Things bike shop costumers hate/love !!

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Things bike shop costumers hate/love !!
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flag thepinball
Posted: Dec 20, 2007 at 22:44 Quote
stewie10118 wrote:
bonfire wrote:
terriflow3-0 wrote:
Oh yeah I like smaller shops (square footage wise better), it seems to breed a friendlier atmosphere when a bunch of workers and bikes are crammed into a small area, than having a big walmart like bike shop.

I agree 100% There is a shop in Calgary which is pretty much bigger than walmart, and its way to big. The shop I work at and there is one other shop in Calgary that i will only go to. because of their size, and the small shop attitude.
bow cycle and b and p?

There's something to be said for the "mom and pop" type shop as well. I could never see myself enjoying a large franchise or chain store. Just seems very impersonal. Both shops that I've worked in have been smaller scale, in town, shops and I feel like we have closer relationships with our customers than most largers shops as a result.
flag fourcrosser
Posted: Dec 20, 2007 at 22:58 Quote
Ya Bow has definitely gone downhill ever since they opened their "new" shop. The old one was way better and you would always get good service and deal with a reputable sales person. I have had several problems with Bow's service so much so that they replaced parts for free. One incident was that they shortened my chain so much on my DH rig that when I went off of a drop, I ripped the derailleur right off from my drop out and stripped all the threads and mangled the drop out. The cost of a new Stab Primo drop out assembly was close to $200 plus the cost of the XO derailleur that was ripped off and obliterated was about $250. This was all caused by a mechanic that shortened my chain by about 10 links. The economic situation in Alberta also does not help anything since places are so under staffed and big that it feels like you are walking through a shopping mall when it is closed. No one is there to help you or address concerns. The Bike Shop is also relatively large but they have an excellent management team and that place moves like a well lubricated machine. I also like the boys down at CC and Cyclepath. CC is hard to access since it is on Centre Street and that area of downtown has major construction on it so it is a bitch and a half to drive there. Cyclepath has their rewards program where every purchase made goes towards an in store credit which is a decent deal. All you have to do is get 500 points and you get $25 credit. May not be much but it's better than all the other shops since they give nothing. Gotta love the loyalty programs!
flag kingfisher1
Posted: Dec 20, 2007 at 23:07 Quote
4xer wrote:
Ya Bow has definitely gone downhill ever since they opened their "new" shop. The old one was way better and you would always get good service and deal with a reputable sales person. I have had several problems with Bow's service so much so that they replaced parts for free. One incident was that they shortened my chain so much on my DH rig that when I went off of a drop, I ripped the derailleur right off from my drop out and stripped all the threads and mangled the drop out. The cost of a new Stab Primo drop out assembly was close to $200 plus the cost of the XO derailleur that was ripped off and obliterated was about $250. This was all caused by a mechanic that shortened my chain by about 10 links. The economic situation in Alberta also does not help anything since places are so under staffed and big that it feels like you are walking through a shopping mall when it is closed. No one is there to help you or address concerns. The Bike Shop is also relatively large but they have an excellent management team and that place moves like a well lubricated machine. I also like the boys down at CC and Cyclepath. CC is hard to access since it is on Centre Street and that area of downtown has major construction on it so it is a bitch and a half to drive there.


if you will keep naming nasty stores this thread will close down !!!

please no public insult!!!! although your mess was only there fault
flag fourcrosser
Posted: Dec 20, 2007 at 23:09 Quote
kingfisher1 wrote:
4xer wrote:
Ya Bow has definitely gone downhill ever since they opened their "new" shop. The old one was way better and you would always get good service and deal with a reputable sales person. I have had several problems with Bow's service so much so that they replaced parts for free. One incident was that they shortened my chain so much on my DH rig that when I went off of a drop, I ripped the derailleur right off from my drop out and stripped all the threads and mangled the drop out. The cost of a new Stab Primo drop out assembly was close to $200 plus the cost of the XO derailleur that was ripped off and obliterated was about $250. This was all caused by a mechanic that shortened my chain by about 10 links. The economic situation in Alberta also does not help anything since places are so under staffed and big that it feels like you are walking through a shopping mall when it is closed. No one is there to help you or address concerns. The Bike Shop is also relatively large but they have an excellent management team and that place moves like a well lubricated machine. I also like the boys down at CC and Cyclepath. CC is hard to access since it is on Centre Street and that area of downtown has major construction on it so it is a bitch and a half to drive there.


if you will keep naming nasty stores this thread will close down !!!

please no public insult!!!! although your mess was only there fault

That's just my opinion/experience. Plenty of people go there and have great things to say about it.
flag kingfisher1
Posted: Dec 20, 2007 at 23:14 Quote
4xer wrote:
kingfisher1 wrote:
4xer wrote:
Ya Bow has definitely gone downhill ever since they opened their "new" shop. The old one was way better and you would always get good service and deal with a reputable sales person. I have had several problems with Bow's service so much so that they replaced parts for free. One incident was that they shortened my chain so much on my DH rig that when I went off of a drop, I ripped the derailleur right off from my drop out and stripped all the threads and mangled the drop out. The cost of a new Stab Primo drop out assembly was close to $200 plus the cost of the XO derailleur that was ripped off and obliterated was about $250. This was all caused by a mechanic that shortened my chain by about 10 links. The economic situation in Alberta also does not help anything since places are so under staffed and big that it feels like you are walking through a shopping mall when it is closed. No one is there to help you or address concerns. The Bike Shop is also relatively large but they have an excellent management team and that place moves like a well lubricated machine. I also like the boys down at CC and Cyclepath. CC is hard to access since it is on Centre Street and that area of downtown has major construction on it so it is a bitch and a half to drive there.


