LBS Taboos?

For some reason my LBS has stopped being so helpful when I come in. Did I say something or do something that is taboo by accident? What are dos/don'ts when it comes to having a relationship with your LBS? Or when to realize your LBS just isn't for you and find another shop. Hard to do when next nearest ones are at least 80 miles away.

Obviously ordering parts from another company and then asking your LBS to put them on your bike isn't a great idea.

Telling the guy "I can get it cheaper online or at XYZ's shop" doesn't make you a winner.

The one thing I've noticed when coming in now that I have some more experience is how little stuff my LBS has or maybe it's lower end products (not low quality) given the area I live in. I know they'd happily order something for me but if I don't know it exists, I can't ask. If I find it at another store and I'm there, I'll buy it.

For example, I didn't know you could get different kinds of helmets. All my LBS has are the cheapie Bontrager ones. I went to another store and realized this shop had really nice helmets at all different price ranges and with different companies. Guy gave me a great deal on a Giro helmet since it was "last year's" model. LBS guy seemed to be upset when I used it on my first and last group ride. Kind of like, "I could have ordered that for you" thing.

Today I bought my son aero bars from another store. They had several to choose from and within a reasonable price range. Guy showed my son how to tape up the bars by doing one for him. I didn't realize we needed more red tape to get the drop bars done until halfway home and went to my LBS to get more. The red tape didn't match despite it being the same color from Bontrager and when my son showed him via the bar, the guy seemed annoyed that we hadn't bought the bars from him. Did I violate the buying parts from another company despite only needed more red bar tape? You have one aero bar set and it's not cheap sitting in the case. I didn't ask you to put the bars on. I just needed more tape.

How many times can you ask for help before you get annoying? I'm a newbie. There's a lot of stuff I'm learning and gotten better at, but maybe I've crossed that line and don't know it.

I also recognize my LBS lost a guy when he went off to college and only have two guys running the store. I always ask if they have time to fix or look up something first because of it. Maybe being down one guy is part of the issue.

The "unwritten" rules that you should already know would be helpful.

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Telling the guy "I can get it cheaper online or at XYZ's shop" doesn't make you a winner.

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No, it doesn't. Telling any bike shop you can get it cheaper online, really doesn't do any good as a customer.

I guess for you living in a smaller place, it becomes too obvious where you might have gotten another bike part at a more competitive price?

It's tough being a LBS owner. Unless they are selling a bike or 2 every day, or have enough bike maintenance jobs (which mechanics are jobs that don't pay well) daily, it tends not to be an easy business.

One of my dearie's biz partners is a bike store owner in Vancouver (He owns and manages 2 stores. He let go of 3rd in Victoria.)

Personally, I think they should just try harder then. If they are losing business to you elsewhere, they should see it as an incentive to be as helpful as they possibly can.

My LBS knows I buy things online because I have very specific tastes about cycling clothing and parts I want on my bike. Lots of times though I find what I want online, especially parts, and bring it to them and ask them to order it for me. It's more expensive that way, but they will put the part on for free and do any maintenance on installed parts for free for the life of the part. They ordered my bike case for me, I've got one guy getting a ton of new parts for my commuter bike that we are having a hard time finding and the manager is the one who found the pink and black frame for me.

They try very hard to keep my business in their store and not online. I can do all these things myself, but because they have such good customer service, I prefer to pay a little more and have them take care of things. That's how it should be. Clamming up and being a jerk about it just drives you back to those other stores.

This certainly is a difficult topic, and I wish you luck first and foremost!

