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#1
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
Whatever happened to the friendly neighborhood bike dealer? Actually, I've never known one myself, but somehow I get the feeling that these guys are at least supposed to care where you spend your money. I contacted Peter Stull, "The Bicycleman," and though I found him friendly at first, after a long ten or thirteen-minute telephone conversation he hangs up on me 'cause a customer suddenly walked in the door. He never answered 90% of my questions -- very basic ones like "how much does it cost?" -- though it was an interesting enough conversation otherwise where he told me about his bike races, his customer from Australia, the guy who works for him that specializes in recumbents.... Before he excused himself with the near-equivalent of French Leave, I asked him whether I might wrap things up via e-mail. I could almost see him shrug casually -- "sure," he said. Three weeks now and no response. So I get in touch with another dealer, Northeast Recumbents. E-mailed, phoned, left messages...nothing. Finally got through to him last weekend, set up a look-see tomorrow. But there's rain in the forecast, and now this dealer is incommunicado. WTF?! Are my expectations out of order? The LBS on the next block from me where I got my Trek 1000c, the Bike Stop in Astoria, was another crazy place. The owner himself insisted on selling me the display model. It was in good condition, far as I can tell (though by the time I'd noticed some marks and scratches, a week had gone by and I couldn't be totally sure they weren't caused by me somehow), but apparently all bike shops insist you pay "new" prices for "good as new" bikes. Small matter that, sure enough -- but then the headset wasn't quite right. Turned out to be defective. But Gus, the owner, tried to convince me that its being loose was nothing to worry about! And indeed, I could ride the bike fine...but it just didn't feel right that I had a moving part where things are tight on other bikes. Or another LBS, in Manhattan, the Pedal Pushers...Evan over there is a nutcase. He's very charming and talkative like Peter Stull, but he's got a weird switch which somehow gets flipped and he'll go schizo on you with his passive-agressive act. One day I came in for a flat fix. While he was ringing up the sale, I noticed that my tire cap was gone and asked him where it was. He told me he put it outside the shop -- ??? I asked him what he meant. He nodded incredulously at me and repeated that he left my tire cap outside. Not only was it a bizzare enough thing if true, but doubly strange was the fact that it wasn't true, he never touched my bike until I brought it in. So I asked him how could that be...he responded that, duh, how? I used my hands, you know, hands, and unscrewed it and gently placed it on the sidewalk. So I'm just really mystified at what's going on -- him swiping my card and all all this time -- and I ask him why would he do that. He goes, well, where do you put your TV in your place? I'm like, what? Where do you put your TV, he repeated. I asked him why. He said that just as I have my reasons for placing things in my apartment, so he has his reasons for organizing his shop the way he does (actually, it's owned by a sour old fart, Roger, who's absent half the time -- another neurotic cat). Now I ask you all; does that sound crazy or what? What's even more bizzare is that there was a line of customers behind me, every one non-plussed by the brief conversation. Tell me, is there some bike shop etiquette I didn't observe? Is there some kind of secret bike shop salute or handshake I should have employed? Did I bother them somehow by smiling? Honestly, I don't get it. Now I'll have to contact the fella over in State College, PA, for the Velotechnik SMGTe. I am not awarding ~$3K (maybe even more, if I don't contain my newfound lust of Rohloff gearboxes and other exotica) to folks who don't care enough for it to return a goddamned phone call or e-mail! |
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#2
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
NYC XYZ wrote:
Whatever happened to the friendly neighborhood bike dealer? Maybe he went out of business talking to people that weren't buying stuff. I contacted Peter Stull, "The Bicycleman," and though I found him friendly at first, after a long ten or thirteen-minute telephone conversation he hangs up on me 'cause a customer suddenly walked in the door. How much of his time did you expect? He's in business, and his first priority should be the people that made the effort to get to his store. He sounds friendly enough to me. So I get in touch with another dealer, Northeast Recumbents. E-mailed, phoned, left messages...nothing. Finally got through to him last weekend, set up a look-see tomorrow. But there's rain in the forecast, and now this dealer is incommunicado. WTF?! They're running a business, not a chat room. Are my expectations out of order? I think so. Rich |
#3
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
Rich wrote: Maybe he went out of business talking to people that weren't buying stuff. LOL -- he obviously went out of business 'cause he didn't know how to sell to people he was already talking to! How much of his time did you expect? As much time as it takes to answer my questions, 90% of which he didn't. He's in business, and his first priority should be the people that made the effort to get to his store. Oh, the world's supposed to beat a path to his door, even when they call first to make arrangements for a visit? He sounds friendly enough to me. Of course. You're not very friendly yourself. They're running a business, not a chat room. So why talk my ear off about his life? I think so. Tell me which bike shop you own, etc. -- I'll be sure not to patronize. Rich |
#5
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
Mark wrote: -- So, who or what is the common denominator in all these stories? Mark Scardiglia War of 1812...Mexican-American War...Spanish-American War...Phillipine Insurrection...Boxer Rebellion...The Great War...The Big One...Korea...Vietnam...Dominican Republic...Grenada...Gulf I and II.... Who's the common denominator? Just stick to the facts. It's easy to stick your tongue out and close your eyes, but unless you have any suggestions as to what I could have done differently, try not to feel so smug. You won't look good with egg all over your face. |
#6
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
One day I came in for a flat fix.
