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The LBS experience

5K views 65 replies 32 participants last post by  chris.george 
#1 ·
I'm thankful that most of the LBSs I've visited provide great service, specifically ABS in Santa Cruz. But there are a few which were... less than stellar. Additionally, whenever my SO would like to buy me anything cycling related she tells me about her trepidation with LBSs and resigns to shopping online. This is after a bad experience she had at one of the larger local LBSs, so when I read this on Engadget I just thought I'd share:

This is the Modem World: Fear and loathing in the local bike shop

"By now, Cyber Monday is probably as big as Black Friday in terms of sales and retail excitement. According to IBM's Smarter Commerce arm, Cyber Monday online sales jumped 30 percent this year. A few years ago, Cyber Monday seemed to start as a joke, e-tailers heaving a "me too" at everyone returning to work, hoping to pick up a couple extra sales from those who didn't score on Black Friday.

This was, of course, when brick-and-mortar shops still outsold their online brethren. Blockbuster Video still occupied mini-malls; Barnes & Noble sold CDs and didn't know a thing about tablets. There was a quiet respect for brick-and-mortar stores in the quaint nature of Cyber Monday: 20 percent off underwear and free shipping, but that was about it.

While some venture out to the big stores to wrestle for a 32-inch, $149 LCD TV that they'd never buy any other day, the rest of us are content to stay home and pick off the good deals as they float by in cyberspace. We watch videos of seemingly normal people pummel one another in animalistic feeding frenzies just to get their hands on phones, socks and microwaves. And we say, "Yeah, no."

I'm one of the latter set: The notion of entering a store on Black Friday is about as appealing to me as a dentist appointment in the dead of winter, but I'm quite happy to pick off some good online deals.

This year, I was in the market for a new mountain bike. My first move, of course, was to look online where I found a multitude of great deals, free shipping and, of course, no tax. I then checked online communities like mtbr.com where I was guilted into checking my local bike shop. For not much more money, it was argued, I'd establish a relationship with a local dealer who would also service my bike and hook me up with equipment and accessories over the life of the bike.

This sounded nice. I like relationships. So I set out to visit two of the most reputable bike shops in the area, money at the ready, in the dead of Black Friday.

The first shop was set up for the big day with a clearance tent out front full of last year's shoes and pedals. I sauntered past into the showroom and over to the mountain bikes. I stood, staring, waiting for help from one of the three unoccupied salespeople. After 10 minutes, not one approached me. Finally, I walked up to the counter to ask a young, Bieber-esque dude if I could get some help. Without leaving the comfort of the counter, he asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but I wanted to check out the Specialized and Yetis you have."

"What's your budget?"

"I'm still figuring that out."

He was still behind the counter. I told him I'd come back when he wasn't so busy.

Things felt better as I walked into the next shop. It was a smaller affair without tents, and I was immediately approached by someone who looked like he knew a thing or two about the sport. The guy was nice, but unfortunately I knew more about the equipment they were selling than they did, and this was only after maybe three hours of Googling.

I asked for model comparisons and he replied, "I mean, well, they're about the same."

This was for two bikes with a $500 price differential.

I asked to see a particular pedal and before I could ask to see another to compare, he walked to the back, returned with a box in hand, handed it to me and left me to carefully unpack it in fear of ripping the packaging before I made any purchase decisions. He gave me the feeling that he had better things to do than deal with me.

I thanked him and asked for his card, resigned to do my ordering online and without local love. Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough that I was ready to buy. A friend suggested that I probably looked like I knew what I was doing and that they didn't need to educate me. Maybe I had "Online Deal Freeloader" written all over my face and he knew I was a lost cause.

When I returned home, I dropped an email to my chosen e-tailer asking if they had any Black Friday specials running. A nice person named Mike called me within five minutes and offered a 15 percent discount and free shipping. He was able to explain the difference between various models and helped me pick the best option based on my riding style and experience. He then recommended some pedals based on his own personal experience and threw them in at a heavy discount. He created a custom shopping cart, sent me a link via email and the deal was done.

Maybe it's me -- it probably is -- but I'm pretty sure that I'm of a generation of shoppers who prefer to do their dealing digitally. Pricing, features and customer service appear to be on the up-and-up when it comes to online retailers. The brick-and-mortar versions, however, come off as survival games that, to this path-of-least-resistance shopper, aren't worth the trip."
 
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#40 ·
reydin must be a "regular."

Oh yeah, about LBSs. I may never go to one again. I find cheaper and more fun to just buy the tools and work on my bike myself. If I don't know what to do, I can just ask in the Tool time page.
 