As a small shop owner, it is a very difficult time. But that's also true with lots of retail shops regardless of the type of business. Although I'd also like to give you a couple of examples... last fall I ordered a trainer for a customer, she paid for it and I put her bike on it. Before ordering, I asked whether she wanted anything else... computer, DVd, etc... and she didn't which was fine. Later she decided that she indeed did want a computer and asked if I could make a house call and install the computer as she didn't want to take the bike off the trainer. (although I assured her that I could either help or teach her) So everthing worked out well, and she rode all winter. Last fall, she decided that she needed a floor pump and purchased it from Wally world, which again, is her choice. But the issue I have is that she called me in a panic and wanted me to teach her over the phone how to use it. While I tried to ask her questions over the phone to determine which type of pump it was, she was confused, and I wasn't able to get the info. Her frustration was that now she had broken the valve stem off her tube, couldn't ride and was very upset. Which of course i would be as well.... again she didn't want to take her bike off the trainer and wanted me to make another housecall. (which I was happy to do) While at her home, she complained about the pump and the quality of it over and over... she asked me for my opinion. I wanted to be professional, so I stated that the quality wasn't very good, and by buying there she not only wasn't able to get any customer service from them(as she had made repeated calls to Wally world in an attempt to figure things out before calling me) and that although she saved money, in the long run she had spent more money... a new tube, paid me to come fix it, new pump and another trip back to Wally world to return the pump. I have had similar issues with others the past few months... Should I be taking time away from shop hours to go and make a housecall when I wasn't even consulted for a purchase? I guess only you can answer that...

So long story short, customer service is without a doubt the most important feature we can have when we purchase items. FInd a shop that you feel comfortable with, communicate with them what you want, and also ask their opinions... maybe you're looking for future upgrades etc... Maybe you can make suggestions as to items that you'd like to see in the shop, if they don't carry it and can't see sales from it, then your imput is extremely valuable to them!

Anyway, sorry for the long rant and your frustration. I hope that you are able to be comfortable in your LBS which ever one you choose, but either way, don't forget to mention what you'd like to see in inventory with them as well.:D Ultimately they want to make you happy!

http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

Well, for certain no bike store in Vancouver nor Calgary would make a house call EXCEPT:

in each city we do have 1 independent bike repair mobile truck. Yes, for a fee they will make house calls.

I've met each of these entrepreneurs. One of them, parks himself/truck by a busy bike path in a well-used park area, close to home during the summer --daily. (He would have a park permit to do this.) But every time I pass him during the season, he has at least 1 customer.

Without me, truly planning it, I live within less than 10 min. bike ride for each city to at least 2 different bike stores for maintenance/repairs/parts.

I agree that for myself, alot of bike stores don't often have cycling clothing in colours or sizes at the right price, that I want. So when I see something, when I travel, I do buy.

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Originally Posted by ridebikeme

This certainly is a difficult topic, and I wish you luck first and foremost!

As a small shop owner, it is a very difficult time. But that's also true with lots of retail shops regardless of the type of business. Although I'd also like to give you a couple of examples... last fall I ordered a trainer for a customer, she paid for it and I put her bike on it. Before ordering, I asked whether she wanted anything else... computer, DVd, etc... and she didn't which was fine. Later she decided that she indeed did want a computer and asked if I could make a house call and install the computer as she didn't want to take the bike off the trainer. (although I assured her that I could either help or teach her) So everthing worked out well, and she rode all winter. Last fall, she decided that she needed a floor pump and purchased it from Wally world, which again, is her choice. But the issue I have is that she called me in a panic and wanted me to teach her over the phone how to use it. While I tried to ask her questions over the phone to determine which type of pump it was, she was confused, and I wasn't able to get the info. Her frustration was that now she had broken the valve stem off her tube, couldn't ride and was very upset. Which of course i would be as well.... again she didn't want to take her bike off the trainer and wanted me to make another housecall. (which I was happy to do) While at her home, she complained about the pump and the quality of it over and over... she asked me for my opinion. I wanted to be professional, so I stated that the quality wasn't very good, and by buying there she not only wasn't able to get any customer service from them(as she had made repeated calls to Wally world in an attempt to figure things out before calling me) and that although she saved money, in the long run she had spent more money... a new tube, paid me to come fix it, new pump and another trip back to Wally world to return the pump. I have had similar issues with others the past few months... Should I be taking time away from shop hours to go and make a housecall when I wasn't even consulted for a purchase? I guess only you can answer that...

