Another bike shop (sad) story

[peanutgallery]

Moral of the story, here

If you're going to stroll into a bike shop, bring your wallet. In return you get service, product and knowledge. If you don't need any of those things...or you forgot your wallet, don't go in the store. In return you could get galvanized cables from Amazon and the fleeting hope that Jeff Bezos' can help you fix your bike. There's no Amazon Prime for bike repair and service. Just because riding is your hobby or passion doesn't mean you're a charity case. Knowledge and capability to do the work is key. Otherwise, you're going to have to pay someone

Just like buying a boat, house, car, mower... factor in the maintenance. If you are incapable of doing it, you'll have to hire it out. Even if you do your own service, you still have to buy parts

Lots of handwringing over 30 bucks. As we all learned the other week, what happens when you have to call a plumber? You'll wish the option was merely a $30 brake cable

[unterhausen]

there has to be a story to the $30 cable. I didn't know anything like that existed. I have never wanted a better brake cable. Maybe derailleur cable. I assume it's a result of a lot of people involved that know nothing about bikes. I also assume they all drive a mercedes and think that any little part should cost $30, like valve caps

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

I'm still waiting for the explanation of while a shop would only offer a customer a $29.95 brake cable.

Granted, more expensive cables may have additional features that can justify their cost to some users. But the average bike rider isn't willing to pay a premium for these features, and would prefer a less expensive option. Why wasn't a less expensive option offered to this customer?

Did the customer ask for the best cable the shop had, and then balk at the price? Or did the customer just ask for a simple and plain brake cable, and was only offered a high price premium cable?

Wonder if it's TREK driven, since the guy is a TREK dealer..

For Clancy who calls the cable gig 'money grabbing'..the $30 brake cable probably cost the guy $20 or so........so 'about 35% margin..

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by giordana93

if you can remove and replace a cassette in 45 seconds, maybe you should open a shop. does that operation require a tool? wait, yes it does. 2 tools in fact. those aren't free. neither is the rent in the room where all of this is happening. or electricity to climatize and light the room. what about the shop employee? he's a volunteer or unpaid intern, right? do you guys carry insurance? of course, some dip**** tried to sue us last year because his 700x23c tire rolled off the rim when he failed to inflate it for an entire month after we installed it. cost us $600 in legal fees just to have the letter drawn up.

long story short: replacing a drive side spoke takes longer and requires specialized tools to complete. name one industry where $15 labor will get you that. extra cost needs to be disclosed, and maybe $10 is more reasonable but I don't recall reading if this was a high rent area or not. sometimes a $15 derailleur adjust is a 15 second barrel turn, and sometimes its high/low/b tension screws plus lubing the housing loop.

if this guy is known for ripping people off, fine, but tools, time, and know-how aren't free in any skilled labor setting

Reality from another person in the bike shop 'trenches'..good post.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Wonder if it's TREK driven, since the guy is a TREK dealer..

For Clancy who calls the cable gig 'money grabbing'..the $30 brake cable probably cost the guy $20 or so........so 'about 35% margin..

It's absolutely TREK driven. They are pushing like mad. I work with some dealers who sell Bontrager pieces but are not a TREK dealer. He used to manage the local TREK store before moving on to open his own. He told me the attitude and prices have changed since jumping to his own place. He feels taken advantage of. But he likes some of their product(saddles mainly) so he will keep selling stuff. He sells Specialized pieces also but no S Bikes. Again, mainly saddles.

I asked him about the price of the cable kit. He pays $19.95. When he was a Trek Store it was $14.95

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

...There's no Amazon Prime for bike repair and service. ...

Are you sure? My son ordered "apartment cleaning" from Amazon!

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

It's absolutely TREK driven. They are pushing like mad. I work with some dealers who sell Bontrager pieces but are not a TREK dealer. He used to manage the local TREK store before moving on to open his own. He told me the attitude and prices have changed since jumping to his own place. He feels taken advantage of. But he likes some of their product(saddles mainly) so he will keep selling stuff. He sells Specialized pieces also but no S Bikes. Again, mainly saddles.

