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LBS vs Snob?

Old 11-13-20, 02:39 PM
  #1  
SpeedRanger
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LBS vs Snob?

Yesterday a guy (customer) was complaining to the owner of a LBS about lengthy turn around time for repairs because of, "too many cheap bikes coming into the shop".
This shop does sell high end brands and models, but there was a noticeable row of out of place department looking bikes in need of repair.

I own both high and low quality bikes but do my own wrenching, so I never gave thought to this first world problem.
Does this guy have a point, or is he stuck up because he rolled in with an expensive bike and was told 2 weeks for repairs?

Last edited by SpeedRanger; 11-13-20 at 03:39 PM.
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Old 11-13-20, 02:43 PM
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CargoDane
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"Stuck up" is my judgement. Take your place in line, buddy. It sounds like the same affliction Tesla, large BMW and Mercedes owners exhibit: I have more money than average, so I can park anywhere, and I expect everyone else to move aside as I do as I please.
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Old 11-13-20, 02:45 PM
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Two weeks is probably normal right now with parts being an issue but at my shop 3-5 days if no parts are needed is pretty normal. I wouldn't even care if it was two weeks I guess. I am lucky enough to have more than one bike.

If I only had 1 bike I might be more antsy about it.


I will say in defense of the shop work is work no matter what the bike brand is. A customer is anybody....I say the guy needs to relax a bit.
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Old 11-13-20, 02:51 PM
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The LBS labor charge is the same whether it's a high end bike or a cheap bike.....I would assume that it's first come first served, all the bike shops in this area are very busy and having a difficult time getting parts
so patience is needed or learn to work on your own bike
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Old 11-13-20, 02:53 PM
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For a second there I thought the thread title said "slob" and I panicked.... What did I do now?
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Old 11-13-20, 02:57 PM
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FIFO - First In First Out.

Ask that person if when they go to DMV to register a new car, should people with a Mercedes go ahead of someone with a Kia?
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Old 11-13-20, 02:57 PM
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The guy complaining could just buy the bike shop. Problem solved!
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Old 11-13-20, 03:01 PM
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Well, the guy showed who he was (and what he thinks about who everyone else is) I guess. Clearly stuck up is the answer.
Think about it: bikes & cycling products and service at shops are in-demand and backed-up largely due to a worldwide pandemic that has killed almost a quarter of a million people in America alone... and his concern is "what about ME and my fancy expensive need for quicker service"?

What did the shop owner say in response??
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Old 11-13-20, 03:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Charliekeet
Well, the guy showed who he was (and what he thinks about who everyone else is) I guess. Clearly stuck up is the answer.
Think about it: bikes & cycling products and service at shops are in-demand and backed-up largely due to a worldwide pandemic that has killed almost a quarter of a million people in America alone... and his concern is "what about ME and my fancy expensive need for quicker service"?

What did the shop owner say in response??
I didn't stick around for the outcome, but as I was walking out I did hear the owner repeatedly saying..."please try to understand sir"
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Old 11-13-20, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeedRanger
I didn't stick around for the outcome, but as I was walking out I did hear the owner repeatedly saying..."please try to understand sir"
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Old 11-13-20, 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeedRanger
I didn't stick around for the outcome, but as I was walking out I did hear the owner repeatedly saying..."please try to understand sir"
Until this post, I couldn't figure out whether the "guy" was a customer or another employee.

Just a self centered person that thinks that they are more important.
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Old 11-13-20, 03:47 PM
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If anything, the poor guy who needs the bike to commute to work should get priority.
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Old 11-13-20, 03:58 PM
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Most if not all rich folk get what they want, when they want it, right? So why not this guy? C'mon, lets try to understand a little!
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Old 11-13-20, 04:14 PM
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The only time I think someone might deserve fast-lane service would be if they were a very loyal customer who brought significant income to the shop and had a pressing need to get something fixed (a break on the way home, or a race/fondo coming up the next day), rather than just a jerk with disposable income that gives them a sense of entitlement because they feel that their time is worth more than others.

Since the employee called him sir, sounds like he's not a good enough customer to be on a first-name basis with the shop, and is just as self-centered as the reply gallery assumes he is.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by wgscott
If anything, the poor guy who needs the bike to commute to
work should get priority.
Agree with your sentiment, but doubtful that most of the supply of broken down cheap bikes right now are coming from commuters. More likely that they're all hardly ridden bikes neglected for years, with a good chance of returning to that same fate next year. Of course, there's a chance for the LBS to cultivate new customers by getting those bikes working better than they likely ever were when shoddily assembled for whichever discount merchant they came from, so it's totally reasonable to give customers of lower end bikes the same level of service.

