Jody
Stubborn git
That's how upgrades work and seems pretty fair to me.
New bike - supplier resistance to swapping components.
- Thread starter SpokeyDokey
- Start date
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That's how upgrades work and seems pretty fair to me.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Last time I bought a car I had a choice of engine - size, diesel or petrol, eco or not. Wheel trim, upholstery, colour, trim level, etc etc etc. Imagine my surprise if I hadn't. What's so difficult?
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
I think it really does come down to the relationship and for it to work, it has to be a really good one already. For example, I have a good relationship with my LBS built up over 15 years or so. If I was in the same position as the OP, I would expect, actually no, expect is too strong a word. I would be grateful but not overly surprised if the LBS swapped the bits for me with a charge to cover labour.
I understand what people are saying about OEM parts but a 105 mech is a 105 mech and if a future customer came in (possibly one without a good relationship with the LBS) and said "Can you fit a 105 mech to this please?" I don't see anything wrong with the LBS using the one they took off my new bike. They may even show the mech to the customer and say "This one do you?". They may even offer a small discount in order to start a new relationship without saying where the part came from.
To me the main warranty for the part bought from the LBS is the LBS themselves, I wouldn't go to Shimano and say "the mech on my new bike broke". So should the customer who bought the original (ie short cage) mech come back in with an issue, the LBS would sort it and then send broken mech back to Shimano with "This broke on a new bike"
I understand what people are saying about OEM parts but a 105 mech is a 105 mech and if a future customer came in (possibly one without a good relationship with the LBS) and said "Can you fit a 105 mech to this please?" I don't see anything wrong with the LBS using the one they took off my new bike. They may even show the mech to the customer and say "This one do you?". They may even offer a small discount in order to start a new relationship without saying where the part came from.
To me the main warranty for the part bought from the LBS is the LBS themselves, I wouldn't go to Shimano and say "the mech on my new bike broke". So should the customer who bought the original (ie short cage) mech come back in with an issue, the LBS would sort it and then send broken mech back to Shimano with "This broke on a new bike"
winjim
Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
But you order those options from the manufacturer. You don't expect the retailer to change them for you. I think maybe bike manufacturers should offer a bit more choice regards gearing, sizing etc so that customers were able to order what they wanted, rather than having to faff about afterwards. Like you say, you do with a car...
Citius
Guest
As Winjim says - the 'difficulty' is in expecting the dealer to change them.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I'm not sure about half a groupset, but my local bike shop routinely changes components for new bike customers and sells the unwanted bits to someone else at a discount.
They did it for the saddle on my Cannondale mountain bike, the supplied saddle was sold to someone else for a tenner who was told 'this is one we took off a new bike'.
I also benefited in the other direction, they put a decent pair of sealed bearing cage pedals on the Cannondale which had been taken off a higher spec bike for which the customer wanted clipless.
They did it for the saddle on my Cannondale mountain bike, the supplied saddle was sold to someone else for a tenner who was told 'this is one we took off a new bike'.
I also benefited in the other direction, they put a decent pair of sealed bearing cage pedals on the Cannondale which had been taken off a higher spec bike for which the customer wanted clipless.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
And just about every bicycle manufacture give a you a choice of specs and equipment off the shelf. Its no different.
You want a custom spec then order a bike from a custom manufacturer. I cant see why the LBS should take a financial hit and provided you with and fit upgraded parts for free just because that's your whim.
OP
OP
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Ok so a bit of a split on sentiments - glad to know I am not totally alone. 
FWIW I guess my expectations of service rise as price levels rise. Obviously higher prices generally mean that the frame and components will be better and if indeed that's all you are getting for the higher price then no one retailer is offering anything more than another. Ergo why bother to be loyal to any one shop?
In effect the shop that sells me £1300 - £1800 worth of bike is therefore no better (or worse) than the shop that sells me a BSO for £100. If that's the deal then that's the deal.
Tbh I expect a better service as the £'s margin per unit sale rises - it gives the shop more room to manoeuvre surely? Or is it just a case of 'that's a nice sale and we've just made £500 margin for the same effort as another bike we just sold and made £200 margin'?
