LBS in today's world

[don compton]

At the ripe old age of 61, I have dealt with many LBS' over the years. I still have two that I will deal with. Bottom line, the typical LBS is a dinosaur. Unless they are in an upper class, higher income area, the business model does not work. In my area, I can buy my parts on the internet for so much less and the service at our local bike shops is so poor that I cringe seeing them in business. What can I say? I guess I am lucky that I can and enjoy taking care of my bikes and my wife's bike. Its not just the dollars saved, but my bikes work. These modern bikes with 10 or 11 speeds have to be right on and I just can't tell you guys how many times my friends are stuck with a bike shifting really badly, poorly installed headsets, creaky bottom brackets, you name it. After the 25 chain fiasco, I just had to rant.
Sorry, Old Potatoe, but in my neck of the woods, this is the bottom line.

[dd74]

Uh-oh, where did I put that fire-proof suit? :rolleyes:

[pbarry]

nevermind

[MattTuck]

I blame poor shifting on modern groups mainly on internally routed cables.


I can't disagree with what you said though. There are 3 shops around me and there is one that stands out above the rest. One of them I wouldn't trust with my bike. And one is average.

[zott28]

I get what you're saying.
It's the shop guy mentality that is in all spiecalized retail. Snowboard, ski, skateboard, bike, guns, they all have them. They deal with idiots all day that need someone to tell them what they want or need. Then there's guys like us that come in knowing what we need and what stuff cost. The good shop guys are the ones that know who they're dealing with.
As far as bad mechanics, well that just sucks. I guess they're out there.

[apeescape]

You, my friend, just do not have a good LBS. You are also helping make sure that there are fewer and fewer of them around!

[54ny77]

Dammit when I take my bike in for service I want the opportunity to buy a washer & dryer at the same time and in the same store, as well as upgrade my Android phone's firmware. Maybe even get a cheeseburger while I'm at it.

;)

[A1CKot]

I have used my lbs more in the recent years than ever before. They give me very competitive prices and will get most things next day with no additional up charge. I don't really use them for service but I know they are capable of doing a fine job. Not bad for the only bike shop within a hundred miles. This shop is one of the few things I'm going to miss about Minot but I'll let you know how the LBS's are in Japan some time in that fall.

[jlwdm]

I have multiple great LBSs in TX and AZ. Wonderful product and excellent service.

Jeff

[dd74]

When I flatted a tubbie, it'd been over 25 yrs. since I last changed a tire like that. Knowing this, my LBS brought me in and told me "dd, we don't want to charge you $50 to change a tubular, so we're going to show you how to do it yourself." They gave me the glue, the brush, (not the tire, I paid for that), use of a truing stand to spread the glue, and showed me the proper method before letting me go about it on my own. Afterward, they checked my work which came out well because of their instruction.

Attention like that guarantees me to be a long time customer to a "dinosaur."

If there's any advice I could ever give to an LBS, it would be to have open house days to instruct customers on how to maintain their bikes. I think such a relationship would pay high dividends in the end.

Online is just about the sale and nothing else.

[beeatnik]

One flat in 25 years :banana:

[dd74]

W - T - F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You had your first flat in 25 years riding tubulars?

or

Please, tell me you've been riding clinchers since the late 80's and recently returned to tubulars.
Seriously, I've seen 1.5 generations of kids raised while on one set of tubulars. In short, I look where I'm riding. ;)

[Ralph]

My LBS of choice has learned to thrive and prosper in this Internet world. He thinks his Internet shopper is a more informed shopper, knows more what he wants, is more of a high end shopper, actually spends more in the store, etc. Being a Campy user, sure.... I get my small parts online and do the wenching on my bikes. And sure I make up an order to Ribble every year for tires, chains, and stuff. But I still spend thousands each year at my LBS for myself and family. Someone always needs new riding shoes, jerseys, riding shorts, and other assorted stuff. And my LBS has a good assortment of all those things to choose from. Just yesterday bought a new Cannondale Quick SL 3 at the shop for wife. Couldn't do that online.....making sure size is correct etc. Making sure she liked the color.....letting her coordinae her riding outfit to bike color, LOL.

