So true

[MattK8588]

Like they read my mind

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/bicycleretailer/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2009967

[bullit_kid]

definatley true :(

[Del]

so very very true. It helps to have the mechanic area downstairs or sometwhere that the sales staff are a middle man, but being sales staff, you then get to deal with that stuff. But NEVER lend out the tools, tahts a known haha and dont let them do their own stuff unless its pumping a little air

[Heatmizer]

I just don't get people like that. I do get most of my work done free @ Grimjack's house so haven't had to use shops too much.

But on the occasions I need a shop to do the work I call them 1st to see when's a good time to bring it in - ie: if I bring it in the AM can I get it back the same day, if not I just drop it off when I know I can can't ride for a day or two.

I drop it off clean, or at least not dripping in mud.

I verify with either the counter guy or the mechanic, which ever I talk to, what I'm getting done and how much it'll cost.

If they say it'll be done by 3pm, I tell them not to sweat it I can pick it up the next day if it's a gonna be a problem. I want it done right, fast is a bonus.

When all is said and done I walk in and pay them, thank them, and take my bike home.

I've never had a bad experience in regards to service - overcharging, screwed up repair etc, but at the same time I walk in with no expectations except they'll do the job right, take as much time as they need to do it right, and charge me a fair price.

I can't see myself ever walking in and asking to borrow a tool, that just shows a total lack of respect.

[Dan]

a couple of times i have come into the bike shop in an emergency asking to borrow an allen key or something really small like that, which the shop usually have behind the counter....BUT....im on pretty good terms with the shop, they all know me, i all know them, i spend $$$$ there, and more $$$$ too. so they usually dont mind, and its allways for a good reason too. its allways good when u walk in and they all say hi (calling you by your name).

like the other day, ridin past the shop on the way to work, go to crank off from the lights 100metres away from the bike shop, and i see my chainring just folds right over (bolts musta fallen out) so back i go, ask if i can get a chainring, a few bolts, and a tool to fix it myself. no problems at all. i chatted with them for about 15 minutes while i was 10 minutes late for work :) (work didnt mind)....oh, and i went back the next day when i had cash and payed for the ring like i said i would.

also, a couple of weeks ago, i had a little fall (ok maybe 2 *hides*) riding in the trafic, etc. maybe a little to crazy :P haha. anyway i twisted my stem on the steerer, so i just askd to borrow a tool to straighten it. also i got some new pads and changed em. they are all fine with me borrowing little tools.

i dont think i would ask to borrow something to do a major thing on my bike, and i would tell them if i mangled one of their tools, its all about being friendly to them too! and not expecting anything special like heatmizer said. if the store owner is doing something for me, like specially ordering an item from overseas for me, i dont rush him, i just tell him whenever he gets it in is fine, afterall, he is going out of his way to help me out.

anyway, if i walked in with my bike with twisted bars or somethin, they would prolly say 'oh heres a tool if ya want'.

im on a ball here :).....another time. i was trying to find out what was wrong with my forks (the old psylos :)), all i asked was for them to listen to them, but no, they took the bike out the back (me thinking they are just showing the mech), but they pulled them apart, looked at them, found the problem, and no charge at all for the labour!! now thats what i call great service! but remember ppl, you gotta be real friendly back.

and also, sometimes stuff takes aaages to come in (like my bmx sized BB cups). i just got my letoy3 frame and needed some profile cups for it. they were taking aages, but u dont blame the bike shop, their the middle man in this stuff. if its taking its time, its usually the shipping co, or the dealer sending it out.

you will get what you give basicly :)

wow thats a long post

[Oldfart]

LOL. Brings back memories, like the time some guy brings in a pair of wheels...to be trued for the afternoon...on a Saturday in June....I'm looking at the guy with a handfull of repair cards to do in my hand...then I hear the magic sound, the sound of glass, 12 vessels full of the amber liquid and cold too. He smiles. I say right away sir. Then I do the same with the head mechanic downstairs. The Englishman. He's looking at me over the tops of his glasses looking frazelled with too much on his plate already, "Waht are you ? Daft? I pull out the box of beer..............what time does he want them. That was a nice end of the day.

We had a bakery a couple doors down and frequently mentioned how much we liked the Coffee Rings they baked. We were not ones to turn down a bribe, or even suggest them.

Then there were the buttfuck racers. Is my bike ready? Its the red one. I'm Tom. Like I'm supposed to know some local hero? Where's your tag buddy? No ticky no bikee.

[GrimJack]

OMG, that is funny!

I do work for all the riders in my group, strictly as a hobby to date, just out of my garage. I worked in a shop as a wrench years ago, so I generally know which end of the hammer to swing. ;) They buy me dinner now and again, and provide entertainment for my 7 month old son.

Awhile back, I get home and everyone is there - quite the suprise - they've all got big shit eating grins on, and they pull this brand new Park Tool work stand out and give it to me! Absolutely blew me away. It's been many months since then, and I still smile whenever I even walk past it, never mind use it for something.

You guys know who you are, and you rock.

[XXX_er]

nothing sez you care like a box of corona.

The 1st time I dropped off a case at red shreds they said "what no limes?"

I never made that mistake again

[dudski]

i live 6 miles out of town and if i'm riding in town and something goes fucky on my biike the nice people there let me work on my own bike if they aren't too busy... but you gotta drop off a sixer from time to time

[Neo]

learn to build, maintain, and fix your own bike pinners.

[corey@nsmb.com]

Originally posted by GrimJack
OMG, that is funny!

I do work for all the riders in my group


So do I, and I do repairs by word of mouth too....Good hobby and a few extra bones here and there never hurt!