So long story short, customer service is without a doubt the most important feature we can have when we purchase items. FInd a shop that you feel comfortable with, communicate with them what you want, and also ask their opinions... maybe you're looking for future upgrades etc... Maybe you can make suggestions as to items that you'd like to see in the shop, if they don't carry it and can't see sales from it, then your imput is extremely valuable to them!

Anyway, sorry for the long rant and your frustration. I hope that you are able to be comfortable in your LBS which ever one you choose, but either way, don't forget to mention what you'd like to see in inventory with them as well.:D Ultimately they want to make you happy!

http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

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You make housecalls?

It would never occur to me to ask someone from the LBS to come to my home because I don't want to have to take the bike off the trainer. Talk about spoiled.

I think we have examples of two extremes in this thread.

The OP's LBS not expending the minimum in customer service.

And ridebikeme throwing good money/time after bad in an attempt to take care of a customer who plainly doesn't care and won't support her. ;)

I know small stores are struggling hence buying from LBS and not big shops. I've worked retail and know that we customers come in all shapes, sizes and personalities.

Ridebikeme, you asked if the lady needed anything else and gave specific items that were related. Awesome. I wish my LBS was like yours. As a newbie I felt like I was coming in every other day for items because I'd read about online and would go back to get it or have them order it for me. I know that would drive anyone nuts with my asking. It's hard as a newbie because you don't know what is out there and it's overwhelming at the beginning.

I have never shown up with parts from another store and asked to have them fitted nor told the store I can get it cheaper online. Those are pretty obvious no-no's. The mechanic really knows his stuff which is why I've gone back for adjustments. It takes him 5 minutes to adjust the simple stuff and when I've asked him to show me how to do it myself so I didn't have to come in so often, he looked upset. Maybe I worded it wrong and came across as a jerk. I figured they had more important stuff to work on than my simple adjustments and it would be time saving for both of us if I knew how to do it.

We need our local small businesses more than ever. I feel like if I ask for something at a LBS that they could carry full-time I come across as a jerk especially if I would be the only one using that product. I just wonder if I'm communicating wrong.

House calls? Well I guess it's the kind of relationship you develop with your bike shop. When I was recovering from shoulder surgery, I put one of my bikes on the trainer to a) see if I could, and b) to see if I could even ride the thing before venturing outside on a bike. Well I got past a & b, but when it came time to take the bike OFF the trainer that was a different story. The rear seat stays are a little farther apart on my Dolce than they are on my Pilot, and the knob to adjust the trainer was too tight for me to adjust, so I assumed it was fixed in place. Anyway with or without a shoudler problem, there was no way I was going to be able to remove the bike, nor could I carry the bike attached to the trainer to the shop to get it off without damaging something expensive.

The service manager cheerfully came to my house and removed it for me. It helps that I live about 1/2 mile from the store. They have gone out of their way to help me out on other occasions, sometimes leaving parts for me outside their back door if I need to pick up after hours.

Why did he do this? Perhaps because I have bought 5 bikes from them in the 10 years I have lived here. While there is no clothing in the store save socks/gloves that I would ever buy, I do buy a lot of parts, gadgets, and all my service there. It's a small shop and their inventory is geared to young skinny fast and wealthy men. They know I buy stuff elsewhere, but I do buy whatever I can from them.

Or maybe it's the cookies? I take them home made cookies at Christmas, and maybe 1 or 2 other times each year. :)

I'd say there's a bike difference between not wanting to take the bike off the trainer and not being able because of an injury.

I ask the people at the LBS things all the time. Sometimes I suspect I'm being annoying or high maintenance. But they never appear annoyed, and they are always helpful. Many of them know me by name. If they see me looking at merchandise, they come over and ask if I need help. But then, that's why I go out of my way to shop there, when other stores are closer -- their service is great.

Interesting to read all of your posts, my question for you is this... when are all of you moving to rural Maine?;) I could certainly use customers like yourselves!

