Performance Bicycle Store

[93legendti]

How are the Performance Bike Stores? I just heard one is opening up around the corner from me.

I have a great lbs about 10 minutes from me that I won't give up, but there are certain things Performance carries (and my lbs doesn't) that I like.

[Fixed]

you are lucky nothing like having a store down the street and a p.b.s.should have cheap prices sometimes
cheers enjoy

[rnhood]

There are three stores in Raleigh and all are very good. Lots of odds & ends type equipment and apparel. Very nice from a convenience perspective and, you can take anything back for a full refund. They don't subscribe to the mostly defunct "all sales final" ideal. They are much more up to date with customer service.

I have had relatively minor service work done on my bike from time to time that was completely satisfactory but, no complex service work done. I tend to use my local shops for the more complex work.

[Aaron O]

Advantages:

GREAT hours. You'll find them very convenient when you realize you just patched installed your last tube at 7pm on Saturday.

Great return policy...mentioned above.

Great closeouts end of year...they have some very nice prices on bikes I'm not really interested in most of the time, but they also will run blow out sales on more basic things I do need...like tubes.

Disadvantages -

They will negatively impact your LBS
The employees are often less trained and experienced than what you'd expect in an LBS. Obviously mechanical work and employee quality will vary by shop.

[firerescuefin]

Decent low to mid price stuff. You will be speaking latin to the staff if you use the word tubular or Campagnolo (at least to the 3 shops in and around denver). Think basics.

[rice rocket]

The mechanics at my local Performance Bike are pretty smart, but I still use my LBS for more "personal" stuff (fitting, seatmast cutting, bearing pressing, etc).

I get my Clif bars from Performance...but that's about it nowadays.

[johnnymossville]

Sometimes the deals are just too good to pass up at Performance. I have two close to home and it's nice they are around.

[ultraman6970]

In my area are horrible, they never have what i need or ask. Well i ask for good stuff, not shimano sora that is basically what every sucker (figuratively speaking) has around here and what they mainly sell.

Their clothing is not as good as a pair of castelli, descente or even what wiggle sales.

a few years ago showed a campy fix gear cog to the sale man and he asked me from what cassette that was coming from and what was wrong with it. After i smiled i just went to talk with the mechanic and he did not know campagnolo made those.

Good time to buy from there? at the end of the season when they got stuck with all the expensive stuff they don't really sell and if you are looking any brand but campagnolo.

[Matt-H]

I occasionally use my local Performance for cheap sunglasses since I, or my kids, tend to lose or break them frequently. Couple of tubes once in a while as well, but I really prefer to support the local shops we have here.

[jlwdm]

A Performance store opened about a month ago in Southlake, TX. I took a walk thru and just did not see anything that interested me.

Jeff

[FlashUNC]

It's the Wal Mart of bike shops. I'll get helmets and such there just because of their pricing, but that's about it.

[smontanaro]

I agree. I get basic name brand stuff (gloves, helmets) or commodity items (tubes, tires) there. And they are open more than most LBSs. Customer service is probably store-by-store, but the one I go to most frequently has what I would consider horrible customer service/attention. My wife worked for over 10 years for Crate & Barrel and would always be fuming after we visited Performance. ("That's no way to treat customers waiting in line!")

I must admit though that I like their Elite shorts. That's all I wear on my bum.

Skip

[bobswire]

Think of them as a convenience store for odds and ends and when they have special sales you can have it delivered to the store to save money.

[fourflys]

It's the Wal Mart of bike shops. I'll get helmets and such there just because of their pricing, but that's about it.

that's kind of harsh... I think it depends on the store... sure, they may hire some less experienced help... the key is to find the one or two guys that are real riders, I bet each store has at least one or two...

[dd74]

How about working at Performance Bikes? Does anyone have any experience with that?

[Pete Serotta]

some prices are as much as LBS, With sales and buying power they are quite often cheaper. Service is, as usual with all stores including LBSs, very dependent on folks there. :)

[Gummee]

Decent low to mid price stuff. You will be speaking latin to the staff if you use the word tubular or Campagnolo (at least to the 3 shops in and around denver). Think basics.Having run one, it ALL depends on who is working there. My mechanic could take a pile of spokes, 2 rims, and 2 hubs and have a perfectly round, evenly tensioned wheelset in an hour. Amazing guy.

99% of the people I worked with rode. Mostly mtn, but we all rode. Usually together over in Wakefield Park (DC area)

...BUT having said that, PBS's main customer is the n00b. Maybe a move-up rider that has had a bicycle for a bit, now wants something nicer. NOT the Ricky Racers typically. IME they all (lots anyway) have hook-ups and shop/team sponsorships and don't need the lower-than-LBS prices of PBS.

Edited to add: when they were blowing Rival out of the stores, the sales prices were less than I could get things for wholesale. Makes things tough.

HTH

M

[FlashUNC]

that's kind of harsh... I think it depends on the store... sure, they may hire some less experienced help... the key is to find the one or two guys that are real riders, I bet each store has at least one or two...

