Really trying to support local shop but....

[earlfoss]

Originally Posted by FriarQuade

The moment the shop says they can order it, they've already lost.

I happen to agree with this in most cases. The shop I work with now is better about following up on orders, but the vast majority of my experience is the order is lost, delayed, or most often they simply forget to call to say it's ready for pick up. Hearing "We can order that" almost always triggers a big NOPE in my head as a result.

Something that should take a couple days turns into a 2+ week ordeal. I think shops I frequented sometimes neglected to be up front about when they place orders, or that they're going to wait 2 weeks to bundle with a larger order. If my purchase isn't important to the shop, they lose my business.

[fa63]

These are valid points. You are also right about shops waiting to bundle with a larger order (QBP offers free shipping beyond a certain dollar amount), unless the customer says they are OK with paying extra for shipping (which is rare, in my experience).

My LBS owner buddy prefers it when people at least give him a chance to come close to online pricing, but he also realizes this is not always possible in the age of Amazon and UK-based retailers. It is really a tough time to be a LBS, unless you have a niche operation in a high net worth market (Above Category, Signature Cycles, Blacksmith Cycles, etc..).

Originally Posted by earlfoss

I happen to agree with this in most cases. The shop I work with now is better about following up on orders, but the vast majority of my experience is the order is lost, delayed, or most often they simply forget to call to say it's ready for pick up. Hearing "We can order that" almost always triggers a big NOPE in my head as a result.

Something that should take a couple days turns into a 2+ week ordeal. I think shops I frequented sometimes neglected to be up front about when they place orders, or that they're going to wait 2 weeks to bundle with a larger order. If my purchase isn't important to the shop, they lose my business.

[johnniecakes]

Originally Posted by fa63

I took a quick look at Amazon, and it looks like the Shimano shifter and brake cables go for about $5-6 each. What is the big difference?

If you dig a little you can find a complete set of shifter cables including housing for $7.52. The complete brake set with housing is $6.97.

7.52+6.97= $14.49

[zzy]

Originally Posted by NYCfixie

Toga, Sids, Larry and Jeff's, NYC Velo, Conrad's, Bicycle Habitat, R&A....Should I go on?

(I was born, grew up, and lived most of my adult life in Manhattan save the last few years in NJ and Boston so I know the LBS all too well)

Wow you've bought a lot of $9k bikes! I've help run one of those places and know the service managers in most. Taking care of high end customers is a massive priority in most of the shops you've listed. I suspect you don't have any actual experience with that, and have some axe to grind with NYC shops in general.

[thegunner]

Originally Posted by zzy

Wow you've bought a lot of $9k bikes! I've help run one of those places and know the service managers in most. Taking care of high end customers is a massive priority in most of the shops you've listed. I suspect you don't have any actual experience with that, and have some axe to grind with NYC shops in general.

so i don't have a lot of experience with a lot of shops on that list, but i can say:

B&H is my sponsor shop and it's hit or miss depending on the person you get, some of that staff will bend over backwards to do right by you and others are just meh

Conrad's though - has always been great. the owner literally does not care if you buy parts elsewhere, he know his parts are expensive, but they've been impeccable on the service front. obviously n=1, but i go here more often than B&H even if i know it'll cost slightly more.

[zzy]

Originally Posted by thegunner

s
B&H is my sponsor shop and it's hit or miss depending on the person you get, some of that staff will bend over backwards to do right by you and others are just meh

I lol'd at the portmanteau of B&H (audio/video) and BH.

But you're not a major customer, and mostly buy online/used/direct from MFG. Big, big difference than a customer who did $10k+ in business with a shop. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. BH does personal delivery, next day tuneups, and pickup/dropoff service for high end customers, and the wrenches really go out of their way to get those bikes dialed. And frankly the sponsorships are kinda a losing deal for shops (and kinda a pain), so it's not exactly a major thing to the staff.

e - but yea BH is majorly hit or miss for most walk-ins

\/\/\/ - also this, even tho most service area are super disorganized

[AngryScientist]

to get to the original point - if looking for a relatively obscure part, which i would consider a specific size FD clamp...it would be reasonable to call the LBS on the phone, give them a little time to either locate one or whatever before going down there. save both parties some time and headache.

[Waldo]

Perhaps call before you make the trip to save time and aggravation?