With that said, I do have lots of WONDERFUL customers. And like every business, we have our share of issues time and again. I think the issue that bothers me the most is this: I have a customer that is legally blind. I've serviced the familys' bikes for a couple of years now.. great people and we always have great conversations! Anyway, one Friday I received a call that he was leaving work and had a flat. He didn't have a spare tube or frame pump, so something that he definitely couldn't fix. The person that he rides to work with has a position where they truly couldn't leave work as they have different shifts. So he called to see if I could help him out, and if not, then he would understand. I truly did not have the time to drive a half hour each way to change a flat, and had a specific time frame to get a bike contract completed. Anyway, I stuck a note on the door that I would be back soon, and went off to change the flat. While I'm changing the flat, I'm installing a new tire and using a tube that I brought with me. He preceded to tell me about all of the bike parts that he had recently(including the tire that I was mounting for the first time) purchased online. Considering that I just closed the shop to change a flat and I'm hearing all of this, I'm starting to really get angry. So I decided to finish and take some time to think about all of this.

Later that day, after I had thought about it. I thought that I would email him and let him know what I thought. I approached it professionally, but told him I was upset and why. I mentioned that if it was something that I couldn't match a price on then I understood; but I would hope that you would at least call me before placing the order. I actually pickup and deliver their bikes when serviced, and closed the shop in order to change a flat and with that service I would hope that you would at least ask if I could get your item. So tell me fellow TE's. Am I asking too much?

At any rate, enough about my drama... I appreciate all of your comments. But the focus of this post is not me and is Bethany.


http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

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Originally Posted by Bethany1

As a newbie I felt like I was coming in every other day for items because I'd read about online and would go back to get it or have them order it for me. ... It's hard as a newbie because you don't know what is out there and it's overwhelming at the beginning.

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Go to the LBS and ask to peruse their QBP catalog*. If they are serious about ordering parts for you, then they should have two versions of the catalog - one with the wholesale prices which they won't want to show you, and one without prices. The catalog is two volumes the size of a phone book.

Ordering from an LBS can sometimes be a frustrating experience. LBS's usually hold orders until they can place one bigger order with their distributor(s). (They can actually get penalized if they don't usually do this.) You may have to wait a week or more for them to place their order, and then another week as their big order is delivered via ground shipping. However, they can place an order immediately and have it sent out next day delivery - if you're willing to pay the shipping.

* QBP = Quality Bike Parts, perhaps the biggest distributor. Odds are that any established LBS orders from them, though there are also other distributors.

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Originally Posted by laura*

Go to the LBS and ask to peruse their QBP catalog*. If they are serious about ordering parts for you, then they should have two versions of the catalog - one with the wholesale prices which they won't want to show you, and one without prices. The catalog is two volumes the size of a phone book.

Ordering from an LBS can sometimes be a frustrating experience. LBS's usually hold orders until they can place one bigger order with their distributor(s). (They can actually get penalized if they don't usually do this.) You may have to wait a week or more for them to place their order, and then another week as their big order is delivered via ground shipping. However, they can place an order immediately and have it sent out next day delivery - if you're willing to pay the shipping.

* QBP = Quality Bike Parts, perhaps the biggest distributor. Odds are that any established LBS orders from them, though there are also other distributors.

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I don't know, I think that they should not get annoyed when a customer comes in and buys something, even if the same customer was just there a few days earlier, because a sale is a sale and that's why they're in business.

And if they're really good, they'll ask if the customer needs anything else, and suggest possible related things they'll need, when the customer is buying something. Because that's how they increase their average sale, while generating good will at the same time by helping the customer get everything in one trip instead of having to come back over and over.

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Originally Posted by ridebikeme

Interesting to read all of your posts, my question for you is this... when are all of you moving to rural Maine?;) I could certainly use customers like yourselves!

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LOL - if I lived in Maine - and someday I need to visit there if nothing else - I'd be happy to be one ofo your customers.

The Dolce is now back at my summer house in northern Michigan. I dread the day I need help with that because there is only one very small shop near by - maybe 12 miles away - and for anything major I will probably have to travel 50-60 miles one way for service or parts. I have not had the opportunity to build a rapport with them yet, but I did buy chain lube there. Would have bought all the cleaning supplies I needed but they didn't have anything in stock. Nothing. Ended up buying all that stuff locally and hauling it up there on my last trip. (Then I totally forgot to clean the bike before I left. Ooops!.)

