Lies bike shops tell you

[Irulan]

Had a weekend visit from a good friend who brought her new mountain bike up. We had a good laugh over the BS we've heard bike shopping:

she was told that the only small frames out there were WSD... no one makes regular (men's) small frames. The shop didn't have a good answer when she asked him what short guys were riding.

I was told that no one made FS bike that would fit me. This was at a shop where the smallest FS frame they had was a 17" "small" NRS.
Even my teen son snorted at that one.. he was with me.

How on earth do they expect to keep/earn business when they shovel out this stuff?

Irulan

[TXchris]

My husband and I were out shopping for my hybrid (Raleigh SC 40) last summer. He had just bought a road bike and was getting ready for RAGBRAI. We were joking with each other about me going along on the trip with my hybrid dragging the kids in the trailer. The DUMB salesman came up and said "Oh yeah, if you're in descent shape, you should be able to do that ride on this bike without a problem at all." We explained to him that RAGBRAI is a week long, 500 mile ride across Iowa. He continued to insist that "anyone in descent shape should be able to do it just fine on this bike."

Excuse me??? I don't think so! I love it for what it is, but let's face it... It is a city cruisin' curb hopper... not a road bike or even a touring bike for that matter. I don't care what kind of shape you are in, you are going to walk WAY funny after trying to ride that far on that thing. This is not to mention how many hours of riding per day it would require to complete the route!

I bought my bike elsewhere .

[Kpicha]

Oh lordy, and the lazy mechanics that go along with that!

My LBS put on new tires (tubeless) but the rear one keeps going flat every other day so, I brought it back in to have it re-seated and the guy hands me my bike and says, "Well, all it needed was a little air" so, I'm thinking "great, he didn't even bother to take it off". I let him know that I had just pumped it up the day before yesterday, and three days before that and his response was, "Oh tubeless tires always do that. That's just part of using tubeless systems." Right, as if, tubeless tires are SUPPOSED to go flat every other day. So, now I'm out the money I paid to have them put the tires on and am having to do this myself, anyway. Pfffft!

Kristina

[missliz]

The BS is bad, but those lazy SOBs are dangerous- one put a tire with a defective casing on my first MT bike, I guess he didn't beleive that I actually rode on the dirt. He said "it looks a little strange but It'll straighten out as you ride it." I was new to the sport and had no clue that somebody would do a thing like that to me. It was on the front wheel and managed to jam me up and over into a total headplant. I had whiplash from my skull to my butt and a really nasty concussion. The tire was an Onza, and naturally they went out of business that week. The piddling proceeds from the lawsuit against the shop (Bayou Bicycles) were hardly worth the two weeks in bed. I should OWN that stinkin' shop. The mechanics name is Mark Manson, and I'm still looking for his sorry butt on the trail.
Be careful. I've seen some totally unscrupulous stuff done to people by shops, my experience being the worst but I'm surprised more people aren't injured on badly set up bikes, on clipless pedals for beginning riders, on all sorts of scary stuff I see about town. I feel blessed to have a shop who doesn't jerk anybody around.

missliz

Yeah, I'd be dead if I wasn't wearing a helmet. Why don't those same lousy shops explain about helmets? Or traffic laws? My first good shop gave a handout with the bike on traffic code and how not to get killed.

[Terry]

I have a son who live, sleeps and eats cycling...he's got that gaunt look. So, when I went to purchase, we spent a lot of time on the phone going over details...I'm lucky, I suppose, but he gives me grief if I go to a big chain, like Supergo instead of supporting my local shop.

The other day, I was in an REI looking for a head band because I lost mine/on sale...the sales guy was trying to sell a middle-aged guy with a road bike mountain shoes. They guy doesn't clip-in but just rides with the kids on the dirt canal paths...the BS he was giving this guy to sell him shoes was unbelievable! (here we go again with the shoes...) Sigh...

Also, where I live, the bike shops are under law to provide information about helmets. As a matter of fact, when I purchased my bike, they asked if I had a helmet/what kind, ect. I was practically told that I couldn't leave the shop with out a helmet.
I had to sign a paper about owning a helmet, I was instructed and fitted, I was required to learn how my quick release brakes worked and had to physically show the salesperson how I knew how it worked, then signed off that he showed me. It was an ordeal but, they told me it was required and I had to sign as many papers as refinancing a mortgage making sure I knew how to work all parts on the bike and had a helmet. Whew.
However, did you all know that the state of AZ does not require motorcyclist to wear a helmet? Go figure.
Terry

[coolbeansbikes]

Originally posted by TXchris
My husband and I were out shopping for my hybrid (Raleigh SC 40) last summer. He had just bought a road bike and was getting ready for RAGBRAI. We were joking with each other about me going along on the trip with my hybrid dragging the kids in the trailer. The DUMB salesman came up and said "Oh yeah, if you're in descent shape, you should be able to do that ride on this bike without a problem at all." We explained to him that RAGBRAI is a week long, 500 mile ride across Iowa. He continued to insist that "anyone in descent shape should be able to do it just fine on this bike."

