I just got into riding last year. It was quite a shock walking into a LBS for the first time. What do you do if you have brand A and are thinking of switching to brand C at a different LBS. The brand A shop has been very helpful and accomadating to this beginner. Get a flat ,they fix it ,need ajustments they do it ,all w/o a labor charge. They are more of a family type shop as compared to a high end shop. they brand C shop is a highend shop but they charge for everything. there are also 2 other LBS the sell brand A and are higher end but are almost like the Brand C shop. I hope to do some upgrades to my next bike and I'm not sure if the family shop is up to the challenge. I could possibly bring my next new bike to one of the other shops but ,being new to the game,I'm not sure how they would feel working on a bike not purchased from them.
Loyalty and your LBS
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This is a dilemma. You've built a relationship w/ the 'family' style shop and they've helped you out, which is great. But, it's obvious they're not the greatest business people. The shop that carries brand C is looking like they're in it to maximize their profit, which is staggeringly low in the bike business. We are constantly fine tuning how to walk that line between being a small, friendly 'shop' as opposed to a 'store' where you buy bikes and accessories. We've started tightening up on how we charge or not for service, but we still have our longtime customers that we've built great relationships with...and for very minor stuff we sometimes don't charge. We always charge for a flat repair, and while the bike is in the stand we'll give it a quick once-over to check for other things that might need attention. Pretty much every flat we fix includes some type of not-charged-for adjustment. I would imagine that if you bought a bike from shop C you'd get some of this treatment. The problem is showing up at shop A on the brand C bike.
I'd have a chat w/ the owner of your current shop and let them know what you'd like to do, and how much you appreciate their help. Shop owners know they can't win every sale, and i'd feel a lot better about knowing in advance. Talk to shop A and see how they'd feel about helping you w/ the upgrades on the new bike. These days shops should be happy for any business they get and not be pissy about it.
I'd have a chat w/ the owner of your current shop and let them know what you'd like to do, and how much you appreciate their help. Shop owners know they can't win every sale, and i'd feel a lot better about knowing in advance. Talk to shop A and see how they'd feel about helping you w/ the upgrades on the new bike. These days shops should be happy for any business they get and not be pissy about it.
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They will feel better working on a bike they didn't sell you than they would feel having someone else work on a bike that that they didn't sell you.
True, very true! Most people don't think this way...
The family shop sells a lot of kids bikes ,comfort bikes and hybreds. Road bikes are not their main focus. Shop C sells 4 different makes of high end road bikes 2 of which I never heard of. I'm just a beginner and honestly getting all decked out head to toe like a lot of hard core riders would make me feel kind of silly. Maybe not feel silly but certainly look it. Shop C is very hard core in everything they do and sell..
I had to read that twice.
Shop C is a new shop but the wrench there worked at another shop,nothing like the high end shop he's now at, and he put on a set of Praxis rings on my bike from shop A. If he wasn't there I wouldn't have checked them out. He seems like a great guy to deal with but his current shop is kind of out of my comfort range.
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Suggest you get over it. Seriously.
This is a dilemma. You've built a relationship w/ the 'family' style shop and they've helped you out, which is great. But, it's obvious they're not the greatest business people. The shop that carries brand C is looking like they're in it to maximize their profit, which is staggeringly low in the bike business.
I think that shop A probably sells enough numbers of all kinds of bikes to make a decent go of it,shop C has a long list of charges for everything you can think of. If they're in it just to "maximize their profits" I would have to wonder if their aim is to please their customers or themselves but then again they are in a different part of town where most of their customers don't think twice about charges for this and charges for that.. Hopefully I will get to ride one of shop C's bikes on Wednesday and have a talk with the guy i know there and see where it goes..
I think that shop A probably sells enough numbers of all kinds of bikes to make a decent go of it,shop C has a long list of charges for everything you can think of. If they're in it just to "maximize their profits" I would have to wonder if their aim is to please their customers or themselves but then again they are in a different part of town where most of their customers don't think twice about charges for this and charges for that.. Hopefully I will get to ride one of shop C's bikes on Wednesday and have a talk with the guy i know there and see where it goes..
