sharp

Well I'm not really gonna rant, but I'm just a little frustrated after going to both the local LBS for tubes and co2 refills and coming away empty. First LBS had a tube (only 1) in stock but no co2. So I left empty handed and went to LBS #2 and they had plenty of co2 in stock but no tubes (700x18-23 presta). I left LBS#2 empty handed because I was just plain disgusted. How can a bike shop be out of a common road bike size tube? Seems to me that is an "a" item and you should make sure you always have it in stock.

I think I may start ordering these kind of things online and keeping plenty on hand. Who are your favorite online bike shops?

DropDeadFred

happens

Mtbnomore

Find a shop that stocks the kind of bikes you ride (road, I'm assuming, since you're here). Depending on where you live, they may specialize in something else and not carry as much inventory for your brand of cycling.

kf9yr

Where are you? A small town? Are the bike shops letting their inventory levels drop because winter is coming?

I've never seen my LBS out of standard size tubes (700, 26 or 29) or CO2 cartridges. I stop at least twice a week as it's a mile from my house and I'm friends with the owner and employees.

OTOH we are in Phoenix where cycling year-round is not uncommon (more people stay indoors during the summer than in the winter)...

sathor

if your CO2 pump can take non-threaded cartridges, try a paint ball supply shop, it's much much cheaper that way.

nick the swede

The LBS I work for currently has 153 700c extra short valves, 165 short valves , 134 long valves in stock.

Your shop just sucks.

dahut

Niagara Cycle Works.

www.niagaracycle.com

sharp

There is one..in the neighboring town. It's not far, but it sure would be a lot more convenient to shop at one of the shops in my town. I'm done with them though. Seems like half the time I go there it ends up as a wasted trip. See, to me the LBS being out of a 26, 29, or 700 tube is akin to the feed store being out of dog food...or the grocery store having no milk or bread.

sharp

Yeah.....I'd be happy if he just had a couple whenever I needed them.

DScott

probikekit for tubes- buy a dozen. https://www.probikekit.com/us/

ebay for Co2- 30 should last a while. https://www.ebay.com/itm/30-16-gram-T...item519b148f0c

thirdgenbird

i called 6 bike shops (some of them very large) and not a one has the tools to face a bottom bracket shell. no wonder people complain about the life of external bottom brackets.

edit:
one of them actually told me they did offer that service and after driving 60 miles i was told they didnt have the tools.

Joe360

I buy my co2 from amazon or ebay. Generic threaded cartridges, and my LBS is sketchy about tubes.

dahut

This is not unwise. My LBS is well stocked - but the people who run it are selfish, elitist dimwits.
They wouldn't know customer service if it bit them on the arse. Every time I go there I'm left to stand around, like a lost sock. And when I do get helped, I am told that I don't need what Im after, that what Im doing cant be done, or just, "Why do you want that?"

I dont go there, either, except for the very random, one-off mechanical item.

UCIMBZ

There are 4 bike shops, 3 Walmarts and 2 Tragets within 2 miles of my house. Just felt like saying it.

embankmentlb

I walked into one of the LBS (north Ga.) last week and asked about seeing a bike with Di2. The owner of the shop said "I'm sorry, what is that?". I thought he was joking at first but after a little more discussion I don't think was. No kidding, I heard the theme from 'Deliverance' playing in my head.

VertigoFlyer

LBS's are kinda like camera shops. Only a few will measure up. I'm a working professional photographer. Far too many camera shops only cater to the consumer level customer. Very few cater to a more serious customer. LBS's are the same. Far too many cater to the consumer level rider. Only a few cater to the more serious rider. (I'm grouping the majority of us here as "more serious" riders)

But once I find a camera store or LBS that meets my needs I am quite happy going through the decision process of whether or not to buy from them and support them or order it online. Finding a great camera store or LBS is a godsend in a crutch moment. They will go that extra mile to meet your needs. A consumer level shop never will.

In this "everything can be found online world" supporting the local LBS or camera store gets harder every day. If I go into my favorite LBS and ask for advice on a change to one of my bikes I am more than happy making the purchase with them since they provided trusted advice.

Anyway I apologize for rambling on. The analogy between bike shops and camera stores got into my head and I got to typing...LOL!!

Marauder9

I would of thought basic kit like this they would have loads of stock.

+1 for buying in bulk.

urbanknight

Darn right. I live in a densely populated area, so I'm fortunate enough to have my choice of shops. I pass up 8 closer LBSs before I reach the ones I like about 10-15 miles away.

However, even the crappy one 1 mile from me has 700x23 tubes in stock.

Makel

The truth is they saw you coming, pulled their stock of tubes and cartridges, and hid them from you.

island rider

Did the bike in their window have tassles on the bars, or whitewall tires and a seat the size of your chest? You may have just been in the wrong shop.

himespau 

maybe today's the day they're supposed to be getting shipments in? Still, that does seem like poor planning. I run rather narrow 26" schrader tubes so I'll occasionally run into a shop that doesn't have them and wants to sell me 2" tubes for my 1.25" tires, but 700x23 is so common, I don't know why they'd let themselves run out. Unless they're entirely a mtb shop.

darb85

sometimes, we just arent paying attention to stock, or when we order, we have 20 tubes and figure that will get us through, then like yesterday, we sell one person 10 tubes, it happens, it sucks when it does and as the shop its embarrassing to us, but it is part of the business.

himespau 

oh yeah, didn't consider the dude who comes in and buys your whole inventory up.

embankmentlb

They have a little of everything, including some higher end Specialized brand bikes. I didn't really expect to see a Di2 equipped bike but I was expecting a response like" we an't got none 0 those but we can order yee one."

skol

no excuse not to have tubes in stock but maybe they took inventory out to a ride that was happening in the area for repairs at a SAG stop or something.. my local shop had such a booth set up for repairs this weekend and had a couple dozen tubes on hand for repairs.