My LBS is an extremely successful business man. He just keeps expanding his store. Almost takes up whole block now. He understands he is not in the bike business.....but in a life style business, recreation business, etc. Understands he is selling to hi income folks who have buying choices. He understands how to market what he is selling. And his store service....is outstanding. His employees are mostly all long tem employees.....many being with him 15-20 years and a couple even longer.....he gives them retirement and insurance. He just celebrated his 40th anniversary being in business. He's quite a guy. His store is always busy. All bike club members get a 10% discount, so his prices are very competitive with Internet shopping considering shipping costs. And he always has what I want in stock.

[Bruce K]

I guess I'm really lucky

There are almost too many good LBS's to count around here

Each has their pluses and minuses but overall, they are all top notch

I think the last time 1centaur and I made a list we were between 10 and 15 shops worthy of patronage. They range from big (Wheelworks and Cycle Loft) to excellent local (Pinnacle, Centraal, Seaside, Riverside), to small and specialized (a single speed shop that just opened)

BK

[druptight]

Not to threadjack, but I just went into Wheelworks for the first time the other day, and that place is awesome.

I guess I'm really lucky

There are almost too many good LBS's to count around here

Each has their pluses and minuses but overall, they are all top notch

I think the last time 1centaur and I made a list we were between 10 and 15 shops worthy of patronage. They range from big (Wheelworks and Cycle Loft) to excellent local (Pinnacle, Centraal, Seaside, Riverside), to small and specialized (a single speed shop that just opened)

BK

[druptight]

After the 25 chain fiasco, I just had to rant.


This is interesting. I'd think the chain fiasco would send you in the other direction, back to your LBS after getting caught up in that internet typo BS.

[oldpotatoe]

At the ripe old age of 61, I have dealt with many LBS' over the years. I still have two that I will deal with. Bottom line, the typical LBS is a dinosaur. Unless they are in an upper class, higher income area, the business model does not work. In my area, I can buy my parts on the internet for so much less and the service at our local bike shops is so poor that I cringe seeing them in business. What can I say? I guess I am lucky that I can and enjoy taking care of my bikes and my wife's bike. Its not just the dollars saved, but my bikes work. These modern bikes with 10 or 11 speeds have to be right on and I just can't tell you guys how many times my friends are stuck with a bike shifting really badly, poorly installed headsets, creaky bottom brackets, you name it. After the 25 chain fiasco, I just had to rant.
Sorry, Old Potatoe, but in my neck of the woods, this is the bottom line.

I hear ya brother. But 2 'models' of the bike shop are the same 2 models for automobiles. Car dealers have a rep. for really crappy service departments, so after the warranty is done, you go find 'your mechanic'.

Bike stores also, their margin is selling bicycles, and soft goods, accessories.
Lots of the branded 'stuff', like Specialized and Bontrager, isn't available on the interweb(whether or not it's any good is the subject of another discussion).

So..those of you who don't want to work on your own bikes, you go find 'your mechanic'. My Biz model were 2 places, Hoshi Motors(Honda) and Oinson Automotive(US cars)..also Indian Peaks(VW).

The Trek dealer handbook views 'service' almost as a liability. 8% or something of the gross is the goal. My labor $ is almost 60% of my gross.

So, it can work. Like any business, you identify your target market and aggressively pursue that market. You are not everything to everybody. You look at a niche. Mine is service with an emphasis on Campagnolo and wheel building. Small markets but if lots of people of that small target market come to one place, a big segment for the bike shop.

PLUS you design the place with an economy of scale. I have 2 wrenches(me and another)..we do it all. A third in the summer..no sales people other than us. I don't want to be bigger, people wise. I want to be just this side, the good side of chaos in the summer...

There also isn't any incentive for people to get into the bike biz as an employee and stay..to learn their 'craft' Too many kids who work on their bike in their garage, work in a bike shop while in college then get a 'real' job.

[Dave B]

^^^^ That is a pretty decent outlook. I can dig that.

I used to love bike shops. I learned more tern I wanted to about the owners and some of the practices. We have some decent ones that employ some decent people, but they are also notorious for taking advantage of people.

I have an issue with that.

[Ahneida Ride]

Mtn Cycology in Ludlow VT. is my LBS.

Rick Trainer is the owner, mechanic, fitter, etc !

