I walk into my LBS...
#1
Cycle Dallas
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Land of Gar, TX
Posts: 3,777
Bikes: Dulcinea--2017 Kona Rove & a few others
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 197 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
5 Posts
I walk into my LBS...
...and ask for a rigid MTB fork.
The first guy just stares at me, blankly. He then wanders over to the rack of suspension forks and says, "Not these?"
I said, "No, I want a rigid fork, without the suspension." The look on his face makes me think he's new there, so I add, "Would this be a shop item?"
He says, "Probably."
Now I'm at the shop counter and ask for a rigid MTB fork, 1 1/8", threadless, preferably cro-mo.
Shop dude: "We don't carry those. They're such a rare item. Nobody wants them, anymore."
Me: "Really? Because, from where I'm standing, I can see about half a dozen MTBs on your showroom floor with rigid forks."
Shop dude: "Yea, but when we sell one of those bikes, most people opt to upgrade to a suspension fork."
Me: "So, what do you do with the rigid forks you pull off?"
Shop dude: "We sell them."
Me: "Well, that's what I need then. Sell me one of those."
Shop dude: "Oh, we can't keep them around. People snatch them up as soon as we put them out."
The first guy just stares at me, blankly. He then wanders over to the rack of suspension forks and says, "Not these?"
I said, "No, I want a rigid fork, without the suspension." The look on his face makes me think he's new there, so I add, "Would this be a shop item?"
He says, "Probably."
Now I'm at the shop counter and ask for a rigid MTB fork, 1 1/8", threadless, preferably cro-mo.
Shop dude: "We don't carry those. They're such a rare item. Nobody wants them, anymore."
Me: "Really? Because, from where I'm standing, I can see about half a dozen MTBs on your showroom floor with rigid forks."
Shop dude: "Yea, but when we sell one of those bikes, most people opt to upgrade to a suspension fork."
Me: "So, what do you do with the rigid forks you pull off?"
Shop dude: "We sell them."
Me: "Well, that's what I need then. Sell me one of those."
Shop dude: "Oh, we can't keep them around. People snatch them up as soon as we put them out."
#2
Carpe Velo
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,520
Bikes: 2000 Bianchi Veloce, '88 Schwinn Prologue, '90 Bianchi Volpe,'94 Yokota Grizzly Peak, Yokota Enterprise, '16 Diamondback Haanjo, '91 Bianchi Boardwalk, Ellsworth cruiser
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times
in
13 Posts
Thanks for my morning chuckle.
#3
Bill
Join Date: May 2007
Location: HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO
Posts: 630
Bikes: Specialized Globe Sport, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Sooo... What's your problem? Can't you follow his logic?Logic what's that?
#4
Pedals, Paddles and Poles
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Vegas Valley, NV
Posts: 5,495
Bikes: Santa Cruz Tallboy, Ridley Noah, Scott Spark 20
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1233 Post(s)
Liked 69 Times
in
58 Posts
What a hoot! Maybe you can take some puzzle and connect the dots books in and help them develop critical thinking skills.
Etailers sell a good variety of CF and other rigid forks. Maybe the LBS can learn that there is money in them there parts.
Etailers sell a good variety of CF and other rigid forks. Maybe the LBS can learn that there is money in them there parts.
__________________
I think its disgusting and terrible how people treat Lance Armstrong, especially after winning 7 Tour de France Titles while on drugs!
I can't even find my bike when I'm on drugs. -Willie N.
I think its disgusting and terrible how people treat Lance Armstrong, especially after winning 7 Tour de France Titles while on drugs!
I can't even find my bike when I'm on drugs. -Willie N.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 116
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That's pretty common in a lot of businesses. Knowing a lot about what you sell doesn't necessarily mean you know a lot about selling.
I feel your pain, I was at the local shop yesterday looking for an entry level mountain bike with a rigid fork. I might as well have been looking for a buggy whip. On the other hand they typically do a great job, I just always seem to come in looking for something no one else wants. My other request was more of the same. I wanted a touring wheel built with a dyno hub. The first guy I talked to thought I meant a bottle dyno. But we're in a rural area here and there are no commuters to speak of. The owner quickly set him straight. The owner of the shop has a pretty impressive breadth of knowledge about anything to do with cycling considering the area his shop is in.
I feel your pain, I was at the local shop yesterday looking for an entry level mountain bike with a rigid fork. I might as well have been looking for a buggy whip. On the other hand they typically do a great job, I just always seem to come in looking for something no one else wants. My other request was more of the same. I wanted a touring wheel built with a dyno hub. The first guy I talked to thought I meant a bottle dyno. But we're in a rural area here and there are no commuters to speak of. The owner quickly set him straight. The owner of the shop has a pretty impressive breadth of knowledge about anything to do with cycling considering the area his shop is in.
#6
Senior Member
Shop dude: "Oh, we can't keep them around. People snatch them up as soon as we put them out."
I read somewhere Yogi Berra was supposedly quoted as saying, "Nobody goes there anymore.....it's too busy!"
I read somewhere Yogi Berra was supposedly quoted as saying, "Nobody goes there anymore.....it's too busy!"
#7
You gonna eat that?
Oh, while you're at it, can you pick up some cheese for me?
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
Last edited by Doohickie; 04-28-12 at 08:50 PM.
#8
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,363
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,664 Times
in
2,497 Posts
I think I've seen a lot of chain stores follow the same logic, something will sell out right away but then it doesn't sell because they don't have any. So the metrics are really bad and they discontinue the item.
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 19
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That is really disheartening. Today there is still a decent market for rigid mtb forks, especially with 29ers and SS and such. I see rigid carbon 29er forks for sale at my local shop.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
HunHarcos
Bicycle Mechanics
34
05-30-14 02:14 PM
FoxMulder
General Cycling Discussion
15
01-06-14 09:54 AM
common man
General Cycling Discussion
17
07-03-10 07:46 PM