Small town life can be frustrating at times.

Maybe the folks at the OP's LBS are just having a grumpy phase.

I don't want to anger Ridemebike, but I have not had good experiences at any LBS. Small ones, big ones, medium ones. It really doesn't matter for me, as my DH is an excellent wrench and yes, we buy our parts on line. It would be crazy for us not to... we don't need anyone to do the work for us.
However, we have patronized our very local LBS by buying 4 bikes from them; 2 road bikes and our recent Gurus, for which they are I think, the only Guru fitter in eastern MA. The total of these purchases is close to 30K. In addition, DH has sent at least 10 of his colleagues to the shop to buy bikes.
I didn't want to get my custom bike there, but DH convinced me to give them another chance. As I've written elsewhere, it was nothing but "tsuris" for me (i.e. trouble), the whole way. Of course now, they are being super nice to me, as they know I have the women of TE behind me. And I have a big mouth.
As far as clothes go, they do have them, but even I won't spend 150.00+ on shorts. I buy all of my clothes from Terry or TE, because they have what I want.
I keep wondering what would happen if DH suddenly wasn't here. I probably would not be able to afford the wrenching/parts. Doing it myself is not an option. Every local woman rider I have talked to about this topic has had pretty much the same experience as me. Doesn't matter what the shop is. They need an attitude adjustment.

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Originally Posted by ridebikeme

. . paid me to come fix it. . .

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Charging her for it has to help with the frustration. She sounds a bit like a princess, not wanting to take the bike off the trainer.

I have had very good luck at two bike shops. And bad luck at another three. The first good shop was the place where I first got a bike fitting. The guy did a bang up job, and made excellent changes, like chopping off the handlebars on my hybrid. The other excellent bike shop is one back at home base, where I bought my Madone. They are very helpful. They make suggestions. They swapped pedals and seats on my bikes at no charge. They moved and set up my computer from one bike to the other at no charge. Their labor charges, when they do charge, are reasonable. Most important of all, they figured out the problem with my front derailleur on my Cannondale, even though they are not a Cannondale dealer and three prior bike shops fussed with no luck. One of the Cannondale dealers, at Cannondale's behest, actually changed out the chain ring, front derailleur and cables. No charge to me but that is irrelevant when the repair didn't work. Anyway, the mechanic at my bike shop back home took about three seconds to tell me what was wrong--the kick stand mount interfered with the cable. They changed the mount and the bike shifts perfectly.

This shop came well recommended by bikers I knew in town and the fitter I am working with is loved by the locals. I am going back in a few weeks for a fit adjustment and new pedals. There will be no charge for the fit adjustments.

They volunteer at the local charity rides, providing free support and sweep.

I hope they made a nice profit on the Madone they sold me for less than list. :) They will always have my business when I am in town.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Doing it myself is not an option.

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Just curious, why not?

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Originally Posted by Irulan

Just curious, why not?

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If she's like me, she just does not have the knack.

My mechanical skills begin and end with changing tires and cleaning/lubing the chain.

Exactly. I can barely do the tire thing, I just dislike doing this kind of stuff, and I am not good at it. No lectures about empowering my female mechanic, please. Those of you who know me know I'm no shrinking violet; I just suck at anything that requires fine motor or eye hand skill, a deficit I inherited from my dad. My mom could fix anything. I amaze myself that I can actually ride a bike... this is why when people write posts about having trouble starting, getting on, and stopping their bikes, I can totally empathize. I was one step above this. And frankly, although I am loathe to have DH do most other things for me, he sets up and maintains all mechanical things for me. He's good at it and I can barely button my coat and tie my shoes.
However, I would not be so bold as to ask a shop owner to come to my house to get the bike off of the trainer. Like, why would anyone expect that kind of service? I would ask/find a friend to do it or show me. And by the way, I can't get my bike on the trainer. You have to hold the wheel, position it right, and do some lever thing all at the same time, which proved impossible for me to accomplish. In fact, I wrenched my back out trying a couple of years ago. I can get it off, though.
With so many knowledgable women cyclists, why does this pattern of treating us like sh*t still continue? Probably the best thing I ever did was write about my crappy experiences with my Kuota on TE. I get treated much better now :).