[christian]

The local bike shops I frequent are all very, very good. In order of use:

1) Julio Bicycles, Chappaqua, NY. Willy, Paul, and Manuel are fantastic and have fair (but not mail order) prices. Lots of knowledge of classic bikes. Full complement of Campagnolo stuff. Brooks (and modern) saddles on the wall. Good selection of kids bikes, car racks, clothes. Full Tacx studio in the winter. Manuel is an A+ mechanic - almost anything I don't have time for, I send his way. Carry Colnago, Moots, Scott, Orbea, Moots, etc. If this were the only good bike shop within 30 miles, I'd be perfectly satisfied. This place makes you happy to be a bicyclist. They're 0.7 miles from my house, too.

2) Signature Bicycles, Greenwich, CT. Not much needs to be said here - probably the best bike "studio" in the world. Lori, Justin, and Darren are just the best. Justin is an unbelieveable mechanic. More experience on high-end modern stuff than anyone. When they finished the build of my wife's Parlee, they sent pictures and the weight of it, just for fun.

3) Bicycle World, Mt. Kisco, NY. Big Trek and Ridley dealer. Fantastic folks. Some young guys (HS) in service, but they get things right, and the trickier jobs go to the experienced mechanics. Their selection of soft goods and accessories is bigger than the internet - they have every size of Sidi in regular and wide. Last time they serviced a bike for me, they stuck two water bottles in the cages -- nice touch!

[Tony T]

Bethel Cycle in CT. Excellent mechanic, great selection and service.

[kenmetzger]

Many shops still operate like the internet is around, where they just expect people to come in because they want a bike or need a bike worked on. They will struggle. They usually heavily depend on Trek or Specialized to keep their business going. People will still want their Treks or Specializeds, but the number of these shops may be reduced.

I am betting that niche shops are going to be stronger. They better be as I have recently opened a community shop. We specialize in urban riding, vintage bikes, commuting, and steel bikes. The shop is a gathering place. People work on their own bikes here and use the basic tools of trade. That means that they will buy their parts here because they are only twenty feet away, which is more convenient tham the internet. Can we compete with Ribble on price? No, but many people want to support their community and in turn we advocate for and support our sycling community. Also, ridership is definitely on the rise in our area. This is evident daily.

One thing people are not looking for is attitude, which is the biggest complaint we hear about many shops. People have older bikes that they are embarrassed to bring into other shops. We try to be welcoming to all. Sometimes we don't know something and it is OK to say so. People usually appreciate honesty whether they are novices or experts.

Most people are not experts and the advice of the local shop can go a long way, as well.

(Sorry if this sounded like an ad)

[fuzzalow]

PLUS you design the place with an economy of scale. I have 2 wrenches(me and another)..we do it all. A third in the summer..no sales people other than us. I don't want to be bigger, people wise. I want to be just this side, the good side of chaos in the summer...

Good for you that you are in the zone for what you chose to do and how you chose to do it. I was going to say "lucky man" but often luck and smarts are 2 sides of the same coin.

Reminds me of Forbes Magazine interviewing Sacha White and having their usual editorial bent confounded by the Sacha's desire not to expand on his rep & celebrity to become big - a brand.

Fantastic.

As far as adding to the OT: There are 2 that know what they are doing because they, as small shops, have been run by essentially one proprietor for the last 25 years or more:

Conrads NYC - Tudor City Place - finest for over 35 years
Bikeworks LTD - Greenvale NY - nearer to where I live on the Island but still owned & run by a 25+ year guy

[dd74]

It's funny, some of the shops mentioned in this thread I've heard of just by word of mouth. And I'm not even in the same state as them. That says a lot, IMO about those shops.

[dekindy]

I see these threads and feel fortunate. There are lots of LBS in the Indianapolis metro area and they are all great!

[beeatnik]

A local bike shop is a business. As passionate hobbyists it's easy to forget that. Adjust expectations accordingly, abandon romanticized notions and harness the internet to become an "empowered" consumer. Transparency is a good thing, market asymmetries are not.

I went through a shop rat period and my bro deals ended up costing me more than I saved. In retrospect, I was partially motivated by a misguided desire to support "the little guy." After a few incidents where my safety was compromised and growing dissatisfaction with sloppy, careless work, I decided to pay "scale" and take the personal element out of the equation.

Now I approach cycling retail transactions, the way I interface with any retail entity. I don't buy milk or shoes online, I pay a premium for convenience (at the Kwik-E-Mart for a Newcastle or at bike shop for a quick adjustment or tube purchase), and I try to enjoy spending ma cash on things I love, guilt-free. The book store comparison has been made ad nauseam. I'm not happy about the loss of independent book stores, but as a rational person I was compelled to direct my transactions to vendors who were able to offer me discounts on more discretionary purchases. In other words, no regrets about buying the $200 art book online for $75. With the money I saved, I probably spent more on fiction recommended by my local book shop.