I think it depends on what you're looking for. I've been to several Performance shops across a number of cities in the Southeast, including in their home town of Chapel Hill, NC. They're fantastic in terms of pricing on those commodity goods. Their clearance prices on helmets, socks and such are tough to beat.

The rest is completely hit and miss. I've seen firsthand the mistakes wrenches have made their on buddy's bikes, or just flat out told them the wrong thing to sell something. Not saying that doesn't happen at other shops, but I've never seen them as the place to go with a complex problem they could fix.

[fourflys]

The rest is completely hit and miss. I've seen firsthand the mistakes wrenches have made their on buddy's bikes, or just flat out told them the wrong thing to sell something. Not saying that doesn't happen at other shops, but I've never seen them as the place to go with a complex problem they could fix.

I hear what you're saying... we have a few stores here in San Diego, two that I live by... only one is the shop I'll go to if I have a question...

I often wonder if the Scattante brand bikes they sell are on par with the other big box brands... I know they are made in the same place as the Fuji's and they are raced alongside Treks and Specilized's on the ProTour... I can tell you picking one up and looking at it, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and a Madone or Tarmac if you took the stickers off... I have no idea how they ride though...

[steampunk]

performance has great prices on "consumables" which is what i buy from them like tubes, tires, food, lube, etc. you get the picture.

[alias320]

I worked there for a bit- mainly because while they don't necessarily carry high-end bits, you can still get them via special employee discounts. Echoing what others have said, they are setup mainly for the casual biker. I think that for the two summers I worked there I maybe sold 5-6 road bikes that were over $1500, whereas on the average day I'd typically sell anywhere from 3-7 multi-purpose family bikes and kids bikes. Just based on that volume, it's no surprise that they're going to be a little befuddled by a fancy carbon wunderbike. The staff that I knew was divided into people who actually rode and people who were there because it was their job at the moment. Certainly a toss-up whether you'll get decent answers if you have some specific questions. Basically, I found that at performance you get that for which you pay. Of course the one positive thing that came from my experience there was that a co-worker clued me onto the serotta forum...

[dbh]

If I'm buying from a brick and mortar shop, I steer all of my business towards my LBS. Yes, Performance is a tad cheap for consumables, but I feel they give nothing towards the local cycling community, don't support unique brands, and I wouldn't trust their wrenches with my ride. If that's all you've got in your area, then it's better than nothing.

[bumknees]

I also worked at one for a while. Lot of customers were shameless when it came to the "Satisfaction Guarantee" This would include customers returning tires that had obviously been ridden for thousands of miles because "they didn't last as long as they wanted", and returning jerseys and shorts that had obviously been worn for several seasons because "they wore out." Overall, I liked the variety of customers. There, I saw more kids get all excited about their 1st bikes in one month than in one year at another "more-racer" oriented shop I worked at. Some of the Performance's can be hit or miss when it comes to expertise of the staff, but luckily, I had the opportunity to work under John Waddell (great mechanic who lives in DE).

[A1CKot]

Advantages:
Disadvantages -

They will negatively impact your LBS
The employees are often less trained and experienced than what you'd expect in an LBS. Obviously mechanical work and employee quality will vary by shop.

I worked for one when I was in high school. It really was hit or miss. I worked with people who tried to be the best "bike shop" employee possible but some people were there for a pay check. It really is the Walmart of the bicycle industry. That being said, we, they, are trained to have the best customer service in the industry and never, if they can help it, say no. It you want to return it, yes, if they don't have it, we can get it, type stuff. The store that I worked for hired techs that had previous experience and were not interested in training up new people, I tried. I don't know how much the LBS's were effected because this P-store had opened around 1998 or something like that. But I could imagine how the low end, kids and small time commuters, industries were effected. That is their bread an butter. I enjoyed working and shopping there but it really is hit or miss just like most LBS's.

If you know what you want now and want it at a specific price Performance is great, if its in stock. If not, your favorite LBS should be able to take care of you better.

Just my insight from working at the specific store. So feel free to say different. Any time I bring up working at Performance I become the bad guy. But I enjoyed it and got to pro deal some great stuff... so I'm happy. :cool:

[Aaron O]

I worked for one when I was in high school. It really was hit or miss. I worked with people who tried to be the best "bike shop" employee possible but some people were there for a pay check. It really is the Walmart of the bicycle industry. That being said, we, they, are trained to have the best customer service in the industry and never, if they can help it, say no. It you want to return it, yes, if they don't have it, we can get it, type stuff. The store that I worked for hired techs that had previous experience and were not interested in training up new people, I tried. I don't know how much the LBS's were effected because this P-store had opened around 1998 or something like that. But I could imagine how the low end, kids and small time commuters, industries were effected. That is their bread an butter. I enjoyed working and shopping there but it really is hit or miss just like most LBS's.

If you know what you want now and want it at a specific price Performance is great, if its in stock. If not, your favorite LBS should be able to take care of you better.