I asked him about the price of the cable kit. He pays $19.95. When he was a Trek Store it was $14.95

Is that for a cable kit? The OP was saying that the $30 was for one brake cable, no housing.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Is that for a cable kit? The OP was saying that the $30 was for one brake cable, no housing.

They sell a housing AND cable kit with ferrules and crimps. My comment and I should've been more clear was just the inner wire. BUT, it comes with the crimps! Which is why I called it a kit.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Wonder if it's TREK driven, since the guy is a TREK dealer..

That can't be the whole story. As I related earlier, my local Trek dealer doesn't even stock the $29.95 Bontrager brake cable - they only carry the $19.95 and $5.95 Bontrager brake cables. Had the customer in the OP's story been offered the $5.95 brake cable (still a Trek product), this thread probably never would have been started.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

That can't be the whole story. As I related earlier, my local Trek dealer doesn't even stock the $29.95 Bontrager brake cable - they only carry the $19.95 and $5.95 Bontrager brake cables. Had the customer in the OP's story been offered the $5.95 brake cable (still a Trek product), this thread probably never would have been started.

My friend walked into a LBS that just opened in the small town of Boerne, Texas, a small town on the northside of San Antonio

Might have something to do with it..particularly as a new TREK store..TREK(and Spec-Ed) have very heavy hands when it comes to their stores.

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

Moral of the story, here

If you're going to stroll into a bike shop, bring your wallet. In return you get service, product and knowledge. If you don't need any of those things...or you forgot your wallet, don't go in the store. In return you could get galvanized cables from Amazon and the fleeting hope that Jeff Bezos' can help you fix your bike. There's no Amazon Prime for bike repair and service. Just because riding is your hobby or passion doesn't mean you're a charity case. Knowledge and capability to do the work is key. Otherwise, you're going to have to pay someone

Just like buying a boat, house, car, mower... factor in the maintenance. If you are incapable of doing it, you'll have to hire it out. Even if you do your own service, you still have to buy parts

Lots of handwringing over 30 bucks. As we all learned the other week, what happens when you have to call a plumber? You'll wish the option was merely a $30 brake cable

One of the most absurd comments I’ve ever read on this forum. Let’s see if I can paraphrase....

When you walk into a bike shop, bring your wallet and be willing to be taken advantage of.

Let me repeat the entire story as clear as possible.

An 80 year old man walks into a bike shop and asked for one brake cable.
No housing, no other requirements. Just one single brake cable.
The employee who he assumed was either the owner or manager hands him a single (packaged) brake cable and says that’s $29.95 plus tax. No clarifying questions.

The 80 year old looks to be a stereotypical old, disheveled, retired guy. Does not look like anything else...ex-pro, avid cyclist, whatever. He says no thanks and walks out. He could have just as easily been a grandad trying to fix a grandkids bike or simply trying to fix a neighborhood cruiser.

In what world is this not trying to up-sale or take advantage of a customer?

I just retired from a bike shop in San Antonio. This type of transaction happened daily. After asking the customer road or mountain bike, I’d pull a Jagwire cable (cost $1.07 each) and hand it to the customer and charge $3. I’d always give them for free w/o their asking 2-3 crimps to go with the cable.

There’s no more to this story. The manager/owner/employee (whatever his title) either didn’t know what he was doing or trying to pass off a ridiculously priced item that wasn’t any where what the customer needed or wanted.

I always operated with a few simple beliefs.

Work on every bike as if it’s my own.
Listen to what the customer is (or is not) saying.
Ask clarifying questions and fully explain.
Always try to make the customer’s experience as positive as possible.
When working on a bike, to get the bike to its best performance as inexpensive as possible to the customer.

This sounds like a lot but it absolutely isn’t. Using the example of someone coming in for a single cable, all those could be put into practice in a 3-4 minute exchange.

I really don’t see how any of that is difficult or why there’s any debate.

The story of my friend is a story of extremely poor customer service.

And! I gave away valve caps

[giordana93]

Originally Posted by Clancy

One of the most absurd comments I’ve ever read on this forum. Let’s see if I can paraphrase....