Bottom line, there's room for the big guys (performance, incycle, helen's), the bad guys (ribble) and the little guys. Buy smart.

[xlbs]

but certainly possible. Old Potatoe has the right perspective. Few businesses can be everything to every customer, so smart LBS owners focus on what they can do really well, and then do it really well. And, this is a business with a batch of factors that don't vary a lot, but really do matter: superb customer service attitude, good buying, smart pricing, good location, great staff, and well chosen products are the basics, with solid longer-term thinking built into the equation at all levels of the business.

In my little store we had a simple rule; the time clock got shut down if the job became too complicated, we just worked at the bike until it was right--safe and something we'd want to ride--and then we'd work out a reasonable price. We made profits and had loyal customers every year...Not rocket science, not genius, not price conscious service, but solid commitment to doing good work all the time.

[christian]

How apropos, my #1 LBS just called me. They asked if I'd be willing to describe the route of my commute to another one of their customers and answer a few questions so that he can start commuting too.

Something something about an exceptional LBS building community and getting people out riding bikes.

[oldpotatoe]

but certainly possible. Old Potatoe has the right perspective. Few businesses can be everything to every customer, so smart LBS owners focus on what they can do really well, and then do it really well. And, this is a business with a batch of factors that don't vary a lot, but really do matter: superb customer service attitude, good buying, smart pricing, good location, great staff, and well chosen products are the basics, with solid longer-term thinking built into the equation at all levels of the business.

In my little store we had a simple rule; the time clock got shut down if the job became too complicated, we just worked at the bike until it was right--safe and something we'd want to ride--and then we'd work out a reasonable price. We made profits and had loyal customers every year...Not rocket science, not genius, not price conscious service, but solid commitment to doing good work all the time.

Good post. When a 2 hour job for some reason became a 5 hour job..well, ya can't just add $180 to the labor tab. If ya do, that's the last time you see that customer. Yep, it's really not difficult but it can be hard. Labor of like for sure.

Been doin' it here for 13 years as owner, 26 years in general..think it's time to hand the reins to somebody else tho. Tired.

[cfox]

Bethel Cycle in CT. Excellent mechanic, great selection and service.

I've always been treated like a leper at that place. And I spend a ***** ton on bike stuff every year, so their loss. I live four miles from Bethel, but my business goes to Signature in Greenwich. "Fancy" but unbelievably friendly and helpful whether you are there to buy a bike or a bottle of chain lube.

[davidb]

^^^^ That is a pretty decent outlook. I can dig that.

I used to love bike shops. I learned more tern I wanted to about the owners and some of the practices. We have some decent ones that employ some decent people, but they are also notorious for taking advantage of people.

I have an issue with that.

Mr. President, having worked in the industry for some time. Your observations are spot on. Many shop owners use trust and enthusiasm to treat staff horribly. The LBS would be better place if more people shared your view. So many shops are rotten from the core. Thank you for being responsable and using your actions to make an impact for the better.

[SoCalSteve]

Bike Effect in Santa Monica is really the ONLY decent bike store in all of Los Angeles...it's kind of sad, really.

[Len J]

I see these threads and feel fortunate. There are lots of LBS in the Indianapolis metro area and they are all great!

Do tell.

I've been here 4 years and nebo is the only one I've found that has a wrench that's actually worked on campy.

Worst big city for good bike shops I've ever been in.

Inquiring minds and all

Len


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Len J]

I've lived in several different cities in the lady 30 years and bike shops come in all shapes and sizes.

It's a tough business and I think specialization....finding a niche is the key. Beyond that,

- Be open, not condescending.

-Acknowledge the Internet benefits, they are real, but you have advantages to....but you have to focus on them. I don't expect a price match, I don't expect you to have as broad an inventory, but it would be nice if you maintained an inventory of consumables. I can't remember the last time I was in a shop that had a campy chain. If I'm spending a lot of money in your shop ( and I will) try to carry a couple of the tires I like.....you, know get to know me. How many customers do you have that will spend a couple of thousand or so a year at your shop without buying a bike? Don't give me **** when I buy something off the Internet at 35% less than you charge me and I get it in two days when your quote is 2 weeks.

