys like Ahctogi and Wheel Doctor that are gone and many other industry guys that just stopped, helping, because all they got was insult. There are bad shop guys everywhere, but they are not here. It is one thing to discuss an issue with a shop but blanket insult is as unacceptable as it should be about a persons race or religion.

Fourth, from now on you will get no "opinion" from me. If I see a post that insults industry, just for the sake of insult, I will delete it and warn you. If you start a retaliatory thread, for being deleted, I will ban you for seven days. Three warnings and I will ban you for seven days. You asked for it, you got it. Be sure to thank CrimsonEclipse and aj in ma.

:beer:
:beer:
:beer:

Even though they didn't get your prior approval on putting in a "different" BB , he/they might have thought it might be a better match for you.

:roflmao:

I just finished reading this whole thread :eek: ,very entertainning :)