Rapha Store NYC - anyone else have negative, and pompous experience?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

File story under:

New Yorker Encounters New Yorker.... and send it to NYPost

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Been ok for me. I generally try to avoid contact with sales people though.

I find that I have really strange interactions with bicycle store people. They just assume I’m another regular person off of the street (nothing wrong with that) and say weird stuff to me or try to explain things to me like I’m 12 and know nothing about bicycles. Then I don’t really know what to say after that, every option seems rude, I don’t want to correct them or tell them I know that or if I’m real grumpy sometimes I want to correct them or get in some stupid debate about spokes or something.

All of this is mostly just in my head but it makes me feel awkward, I find it easier to avoid the situation and if I need something ask in a way that is extremely specific so they don’t feel the need to educate me.

Never worked in retail, I'm guessing? First interaction with somebody who's never been in the store can be 'interesting'.
Assume ya know nothing, get slammed, 'treated me like I'm 12', assume you know something..and get 'what a bunch of tech snobs'...

Hmmmm

Hmmx2

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Never worked in retail, I'm guessing? First interaction with somebody who's never been in the store can be 'interesting'.
Assume ya know nothing, get slammed, 'treated me like I'm 12', assume you know something..and get 'what a bunch of tech snobs'...

Hmmmm

Hmmx2

Worked in bike shops for 13 years.

I am sure I did the thing I am talking about a zillion times.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Worked in bike shops for 13 years.

I am sure I did the thing I am talking about a zillion times.

Then gotta wonder why the consternation when ya walk into a bike shop for the first time...

if I’m real grumpy sometimes I want to correct them or get in some stupid debate about spokes or something

How much fun was it when a customer did that to you?

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Then gotta wonder why the consternation when ya walk into a bike shop for the first time...


How much fun was it when a customer did that to you?

Mr potatoe, I understand what you are driving at. I agree. Don’t know what to say other than I find the interaction awkward most of the time and just try to avoid it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Mr potatoe, I understand what you are driving at. I agree. Don’t know what to say other than I find the interaction awkward most of the time and just try to avoid it.

10-4..no worries, not trying to argue. I haven't been in any bike shop other than Vecchio's for 8 years(sold it in 2013) and then it's just to have a beer on Friday nights..

[jpritchet74]

Never been to Rapha NYC, but been to Rapha in Miami and Boulder - both experiences there were great.

Especially Boulder. Top notch - absolutely no pressure to buy anything - super helpful - even looked online to try to find something in my size when they didn't have it in the store.

The worst part though is that I will hit Rapha every time I am in Boulder (the lattes are really good) and will at least get a pair of socks.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

File story under:

New Yorker Encounters Soho salesperson New Yorker.... and send it to NYPost

Fify

[Kirk007]

the boys at R&A Cycles are reading this and laughing that it's Rapha on the recieving end of this one.

[Hilltopwalters]

Nothing but good times and good vibes there.

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Rapha Santa Monica has excellent haiku. CGolvin leads a weekly poetry slam.

To gain entry you have to be able to quote, verbatim, at least three Dave Kirk Paceline posts. You also have to be able to correctly spell "potatoe." You will be denied admittance should your cap show insufficient luft.

The poetry is all in Italian.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

To gain entry you have to be able to quote, verbatim, at least three Dave Kirk Paceline posts. You also have to be able to correctly spell "potatoe." You will be denied admittance should your cap show insufficient luft.

The poetry is all in Italian.

A broad range of requirements, but not deep.

They'd never let me in. I can spell potatoe in Paceline, french, and spanish, but not Italian.

[m_sasso]

Wow, sorry Ernestleif, lots of mocking, immature schoolboys in this post with nothing better to do than attempts at tormenting you. I really think a moderator, Angry needs to step in and stop this kind of non sense! This kind of offensive bulling, "pile ing on" should not be tolerated on the Paceline, it is the equivalent of an old boys sh_t kicking behind the barn.

[RWL2222]

Seems like good clean fun here, with a couple tangential insights on bike shop vibes across the country. Do you sense the OP is offended somehow?

[buddybikes]

I buy Champion C9 tights, they are great and 25.00.

There just tights...