Kapusta

If he owns a Mercedes, his answer may well be “Yes”.

Kapusta

I can see some logic to a shop giving some priority to people who bought their bike from the shop. Not first in line, of course, but perhaps not at the end, either.

Hondo Gravel

Return the jackalope’s bike like this and tell him to go for a ride.

GlennR

BTW, not all snobs are customers.

When i was shopping for my Emonda SLR Project One I stopped in and was ignored. Maybe because they saw me pull up on a 15 year old Honda Civic with dents.

Well, 2 years later I was riding 9W in New Jersey and stopped by that LBS on the way over the GWB and they were overly friendly. Maybe because i was on an expensive bike and wearing a team jersey and bibs.

Never judge a book by it's cover.

Koyote

There is a ton of evidence that sellers (of all sorts) treat customers differently, according to their appearance. Sometime's it's paradoxical: at least one study found that car dealers actually give better prices to customers who are perceived to be more educated and successful; the theory is that they believe such people are better-informed and better negotiators, so the dealers just reflexively negotiate to a lower price.

Wanderer

I have done quite a bit of wrenching on bikes this year, because of the back up at the LBS. I even do their kids minor stuff for free when they come to pick their stuff up.

My son has been referring a lot of his friends to my garage, mainly because they can't get their bikes fixed elsewhere. Around here, repairs are 1 to 2 months out, if they can get the needed parts. I am cleaning, adjusting, lubing, replacing, and repairing what I can - which is most.

I have no more new or good used tires! LOL. I can still get tubes from the LBS, and some tires.

I hope it gets back to normal, so I don't have to do so much stuff - but the money is nice! I enjoy doing the neighbor kids stuff, because they usually help, and are giddy with the new old brake pads, derailleurs, grips, valve caps, etc. And don't forget the free air!

GlennR

I've serviced a number of neighbor's and friend's bikes. I just tell them they need to source the parts.

unterhausen

The bike shop I'm working for part time finally has repairs back to normal, one week out. Unknown customers with unknown bikes will often say they only need some small repair done and then on inspection it needs a complete overhaul to be safe. I know some people would skip the line but mostly it's because they wanted to buy things. If we had bikes, for example.

Ald1 

Amen to that! When I got back into cycling, three years ago, at age 65 and slightly overweigh, I went into a shop to look at a leftover Domane for 6k. I stood around the expensive bikes and was ignored by the sales staff who were just standing around. Finally I went up front to the counter where the owner was and said "I see you have a Domane for sale" to which he replied, "If you say so" and put his head down and started working on something. Stood there for a bit and walked out. No oher words or thanks for stopping in etc. Completly blown off. That was two project one bikes, a set of Enve wheels, a couple power meters and lots of kit ago. Needless to say none of which was purchased from that shop.

Koyote

You made the right decision in walking out of that shop.

The_Magnet

Totally stuck up guy to me... Doesn't matter if you got a cheap bike or not, everybody wants his bike to get fixed as soon as possible. And all these "cheaper" bikes is what a LBS needs to get around,
And if you're a bit interested in your high end bike, you should at least learn some basic maintenance skills... But hey, who am I? Only got a cheap bike?

GAtkins

You should swing by there with pics of your stuff and ask him if he as a Domane for sale...

Glenn

Mojo31

If you own a Mercedes, you don’t even go to DMV. You register it by mail or online. Just like if you own a Ford or Kia.

Russ Roth

Probably the bike, most of the people I worked with didn't judge buyers by their cars. Not when an 11 year old, partly rusted volvo would sit next to a 15 year old Saab with badly faded paint and showing them both up was an 8 year old VW Jetta but all of them had roof racks and on a Sat evening they'd leave for a ride with a combined 12-15k in bikes on the roof. Just the other day I had a guy in the parking lot look up at my wife's Cdale CaadX with CK wheelset and back to the car a couple times before commenting that the Cdale looked to be worth more then the car (he's probably right), I just pointed out mine still cost more. Then he saw the back of the car and with the kids bikes and walked away laughing. Cyclists with cheap cars and expensive bikes are just common.

That shop just sucked. I've never worked for a shop that treated people that way and I never would, for most of the people I worked with it was just about getting people riding. Sure, the more expensive the better, but even a cheap bike is better then nothing and everyones money is good.

Yup, haven't stepped into a DMV in about 8 years, just do it all online.

Astrozombie

If cheap bikes disappear then the shop goes out of business and now the guy won't have anyone to fix his bike.

GlennR

Rule #25// The bikes on top of your car should be worth more than the car

Ghazmh

Beer, Mercedes, distributors and rich people. What’s this thread about again?

RidingMatthew

I have had one shop bump my fixes on my commuter bike because he knew I commuted a lot precovid. He told me he would get me back on the road as quick as he can.

Another shop guy told me that I was riding a motobecane bicycle from bikes direct. I said to him I have I had over 15,000 miles on the bike and i I have more than got my money out of it. He was surprised with the number of miles on it. I hope he changed attitude regarding bikes from other places. I have since bought a Salsa from them and they do a good job of taking care of my needs now a days.

Wildwood 

Aside from knowing the front from the back and where the throttle is, they don’t know anything about the bike. And that’s OK - buy more bikes, you know you’ve got the plenty of space. These are 2 from a group of 6 new cyclists hauling along the trail.

Milton Keynes

FFS don't give the Mercedes drivers any ideas.

Koyote

Not always, and not everywhere.

When I moved to PA, I went to a Notary Public to get my car registered.

Renewing the registration is done through the web, though. When I remember to do it.

Reflector Guy

Offering online renewal of driver's licenses and license plates is the best thing Illinois has ever done. The glacial speed of the long lines at the Secretary of State's office (our name for the DMV) was legendary!

Kapusta

I go the DMV more often than I bring my bike to a bike shop to be fixed.

MNebiker

Each spring we were usually flooded with bikes brought in for an annual "tune-up/check-out" before the season began. We urged customers to try to bring them in while there was still some snow left on the ground, but human nature being what it is, after the first warm spring weekend we got the last minute rush. We got backed up and handled these on a a first-in, first-out basis, and most everyone was OK with that.

However, during this time, if one of our bikes was brought back in for some relatively minor problem - flat tire, new brake pads, adjustments, etc. we would take care of that, usually on a same-day or while-you-wait basis. I often sent customers off to do their other shopping and then come pick up the bike on their way home. If it was just a quickie adjustment we did it NC and sent them on their way. This helped build repeat sales.

But there was one LBS in the area that ran a spring program. They advertised spring tune-ups at their normal rate, but then offered a same-day tune-up by appointment at a significantly higher price point. I never heard how many people took them up on the deal, but it did offer the richer, entitled, or self-important a means to scratch their egos and cut the line. (It might have also helped their customers be more accepting of the first-in, first out system!)

BCAC

I’ve never tipped my LBS. Should I?

I buy bikes from them, buy gear I could order off the internet from them, even if they have to order. I get all my service done by them, including work I could easily do myself. I drive past two other shops to get to them and they know I make a point to use them.

I never even thought about tipping. I do go on a weekly bike ride they organize.

Seriously, should I be tipping?

They do always look after me promptly, whether it’s for a new tire or something more.

I never ask to be put at the front of the line. They just do it. We are all on a first name basis.