I am confused?!? I have a Raleigh M60 and switch tires often between slicks & knobbies. I have ridden CNC (Cycle North Carolina - 470+ miles in 5 days, my first looong ride) and CSC (Cycle South Carolina - 400+ miles in 6 days, my second looong ride) on this bike using slick tires. My sister did the CSC ride with me on her Trek Hybrid. We have also done a century ride in GA on these bikes.

Since I've never even sat on a road bike, is this just a case of not missing what I never had?

[missliz]

I think it's not missing what you never had. At the turn of the last century, a troop of us army soldiers rode 50 pound steel unsuspended bikes considered pretty primitive today from south Dakota to St Louis- a thousand plus miles on unpaved roads or no roads. With a full pack. WE couldn't ride those bikes! Not to the coffee shop. Too spoiled.
There's a documentary about this on PBS American Experience, lookfor it, and it centers on the fact that they made the black soldiers do it, but this is also the story of the first hardcore cross country gonzo dirt tour. The safety bicycle was being tested to replace horses or marching, then the internal combustion engine came in so it never happened. At the same time, the wheel played a huge role in the womens suffrage movement- the bike helped us get the vote!
Anyway, other people ride tours on hybrids too. I know retired racers with SI joint problems who use high quality hybrids with Look pedals to go centuries. The issue is more about good equipment selection, good fitting, good fitness. If you're comfortable on your bike and riding these events in fine form, keep at it. When you find yourself leaning low over the bars too get more aero then it's time to look at drop bar bikes but as long as you are comfortable and having fun, keep having fun. Not every body can do the aero position for 100 miles, and bike people can get pretty equipment snooty. I do it myself. It's excitement over neat toys.
To Txchris's credit, a lot off shop staff WILL say anything stupid to get you to buy something. Be picky, ride only what you like and feel good about.

missliz

[Irulan]

here's the link for what Missliz brought up. I found this a few weeks ago and man those guys were tough. They actually rode from Missoula Montana ( Ft. Missoula) to St. Louis in 1897

1897 mountain biking

check out the bikes, I think they are left hand drive.

Irulan

[goddess1222]

i would like to second terry on an experience i had just recently at REI. i know a lot more than the average person, so when i look at a bike, i know what i am talking about.

this woman walks up behind me to ask if i need help, i tell her i'm just looking. she then continues to point out which bikes are the "women's bikes", and which are the "men's bikes." i decide to see how much she really knows about bikes. so i ask her: " are any of the bikes WSD?" she had no clue what i was talking about.
after that, she then proceeded to finally leave me alone.

some of the bikes in there are so over priced!!! i am amazed!! a few i could have found much cheaper, with the same components at my lbs for so much less.

[missliz]

What's really scary is that those chain store bikes are assembled by any old idiot they can hire off the street. The best equipment in the world is no good if it's not correctly put together and tuned up.
Hi Goddess and Irulan! Been down, thought about you all at this board. Had nothing nice to say when I was hurt, though. Bought 16 tiaras at ebay and yes, I found some for my bikes. Adam almost couldn't help put it on he was laughing so hard.

missliz

[Irulan]

Hi back, I was wondering when you were going to pop in. Hurt again, ouchies. ;-( heal fast.

I won't buy bike gear of substance at REI because it has that dept store feel for their bike section. I've been told that the mechanic here in town is supposed to be really good, but frankly I don't want to try him and see.

Irulan

[Kpicha]

Does REI carry Trek bikes? I think "WSD" is a marketing term specific to Trek and the REI around here only carries Novarra, K2 and Fisher, I think. I wonder if that's why that lady didn't know what you were talking about? I hope that's the case anyway! Its a bit scary when you realize you know more about something than your LBS!

REI is definitely overpriced, but surprisingly, their home brand bike clothes are top notch. I've been wearing the same pair of shorts going on two years now and after all the falls and washings, they still look new. I can't even say the same for most of my normal, everyday clothes!

Now, if they only sold tiaras

[Dogmama]

When I was buying my first real road bike, I tested a bike on "closeout" (read: we can't pedal this turkey to anybody). Looking back, the geometry was really weird - I was WAY stretched out ("You'll get used to it") and you needed several strong men and a team of horses to shift ("It will loosen up.") I'm glad I went with my gut & didn't buy it - after all - I DO love a sale!

[coolbeansbikes]

missliz - thanks for the clarification ... at this point I'm still comfortable on my M60 (although slower than most LOL) ... and I do realize that some sellers will say just about anything to make the sale!

irulan - thanks for the link on the Missoula bikers missliz spoke of! Wow - 70 pounds of bike & gear!! I am amazed that they actually made it when some days they didn't get to the next camp and so had no food!!

[goddess1222]

we missed you Liz!!! sorry about the injury. did you read up on my crash on mother's day? what a fun time. not. hope you are feeling better.