- I want a good shop around. I want someplace my wife will feel comfortable with if I'm out of town and she needs mech help. Again, I can't count the number of times she has been patronized by a shop because she's not a roadie. C'mon...

- set up winter programs..... You know, indoor training, core building, maintenance. Work to help me feel comfortable as part of a cycling community with you as the core.

- fit people properly on a bike. Seeing other riders mis-fit and finding out where they bought their bikes is one way I decide to try a shop or not.

- it's ok not to be an expert in everything. I have more respect when a shop owner tells me he doesn't stock campy because of local demand, but can get me something w x days notice at reasonable prices ( not Internet match), then one that just says no.

- have a good basket assortment of used saddles. Loan them out on a try basis. I don't expect you to stock 50 saddles in multiple colors just in case, but help a rider looking for a new saddle select so when he does decide, he'll order through you.

Make your shop a place I feel welcome, not a nuisance.

Len






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[beeatnik]

Bike Effect in Santa Monica is really the ONLY decent bike store in all of Los Angeles...it's kind of sad, really.

Right, because there are 18 million Angelenos who can afford a $25 headset adjustment and need a $15,000 bike to ride to work clearing dishes or packing Chinese made goods in Vernon.

[ultraman6970]

After readin' only don's post the only thing i can say is that Don's friends have no idea how to fix a bike, old or new.

Sincerely, to tune up a bike with an 8 and up drive train you have to really SUCK as a mechanic to don't be able to get it right in 5 minutes. Those are the suckers that have to pay to the lbs where maybe a kid that has less clue than they do to fix it.

I have a friend in my country that is mechanical engineer, until today he has no clue how to tune up a drive train right, maybe is laziness but darn... last time I asked him if he got his degree in a raffle because the whole thing was f.. up.

Bike mechanics is just atomic and rocket science for some Einsteins.

[technicolor]

Right, because there are 18 million Angelenos who can afford a $25 headset adjustment and need a $15,000 bike to ride to work clearing dishes or packing Chinese made goods in Vernon.
Don't forget the $450 fitting!

[cmbicycles]

I've worked in 4 different shops over my 15 yrs in the lbs industry. Most were fine at what they did even with the Internet starting to become a big entity. The first shop, I spent 10 years there until the owner sold it. He was genuinely interested in helping employees and customers, routinely hiring people w/o experience (but good attitudes) so he could train them. It was his passion to share and teach in his shop, something I have not found anywhere since. He paid a decent starting wage with attainable bonuses, but liveable wages are not the norm for bike shops. Every shop after that first one was a bit more of a letdown in their customer service and compensation. I even applied to an online bike shop with some retail stores once, let's just say politely declined their offer.

So I went into teaching instead, still a good mechanic, and love working on bikes for the fun of it thanks to that first owner spending the time sharing the craft that old potatoe spoke of. Should I find the funds to start up a lbs, that is the kind of atmosphere I would like to replicate, it fits who i am. There are for sure plenty for whom that kind of shop doesn't appeal to them, and that's fine too. Many shops like others have mentioned can't be all things to all people.

I, personally, won't go around saying any shops are bad, I would rather just talk about the good ones instead. Sure the Internet is here to stay, but so are good bike shops. Find one that fits who you are, and support them, it isn't an easy business.

[Gummee]

We're not the target market for an LBS.

The target market for an LBS is the beginner or the rider that doesn't know his elbow from an allen wrench. New bikes to new bicyclists and labor from those that are either too busy or don't have the mechanical ability to DIY.

THAT'S the target market for *most* LBSes.

My $.02

M

[ctcyclistbob]

(Shops) deal with idiots all day that need someone to tell them what they want or need. Then there's guys like us that come in knowing what we need and what stuff cost. The good shop guys are the ones that know who they're dealing with.


We're not the target market for an LBS.
The target market for an LBS is the beginner or the rider that doesn't know his elbow from an allen wrench.


Agree with both of these points. What makes a good LBS is different for those of us on this forum vs. the general public.

[carlucci1106]

I think it is about time that shops start being honest with themselves and the customer base. I come from a weird background of a bike shop in small town New Hampshire that was just starting up. We (and everyone who joined us) hated the Trekilized shop down the street. Everything we have talked about here.

