Cycle shops doing drop in tweaks??

[Fnaar]

Just wondering really.... a couple of times I've called into bike shops 'on spec' when passing by, and asked for a quick tweak (

) once to gears (had got fed up fiddling with them, couldn't get it right) and once to buy new brake blocks (yes I know, but I hadn't kept an eye on them, they were run right down and were making a noise) and ask the fellla to bung them on (10 minute or less job, I guess).
In both cases (and both were a while ago, but went past one of the shops again today, and remembered about it) they've said "you'll have to book it in" or "can't do it till Friday" or something.
It seems to me that both shops missed out on getting some easy money by not giving me giving me a quick tweak. I understand they might well be busy/booked up etc, but 10 minutes? You'd have thought such 'passing trade' was potentially in the shops' interest. Not that i expect people to drop everything and give me a tweak, but you get my drift.
Why is this post full of innuendo? That never usually happens

 

[Archie_tect]

Which shop do you normally use Fnaar?

.... Bicycle Repairman in Prudhoe is very helpful, but they don't do anything on the spot either unless they're quiet.

 

[Fnaar]

Various really, depends. Jim's in Bedlington, Ferguson's in Blyth, KB in Newburn, Breeze bikes Amble are ones I've used in the last 2 yrs or so. All have been fine/good depending on what I've had done, but in the olden days, I'm sure more shops would do little jobs if you called in. In fact I've read on here of people who called in to get a puncture mended, or a brake fettled and so on... perhaps I don't look vulnerable enough...

 

[Archie_tect]

All these years I've pedalled down to Newburn and turned right at the traffic lights... never once ridden further along the road. Didn't know about KB Cycles! That's my nearest LBS!

Thanks Fnaar!

 

[4F]

I have a couple that I use near to me which will do just that. On one occasion I limped in on the way to work with a headset problem and they lent me a bike to get to work on. They replaced the offending item and even hung on and waited 30 mins after closing time for me to get back to them to collect my bike.

 

[upsidedown]

My 2 locals are pretty good and will fit you in unless they're rammed with work, which they usually are at this time of year.

 

[Globalti]

I've had so much time from two LBSs that I've ended up feeling guilty about it. When I bought an old Harry Hall I took it to the Manchester shop to ask their advice and got received like royalty by Graeme Hall the owner, who put one of his mechanics to work trying to understand why the gears wouldn't index. (Turned out it had a Shimano derailleur and an obscure French Maillard block, which weren't spaced the same!) After 45 minutes of the mechanic's time I was just leaving when one of their lads came in from an errand having taken a tumble and gashed his elbow. He was a bit shocked so I repaid the shop's good karma by taking him along to the local casualty in my car. I always get a good reception when I nip in there now. Haven't told them I've sold the bike.....

 

[danphoto]

In my experience of retail service, the main reason why shops won't do while-you-wait quickies is simply because experience has taught them that the customer won't expect to pay for something which took a scruffy sod with a screwdriver less than five minutes to fettle.

 

[Archie_tect]

... which took a scruffy sod with a screwdriver less than five minutes to fettle.

That'll be me then?

 

[summerdays]

I've had the quick fettle service from my LBS ... but then they know me and that I come back and that I buy things ... they have even replaced my brake calipers in their lunch hour when it broke when I was on route between locations for work purposes. However I'm not sure whether I would expect an unknown bike shop to do the same thing.

(Err I didn't make it clear that I paid for the work on the brake - occasionally they have done things and I've expected to pay and they haven't charged ... telling me to get out before they change their mind!! - that being little tweeks on the bike - but I think that is due to the relationship that has been built up over time).

 

[mickle]

'Can you just'? syndrome. The rent clock, the wages bill and the electricity meter don't pause for the 'five minutes' it takes to 'tweak' something. Every bike shop gets it - and so do plumbers and other tradespeople. 'Can you just?'.

Most retailers will happily spend a few minutes helping out a stranded customer. Most of the year it's possible to create the time to do so. At this time of year - bike week - every cyclist and their dog is wandering into bicycle shops up and down the land expecting a 'tweak' that'll take 'less than five minutes'.

A bike shop worker's day is full of 'Can you just?' merchants. You don't see these people from one years end to the next then the sun comes out and they're all wandering in expecting 'tweaks'.

We had one guy wander in on a busy summer Saturday, straight through to the workshop interupting the head mechanic who was up to his eyeballs in jobs: 'Can you just fit this (component purchased elsewhwere), I'll be back in an hour....' When informed that no, we had a booking in system and it was running at six weeks in advance and actually no we simply don't have the space for you to leave it - you'll need to take it away and bring it back on the day - he had a tissy fit. He tried to argue that it was only a 'small job' that would 'only take five minutes'. In the end he actually said to my head mechanic: Listen sonny, I shoot you shovel'.

Not a successful strategy.

Go in to Tesco's and see if you can 'Just get a sandwich' for nothing.

 

[Archie_tect]

Don't think anyone should ever be expected to do things for nothing.... I shouldn't, but I do do things for nothing, depending on who it is and the circumstances!

 

[vernon]

Whereas in France at three different branches of Decathlon, I have had instant service at their service sections when things have needed attention on my bike. Most impressive.

 

[Fnaar]

In my experience of retail service, the main reason why shops won't do while-you-wait quickies is simply because experience has taught them that the customer won't expect to pay for something which took a scruffy sod with a screwdriver less than five minutes to fettle.

'Can you just'? syndrome. The rent clock, the wages bill and the electricity meter don't pause for the 'five minutes' it takes to 'tweak' something. Every bike shop gets it - and so do plumbers and other tradespeople. 'Can you just?'.

I'd be happy to pay though, and would expect to do so, and would buy whatever (if) component was needed. Many shops with a website these days set out labour charges for different things anyway.

 

[asterix]

Cycle Heaven located an annoying creak and fixed it F.O.C. I've never seen them NOT busy. One of York's best shops.

Also had a tyre fitter spend a bit of time trying to find why my van tyre loses pressure when the other 3 don't. Spent quite a bit of time looking for bubbles, foreign bodies, etc. Found nothing and didn't want paying for finding nothing altho I asked.