drdave18

Nope, I live in Utah. LOL!

Marci

Mine prefers cherry pies. But I bring cookies for the bi-weekly bike rides. We take a break at roughly the halfway point. Its at the top of a hill, we breathe, drink water, adjust stuff on bikes, talk and eat cookies, or fruit depending on who is on a diet.

1ZimZim1

Not frequently but my LBS mechanic does appreciate receiving venison cheese smokies. Perhaps I should provide beer in addition to help wash down the smokies.

Great mechanic who goes above and beyond by providing mobile bike repair service during our annual 150 gran fondo. Bribery for service is not required, but is welcomed.

yukiinu

Sure load up you lbs mechanic with beer and ale, than he/she can stumble drunk into their defective self driving car that doesn't see bike riders, and run them over.

jefscolnago

Absolutely 100% agree... and if they're moving you to the front of the line, they're pushing everyone else to the back. When I would go to more trouble than usual for a client, it was because their problem was more trouble than usual, not because I had any favorites. 'Favorites' only come with building a rapport over time and experiences. Whenever I could pull a rabbit out of a hat, my reward was their smile. Virtue really is its own reward.

Jbarcs

If I have acquired part(s) from another source and I need my LBS assistance with installation or adjustment I always bring a minimum of one six of a premium craft beer. If I buy a bike on eBay and want my shop to go over it I buy at least two six packs. If it's them doing what they do with my bikes and their parts I bring them only my friendship, my loyalty, and my cash business.

NoWhammies

I do not. My auto mechanic on the other hand I have taken some home baked goods. He did some work for me and didn't charge for it. I felt it was the least I could do.

BetweenRides

Of course. Been shopping at the lbs since 1995, bought my first 'new' bike there. Now a coach in the Winter Performance center. I buy beers for the communal fridge all the time. Sometimes it's Mountain Dew for the wrench that doesn't partake. They do all my service for free, so it's pretty standard to bring in a six or a twelver when I pick up the bike. Many a good conversation goes on there, sometimes about beer, mostly about bikes or training.

Joe Bikerider

Well, no beer. But in 1969 while at Diablo Bike my friend who had just started work at the vacuum shop down the street came over with some bad news. He had just gotten fired on his first day when the efficiency consultant had told that owner there was no need for him. He had already learned everything to know about fixing vacuums that morning. Switch, cord, or motor. Anyway our bike shop bosses were all gone and he came over with some good weed and we all toked up. Fortunately only a couple of customers came the rest of that day. I remember "helping" one mom with a kids bike after being pushed out to the front by the rest of the crew that was giggling back in the shop area. I could at least write a repair ticket but I doubt the description was very coherent. Good times.

Koyote

I've given a particularly helpful bike shop employee a Starbucks gift card (the shop is across the street from a Starbucks), and I have on occasion given the the mechanics some cash when they have dropped everything to deal with my bike. I don't want to embarrass the guys, so I give the money to the salesperson to pass along with a suggestion that they could send out for lunch (or whatever they want) with the cash.

I figure, why not show my appreciation to these folks? I tip my barber even though I really don't care much how my hair turns out...But they bikes are important.

madsen89

I love that the LBS is one of the few places left where you can show your appreciation in thoughtful ways and develop personal relationships with people who share a common interest with you. I bring in a huge bag of peanuts every December. I've been doing it for several years and I've been told that former employees will come in looking for them.

veganbikes

I love peanuts. Feel free to come by my shop anytime especially if they are Chinese fried or boiled peanuts, yummmm-o! This December, one of my regular customers (who followed me from another shop) invited me to a family Christmas party, sadly I couldn't go but it was a really nice gesture. I love my customers and hearing what they are up to and what rides they have done and love trying to get them an excellent bike or excellent service or all of the above.

downhillmaster

blue192

I once gave the kid of a mechanic a 50$ gift certificate to a local restaurant I had because his dad stayed late to get my bike working whilst on my holiday. Never been in the shop before and I appreciated the mechanic getting the bike fixed during an emergency.

mattbur

No to the beer.....yes to pizza.

dynamicdamien

As a shop owner / operator and veteran of a fair amount of independent & less than independent shops - as well as many service industry jobs, I'll say this - if you have the discretionary income to afford recreational cycling, you can afford to tip. Nobody is getting rich in this industry, least of all the hourly employees.

This goes for most service-based & retail businesses.

The employees in any business know who the clients who show their appreciation are & they know those who do not. Guess what? Appreciative clients will always get the "dealers push" in terms of being served more expeditiously as well as likely at a rate which takes their previous gestures in to account.

How quickly is your bartender (or barrister for the teetotalers) going to serve you on a busy shift if they know that you're a crummy tipper? Think you're ever gonna get a buy-back with that custom?
Are you less than generous with the pizza delivery driver? Think they're gonna rush to your place first? Worst case you'll be put on the "do not deliver" list because you can bet that the drivers are keeping track.

Tipping cash is always best, but any gesture of appreciation is enough to illustrate that you're conscious of the efforts of those who work hard to get you riding (or bring you your pizza, etc).

If you know that they're beer drinkers, sure, bring 'em beer. We prefer Budweiser, but we'll drink the awful watermelon IPA that you got at a discount as well. We might even have a little laugh among ourselves at your selection, but we'll remember you & your bike & your generosity and will look to return the favor when we can.

We've received wine, chocolate, coffee, spirits, sodas, pizza, old bikes / parts, artwork & event tickets as gratuities and were grateful for every last one, even if it wasn't the type of wine we prefer, even if it wasn't our brand of coffee, even if we're not huge fans of the band or the venue, we always accept the gesture and say thanks and keep the donor in mind when next they visit.

Again, cash is always best, but any gratuity is a well-received gesture.

Its truly the thought that counts.

That said, I always pay it forward. I tip the pump jockey who fills my tank, the sandwich maker at the deli, the refrigerator repair technician & my UPS & FedEx route drivers.
Having been the guy on the other side so often, I know what its like to get a nice gratuity when I've been having a rough shift or day and that small gesture will often help chase the blues away.

If you're in a tight spot, you can be forgiven, but make sure to take that into account when next you're flush.

No need to tip when you feel you've been treated in a sub-par manner.

And any service-provider who greets your token of appreciation with anything less than a "thank you" should be dropped in favor of a more considerate one.

But not tipping as a matter of course just makes you an *******.

Especially at the bike shop.

I-Like-To-Bike

Bottom line: this shop owner's attitude/service policy represents precisely the unprofessional LBS' where the shop personnel have to be bribed with "tips" and monetary "appreciation" from the customers in order to receive the service for which the customer will be charged.

downhillmaster

radroad

If you don't like how much you're making go find another job.

Your sense of entitlement just shows everyone why bike shops are going the way of the dodo bird: extinct.

Kedosto

radroad

Except that he pays his own employees minimum wage.

Kedosto

radroad

Bike shop closures are at an all time high and this guy is demanding tips. Buddy, you're lucky to still be in business.

And demanding generosity when paying minimum wage to his own employees.

Everyone's seen this movie before. No spoiler alert required.

I-Like-To-Bike

Perhaps this shop owner can add his tipping manifesto to a sign over the counter, or better yet at the entrance so that all potential customers can "appreciate" the owner's attitude towards them and nail him and his establishment with the appropriate response.

Kedosto