Cycle shop experience - your thoughts?

[bonzobanana]

I don't use local independent bike shops myself, I find them too expensive. When I've had a puncture years ago and saw the price of their replacement tube I did not buy it but bought it from another shop which I think was Wilko at the time saving a few quid. I personally wouldn't expect them to do anything other than sell me a multi-tool but then I don't use such shops. I totally understand if you are a customer with a history of buying from the shop fair enough but the shop assistant may not know you as a past customer.

To be honest in my life I've only bought one new bike from a independent bike shop and the service was pretty bad. They were reluctant to sort an issue with a new bike. However I did get Halfords in a different town to sort out a puncture for free but it was a recently purchased Carrera Subway 8 so its obviously from them as its a Halfords brand bike. They weren't busy at the time which may have been a factor. It's nice when you get good service but I don't expect it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've been on both sides of this equation, and it's a conundrum.

• I keep a good track pump by the till for use by passing cyclists and clients.
• Apart from this, I won't lend people tools because I either have to risk these tools vanishing or being broken. Alternatively I have to watch the 'customer' to ensure I get my tools back, in which case I could just do the job myself in the time.
• "Can I borrow one tool?" can very quickly become "can you help me with this... and this... and this... and have you got this tool as well? and this part is missing..."
• In the case above of an unexpected puncture, my reply is usually "I'll do it for you; the tube is 5€ and the work is 6€." Some people get upset with this because they just want to pay for the tube and expect me to fit it for free. Unfortunately we are a business, a social business, but still a business.
• That said, I'm aware I have low income customers and I do things cheaply or give items away when I can, but I have to be careful; with 40 low income clients working in the charity, I''d soon be swamped if I helped everyone...

 

[nickyboy]

I had a blowout coming down the Cat & Fiddle into Buxton. Replaced the tube but as I had only the one spare, thought it would be a good idea to buy a new tube in Buxton to be on the safe side.
Went into the LBS, bought a tube. Asked if I could borrow the track pump to make sure that the puncture I had sorted was at full pressure as I only used a mini pump.
Was refused. Don't lend out shop tools

 

[Hacienda71]

I had a blowout coming down the Cat & Fiddle into Buxton. Replaced the tube but as I had only the one spare, thought it would be a good idea to buy a new tube in Buxton to be on the safe side.
Went into the LBS, bought a tube. Asked if I could borrow the track pump to make sure that the puncture I had sorted was at full pressure as I only used a mini pump.
Was refused. Don't lend out shop tools

Which shop Nick?

 

[Pale Rider]

Which shop Nick?

The one that doesn't have a worn out track pump.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Happens all the time sadly. Lots of shop "assistants" do not see the wider picture, and think that trying to grab a quid short-term is worth longer than securing a grand in the long-term. I always avoid this type of shop, and tend to go to the ones where customer service is high, even though they may not be cheapest. You could have a word with the manager but I would be sceptical of how decent a response you'd get

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If I go into my LBS and ask for a tube they always offer to fit it "while I'm there" - or, if I don;t have my bike with me, suggest that I come back with my bike and they'll fit it

Only takes them a minute as they have the best equipment (the proper stand is a major part of that!) and experience

Last time I did it the charge was £5 - the same as just the tube!
(might have gone up - I generally only go in for a tube when I have already fitted my previous standby and I am just looking for a replacement
and, apart from anything else, I am embarrassed about letting the LBS fit a tube when I can do it myself!!!)

 

[kingrollo]

More evidence that not all bike shops are run by not for profit hobbyists - who care about there customers regardless of the bottom line 😀

 

[Chris S]

There were two or three traditional bike shops round here that had prominent signs advising they didn’t lend tools.

They’ve all since closed.

My LBS had a sign outside saying that they didn't lend tools or do free repairs. It's still open.

 

[Vantage]

I went into an lbs here in Bolton when I needed some grease as I was servicing my wheels. The owner handed me a set of new ball bearings for free and told me to replace them to keep everything running smoothly. Been back there time and time again over the years.

Another not so lbs which used to be in Bolton but was relocated lost any chance of repeat business after the new owner couldn't be arsed lending me a bit of oil for my squeaking chain after I forgot to oil it. He said he'd have sold me a bottle if I'd had cash. It wouldn't have killed him to just lend me a couple drops from a bottle in his workshop.
That shop has since been closed and then bought by another company.

 

[Espresso vecchio]

Maybe time for a separate thread on helpful and good LBSs, on the lines of Good Cafe recommendations. And maybe too it's time for Name 'n Shame. For example, people here have often put Halfords in the latter category, and very occasionally in the Good LBS category.

I posted in the last couple of years about visiting 5 independent, ie non-chain, LBSs to assess available ebikes for buying. 2 were OK+, 2 were superb, and the other one, family-owned, was so disinterested, unhelpful and bad that I walked out. We bought from one of the superb ones. The panel here encouraged me to name it so I did; I felt inclined to name the bad one but didn't in the end.

So here's a start for the good guys...

 NORFOLK

 Smilebikes (Nr Loddon). ebikes only. Run by Tim, ?an ex-pro.
Madgetts (Diss). In business in same family for a century. After using them for 30 years, I know that Mick and each of his staff have been unfailingly helpful, and always happy to chat generally as well as giving advice

If anyone thinks this a useful idea, maybe someone/a mod could set up a geographical sticky thread, ideally with a map like the cafe thread. A way to indicate poor service without rubbishing a shop too much would be rating all shops with stars from 1 star to 5 or even 10 stars.

 

[presta]

I think it all comes down to whether you expect it for free.

I once had a clicking which I thought was a loose crank, so I called at a village garage I was passing and asked if he had a 10mm allen key that he could tighten a cycle crank with. I didn't ask to borrow it, I just let him tighten it whilst I put my foot on the pedal and asked how much I owed him. He asked for a quid or two I think, which is fine.

 

[FishFright]

I think the shop assistant should have the same punishment meted out to him as Clarkson wished on Le Markle, paraded through the streets naked while cyclists throw excrement at him.

Thus combining your favourite fantasies in one messy pile.

 

[Espresso vecchio]

I had a blowout coming down the Cat & Fiddle into Buxton. Replaced the tube but as I had only the one spare, thought it would be a good idea to buy a new tube in Buxton to be on the safe side.
Went into the LBS, bought a tube. Asked if I could borrow the track pump to make sure that the puncture I had sorted was at full pressure as I only used a mini pump.
Was refused. Don't lend out shop tools

How about one of those cheap brass adapters to convert presta (not the member who posted here 14 minutes ago) to schrader, for use with some care at the next airline I pass (not BA, Ryanair or Easy jet obvs!). Very useful

 

[Kingfisher101]

I think it was very mean spirited of the shop assistant and I would tell everyone I knew about it as well. I also would never buy from that shop ever again. Theres a difference I think between helping a person in a genuine emergency as opposed to helping a total p taker.
I think the lesson here is to always make sure you are carrying all your tools