Bricks & mortar retailing is suffering, LBS's are going to the wall (generally) and at some point someone, somewhere must surely ask 'what could we have done better to survive & prosper?'. Probably belatedly.
At the end of the day I guess we all have very different expectations of what a shop should do to win our business. Me, I'd be happy (or happier) if when I buy a fairly expensive bike that the shop would make a bit of an effort to make the bike exactly right for me. I'd call that really good service. I'd say that was worthy of me recommending that shop to others and it would keep me coming back. Isn't that the way that you build a simple business like a bike store?
Alternatively, instead of a business lauding it's own virtues of tapping into their expertise to match a bike perfectly to your needs maybe they should just come clean - we'll order a bike for you and make some money on it and then we'll sell you some parts that make it fit properly and suit your needs 100% and make some more money from you. That's the only way I can view the deal if their is no within the deal customising available from the shop.
And, yes, I do know I always have a choice and can walk away.
FWIW I guess my expectations of service rise as price levels rise. Obviously higher prices generally mean that the frame and components will be better and if indeed that's all you are getting for the higher price then no one retailer is offering anything more than another. Ergo why bother to be loyal to any one shop?
In effect the shop that sells me £1300 - £1800 worth of bike is therefore no better (or worse) than the shop that sells me a BSO for £100. If that's the deal then that's the deal.
Tbh I expect a better service as the £'s margin per unit sale rises - it gives the shop more room to manoeuvre surely? Or is it just a case of 'that's a nice sale and we've just made £500 margin for the same effort as another bike we just sold and made £200 margin'?
Bricks & mortar retailing is suffering, LBS's are going to the wall (generally) and at some point someone, somewhere must surely ask 'what could we have done better to survive & prosper?'. Probably belatedly.
At the end of the day I guess we all have very different expectations of what a shop should do to win our business. Me, I'd be happy (or happier) if when I buy a fairly expensive bike that the shop would make a bit of an effort to make the bike exactly right for me. I'd call that really good service. I'd say that was worthy of me recommending that shop to others and it would keep me coming back. Isn't that the way that you build a simple business like a bike store?
Alternatively, instead of a business lauding it's own virtues of tapping into their expertise to match a bike perfectly to your needs maybe they should just come clean - we'll order a bike for you and make some money on it and then we'll sell you some parts that make it fit properly and suit your needs 100% and make some more money from you. That's the only way I can view the deal if their is no within the deal customising available from the shop.
And, yes, I do know I always have a choice and can walk away.
simon.r
Person
- Location
- Nottingham
As the OP, I would expect a LBS (which is probably charging more for the bike than I could buy it online for) to do everything in their power to make me, the customer, happy.
If they wouldn't swap a few parts for a fairly nominal fee, then I'd buy the bike and parts online, swap them myself and then sell the removed parts online - probably saving myself a few tens (or even hundreds) of pounds in the process.
I really wonder if the days of traditional LBS's are nearly over. IME not many seem able or willing to offer that extra service that would make me prepared to pay over what I could buy online for.
I tried to buy my last bike from 2 local shops, but neither were prepared to put themselves out to help me, so it eventually arrived in a large cardboard box from an online retailer - at about 15% less than it would have cost me locally.
If they wouldn't swap a few parts for a fairly nominal fee, then I'd buy the bike and parts online, swap them myself and then sell the removed parts online - probably saving myself a few tens (or even hundreds) of pounds in the process.
I really wonder if the days of traditional LBS's are nearly over. IME not many seem able or willing to offer that extra service that would make me prepared to pay over what I could buy online for.
I tried to buy my last bike from 2 local shops, but neither were prepared to put themselves out to help me, so it eventually arrived in a large cardboard box from an online retailer - at about 15% less than it would have cost me locally.
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
I bought a bike from Specialized in Harrogate who put an £85 female specific saddle of my choice on it for free and gave me the one they took off for free. Bloody love that shop!
the colour did look aesthetically very good on my nonSpecialized bike though!!
