Why are so many LBS like this?

[Baggy]

Roy Pink Cycles in Newport Pagnell. Big modern showroom, but run by a family team. Fantastic in every regard.

Roy himself is a nice bloke and always up for a chat. He has a history of wacky antics involving bikes, like gaffa taping a bike to a canoe and cycling it along the entire length of the river Ouse for charity. I went to school with his eldest son, and can remember how he used to ride a unicycle to school every day...

I went to school with his middle son, who didn't ride a unicycle! Haven't been in their shop since they moved to new premises but will do next time I'm over that way. Phil Corley cycles was my LBS before Pinks' opened.

 

[400bhp]

My lbs sold me my new carbon toy, and spent hours and weeks helping and answering all my emails.

I went to pick it up yesterday and their whole computer system wdas down, so they let me walk out of the shop with it, without paying

Let me say that again, I walked out with a £3000 bike with their blessing and just a promise to call them today ( I did of course)

They will be getting All my future business

Name [the shop] and applaud them - that is superb

 

[400bhp]

Very true.

Also take into account postage costs ( i am amazed at the amount of people who dont add on the
£6.96 postage) and the fact thats if its delivered by yodel you wont see the item for 2 weeks, if at all.

Pay a few quid more and have it there and then.

For clothing its even better to buy local, you can try it on.

And some may do a like-for - like price vs genuine (i.e non fleabay) online shops.

 

[400bhp]

Being something of a lion on internet forums and a mouse in face-to-face confrontations, I returned to the shop this morning and pointed out the lock was unsuitable because I needed something from the Sold Secure range. Suddenly the chap was very knowledgeable about the requirements of insurance companies so, after trying to sell me the hugely expensive one again he said "I think I might have something downstairs" and returned with a Kryptonite shackle lock with the necessary silver sold secure rating.

Not quite sure what to make of that tbh

It cost me an extra £5 and is no doubt a lot cheaper online but, purely to support independent retailers, I also paid £40 for a pair of Gore Windstopper gloves.

However, I doubt I'll go back. I've coughed up £80 for goods I could have got for £45 online and I feel I've been misled, messed around and inconvenienced.

Being a terribly nice British chap I didn't complain or make a fuss in the shop of course.

Look at it from his point of view. You initially went in and asked for ..."a good lock that will satisfy an insurance company" .

Insurance companies differ with their requirements and so it would be impossible, without seeing your policy, to determine what was needed. For example, my poilcy states the bike must be locked to a secure object. The type of lock used is irrelevant.

He should have said this, but without knowing you and how you'd react, you might have taken this as a brush off.

So, he sold you one that, in his opinion, should satisfy most requirements.

You went back with a specific requirement and as you have seen, he was able to provide a good service.

It's difficult, nigh on impossible, for a shop to satisfy all customers.

 

[StuAff]

Went to CycleWorld and Cycle Surgery in Portsmouth today. Managed to see the Cannondale Synapse in the flesh and it looked to be in my size, annoyingly it was fairly busy in CycleWorld so didn't get to speak to anyone, they also had a Giant Defy 1 in there. Cycle Surgery only had two road bikes on display, neither of which were brands I've heard of!

Those two are both pretty useless for road bikes, AFAIC, at least in those branches. The CS store is just too small. They do stock some decent road bike brands, as can be seen online, but they don't have the space instore and what bikes there are on display are all MTB, hybrids etc. Have used Cycle World for servicing in the past, they were fine for that, and bought spares from them (their online prices are often pretty good and you can collect instore), but the road bike selection was pretty lame the last time I was in there.

Try Velocity in Cosham. Nice people who won't muck you around, have a decent stock of road bikes from a decent range of brands- Colnago, Trek, Look, Orbea. They get regular business from me, with good reason.

 

[JoeyB]

Cheers fella.

Tbf Cycleworld had two models I am interested in, but other than that the selection was low.

 

[HovR]

I find my LBS to be pretty good. Always up for a chat, good service and prices are competitive for the most part. More recently they sold me and fitted bar tape cheaper than I could buy it online, and have quoted me a good price on a pair of forks I'll hopefully be getting next week.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

Not a great user of LBSs mostly because of lack of choice - my local shops seem to be tied to particular brands - in one most everything is Specialized, the other Trek/Bontrager. It is only online that I can source most of the stuff I require

Mine is like that, they have mostly Trek stuff. Even if they did have different brands I don't think they could fit many in anyway, the shop itself isn't too big.

 

[JoeyB]

Yeah my closest one is clearly in cahoots with Specialized but their website has other stuff so I am going to find out if they can get other stuff in.

The second closest wasn't open today so will go during the week to see what they have most of. I'd like to see a Trek Domane in person.

 

[Grizzly]

so I guess you are always buying bikes then



No wonder they jump through hoops

Actually I'm hoping that by giving them some good publicity I get a bigger discount

 

[hoopdriver]

I don't have an LBS. I live in Hastings. The nearest proper bike shop to me is up in Tunbridge Wells, as far as I know. I seldom have need if one since I do all my own maintenance and because of thr dustances involved, buy on-line. That said, the shop in Tunbridge Wells is very good.

 

[ianrauk]

I don't have an LBS. I live in Hastings. The nearest proper bike shop to me is up in Tunbridge Wells, as far as I know. I seldom have need if one since I do all my own maintenance and because of thr dustances involved, buy on-line. That said, the shop in Tunbridge Wells is very good.

What about Hastings Cycles in The High Street? Was there last time I was in Hastings. (Had to get a new innertube, classic old bike shop)
Are Spin City Cycles still going?

 

[Berties]

My lbs I have a great relationship with,but like training a puppy they got a smack on the nose after I bought the first bike from them over shocking attitude from a member of staff,but since have bought two more bikes from them and loads of kit and upgrades
I get great service and good discount,good advice from riders ,if some thing is wrong they sort it!
Buying on line is ok if it is a reorder or you are100% sure of size,but some thing as important say as shorts need to fit properly,trying on a few pairs, I would pay more money rather than my under carriage be chaffed and grated,buying cleats and shoes how many posts have I read ,my feet hurt my knees hurt,to tight to loose my lbs sorts that out
They have two shops opposite one commute /mb and one road and tri all top of their game

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Really lucky in this area. Excellent small bike shop in Perth that has been around for years and really know their stuff. My good road bike was delivered to me supposed to have been assembled and checked. Turned out it was as it came from the factory. Cables and everything needed fitting. Felt a bit bad taking it to the bike shop but I bought it on finance which they didn't offer anyway so not as bad. Anyway, they assembled and checked the bike for £30 which I thought was excellent.

Another good one is Rock n Road in Bridge of Allan which next door neighbour uses. Because he buys quite a bit from them they usually give him decent discounts.

That shop in Perth is a legend though, and far from representative of the trade.

 

[akb]

We're going to Rutland cycling at Grafham water next week as never been there before but unsure of what to expect,any experiences?

I got my Spesh MTB from Grafham, very pleased. The shop was very busy when I went in, but they acknowledged me when I arrived and that someone would be with me soon. I had my eye on a few MTB models, and with a bit of help by the techny guy who was assisting, I walked out with a £600 bike, £100 more than I had orignally intended to spend.

If you mean the route, i have no idea, sorry!

Where else do you go in the Bedford area? Priory Marina Cycles are good for advice I find, although they only seem to stock higher end roadies and kids bikes. I have yet to experience Peddles in Biggleswade, but have heard poor reviews. Bedford Halfords is crap (from experience), the store in Biggleswade is much better IMO which the Bike Hut staff knowing a bit more than the Bedford store.