During the 90s bike boom we sold tons of bikes. We put that jerk out of business in less than 6 months. The reason was definitely OPEN MINDS and INDIVIDUAL attention. Knowing that each cyclist is different and we don't all need what a cat 2 needs is key. We also stocked Campy!! :banana: (anyone down for a steaming potato smile?----------->>>>

I have a guy I just met here in Albuquerque who respects that I buy parts online and I DIY, and I have gone into the shop just to chat, and to get consumables. The other day I tested the waters to see how he would treat me bringing in a Dura Ace wheel for service advice. I was pleasantly suprised that he didn't try to service it, because he knew I could do the job. This shop is going to get my business in the future. All because they were honest, helpful, and don't act like people like us are a threat to the industry.

I don't want to see the LBS wind up like either extreme: Gigantic warehouses with a Geek Squad, or what happened to small electronics retailers---- or all so niche-oriented that they can't stock tubes properly.

This online comm. between shop owners and honest, experienced cyclists is very helpful to the equation.

[bobswire]

I stopped by my friend Lens bike shop today, The Bike Nook. I took a test ride on the vintage Richman out to the ocean to see how she rode after building it back up from being repaired and painted.

Len, one of the better wheel builders in the area was working at his craft.

http://i50.tinypic.com/ayopap.jpg

A few of the vintage jerseys hanging from the walls

http://i48.tinypic.com/2m2wfhv.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2ng5to2.jpg

As for the Jeffery Richman frame it rode wonderfully.

http://i46.tinypic.com/o0nxib.jpg

[bluesea]

Agree with both of these points. What makes a good LBS is different for those of us on this forum vs. the general public.

And of course, the both are not mutually exclusive.

[dd74]

Bike Effect in Santa Monica is really the ONLY decent bike store in all of Los Angeles...it's kind of sad, really.
Very wrong. :no:

[Gummee]

The LBS where my riding buddy works has a hippy as a head mechanic and a couple of shop rats for mechanics. My buddy is 'sales' because he's pretty well ham-fisted.

You don't know how much I have to bite my tongue when go in to visit:
No, you don't want to put that on like that.
No, you don't wrap bars like that
No, if its not right, it shouldn't leave the shop
Yes, the bike needs to be clean before it leaves.

etc etc etc

While I'm not an expert compared to some, I'm more experienced than others. Its the little stuff you do that may or may not get noticed right away that make a difference between an LBS and a good LBS

M

[SoCalSteve]

Very wrong. :no:

So, what other bike store in LA do you like?

[false_Aest]

So, what other bike store in LA do you like?

Golden Saddle.
Sound Cycles.

[dd74]

So, what other bike store in LA do you like?
Bicycle John's, Velo Studio, I. Martin's, Helen's.

[SoCalSteve]

Bicycle John's, Velo Studio, I. Martin's, Helen's.

Guess you've set the bar pretty low...

[spaced_ghost]

worked in shops for a couple years, it was fun and then it wasn't. now, I keep trying to support LBS, but they rarely have what I'm after. most of them have cranky, condescending staff. There's a couple good ones around this city (NYC), but they are few and far between, and i usually leave wishing I would have just ordered what I was after. Can't count how many times I've heard, "No, but I can order it." Space is at a premium here, and I feel for them, but why would I order it, wait a week, and then make a second trip across town? I'm going home anyway, I can order it there and it'll show up to my house, usually with free shipping. But the good ones are indispensable, particularly with fitting issues. I try to always buy something even when my problem doesnt get solved if I take up the mechanics time with questions, a tip, too, if they're particularly helpful or friendly. and always try to be friendly to them, i know from experience the number of jackasses you have to deal with wrenching in this city.


bottom line is, more and more, LBS's leave me with a bad taste in my mouth, and usually end up just ordering it online if possible. I do all the work myself either way, anyway.

[beeatnik]

Guess you've set the bar pretty low...

By no measure, quantifiable or qualitative, is Bike Effect a "better" shop than Bicycle Johns or I. Martin. A bicycle shop defined as a retail location where you can purchase bicycles, parts, service, accessories and apparel. I personally like bike shops that carry bikes for every member of the cycling community. I also like bike shops which stock a family of products not just the high end stuff. The difference between I. Martin/Bicyle Johns and Bike Effect is that IM/Bl will sell you a $15,000 Colnago, Serotta or Moots but they also carry $5 tubes. Bike Effect doesn't even smell like a bike shop. Do you also believe the only decent car dealership in Los Angeles is the McLaren showroom on Wilshire; the espresso is quite good there as well.

