Why Bike Mechanics are A-holes
10-20-23, 05:20 AM
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I don't understand refusing to install a kickstand on someone's bike. That's just stupid - it is the most basic service and you are wasting a consumer's time luring them to your "full service shop" and then refusing to do something because you think they bought the wrong bike. That is 1 star service.
10-20-23, 05:22 AM
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10-20-23, 05:26 AM
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10-20-23, 05:37 AM
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Speaking of, I miss cxwrench. I understand that he got into it with some others here, but I appreciate his technical knowledge.
Last edited by Jeff Neese; 10-20-23 at 06:03 AM.
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10-20-23, 06:20 AM
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This is so true. But as a fellow provider of specialized services, I have come to realize that many customers (and potential customers) are not so good at:
(1) Articulating the service that they are seeking or need, and too impatient to have an intelligent discussion with the service provider to get there; and/or
(2) Valuing service and/or comparing service provided by different service providers, and therefore undervalue the service regardless of the provider.
And it is not just about pay. Many doctors complain that their colleagues get chosen for their bedside manners rather than technical skills. And I am sure we all know cyclists with $5K bikes who would balk at a $100 service because "it did not take so long." So, most bike mechanics have my empathy. Luckily, the ones at my LBS are good, and it is a Trek store!
(1) Articulating the service that they are seeking or need, and too impatient to have an intelligent discussion with the service provider to get there; and/or
(2) Valuing service and/or comparing service provided by different service providers, and therefore undervalue the service regardless of the provider.
And it is not just about pay. Many doctors complain that their colleagues get chosen for their bedside manners rather than technical skills. And I am sure we all know cyclists with $5K bikes who would balk at a $100 service because "it did not take so long." So, most bike mechanics have my empathy. Luckily, the ones at my LBS are good, and it is a Trek store!
I have encountered both business who are not the least bit engaging and those who helped me get started. Those who nurtured the relationship got my business and I mean a lot of business. We still have the four 1980's Specialized Rock Hoppers from the same dealer.
A mechanic or doctor may think their value is what they know. The true value is being able to listen, address the concerns, asking the right questions, and fulling the need of the end user.
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10-20-23, 06:26 AM
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10-20-23, 06:28 AM
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Speaking of, I miss cxwrench. I understand that he got into it with some others here, but I appreciate his technical knowledge.
10-20-23, 06:37 AM
#36
BumpyRidesDoneDirtCheap
in fact, I think THIS just about sums it up
10-20-23, 06:45 AM
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You think bike mechanics are a-holes? Try talking to an auto tech!
People would come into the shop all the time, asking me what was wrong with their car so that they could fix it at home themselves. I would just point to the coffee can on my bench that was painted red, with the sign above it that said "Free Advice - $20 and up"
People would come into the shop all the time, asking me what was wrong with their car so that they could fix it at home themselves. I would just point to the coffee can on my bench that was painted red, with the sign above it that said "Free Advice - $20 and up"
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10-20-23, 06:45 AM
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10-20-23, 06:51 AM
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That happens with a lot of actually knowledgeable people, especially in the Bicycle Mechanics forum. There are a handful of characters who consistently post nonsense and misinformation and who reveal themselves to be "keyboard warriors" but don't actually work on bicycles, and who argue incessantly with those that do know what they're talking about. They're not actually experienced bicycle mechanics, they just play one on the internet. Maybe cxwrench just got tired of it. I observe other knowledgeable and experienced people who bail out of threads once they're taken over by these clowns.
Which clown college did you attend?
10-20-23, 06:57 AM
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10-20-23, 07:03 AM
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10-20-23, 07:14 AM
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Yesterday I stopped in a local shop to poke around. After talking about old derailleurs, the young mechanic showed me his old used-parts bike, and complained that he was having a tire clearance problem with his modern dual pivot brakes on the old Faggin fork. I glanced at the brake, noticed that caliper was tilted to one side, then noticed that this was because the front wheel wasn't straight in the fork. I pointed this out to him because it would solve his clearance problem.
You claim to be a shop mechanic. Was that your Faggin? You seem to have a similar level of expertise.
10-20-23, 07:18 AM
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10-20-23, 07:20 AM
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I'm not going to monitor who fired you for incompetence.
Read any good articles about tire pressure lately? Oh yeah, reading technical documents is bad - I forgot.
Actually, the point of the story was that the mechanic missed putting the wheel in correctly on his own bike, not that I saved the day.
But missing the point is kind of your thing, Mr. Kickstand.
Read any good articles about tire pressure lately? Oh yeah, reading technical documents is bad - I forgot.
Being able to diagnose a misaligned wheel...I would expect nothing less from the smartest man in the world!
But missing the point is kind of your thing, Mr. Kickstand.
10-20-23, 07:22 AM
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10-20-23, 07:23 AM
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10-20-23, 07:24 AM
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10-20-23, 07:34 AM
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CXwrench and I do get tired of people like you that have no actual experience and think you do. We've been posting on the same boards for years and never really disagreed about anything, while both taking a ton of flack for knowing how things actually work.
Which clown college did you attend?
Which clown college did you attend?
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10-20-23, 07:40 AM
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Okay, everybody, let's take a deep breath and relax. Tuck them away, out of view, and zip up.
Either that, or could the mods please lock this down before it gets too out of hand?
Either that, or could the mods please lock this down before it gets too out of hand?
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