You gotta take your bike into a bike shop to fix a flat? No wonder no one wants to spend much time with you. |
#7
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
Capri wrote: You gotta take your bike into a bike shop to fix a flat? No wonder no one wants to spend much time with you. But I'm not asking them to spend time with me. And what's wrong with having a bike shop fix flats? Do you think it's unmanly to use a map, too? |
#8
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
In article . com,
says... Mark wrote: -- So, who or what is the common denominator in all these stories? Mark Scardiglia War of 1812...Mexican-American War...Spanish-American War...Phillipine Insurrection...Boxer Rebellion...The Great War...The Big One...Korea...Vietnam...Dominican Republic...Grenada...Gulf I and II.... Who's the common denominator? Just stick to the facts. It's easy to stick your tongue out and close your eyes, but unless you have any suggestions as to what I could have done differently, try not to feel so smug. You won't look good with egg all over your face. OK. The facts, then. You spent probably 600 or 700 words lamenting about how four or five or six bike shops in a row either treated you badly or wouldn't do business with you or behaved bizarrely. You're right, it's not the norm. I could have pointed it out more gently, but the bottom line is that these interactions are two way affairs and there's no secret handshake, as you put it. Sunny side up, dry toast on the side. -- Mark Scardiglia |
#9
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
Mark wrote: OK. The facts, then. You spent probably 600 or 700 words lamenting about how four or five or six bike shops in a row either treated you badly or wouldn't do business with you or behaved bizarrely. Goodness, I'm glad you don't design bicycles for a living the way your brain works. You're right, it's not the norm. You're wrong, I wasn't talking about that. Why do you pick and choose what you wish to ignore? I could have pointed it out more gently, but the bottom line is that these interactions are two way affairs and there's no secret handshake, as you put it. You still haven't pointed out a single instance of what I'd done wrong. Sunny side up, dry toast on the side. Your brain is toast. -- Mark Scardiglia |
#10
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Bad Bike Shop Manners??
IGNORE THE TROLL
"NYC XYZ" wrote in message oups.com... Whatever happened to the friendly neighborhood bike dealer? Actually, I've never known one myself, but somehow I get the feeling that these guys are at least supposed to care where you spend your money. I contacted Peter Stull, "The Bicycleman," and though I found him friendly at first, after a long ten or thirteen-minute telephone conversation he hangs up on me 'cause a customer suddenly walked in the door. He never answered 90% of my questions -- very basic ones like "how much does it cost?" -- though it was an interesting enough conversation otherwise where he told me about his bike races, his customer from Australia, the guy who works for him that specializes in recumbents.... Before he excused himself with the near-equivalent of French Leave, I asked him whether I might wrap things up via e-mail. I could almost see him shrug casually -- "sure," he said. Three weeks now and no response. So I get in touch with another dealer, Northeast Recumbents. E-mailed, phoned, left messages...nothing. Finally got through to him last weekend, set up a look-see tomorrow. But there's rain in the forecast, and now this dealer is incommunicado. WTF?! Are my expectations out of order? The LBS on the next block from me where I got my Trek 1000c, the Bike Stop in Astoria, was another crazy place. The owner himself insisted on selling me the display model. It was in good condition, far as I can tell (though by the time I'd noticed some marks and scratches, a week had gone by and I couldn't be totally sure they weren't caused by me somehow), but apparently all bike shops insist you pay "new" prices for "good as new" bikes. Small matter that, sure enough -- but then the headset wasn't quite right. Turned out to be defective. But Gus, the owner, tried to convince me that its being loose was nothing to worry about! And indeed, I could ride the bike fine...but it just didn't feel right that I had a moving part where things are tight on other bikes. Or another LBS, in Manhattan, the Pedal Pushers...Evan over there is a nutcase. He's very charming and talkative like Peter Stull, but he's got a weird switch which somehow gets flipped and he'll go schizo on you with his passive-agressive act. One day I came in for a flat fix. While he was ringing up the sale, I noticed that my tire cap was gone and asked him where it was. He told me he put it outside the shop -- ??? I asked him what he meant. He nodded incredulously at me and repeated that he left my tire cap outside. Not only was it a bizzare enough thing if true, but doubly strange was the fact that it wasn't true, he never touched my bike until I brought it in. So I asked him how could that be...he responded that, duh, how? I used my hands, you know, hands, and unscrewed it and gently placed it on the sidewalk. So I'm just really mystified at what's going on -- him swiping my card and all all this time -- and I ask him why would he do that. He goes, well, where do you put your TV in your place? I'm like, what? Where do you put your TV, he repeated. I asked him why. He said that just as I have my reasons for placing things in my apartment, so he has his reasons for organizing his shop the way he does (actually, it's owned by a sour old fart, Roger, who's absent half the time -- another neurotic cat). Now I ask you all; does that sound crazy or what? What's even more bizzare is that there was a line of customers behind me, every one non-plussed by the brief conversation. Tell me, is there some bike shop etiquette I didn't observe? Is there some kind of secret bike shop salute or handshake I should have employed? Did I bother them somehow by smiling? Honestly, I don't get it. Now I'll have to contact the fella over in State College, PA, for the Velotechnik SMGTe. I am not awarding ~$3K (maybe even more, if I don't contain my newfound lust of Rohloff gearboxes and other exotica) to folks who don't care enough for it to return a goddamned phone call or e-mail! |
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