if you will keep naming nasty stores this thread will close down !!!

please no public insult!!!! although your mess was only there fault

That's just my opinion/experience. Plenty of people go there and have great things to say about it.


ya i understand man.
just dont want it to start BEING flame thread about all the bed stores we all know and hate!!!!!!!!!
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Dec 21, 2007 at 12:13 Quote
bike shop owners who think because they own run a bike shop think they know it all.

how can a xc dude give advice on a freeride or downhill rig when he has never ridden freeride or downhill.

then theres if you spend x amount of money and keep going back would it not make sense to start offering deals to keep your customers sweet.
flag stever
O+
Posted: Dec 21, 2007 at 14:49 Quote
I don't know if anyone's touched on this topic, but what I hate is when bike shops (more so smaller shops vs. larger shops) get clique-ey. That is to say, you go in for help, and they don't know you, and so they're not terriblely friendly or helpful, and you get they feeling they just don't want you there. Kind of frustrating. Mind you, I've really only been to one shop like this, and since then things did get a little better. Anyone else ever experience this?
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Dec 21, 2007 at 14:58 Quote
stever wrote:
I don't know if anyone's touched on this topic, but what I hate is when bike shops (more so smaller shops vs. larger shops) get clique-ey. That is to say, you go in for help, and they don't know you, and so they're not terriblely friendly or helpful, and you get they feeling they just don't want you there. Kind of frustrating. Mind you, I've really only been to one shop like this, and since then things did get a little better. Anyone else ever experience this?

yeah and thats after 2 years of going to the same shop,now i mail order everything.
flag stever
O+
Posted: Dec 21, 2007 at 18:46 Quote
marquis wrote:
stever wrote:
I don't know if anyone's touched on this topic, but what I hate is when bike shops (more so smaller shops vs. larger shops) get clique-ey. That is to say, you go in for help, and they don't know you, and so they're not terriblely friendly or helpful, and you get they feeling they just don't want you there. Kind of frustrating. Mind you, I've really only been to one shop like this, and since then things did get a little better. Anyone else ever experience this?

yeah and thats after 2 years of going to the same shop,now i mail order everything.

Mail order is nice for high price items, because you can save quite a bit of coin. But unless you're an expert mechanic, you still need a shop for service, not to mention small items that it doesn't pay to mail order (grips, clamps, etc.) If your shop sucks, maybe find a new shop, and if there aren't any shops, maybe just go in and tell the boss there how you feel. Personally I would hate to have to do that. I firmly believe the customer service is everything, and shops that don't want to serve just shouldn't even be around. Shopping elsewhere helps shut bad shops down. But if there are no other shops, you're kind of between a rock and a hard place.
flag kingfisher1
Posted: Dec 21, 2007 at 19:17 Quote
stever wrote:
marquis wrote:
stever wrote:
I don't know if anyone's touched on this topic, but what I hate is when bike shops (more so smaller shops vs. larger shops) get clique-ey. That is to say, you go in for help, and they don't know you, and so they're not terriblely friendly or helpful, and you get they feeling they just don't want you there. Kind of frustrating. Mind you, I've really only been to one shop like this, and since then things did get a little better. Anyone else ever experience this?

yeah and thats after 2 years of going to the same shop,now i mail order everything.

Mail order is nice for high price items, because you can save quite a bit of coin. But unless you're an expert mechanic, you still need a shop for service, not to mention small items that it doesn't pay to mail order (grips, clamps, etc.) If your shop sucks, maybe find a new shop, and if there aren't any shops, maybe just go in and tell the boss there how you feel. Personally I would hate to have to do that. I firmly believe the customer service is everything, and shops that don't want to serve just shouldn't even be around. Shopping elsewhere helps shut bad shops down. But if there are no other shops, you're kind of between a rock and a hard place.



i hope this stores close down !!!!!!


and ya thats the biggest problem we all have!!!!!!

some of the bike stores have such a bad customer service it unbelivable
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Dec 22, 2007 at 14:08 Quote
well all i get from there now is my wheels,i do all the other stuff myself his loss not mine,i spent close to 4 grand there this year,and i have just bought a new bike not from him and lots of parts mail order from chain reaction cycles.
flag
Posted: Dec 22, 2007 at 14:15 Quote
it wasnt the greatest shop but I wanted them to cut my chain down to size re do my gears. I was telling the man all of this it was obvious that he was not listening. I had to tell him all this again!!!!!!!!!
flag DavidMakalaster
Posted: Dec 22, 2007 at 14:18 Quote
mongoose-rider wrote:
it wasnt the greatest shop but I wanted them to cut my chain down to size re do my gears. I was telling the man all of this it was obvious that he was not listening. I had to tell him all this again!!!!!!!!!

If you told me that I wouldn't know what the hell you were talking about exactly. I'd probably ignore you, throw a new chain on, and be done.
flag
Posted: Dec 22, 2007 at 14:29 Quote
thats what I did I had a new chain that was slightly to big. and I didnt have the right tool!!!
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Dec 22, 2007 at 14:30 Quote
should really have a chain splitter in your tool box and a few others.

 


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