Siu Blue Wind

Walk into LBS.

Me: "Hi, we are looking for a HARDTAIL with front suspension, disc brakes, not entry level components but not top of the line either, as a starter bike."

LBS guy: "Oh we have this over here"

Me: "But that's a single speed"

LBS guy: "It has the dropouts where you can put a derailleur hanger on it."

Me: "But that's a rigid"

LBS guy: "It's a hardtail"

Me: "I'm sorry, please excuse me. I mean hardtail with front suspension"

LBS guy: "You can add a suspension fork."

Me: "But will the geometry work okay with going from rigid to 100mm suspension?"

LBS guy: "Yes, it has clearance."

Me: "And it doesn't have disc"

LBS guy: "You can add the disc brakes later. It has disc tabs."

Me: "But what's the point of getting a single speed, rigid, with rim brakes when a hardtail with gears and disc is what is needed?"

LBS guy: "Because I'm trying to save you money by selling you this bike. You can add it on later."

Me: "But how is this saving money?"

LBS guy: "You wanted entry level right?"

Me: "Yes, with gears and a suspension fork. And this is a 29er"

LBS guy: "29er's are easier to ride and go over obstacles with."

Me: "So I'm guessing you are a 29'er fanboy. What's wrong with 26 inches?"

LBS guy: "26 is good. Let me know if you need help."

He walks away. I've never heard of STOUT.

I looked around and the bike he was showing me was the only one of that brand in the entire store.



The whole time the guy kept having this 'holier than thou' arrogant and cocky attitude. EDUCATE me, don't look at me like I'm stupid. We went in there knowing pretty much what we wanted and he's telling me we want THIS. And to think we actually went a few miles out of the way to go to this particular store to avoid their sister store, which always has stoned guys hanging around the shop.

Come to find out when I get home it's at Bikes Direct.

Why do people do this?? Was I doing something wrong somewhere??

electrik

Obviously you are new to this, there is a whole thread here. Enjoy your 29r. LOL

Siu Blue Wind

Yes I am new to this. Thank for the link, electrik! I don't know my way around here too much and I appreciate your help. I hope to learn more from you in the future.

But the question remains. Can you answer that for me please?

DX-MAN

SBW, you escaped with your wallet intact. Just don't go back, that kind of customer service is unacceptable.

Sooooooooooooo many differerent sources say that manufacturers/shops can provide a certain level of parts spec for less than a consumer could, so why is this clown pushing "You can upgrade it later"? He just wants to unload the bike to a woman, whom he thinks doesn't know any better. IME, most guys won't recognize a woman's knowledge until the woman makes him look stupid by doing something HE doesn't know how to do.

Personally, I like that; my 2nd wife impressed the sh** out of me by matching me lift for lift during a truck unload at work one night, oh so many years ago.

Dannihilator

God Complex.

Siu Blue Wind

Who, the LBS guy or electrik?

electrik

What, you don't want a single-speed rigid 29r? Blasphemy. Here the LBS has offered you a clearly superior product for cheap and yet you don't buy it.

I'm really confused.

Darth_Firebolt

all that trouble and you didn't even kick him in the dick? what is wrong with you?

Siu Blue Wind

YOU'RE confused??

I was trying to be a lady for once.

Darth_Firebolt

you need to go back a few days before the cycle (teehee) completes itself. if you know what i mean.

Dannihilator

It's in the past now, let it go.

Besides I haven't created time travel yet.

Darth_Firebolt

maybe doc brown's time travel equation really needed a rigid steel SS 29er getting to 88 miles per hour to work?! great scott!

Dannihilator

Now that it was explained to me, not funny.

Siu Blue Wind

Well no, I don't know what you mean. Please explain.

sscyco

Sounds like you went into the wrong shop - you just need to go to another shop that will try to sell you what you actually want. I don't think I would have made it past the second question with that guy.

dminor 

The guy was a Psychic Shop Employee, didn't you recognize that Siu? That's a rare breed, He already KNEW that what you secretly, really wanted was a rigid, steel, singlespeed 29er - - before you even did .

bigbossman 

Siu,

Because I'm in your area and have been to just about every bike shop around here, I'm kind of interested in what shop it was where you got this kind of treatment. Can you divulge, or maybe send a PM?

well biked

From a bike shop perspective.