Just my insight from working at the specific store. So feel free to say different. Any time I bring up working at Performance I become the bad guy. But I enjoyed it and got to pro deal some great stuff... so I'm happy. :cool:

I don't disagree at all...actually that's pretty much my exact approach. Employee quality varies by store and depending on who the manager is. They're great for consumables, they have great hours and they have an easy return policy. The one nearest me actually has decent mechanics...the one in Wayne did NOT. The sales/cashiere help knows less than what I'd ideally like...but they're Performance, not a pro shop. They really do have great blow out sales and I actually think their tires represent good value.

I buy stuff there and have no problem with it or them. My one complaint is its effect on the LBS, but it's not like Performance is the only one killing them either...heck, BD will probably be putting Performance out soon, and they don't even hire people.

[ultraman6970]

Bd??

[Dan Le foot]

How are the Performance Bike Stores? I just heard one is opening up around the corner from me.

I have a great lbs about 10 minutes from me that I won't give up, but there are certain things Performance carries (and my lbs doesn't) that I like.
Hi Adam.
Performance has a unconditional guarantee on the products they sell. If products don't live up to your expectations you get a refund. My expectations are very high.. :hello:
Dan

[Aaron O]

Bd??

Bikes Direct.

[tuxbailey]

I hear what you're saying... we have a few stores here in San Diego, two that I live by... only one is the shop I'll go to if I have a question...

I often wonder if the Scattante brand bikes they sell are on par with the other big box brands... I know they are made in the same place as the Fuji's and they are raced alongside Treks and Specilized's on the ProTour... I can tell you picking one up and looking at it, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and a Madone or Tarmac if you took the stickers off... I have no idea how they ride though...

I don't think their house brand Scattante bikes are anything to sneeze of. last year they were selling the Scattante Ti frames for about $700 (during a sale period) and it turned out that they were welded by Lynskey for PB.

In general, PB is great if you know exactly what to look for. My coworkers were able get a nice AL bike with CF fork with 105 for about $450 5 years ago, very good deals.

[93legendti]

Hi Adam.
Performance has a unconditional guarantee on the products they sell. If products don't live up to your expectations you get a refund. My expectations are very high.. :hello:
Dan
Hey Dan,

Thanks...I knew that about the mail order operation, wasn't sure about the store.

My lbs is great - everyone is friendly and the work is high quality and timely.

I'm just hoping the Performance store carries the things I buy from performancebike.com...

[Fixed]

we don't have a p.store here . a very small (hole in the wall )bike store opened up very close to me , my wife went in to pick up tape for me and they could not sell her any cos they did not know the price .. she saw a panasonic track bike ( she knows i like japanese bikes )and asked how much they said they did not know that price either . she did get me a rapha water bottle there for for $12 dollars though .not a bad price for rapha i have not used it yet but i will soon i hope
cheers

[Gummee]

I don't think their house brand Scattante bikes are anything to sneeze of. last year they wear selling the Scattante Ti frames for about $700 (during a sale period) and it turned out that they were welded by Lynskey for PB.

In general, PB is great if you know exactly what to look for. My coworkers were able get a nice AL bike with CF fork with 105 for about $450 5 years ago, very good deals.
IIRC Scattante was a Supergo brand that PBS got with the purchase of that chain. Ditto with Access.

Historically, PBS's bikes have been well-designed. Made in the same asian factories that everybody else's stuff's made in. That goes back to the mid-90s. 'Course, back then, I had a heck of a time convincing someone that this M-002 was just as good and had better parts on it as whatever Trek, Specialized, Giant, whatever they were looking at.

My recommendation for the LBSes around PBSes is focus on service. Make for damn sure that you are THE place to go to for repairs. Leave the stuff that PBS does well to them: lower end clothing and consumables. Fits. IF you don't know how to do em, learn. Make sure that EVERY* bike goes out of the shop with at least a basic fit. *hybrids are gonna be tough cause they wanna straddle em like Hardleys.

Make sure that the bikes are clean, tires are aired up, etc before they leave the shop, etc to differentiate you from the 'acceptable' that the PBS is probably gonna put out as repairs. Have someone double check before handing the bike to the customer. Explain that you're having another set of eyes look the bike over 'just in case.' Go the extra step that PBS isn't going to go.

HTH

M

[Dan Le foot]

Hey Dan,

Thanks...I knew that about the mail order operation, wasn't sure about the store.

My lbs is great - everyone is friendly and the work is high quality and timely.

I'm just hoping the Performance store carries the things I buy from performancebike.com...
They don't always, Adam. Especially some of the high price, lower demand stuff.
But you can order online and have the stuff shipped to your store at no charge. Or you can use the red phone in the store to order a product that may not be in the store.
You may want to be a Team Member. Saves you 10% on the stuff you buy. (On future sales)
Dan

[gdw]

Our local Performance is comparable to most LBS's but with better prices, selection, and less attitude. The staff is young and some are knowledgeable some not. I use them for consumables especially cable housing since they still carry 5mm drivetrain housing and metal end caps unlike the two LBS's nearby.

[1happygirl]

Think cheap product without blank stares from employees when you ask for something (and im far from any bike knowledge expert but i did read the forum last night)

like the time I was going to a ride and it was one the way and forgot my bike short/helmet /etc

Like if Wal mart owned a bike store just run in and get it. convinent