Some LBSes do have policy of not working on bikes below a certain level of quality, such as BSOs that require more time, effort, and parts than the original cost of the bike several times over. This makes sense especially since those owners tend to not see the value in paying more for a real bike, let alone be willing to pay much to fix their essentially disposable purchase.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:37 PM
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I use Velofix. Which will come to your home an fix your bike.
https://www.velofix.com/
I have been using them for years now and don’t trust a LBS to work on my bikes.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:38 PM
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The guy said the quiet part out loud, but the fact is, a cheaply made, poorly-maintained bike will often take longer to work on, because you find more stuff wrong with it than was evident when it got checked in. Then you have to call the customer to get permission for the additional repair and upcharge, wait for them to call back, then move on to the next "discovery," and repeat.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:40 PM
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I don't believe the Snob was trying to argue his way into a shorter wait time by jumping the list. The way I understood his rant, he was complaining about the shop accepting repairs of cheap bikes, which he argued.. "increase turn around time for people with real bikes".

At one point he argued..."I paid a good money for this bike, but I'm up against a Sears bike for service....he kept pointing to an old Sears Roadmaster as example.

Does this make a difference if he's a labeled a snob? Probably not, but I can see this type of customer not returning in the future.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by GlennR
FIFO - First In First Out.

Ask that person if when they go to DMV to register a new car, should people with a Mercedes go ahead of someone with a Kia?
That all sounds correct, but the DMV doesn't sell cars of any type.

I'm guessing the complainer bought the expensive bike at the LBS, and believed that came with some type of 'move to the front of the line' Disney-type of pass.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeedRanger
Does this make a difference if he's a labeled a snob? Probably not, but I can see this type of customer not returning in the future.
Where's he going to get the flat tire on his expensive bike fixed? Walmart??
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Old 11-13-20, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
Where's he going to get the flat tire on his expensive bike fixed? Walmart??
He'll be fine. Theres a few bikes shops around town that won't acknowledge you as a customer if you walk in with the wrong shoes.

I once had a shop employee accost me at the front because I took a Cannondale catolog as I was leaving. He clamined the catolog was $10 which was BS.
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Old 11-13-20, 04:59 PM
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My primary LBS works on anything that comes through the door and it is first in first out. However, I will say, I have gotten the occasional jump ahead of the line service. However, I generally don't worry about that as I have a couple of bikes, but once I was on a ride and broke a spoke. I would be riding by the shop on my way home, so I just stopped in, although, I figured I could make it home as it was only 6 miles away. and I had already ridden 10 miles with it the way it was anyway, I figured I would drop the bike off and call my wife to swing by and get me, but they took it back and fixed it while I waited. That was a long time ago, but it does help to have a good relationship with your shop owner and mechanics.

I'd say the guy needs to take a pill and get over himself.
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Old 11-13-20, 05:10 PM
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In my opinion, the best LBS service for any walk of life are located where most murders are committed in your town.
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Old 11-13-20, 05:16 PM
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The person with the fancy bike should know how to do basic maintenance, unless it's something like frame welding. I have more sympathy for the little guy.
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Old 11-13-20, 05:18 PM
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We get this stuff all the time. Not quite whining about cheaper bikes muddying his chances to get worked on but people bemoaning the fact they have to wait. Typically in my area it is the commuter who refuses to believe or accept that there are any other ways to get around the city other than the single bike they own that they rely on yet mistreat until there are problems. We have loads of ways to get around, and I do mean loads of ways it is a very commuter friendly area but they freak out when they are without their bike for a second or if they need warranty work which takes time, yet many refuse to purchase a second bike if it is such an inconvenience.

People need to just realize things are busy now and sometimes are busy at other times as well and if they come in sooner their bikes get done sooner but hemming and hawing and being nasty doesn't help. Patience is a virtue right now.

Be kind, be patient and realize you aren't the hottest shiz in the place. Plus my parts hybrid is probably a nicer bike than his Cervélo or Trek Menoda or whatever other combination of those letter he might have. Nothing against those brands or people who might ride them necessarily just using something as an example.
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