The shop you went into is not well managed, because if it were it would not have its sales personnel taking the approach that this person did.

A bike shop is in business, primarily, to sell bicycles. It does us no good to make someone mad at us, nor do we have any desire to do so. People who are mad at you tend not to buy bicycles from you.

Probably at least half of the people who walk into bike shops to look at bikes are not even sure they want a bicycle at all. They are, however, interested enough to have come in, and the best way to approach this scenario is to be friendly, to ask questions in a respectful manner in order to help narrow down the potential customer's needs, starting with a broad perspective and narrowing down as the conversation proceeds. We show this type of potential customer a lot of bikes, if they have the time, and we do not neglect to point out the different price points, because price is almost always a major concern. Hopefully, at the end of the visit, the person will at least have a better idea of what is available. At this point, it's probably a good idea for them to take at least a day or two, think about what they want to do, do some research, etc, and go from there. Of course, we hope they will come back in and then we can talk some more, usually with more specific information to go on.

When a person comes in, as you did, with the type of bike you want already in mind, and with a rough idea of the price point and the level of components you want already decided, we are very happy to see you because you usually make things much easier for all involved, from both a salesperson's point of view and the customer's point of view. We will show you the bikes we have that are of the type you have indicated. If we have a few different models that fit the description, we'll show you those models and point out any differences. We will point out any models within the category that are on sale, and even point out a model that is a level "above" what you have indicated if it's on sale and the sale price puts it within your price range. We'll eventually talk about the proper size for the potential customer, and encourage test rides of the models you are interested in. We will respect your opinion, because after all, whatever you buy is going to be your bike. And we are well aware that there are other bike shops in town with different brands available in the same category of bike. We will, of course, give you input as to what we think of a particular bike we carry, telling you about our experience with it, or the experience of someone we know or work with, to give you the benefit of personal testimonials that you can only get at local bike shops.

As far as single speed mountain bikes: yes, they're popular these days. But moreso than any other category, this customer comes in and asks SPECIFICALLY to see our single speed mountain bikes. No need to try and steer a customer towards them. If they want one, they already know, and will tell you.

stapfam

Sorry about your treatment Siu but it is not uncommon. That's what "Good" LBS' are for.

I often get the same treatment as you as I am an older rider. Go into a new shop and I always get the idiot that doesn't listen and knows what I need and want.

I ride a very much top of the range offroad Tandem and all I wanted was some new piping for the brakes. Basically he told me that My top of the range Hope Mono M4 brakes were no good. But he had a special deal on some Avid brakes that would suit me down to the ground.

But these are cable ----Far more reliable than hydraulics offroad as you have no piping to damage.

These discs are only 165mm and I use 203mm.--- You can't use 203mm discs as they will damage the forks.

It went on like this and If I had listened to his advice and taken it- I doubt that I would have got 5 miles without the bike failing on me.

So I then let him know in no uncertain terms that he knows nothing about bikes and walked out.

Skankingbiker

The fad must be dying and stores are trying to clear their inventory.

Billy Bones

Wrong questions, maybe?

Ask rather, "Why EVER did I stay in the store long enough to allow all that to play out?" or "What possible reason short of physical duress would send me back there?".

Siu Blue Wind

Thanks everyone for your comments and your kindness.

Wellbiked, I appreciate your post and time you took to write it.

Stepfam, it is annoying, isn't it?

plasticmaam12, maybe I am naive and perhaps as you said I don't know how to buy a bike. Maybe you are right and I shouldn't have posted it here as you suggested. My apologies if I offended you in any way. But please, when you get the chance look at my profile. You learn a lot about a person by that. Really. Take a look at it. In "About me" and under "basic info" you will find some info there that might enlighten you. And if you click on "homepage" (located under the pic of my bike) you will see my investment.

Bigbossman, a PM is on its way.

ed 

So...after the PM is sent...maybe bigbossman will post it here seeing as he's not an Admin and can live life on the raggety edge. Then we can all avoid the shop. (not that I plan on going that far away)


Shops like this need to be taken down!

plasticmaam12

I apologize. I thought that this was a troll thread. I also didn't know that you, as a mod, could dredge up deleted posts. Again, please accept my apologies.

Siu Blue Wind

Apology accepted. Thank you.