[54ny77]

THAT is a bike shop. Good lordy is it ever.

Man I gotta get back there for a visit someday soon.

Len built me a set of wheels circa mid 90's that, for the life of me, I could not tweak outta true for several years and many thousands of miles. It was unreal.

Seriously, if anyone who's been around cycling for awhile or can appreciate the traditional side of things and especially the history, you owe it to yourself to visit.

I stopped by my friend Lens bike shop today, The Bike Nook.

[spaced_ghost]

By no measure, quantifiable or qualitative, is Bike Effect a "better" shop than Bicycle Johns or I. Martin. A bicycle shop defined as a retail location where you can purchase bicycles, parts, service, accessories and apparel. I personally like bike shops that carry bikes for every member of the cycling community. I also like bike shops which stock a family of products not just the high end stuff. The difference between I. Martin/Bicyle Johns and Bike Effect is that IM/Bl will sell you a $15,000 Colnago, Serotta or Moots but they also carry $5 tubes. Bike Effect doesn't even smell like a bike shop. Do you also believe the only decent car dealership in Los Angeles is the McLaren showroom on Wilshire; the espresso is quite good there as well.

:beer::hello:

[ofcounsel]

Hmmm... Lots of good bike shops where I live. I frequent lots of different shops because each one has different strengths.

OutSpokeN Bikes in Huntington Beach always treats me right. I've bought a couple of bikes there, and I have about a half dozen other friends who have bought bikes there as well. If I need Magura brake pads or work on my MTB brakes, or general consumables, I go to La Habra Cyclery. If I have something difficult to fix that I can't do, or I need something like a steerer cut, I go to Two Wheeler Dealer in Brea. If I need Campy stuff and I need it "in stock" then East-West Bikes in Fullerton is my go to place. If I need a replacement MTB part "in stock" after a Sunday ride or if I have a puzzling MTB question, the Path in Tustin is my go to place.

I guess it's all in the expectations. I don't expect one shop to serve all my various needs, and not every shop does everything.

[SoCalSteve]

By no measure, quantifiable or qualitative, is Bike Effect a "better" shop than Bicycle Johns or I. Martin. A bicycle shop defined as a retail location where you can purchase bicycles, parts, service, accessories and apparel. I personally like bike shops that carry bikes for every member of the cycling community. I also like bike shops which stock a family of products not just the high end stuff. The difference between I. Martin/Bicyle Johns and Bike Effect is that IM/Bl will sell you a $15,000 Colnago, Serotta or Moots but they also carry $5 tubes. Bike Effect doesn't even smell like a bike shop. Do you also believe the only decent car dealership in Los Angeles is the McLaren showroom on Wilshire; the espresso is quite good there as well.


Your missing the point...it's my fault as I didn't express why I think Bike Effect is so much better than those other stores.

It has nothing to do with the brands they carry. It's totally about passion and a love for all things cycling. Those other shops are chain stores with many employees. You walk into BE and immediately you feel welcomed. They offer you water, coffee, etc. They know their product inside and out.

The service people truly care. I took my C59 in to them to help me thread the DI2 cables as I was having a hard time with a couple of them. The service guy threaded them for me ( took him all of 5 minutes)...and when I asked him what I owed, he said nothing, just bring the completed bike back so he could check it out finished.

There is not enough time, space or energy to tell you all the horrible things that I. Martin and Bicycle Johns have done to me and my bikes over the years. They actually did one great thing for me though...when I realized how badly their wrenches were and how much they charged, I vowed to buy all the tools neccesary and learn everything I could about bike building...25 or more bike builds later, I am sure I am a better bike mechanic then most of them.

Go into BE, talk to Steve, ask him to show you his fit studio and explain what it all does and the process he goes through to fit someone. I'm sure you will see what a special place it truly is.

McLarens are cool. I prefer Porsche.

[beeatnik]

I appreciate Steve. I've never been in his shop and had less than a 30 min conversation with him; he keeps trying to get me to give up my Arione. And the place looks great. There's also no doubt in my mind his mechanics are more conscientious than guys at Helen's or Velo. That said his shop offers very little for the guy on an $800 road bike. The type of guy who could benefit the most from a decent local (ie, neighborhood) bike shop.