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by earlfoss

I happen to agree with this in most cases. The shop I work with now is better about following up on orders, but the vast majority of my experience is the order is lost, delayed, or most often they simply forget to call to say it's ready for pick up. Hearing "We can order that" almost always triggers a big NOPE in my head as a result.

Something that should take a couple days turns into a 2+ week ordeal. I think shops I frequented sometimes neglected to be up front about when they place orders, or that they're going to wait 2 weeks to bundle with a larger order. If my purchase isn't important to the shop, they lose my business.

Sure but let’s call it what it is. It’s a perfectly valid concept as long as it’s executed properly. Not all bike shops are created = as we all know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rain dogs]

I echo many things said here. It's a darn shame but this is my reality:

I went into the local specialized shop and asked for a Campagnolo shift cable and the conversation went like this:

[shop] sorry we don't stock Campagnolo shift cables
[me] that's ok, it can be another brand like BBB or something
[shop] no, we don't stock ANY Campagnolo shift or brake cables
[me]really? seriously? you have no customers who ride Campagnolo
[shop]of course we do, but we still don't stock them, because we have fewer campagnolo riders
[me] that's a shame cause I need one.
[shop]you can try (other shop) or the internet
[me] uhh thanks

other shop is in Gijon 1h15m bike ride away. This was not a Mom and Pop, this was the Specialized store.

List of other things attempted to purchase previously from various shops in town to have only the same result:

- Hollowgram spacers (had to buy online). They didn't even have them in the Cannondale Store! I would have to wait min. 1 week.
- Grey housing for shift/brake cables (had to buy online)
- Garmin mount (no one had an out front bloody Garmin mount!)
- We went to three! stores to test the Specialized power saddle for my wife with their test saddles.... never happened. One shop theirs was 'lost', the other never got back to us and in one store the sales women who looked to weight 1.5x what my wife weighs didn't have it "on hand" and proceeded to tell my wife that she didn't like it AT ALL and there was no way my wife would like it. My wife now owns two.... both bought online.
-tubeless rim tape in 18mm. What The shizz? not one store had tubeless rim tape for road rims. All MTB rim tape.
-tools.... real tools are now impossible to buy in shops (maybe this is strategic?)

There have been many more but that's all I remember now. I seriously always try and go to the shop (and I can't just be expected to buy a whole new bike everytime I go in) and maybe these are little things, but I now feel like going to a bike shop is just wasting my time.

... I still go, to be told no, I guess I'm dumb that way.

[El Chaba]

It's a downward spiral. As bikes become more specialized, proprietary and with shorter product life cycle spans it's tougher to stock parts...and as business declines shops try to keep a tighter check on inventory....so it is far less likely than any given part is in stock and therefore must be ordered. Meanwhile, that fact gives the shop a zero advantage in terms of convenience as the customer can order himself-probably for less money and with faster delivery.

[NYCfixie]

Originally Posted by zzy

Wow you've bought a lot of $9k bikes! I've help run one of those places and know the service managers in most. Taking care of high end customers is a massive priority in most of the shops you've listed. I suspect you don't have any actual experience with that, and have some axe to grind with NYC shops in general.

I have purchased several 9k bikes as well as several 9k rolexes. And I am one of 6 children so my parents spent a great deal of money for me and my siblings before we could spend it ourselves at these shops.

To be fair, my comments about R&A and NYC Velo are based on several friends experiences but the others are all my own. I’m just sorry signature Manhattan closed because the service matched the bike prices.

[54ny77]

It's more & more clear that today's informed cyclist- customer needs a recalibration on what an LBS means.

One just can't go in with the expectation that they'll have what you need in stock, however "common" the item might otherwise seem to be.

Best to call first.

Sure would eliminate a lot of disappointed expectations.

[93KgBike]

Would the bicycle equivalent of an auto-parts store survive as a local brick&mortar?

No bikes, no mechanics, no sales-staff for manufacturers... just bike parts.

Does that even sound like a bike shop?

Logistically, keeping 30 years worth of parts from Shimano and Campagnolo in stock would be a nightmare. And even then, no-one is talking about having the staff mechanic install them.

You wanna do it yourself? So order it from amazon and do it.

But asking your LBS compete with Jeff Bezos on price is unreasonable if you aren't going to give the mechanic your business anyway.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by FriarQuade

The moment the shop says they can order it, they've already lost.

All 3 of the LBS's I frequent know this. Instead of "we can order that for you." they usually say "honestly, we could order it, but it would be faster and cheaper for you to find it online. but we can help install it if you run into trouble."