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Hmm you are a customer of A, and not of C, no? you don't know what you get from C unless you are a customer? I think free flat fixes are amazing, how does that even work? I am not sure i get how bike shops work, lifetime free tuneups etc? My freinds who have @ 1000-1200$ road bikes that they tell me have this option, yet they never seem to make use of the offer.
Shop A will work on your bike as long as there is the customary exchange of cash for services. I can almost guarantee they won't be offended by the offer of money.
Shop A will work on your bike as long as there is the customary exchange of cash for services. I can almost guarantee they won't be offended by the offer of money.
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Can we hire you to come teach "reality" to some of our customers? :thumbsup:
That's how they can offer the free tune ups. It helps sell bikes up front but few people actually take advantage.
Who takes their bike to the shop to get a flat fixed? Usually when I get a flat my options are to fix it myself or walk
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You'd be amazed(more likely appalled) at how many people carry their bikes into the shop, many times w/ the rear wheel still off because they couldn't even get it back in the dropouts, needing a flat fixed. Many of them don't have any of the spares needed...no tube, pump, tire levers, or patch kit. The rare few don't even want the stuff, "i've got a cell phone, i don't want to get my hands dirty..."That's how they can offer the free tune ups. It helps sell bikes up front but few people actually take advantage.
Who takes their bike to the shop to get a flat fixed? Usually when I get a flat my options are to fix it myself or walk
You should have a conversation with shop A - tell them your intentions to upgrade your ride and the options you are looking at. Chances are they can get higher end bikes in but don't stock them. They may have brands available to them you are not aware of - maybe something appealing.
If this fails - at least you have given them first crack at your business, which is honorable considering the relationship you have developed. If they cannot deliver you are a free agent.
BTW - you may want to ride several bikes from different makers to get an idea of what fits you best from all 4 of the bike shops you have access to.
If this fails - at least you have given them first crack at your business, which is honorable considering the relationship you have developed. If they cannot deliver you are a free agent.
BTW - you may want to ride several bikes from different makers to get an idea of what fits you best from all 4 of the bike shops you have access to.
I haven't fixed a flat in 40 years and todays bike are nothing like what i had back then.
"You'd be amazed(more likely appalled) at how many people carry their bikes into the shop, many times w/ the rear wheel still off because they couldn't even get it back in the dropouts, needing a flat fixed. "
This is exactly why i haven't tried. When something needs to be fixed I want it done right . With the cost of today's bikes I really want it done right and not take the chance of efin something up. The last thing I want to do is bring the bike in in a basket.
"You'd be amazed(more likely appalled) at how many people carry their bikes into the shop, many times w/ the rear wheel still off because they couldn't even get it back in the dropouts, needing a flat fixed. "
This is exactly why i haven't tried. When something needs to be fixed I want it done right . With the cost of today's bikes I really want it done right and not take the chance of efin something up. The last thing I want to do is bring the bike in in a basket.
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Fixing a flat hasn't changed much in 40 years.
You could probably post the same thing if you were an auto mechanic, or a plumber, or an electrician, etc. For example, I do most of my own bicycle maintenance, but I do no auto maintenance, even the easy stuff that is comparable to changing a rear wheel flat. I just don't want to deal with it. I'd rather pay money and have someone else take care of it. Same deal with bicycle maintenance for most (non-RBR) people.
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Derailleurs, gears, quick releases, tires, tubes, and pumps all function virtually the same as they did 40yrs ago. At least in respect to removing the wheel and fixing a flat.
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If you have a leak in your house, you turn the water off and call a plumber. If you have an electrical problem, you turn off the breaker and call and electrictian. Gotcha, but neither of those leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere with no means to get home.
What do you do if you have a flat on your car in the middle of nowhere? Carry your car 20mi to the garage?
As someone who has never taken a bike into a bike shop for repair in 40 years in the sport (51 actually), this is beyond my ability to grasp.
My guess is is that most people (myself included) would try to change to the spare tire, and failing that call a tow truck or AAA to come out and fix the problem. For a bike, the tow truck/AAA isn't really needed since a bike can be put in most cars, so I assume the equivalent is to call a friend, family member, or a taxi to pick up them and their bike. I tend to think the "20 miles from anywhere" situation and "people who can't fix flats on their bicycle" are mostly mutually exclusive.
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