My LBS let me try out an FSA OS-115 stem for a few weeks and I went back to tell him ill take it and he said "ok don't worry about paying right now I need to find the price". He said the stem was just a tester he bought last year so he didnt know the price off hand.

A month later i go back cash in hand and still he says the same thing to me. Another month or 2 later I go back and he tries to look up the price but can't really find the same one so says "ill figure something out". Now it's been an entire summer and I still havnt paid for this part, I keep trying to but he doesn't seem to care. I'm not sure myself how much the stem cost but I'm sure it's not cheap. It's almost awkward going in there now because I know I owe him money but I finally stopped trying to pay for it. I hate the feeling of owing someone money and I always have but I don't know what to do about this. This is a very small shop in a town with few cyclist so I know he's not making a lot of money.

Should I just hand him 50 bucks and be done with it? Or just keep asking him what he wants to do. I don't want to be caught off guard a year from now and have him ask me about it and not have the cash on hand. It's to the point now where I have to have 100 bucks on hand everytime I need to just buy a tube. It's actually frustrating and it gets worse everyday that passes. So I'm asking what would you guys do to handle a too nice bike shop owner? What's a fair amount i should give him for it? Apparently he bought it so long ago and will never be able to find out what HE paid.

I'd just bring $50 or $60 or whatever you think is a fair price and tell him your paying him for it, and say you just don't like owing people money if he asks why.. and if he doesn't take it, take the stem off, return it to him and be done! Not worth the aggravation..


Easy and it's over with.

Why don't you just look it up online to find the retail price and give yourself a 20% discount. Bring that cash in and tell him you saw the price online and wanted to pay it off because you aren't comfortable using something that isn't paid for
Thank him for trusting in you and that you appreciate his services.

Done

You really think I should give it back if he won't take money? I gave him my old stock one that was way too short for me O_O

The interne has it listed from forty to 120 dollars. That's a wide variation, don't want to rip him off or myself. I guess if i give him like 60 would be a safe bet. This has been bothering me for far too long.

This.

But make sure he gives you a receipt!

Once you have tendered payment and been denied, you still owe the money but it becomes his obligation to quote you the price. There may be a limitation to the time in which he has to do this.

That said, I found it at Amazon for $114
https://www.amazon.com/FSA-OS-115-Roa.../dp/B0006FNAOC

Since the stem was "just a tester he bought last year" I would give him a personal check, cashiers check or money order for $50-60 with FSA OS-115 Stem written in the notes area. Keep a copy for your records in case you don't get a receipt. There is a good chance he will just accept it and all will be good. If he doesn't think it's enough it kind of pressures him to give you a figure.

+ 1.

bianchi is Tachoes still on the hill in oregon city?

Hey!
In my opinion you had a right idea.
If you don't want to feel bad, just hand him the $50 and say 'look man, just let me know if I owe you more, and I will pay the rest next time I'm in'
done.
It's not your job to be chasing HIM for payment.

I don't know -- obviously you know the guy better than we do, but it almost sounds like he's giving you the part. You keep raising it with him, and he keeps giving you some nonsense excuse about why he can't take your money. If he wanted your money, five seconds on the internet would give him a price. Or he'd just say "look, I probably paid $30 or so -- if $30 is ok with you it's ok with me." Instead he's got to track down some mysterious document buried somewhere in a vast warehouse or his dog ate it or...who knows what. Now, it'd be better if he just came out and said "look, keep it, it's on the house," but he might feel awkward or something.

So I say drop it. If one day he asks about the money, you can say that you'll bring it by -- even if he does get around to quoting a price, it's not like he's going to suddenly demand that you fork it over right there on the spot. But if you feel awkward about it, just ask him -- tell him you don't like feeling like you owe anyone money, and just want to know if he wants you to pay him for it or not.

Go in the store and buy a new jersey or a new set of bibs from him. I'm with theOtherBob on this one ... he'd have a price for you if he really wanted it. Support his business in another way then.

Living on the other Side of that equation all the time I know exactly what the shop guy is going through/is thinking.

Constipation of the brain.

"Hmmm...did I really want to sell that? Can't sell it at full price. Want to give him a deal because it was "used". Don't want to piss him off by asking for near full price, but if I am not going to sell it at full price I might as well order him up a new one and take that one back. If I don't then I will just need to get another one for fittings anyway."

Usually all goes through his head in the 5 minutes you ask which is probably when the store is filled or he has 5 people asking questions or he needs to get that order in befor the close of ship time from his distributor.....