#50 ·
I recently bought my first ever suspension fork off craigslist. The last time I installed a fork was on a BMX bike back in the early 80s, so I went in to one of the top rated LBS (on the above list) to ask about installation; they wanted a 20 percent surcharge to install parts not bought at the shop. I decided it was time to learn how to deal with threadless headsets and did the install myself, which came out perfect thanks to YouTube and the tool-time board. The whole job only took about an hour and I learned something in the process.

I understand why they have this policy; but they don't even have a clue about marketing. They could easily just up all shop prices and then offer discounts or free installation for parts bought at their shop to generate sales - no need for punish when you can offer an incentive instead.

I'd also rather the work be preformed by someone without these hideous ear tunnel mutilations.
 
#51 · (Edited)
There are already mega-shops with heavy buying power

REI, Performance, Mike's Bikes.

How many of us shop there?

This and several other factors in this discussion show that the market in this forum is pretty specific, or maybe I should say, limited. As such, what does that say about how much effect we have on bike shops?

As a director of several teams I have focused team member energies on purchasing at our sponsor shops. As a leader in a major advocacy group I encourage members to support supporting/sponsoring bike shops. In both situations the shops offer us discounts and more than a few extras; appts, quick service, free adjustments.

Yet in both situations there are those who choose to shop Craigslist or online or make deals at other shops. These choices demand a certain level of sophistication to manage the ins and outs of these markets. The levels of sophistication graduate from no mechanical knowledge to lots.

Team riders tend to have more mechanical knowledge as they are around it more as a function of the higher-than-normal frequency of intense riding, higher mileage, and proximity to mechanics always willing to teach. Some, though, never pick it up further than changing a flat or mounting tires. Team associations with shops make for great access to timely mechanical support. Generally a bike comes in after a workout for nearly immediate attention. The shop knows problems are already diagnosed on the road, a call is made ahead of time, and we usually hit it on the head making support simple. Yet this is a mode that has developed over years of working with the shop. Over the years the kids learn how to make the best user of a bike shop.

In the advocacy group there is a faction of long-standing and highly experienced riders who either have well developed mechanical knowledge or access to support situations. A very large part of the membership, though, have far fewer mechanical skills and limited bike buying/bike building/bike developing skills. On our large rides we are able to offer a lot of support to either adjust/repair or diagnose and direct to a shop. This group is not so well trained in how to make the best use of a bike shop.

When I walk into the shop, though, it is not often that I see such riders. It is usually just regular folk picking up their bikes from a tune-up or repair, little kids getting a helmet or picking up a new bike, some guy holding a wheel needing care or picking up a part, folks checking out a bike. It not "us." I do know, though, that if the OP's wife had come into the shop they would have made her happy; not something Wrench Science could do.
 
#52 ·
There are already mega-shops with heavy buying power

REI, Performance, Mike's Bikes.

How many of us shop there?
Not Mega enough. They are brand limited.

I shop at Performance for small things, though I did buy my daughter's 20" bike there. REI rarely, more so for non-bike stuff, but still rare due to proximity. Mike's Bikes, once in a blue moon. It's primarily a Spesh shop, which is not my interest in bikes.
 
#53 ·
I agree w/ nearly all of this. 2 issues.

1. Nearly all of the frames $1000 and up are just for "us"
Nearly all of the complete bikes $3000 and up are just for "us"
Nearly all of the components X7 and up, SLX and up, are for "us"
You get the idea.

Marketing the World Cup XC/DH/XCE etc etc etc is just for "us"
Pinkbike, Vital, mtbr, etc etc etc

But the way the business is currently structured, "us" is the group it works the worst for. As Berkeley Mike implied was OK because we're a minority.

2. I am OK w/ that, so long as we get some other gateway to bikes, parts, etc. We should not be the martyrs for cycling. I don't want the LBS to go out of business. I want to stop giving them my business. And I don't want to go on mtbr and get flamed about how I'm undermining the sport from the support the LBS cheer squad.

2-and-a-half. Build a pump track in my neighborhood, and you better believe I will buy as much as I can afford to from you. But don't bully me or anyone else on the Internet. I like my first Nukeproof. I can ride that brand for the rest of my life if need be.
 
#57 ·
When I lived in Santa Rosa there was a great LBS down the street and I spent a forune there...quite happily. Now that I live in Ukiah its another story. The shop here is nice but the staff is way behind on tech and skill. So I bought a stand and all of the tools and my bikes never been happier. Its not rocket science.
 
#60 ·
Folks are different.

I hate LBS' that have overzealous pushy employees. I'll walk out after the 3rd or 4th one tries to 'figure' me out.

I have several shops here in NorCal that are just fine. Not too pushy, but there when I need something.

I guess it just depends on the type of customer you are....

mudhen
 
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