[Lady Gravity]

Originally posted by Dante Alighieri
learn to build, maintain, and fix your own bike pinners.

:werd:
i'm learning how to do all my own wrenching, and it's pretty empowering :eek: just changed both my forks...took me ages though :lol:

who needs men anyways ;)

[Putty]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
:werd:
i'm learning how to do all my own wrenching, and it's pretty empowering :eek: just changed both my forks...took me ages though :lol:

who needs men anyways ;)

who's gonna open your pickle jars? ha, i bet you didn't think of that did you?

[Putty]

Originally posted by GrimJack
OMG, that is funny!

I do work for all the riders in my group, strictly as a hobby to date, just out of my garage. I worked in a shop as a wrench years ago, so I generally know which end of the hammer to swing. ;) They buy me dinner now and again, and provide entertainment for my 7 month old son.

Awhile back, I get home and everyone is there - quite the suprise - they've all got big shit eating grins on, and they pull this brand new Park Tool work stand out and give it to me! Absolutely blew me away. It's been many months since then, and I still smile whenever I even walk past it, never mind use it for something.

You guys know who you are, and you rock.

You have some nice friends. Good to see some people still apprecitate when other do nice things for (or to) them.

[Lady Gravity]

Originally posted by putty
who's gonna open your pickle jars? ha, i bet you didn't think of that did you?

lucky for me i don't eat too many pickles....

[white ri0t]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
lucky for me i don't eat too many pickles....

yeah, right ;)

[Neo]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
lucky for me i don't eat too many pickles....

so i've heard.

[Biking Fiend]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
lucky for me i don't eat too many pickles....

:lol: thats not what ive heard

[Lady Gravity]

ok..just to clarify? i LIKE pickles, i just don't get as many as i'd like :P

[Action Hero]

Originally posted by XXX_er
nothing sez you care like a box of corona.


Corona, that's an insult. Offer them beer, rather than dirty sprite.

[Biking Fiend]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
ok..just to clarify? i LIKE pickles, i just don't get as many as i'd like :P

ill feed u a pickle

[Biking Fiend]

Originally posted by Action Hero
Corona, that's an insult. Offer them beer, rather than dirty sprite.

i took my lbs a case of sleeman cream ale and they pretty much kissed my feet

[white ri0t]

Originally posted by Biking Fiend
ill feed u a pickle

are you going to take the bus over? or will she pick you up?


P.S. I got the bling bling today, Judy :)

[Biking Fiend]

Originally posted by Derek Diggler
are you going to take the bus over? or will she pick you up?


P.S. I got the bling bling today, Judy :)


hahaha, i can see alot of burns coming out of this

[ito]

They forgot the most important rule:

Trying to pay mechanics with shitty beer.

During the time I worked at a shop I drank better than I do while at school. Gotta bring quality brew to the mechanics.

The Ito

[Lady Gravity]

Originally posted by Biking Fiend
ill feed u a pickle

baby dill? or full kosher?

[Heatmizer]

Originally posted by Dante Alighieri
learn to build, maintain, and fix your own bike pinners.

I'd love to. Unfortunately my dinky little shoe box condo doesn't work well for repairs - especially with the cows on strata not even allowing bikes in the units. Luckily I'm up way later than them so I just bring it up the elevator @ 2am.

Btw - you guys really should stop picking on Lady Gravity - cause she's kicking all your asses

:martini: a drink for the lady

(I'm also one of the peeps that bought Grimjack the bike stand - best investment I ever made)

[Biking Fiend]

Originally posted by Lady Gravity
baby dill? or full kosher?

gerkin

[Lady Gravity]

Originally posted by Biking Fiend
gerkin

it's "gherkin" :rolleyes:
and that's too small :)

[freerideforever]

I can't understand how people have such problems with there bike shop. I don't even buy stuff from my shop, I would buy everything from them if i could afford it. They're so good to me, i've had to pay for one re-pair in 6 months. I've gotten brake bleeds, cranks installed, so many headsets. I just am really nice to them, talk to them. Give them my knowledge, like they're so impressed when i walk in with all this used stuff, and how little I pay. I did do 30 hours of free labour for them, but not like I did a hole lot. Everyone there is jut a bunch of slackers, haha. Brings a smile to my face to just think about my shop.

-Nate

[HEYPIP]

Originally posted by Oldfart
LOL. Brings back memories, like the time some guy brings in a pair of wheels...to be trued for the afternoon...on a Saturday in June....I'm looking at the guy with a handfull of repair cards to do in my hand...then I hear the magic sound, the sound of glass, 12 vessels full of the amber liquid and cold too. He smiles. I say right away sir. Then I do the same with the head mechanic downstairs. The Englishman. He's looking at me over the tops of his glasses looking frazelled with too much on his plate already, "Waht are you ? Daft? I pull out the box of beer..............what time does he want them. That was a nice end of the day.

We had a bakery a couple doors down and frequently mentioned how much we liked the Coffee Rings they baked. We were not ones to turn down a bribe, or even suggest them.

Then there were the buttfuck racers. Is my bike ready? Its the red one. I'm Tom. Like I'm supposed to know some local hero? Where's your tag buddy? No ticky no bikee.

that's so funny, andy.

i was thinking about you and the englishman last weekend on a hike. ha ha ha

pip

[Oldfart]

I worked with the Englishman at Bike Cellar a few years later. This was after the divorce and after his deal with Norman Hill. He was way more pleasant to deal with. In fact he was quite the clown. Test riding new bikes with the cranks parallel, wearing the pointee plastic bags new saddles came in on our heads, keeping an old Raleigh to wail on with hammers, hacksaws and the like just for venting purposes.