His biggest concern is you having what you need - what works - and that you're riding. That is always the most important. The details on payment....they'll work out in the end.

From your perspective...yeah...it sucks. Being that shop owner though I would recommend you do the following: come in when you know the shop isn't super busy, hand him $50-$60 and simply say that is what you would like to pay for the stem, that you hope that will be sufficient, it's what you think is fair, and that you're only pushing it because you don't like to know that you owe somebody.

He'll be very happy and most likely apologetic.

I swear this is how my LBS operates...good to know there are others out there whos main concern is "you having what you need - what works - and that you're riding".

Nice job.

...and for the record I do a lot of the same thing. I sell wheels. That is my priority. I also do a ton of other things. When someone comes by and I end up re-running cables and housings - leading to new bar tape because when I mount his new wheels it becomes clear that his bike needs it....I typically fumble on the small stuff.

"Hmmmm...that set of cables was a takeoff from a new lever install so. Didn't cost me anything. Not charging for the labor on this as I am really just helping out a wheel customer. Cables are worth something..."

As they are wrapping up I usually have 2-3 others coming in or milling about and asking questions.


" Rob, what do I owe you"
"Dude, you just bout a set of carbon wheels. Ummm... We'll figure it out. Don't worry about it for now. "

Asked sometime later I usually do the, "oh yeah...uh...what did I want to do..." If the timing isn't right then I will usually say the same thing.

Yes, my and the other owners fault. Critical business mistake. Sure. I've taken to a dry erase board and jotting it down when I don't have the time to price quote or invoice. Been working great,

For those that think, "oh he doesn't care because he'd ask." Not true. I remember everyone who owes me money.

I only let those close to me and the organization run on "credit" and they all know our motto is"Family, Fun, Integrity". If they fail on the debt fulfillment then they fail on the integrity part and I would consider the $10-$20 to worthfindingthat out about them

fahgeddaboutit. he obviously knows you have it but doesnt seem to care. i wouldn't bring up beans unless he asks you.

Christmas is coming up, buy him a nice bottle of wine or scotch or something. wrap it up bring it in and hook him up. dont mention the stem at all say its just for being cool and helping you out. let him bring up the stem whenever.

Sounds like you only owe him the price difference between the 2 stems.

run away and never go back to that lbs!!! free stem!!!!









just kidding.



take him some cookies.

Punish your self with a leather belt and say 10 hail Marys.

Then bring 200$ to the shop and BEG them to accept.


Or just forget about it. It's their business. You offered money, they didn't want to take it - it's their problem. The most you can do is ask how much you are to pay and pay it. You did that.

+1 to you for offering to pay, several times. +1 to him for letting a customer have a part he needed and not expecting payment or for even bringing it up to you. I've had to insist that Tom at my LBS accept payment for parts I get and he wants to either discount them of give them to me. I simply pay and move on. If he insists and discounts or says just take it, I don't argue or keep coming back about the money.

If the shop owner really needed to be payed for the stem he would have taken the money when he had quoted a price. He probably feels like this is a small price to pay for building customer loyalty, I know it would stick with me. Don't sweat always having the money every time you go into the shop, your repeat business is most likely the payment he wants the most. Recommend the shop to your friends and other riders, this is your repayment for his courtesy. Ride Safe and Ride Lots.

Bill

The OS-115 stem was pretty pricey when new. I want to say it retailed for about $120. But, it hasn't been made in a few years, having been replaced by the SLK stems.

It looks like they are going new for between $40 and $60 on eBay in used and new condition. I suggest you just go in to your LBS, say, "Hey, it's been eating at me that I keep riding on this stem and haven't paid you for it. I've got $50 bucks on me. Does that work for you?" Then see what he says.

I agree with above consensus. Give him $50 (or whatever you think is reasonable).

I also think you could say to him "why don't you get back to me if you think this is not fair."

That way, you will feel better and something tells me he won't mention it again.

I got the older model(this one) for $30 on eBay, new, from Rocky Mountain Cyclery. It's a nice stem, I'd buy another one.

Thanks everyone seems like consensus is give him a fair amount and thank him for his kindness. I've only been cycling since July but i was in there 3 times a week when i first started so we had a good relationship. He knows my boss and his family so he knows I live down the street and that I don't have a ton of money right now. I'm going to go in today to buy a tube and hand him 60 extra bucks. If he doesn't accept it after I put the money in his hand then ill have to consider the matter closed and ill mail him and his wife a gift card for Christmas or something.