I'm not sure what my experience with my LBS is. To be honest, I bought my bike from them and really liked my salesperson. In fact, I tried to buy another one for my husband but it ended in disaster (had to cancel the order). To be honest, I feel a bit intimidated and stupid when I am there, almost like I have to buy something or I'm wasting their time.

The LBS near me is the busiest LBS in the area. They are more expensive than everyone else but offer free lifetime tuneups if you spend over a certain amount. The problem is that they are so busy that you have to wait a long time to get serviced and the salesperson is usually servicing multiple people at a time. They have a ton of bikes, but not a lot of accessories. To be honest, I have purchased all my accessories from other places (including online) because they have a better selection.

Recently I found another LBS that is smaller and that I feel more at ease with. They don't carry the big name brand bikes like the other LBS (specialized, trek etc) but they are attentive and I just feel more comfortable with them. It feels more like a true mom and shop then the other LBS which feels like a big city bike shop. They even pick up and deliver which is an added plus.

So, I am in the same dilemma as the OP. I want to start going to this other LBS just because they are smaller and more personal service but they don't have the name brand bikes and the added "lifetime tune up" that the other LBS has.

In any event, sorry for hijacking. I also feel the same way the OP feels. Part of me whats to switch over but the other part feels like I need to stickit out. Is it unusual to have 2 LBS's?

I have been shown how to change bike tires..and keep on forgetting/maybe need to practice.

By the way, not all guys enjoy changing bike tires either. That includes my partner....and this is a guy who built his own farmhouse years ago and has a civil engineering degree.

Even going to a bike store run by someone who I personally know, still means I have to be firm with the store's bike mechanics. After all, they don't know me.

In a way, I almost don't expect a bike store to carry much cycling clothing that suits my personal taste/preferences. And I don't want to deal with customs brokerage fees/their possibility, if I order online from outside of Canada.

The value of YouTube and similar tools would help some people who were willing to learn but they were not immediately accessible to the bike store.

I felt awkward and out-of-place in pretty much every shop I went to here. So both of my bikes (!!) were bought online. One ebay, one craigslist. But when the mountain bike needed a little work I decided to give one of the shops a second chance. When I rolled the bike in they immediately asked me how I liked it - which threw me off. They thought it was one of their demos!! I told them I liked it so much that I bought it, which broke the ice. They were exceptionally helpful after that, but I guess I needed some way to stand out. I think it also helped that I came in with a bike that would appear to be hand-built (not as in, custom made, but as in, none of the parts really "match" so obviously not bought off the rack) but well-thought-out bike. I didn't tell them that another shop owner had built it up for himself :) If thinking I had some say in it gets me better service, then I'll take it.

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

I'm not sure what my experience with my LBS is. To be honest, I bought my bike from them and really liked my salesperson. In fact, I tried to buy another one for my husband but it ended in disaster (had to cancel the order). To be honest, I feel a bit intimidated and stupid when I am there, almost like I have to buy something or I'm wasting their time.

The LBS near me is the busiest LBS in the area. They are more expensive than everyone else but offer free lifetime tuneups if you spend over a certain amount. The problem is that they are so busy that you have to wait a long time to get serviced and the salesperson is usually servicing multiple people at a time. They have a ton of bikes, but not a lot of accessories. To be honest, I have purchased all my accessories from other places (including online) because they have a better selection.

Recently I found another LBS that is smaller and that I feel more at ease with. They don't carry the big name brand bikes like the other LBS (specialized, trek etc) but they are attentive and I just feel more comfortable with them. It feels more like a true mom and shop then the other LBS which feels like a big city bike shop. They even pick up and deliver which is an added plus.

So, I am in the same dilemma as the OP. I want to start going to this other LBS just because they are smaller and more personal service but they don't have the name brand bikes and the added "lifetime tune up" that the other LBS has.

In any event, sorry for hijacking. I also feel the same way the OP feels. Part of me whats to switch over but the other part feels like I need to stickit out. Is it unusual to have 2 LBS's?