When you walk into a bike shop, bring your wallet and be willing to be taken advantage of.

Let me repeat the entire story as clear as possible.

An 80 year old man walks into a bike shop and asked for one brake cable.
No housing, no other requirements. Just one single brake cable.
The employee who he assumed was either the owner or manager hands him a single (packaged) brake cable and says that’s $29.95 plus tax. No clarifying questions.

The 80 year old looks to be a stereotypical old, disheveled, retired guy. Does not look like anything else...ex-pro, avid cyclist, whatever. He says no thanks and walks out. He could have just as easily been a grandad trying to fix a grandkids bike or simply trying to fix a neighborhood cruiser.

In what world is this not trying to up-sale or take advantage of a customer?

I just retired from a bike shop in San Antonio. This type of transaction happened daily. After asking the customer road or mountain bike, I’d pull a Jagwire cable (cost $1.07 each) and hand it to the customer and charge $3. I’d always give them for free w/o their asking 2-3 crimps to go with the cable.

There’s no more to this story. The manager/owner/employee (whatever his title) either didn’t know what he was doing or trying to pass off a ridiculously priced item that wasn’t any where what the customer needed or wanted.

I always operated with a few simple beliefs.

Work on every bike as if it’s my own.
Listen to what the customer is (or is not) saying.
Ask clarifying questions and fully explain.
Always try to make the customer’s experience as positive as possible.
When working on a bike, to get the bike to its best performance as inexpensive as possible to the customer.

This sounds like a lot but it absolutely isn’t. Using the example of someone coming in for a single cable, all those could be put into practice in a 3-4 minute exchange.

I really don’t see how any of that is difficult or why there’s any debate.

The story of my friend is a story of extremely poor customer service.

And! I gave away valve caps

I think you forgot about the 9 pages of commentary that intervened between your OP and page 9. No one doubts the absurdity of your friend's story and no doubt that shop will be belly up in short order, but there emerged as well an attitude that all shops should charge what Amazon does even if that is below their cost, as well as charging less for service than is sustainable to the business.

edit: forgot to add--it's also February!

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by Clancy

The story of my friend is a story of extremely poor customer service.

In your first post, you stated your friend checked the price on the internet when he got home. Did he return the cable to the store and get a refund?

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

there has to be a story to the $30 cable. I didn't know anything like that existed. I have never wanted a better brake cable. Maybe derailleur cable. I assume it's a result of a lot of people involved that know nothing about bikes. I also assume they all drive a mercedes and think that any little part should cost $30, like valve caps

Ride On cables from W.L. Gore used to sell fully sealed cables with full length Teflon liners. They were a pain to put in and would last decades if you put them in correctly. Slickest cables around and you really could feel the difference between them and top cables from Shimano or Campy in both shifting and braking.
They cost a whole lot and if I remember correctly a single brake cable liner and seal would have been about $30.

[benb]

I don't think I'd necessarily go for $30 for the cable alone but I wouldn't really get so upset about this if it had happened to me. I'm sure I've overpaid for cables and housing running into the LBS at the last minute when I needed to get my maintenance done on a schedule. Not going to cry about a cable when I'm working on a bike I spent thousands on. Many many times I've been working on something I want done fast and I had an oversight and am missing one of these small high margin parts and I go to the shop and pay whatever. Lots of LBSes have insane markups on housing ferrules & cable ends too. Who cares, it's highway robbery of a couple bucks.

Anyone whose got the expensive stuff most people have here should not get so upset about small parts with a markup at the shop.

Don't go to the shop, let the shop go out of business, then you can just order everything, wait for it, and do all the work yourself.

Some of this kind of stuff is necessary IMO for the shop to stay in business.

Also if this cable was some boutique brand like Ceramic Speed with some dumb performance claim (1W equivalent savings because of lower hand effort!) and some Pro team was using it half the people on this forum would be buying it and be OK with it costing $30 even if it was just a regular cable marked up. It's very hard to believe some of the rage in this thread isn't just cause Trek is a whipping boy here.