View Full Version : Blue Sky Bicycles in Saratoga has customer service nailed, you have to read this.
I took my bike in for a shifter rebuild, given that I know my limitations and what my time's worth. Besides, I hate taking a shoebox of parts in and saying "Clifton, can you fix what I ****ed up trying to do it myself?"
First off, Dave, the mechanic that worked on the bike, noticed a crack about an eighth of an inch long on the stem down by the steerer. It's good to know they look stuff over that isn't necessarily associated with what they're actually working on. He said that particular Deda is starting to show up with those so he makes a point of checking.
Second, when we checked the bike in it was clear that the bottom bracket was shot again. Last year about this time I had it replaced and through a communication breakdown that was more my fault than anybody's we replaced Campy with Campy instead of a Phil Wood. Jeff Cimino offered to swap it out then at no extra cost but I figured it wouldn't make much difference, so we left it in. He said if it failed early he'd give me a break on a new Phil. I completely forgot about that remark. He didn't. A year and however many customers later, he remembered and took care of it.
Those guys are great and deserve to have people know about it.
Pete Serotta
09-13-2007, 01:34 PM
Nice to hear about the shops that practice SERVICE, as well as talk about it.
Thanks
cool.....but which Deda stem was it? :cool:
BURCH
09-13-2007, 01:49 PM
Thanks for taking the time to post the positive experience. It is harder to do that than post about a bad experience.
Blue Sky is a good bike shop, probably the best in the greater-Albany area.
BumbleBeeDave
09-13-2007, 02:49 PM
. . . I was having trouble with the rear hub on my Ksyriums. I took it in fully expecting to have to leave it. Their wrench Clifton asked me if I had another set of wheels--which I didn't--and then took the freewheel apart, found the problem (bearings), had the parts in stock, and fixed it while I waited--and charged me $47 for the parts and labor. Net loss of riding time--zero.
Clifton is great!
BBD
Fixed
09-13-2007, 03:16 PM
bro you cats up north got it made imho
eveytime some cats works on my bike i have to redo it
they are so rushed for time .
cheers
Bill Bove
09-13-2007, 03:28 PM
Know her from way back. It's great to hear she's doing well and doing it well.
SoCalSteve
09-13-2007, 04:46 PM
bro you cats up north got it made imho
eveytime some cats works on my bike i have to redo it
they are so rushed for time .
cheers
This is why I purchased all the tools and learned how to built, fix and maintain bikes all by myself. Havent been to a bike store (to the service department) in a few years now. Gotta love that!
Steve
coylifut
09-13-2007, 05:04 PM
This is why I purchased all the tools and learned how to built, fix and maintain bikes all by myself. Havent been to a bike store (to the service department) in a few years now. Gotta love that!
Steve
i think that describes just about all of us here, but it's nice to know that there's "the guy" in town that you can to in the rare times that you need it.
Uh, yah, second on the Deda, which one?
Pete Serotta
09-13-2007, 08:34 PM
We have the best "wrench" around. Mr. SPOKES!!!!!
(my bike usually works very well - IF I DO NOT TRY TO WORK ON IT!!!!
:D
rwsaunders
09-13-2007, 08:43 PM
Drumroll on the Deda too........ :confused:
Avispa
09-13-2007, 08:50 PM
This is why I purchased all the tools and learned how to built, fix and maintain bikes all by myself. Havent been to a bike store (to the service department) in a few years now. Gotta love that!
Aside from cutting steerer tubes and such, I have found a way to do all my wrenching... But I still go the the (far) LBS for the final touch.
bro you cats up north got it made imho eveytime some cats works on my bike i have to redo it they are so rushed for time .
See above, that's why I travel 60+ miles to my favorite LBS. Nobody touches my bikes in Miami... I have had too many bad calls...
Having a great shop with good service and human wrenches is invaluable!
A!
DarrenCT
09-13-2007, 10:42 PM
This is why I purchased all the tools and learned how to built, fix and maintain bikes all by myself. Havent been to a bike store (to the service department) in a few years now. Gotta love that!
Steve
ssc,
wanna teach me all your skills? i still can't build a bike. maybe im just being lazy. i wish i had some building skillz.
-d
seanw
09-14-2007, 07:08 AM
the wrench you guys speak of, clifton, i am wondering if i know him. used to work in shop up here in vt? can he do a wheelie on a road bike? if its him, he is an awesome guy! you gotta see him do a wheelie and ride it for quite a distance!
sean
I'll get the exact Deda model and post it tomorrow. It's alu, could say Newton on it but other than that no specifics. I'll try and find the numbers off it.
As far as wrenching, I know my limits. Also, what my time is worth. Sometimes even though you pay a lot, you could use that time a lot more valuably elsewhere.
Besides, one of the things on the AADD non-pharmaceutical coping list says "You don't always have to do what you're bad at."
Singlespeed
09-19-2007, 12:09 PM
the wrench you guys speak of, clifton, i am wondering if i know him. used to work in shop up here in vt? can he do a wheelie on a road bike? if its him, he is an awesome guy! you gotta see him do a wheelie and ride it for quite a distance!
sean
Sean,
It is Clifton from VT. Used to work at Ski Rack in Burlington (another great shop) but has been in Saratoga for a number of years now.
Newton all aluminum, 12cm. No numbers or anything. Little crack, bottom right side on steerer end about 1/4" long.
JRA.
SoCalSteve
09-19-2007, 01:03 PM
Aside from cutting steerer tubes and such, I have found a way to do all my wrenching... But I still go the the (far) LBS for the final touch.
See above, that's why I travel 60+ miles to my favorite LBS. Nobody touches my bikes in Miami... I have had too many bad calls...
Having a great shop with good service and human wrenches is invaluable!
A!
Installing headsets, cutting steerer tubes and "such" are actually quite simple tasks. The hard part is spending the $$$ for the parts initially as they are quite expensive and dont get used that much.
I am glad I spend the $$$ on all the headset tools (installing and removing) and for the steerer tube tools as well and now I truy do not have to be beholden to the service department of a bike store for anything.
I have built wheels and enjoyed the process as well.
Steve
BumbleBeeDave
09-19-2007, 01:04 PM
As far as wrenching, I know my limits. Also, what my time is worth. Sometimes even though you pay a lot, you could use that time a lot more valuably elsewhere.
It's very much worth it to me to find a reliable mechanic and pay the $$ to get it done. There's just too d@mn much to get done! . . . :crap:
BBD
SoCalSteve
09-19-2007, 01:08 PM
It's very much worth it to me to find a reliable mechanic and pay the $$ to get it done. There's just too d@mn much to get done! . . . :crap:
BBD
And I find it a very relaxing and rewarding experience to build a bike in the AM and ride it in the PM.
Steve
BumbleBeeDave
09-19-2007, 01:23 PM
And I find it a very relaxing and rewarding experience to build a bike in the AM and ride it in the PM.
Steve
. . . trying to denigrate that experience in any way. I really would like to have time to do stuff like that. I've just admitted to myself that it's unlikely to happen.
BBD
SoCalSteve
09-19-2007, 01:28 PM
. . . trying to denigrate that experience in any way. I really would like to have time to do stuff like that. I've just admitted to myself that it's unlikely to happen.
BBD
BBD,
Thats too bad...As Ringo said: Stop to smell the roses and build bicycles.
Steve
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