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So the choices are a shop that intimidates you, is expensive and has long wait times, or a friendly place that you like? Forget the lifetime tune up and go where you are comfortable.

I have two go to bike stores and a third that I visit on occasion. The first one is where I bought my bike and where they do all of my mechanical work. They carry a wide range of bikes, helmets, shoes, socks , gloves and helmets but not much clothing. They are definitely road and racing oriented with a secondary interest in mountain biking. They sponsor several local rides, host two weekly rides and are around at the charity rides with several mechanics and sweep riders. While I haven't made a significantly huge purchase from them recently, I do make a point of going in frequently to eyeball the bikes, and they know that I will eventually be ordering my madone build from them when I get enough saved up. They know my bike and will take a moment to do a quick adjustment if I ride in off the road. I also go to them as the are the closest for gu and gel and other nutritional stuff and chamois butter. These are the guys that get the batch of homemade cookies or 6 pack of home brew from time to time because they take such good care of my bike.

The second bike store is a lot further away and is actually more of a tri bike store with swimming and running but they do carry interesting clothing and fun bits and bobs like knog frog lights and jingle dingle bells. Fun eye candy. Plus they used to have a womens group that I used to ride with.

The third is just one I visit off and on when I am in the area. They are ok but seem rather bothered and flustered if I ask any technical questions. They are mostly into commuter/urban biking and mountain biking and don't actually carry very many road or higher end bikes but it is good to go in and eyeball the stuff.

I am lucky to have a choice.

I have 2 I go to, a third, well, DS used for race for them, they actually are nice, have great mechanics, but not really close. I've only been there with other people, lately, looking at bikes.
The first store is the one I bought my bikes from. I only go there if it's something they need to do to related to the Guru purchase. In the past, I have run in there to buy a pair of socks, levers, etc. I did buy both pairs of my new shoes there.
The other shop is just as close, and DS worked there in HS. They also "know" me by name, or at least "Hey, there's Scott's mom." The owners are slightly weird and the male half is not that friendly. They sponsor lots of local charity things. Shop #1 sponsors racers. I have bought more commuter related things there; blinkies, a visibility vest, etc. They carry the only gloves I can tolerate, so I buy them there, as Botranger obviously has price fixing and no one ever has them on sale. We tried to buy x country skis there (another specialty), but they were trying to convince us to buy something we didn't want... and we don't know half as much about skis, so we ran away quickly.
Shop one sells high end brands, some I've never heard of, and Giant. They have a good selection of kid's bikes. They have bikes that cost 15-20K :eek:. Shop #2 sells Trek and Specialized, not sure what else. They have a lot of hybrids, too.
Both of these shops are medium sized, in terms of the amount of stuff they have, but they are in smaller spaces. Shop #3 is very big. They sell Trek, Specialized and a lot of other brands, too. A whole floor of clothes and accessories. I never bought a bike there, but DS bought 2 there and they did some mechanical work for us before DH learned everything. The same mechanic is there that was there in 2000, which is unusual.
I bought my mtb at another "large" well known store here. They treated me like a non person and only addressed DH. This was before I was really knowledgeable, and I paid for it later. My bike was too big. DH had bought his Trek there and liked them, but at that point, he was a younger, tougher rider who was very fast. Your typical male buyer.

I love my bike store! But there are days when the guys who I know on a first name basis, are grumpy, especially one of them. It just so happens I like quirky people. There is one guy there that is the best salesman around. He can get me to buy anything, and he knows how to set me up with something that helps me grow as a cyclist, without being more than I need. I did buy a bike at a different store once, because they offer lifetime free tuneups. I still wish I had asked MY bike store to order it for me instead, just because they are so in tune to my needs. They have done us up right, and my husband takes a six pack of good beer to them once in a while because they spend so much time with us. My favorite salesman teases me though, because I have yet to change my own tube. I carry 4 or 5 tubes with me, but my husband changes them. I have only had a flat twice in 10,000 miles!:D. Pat teases me about carrying all the tubes, but it's like carrying an umbrella to keep it from raining.