Grrrr, why do they always assume?

[mimitabby]

Sundial, great story.
My experience in bike shops (when I'm noticed at all) is that they act very uncertain because they can't categorize me. I'm old but not overweight. It's kind of fun (when i'm noticed at all)

bad experience: when i was trying to get my bianchi to fit me, we decided we'd put a steel fork on it. I went to the bikeshop (eastside bikeshop) without DH so it was just me and the people that work there; all 30 and under. I told them i wanted a steel fork and 4 or 5 of them insisted that carbon was better... They actually ganged up on me!
So i wasted my $$$ and got another carbon fork. I got home and DH said "I thought you were getting steel?!?!?" I was outnumbered, they didn't listen, they all knew SO MUCH MORE than ME.

I did not buy a bike from them.

[KnottedYet]

Just had an odd bike shopping experience!

During my lunchbreak I went to the same shop that needed prompting to pay attention to me. I needed a t-handled 5mm wrench and bar tape. I had my "L" Allen with me, so I could show them how it was too short to reach into the brake lever and measure it against a T handle to be sure it would fit.

Desk chickie wasn't sure what I was asking for, but was trying to help. A *customer* (man in his 20's) was being a royal pain! He was insisting that what I already had would work, that the "Y" handle with the stubby wrench part was just the same, that all I needed was to buy a set of "L" wrenches and take the ring off, and got mad at me when I kept saying no!

I went to the back of the shop to the mechanic, cuz I figured he would at least take me seriously enough to listen long enough to know what I was asking. Nice guy, treated me well. He found the same brake-only lever and tried the 'Y' they sell on it, showed me how to trim it with a knife to make it fit into the lever. Whew!

[elk]

I Love that you call him Sparky; that kills me!!!

I can now see why the Bike Gallery consistently wins high marks as a LBS here...the mechanics are older, the salespeople are totally NOT snobbish. I think they figured out the customer service part....

I just wish more women worked in bike shops...thats one
thing I like about River City. I ASKED for a woman salesperson, got one, and she was great. Made me try 3 different sizes of the same bike....

In the end I had to pick between a 52 that fit great but didn't have a walk through...and a 53 that did. I took the 53.

not quite sure what that has to do with it...

[sundial]

I'm waiting for Knotted to open a women friendly bike shop. She can instruct the gals how to choose the right bike, maintenance, and most importantly, good footwear with the correct insoles.

[El Hombre]

I used to manage a shop. First thing I learned was to keep my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut That policy saved my bacon daily.

Knotted - These are the wrenches you need. They are ball ended so you can get at stuff at wonky angles.

[KnottedYet]

El Hombre - those are so beautiful they bring tears to my eyes.

So far I've trimmed the "handle" of the 5mm and 6mm ends of my $5.95 "Y" Allen wrench so they fit in the brake lever and the bar-con stopper.

I'm really trying to love the bike shop down near where I work, but nothing compares to my LBS: www.recycledcycles.com I was having trouble with the bar-cons just a few minutes ago, and called them for help. They were closed (winter hours now) and in a staff meeting, but they put me on speaker phone so they could brainstorm to help me.

I love LOVE Recycled Cycles!

[DirtDiva]

'K, so mine aren't as flash as those Pedros numbers, but the first bike tool I bought was a set of decently-long, ball-ended allen keys. So fricken' useful.

[Mr. Bloom]

After we got married in 1986, Silver took auto mechanics with a couple of women from work.

A few months into our marriage, we went to buy a car.

While Silver is under the hood talking with the salesman about rack and pinion "this" and fuel injected "that", I'm inside playing with the stereo buttons going "this is really cool!" and feeling the upholstery!

The salesman couldn't process this at all.

So, I told Silver to negotiate the price of the car.

We knew we did the right thing when, after two days of haggling, she set the price that we were willing to pay and the sales MANAGER said "shouldn't I be talking to your husband?"

Well, Silver got a great deal and I'm convinced it was because SHE knew what she was talking about and THEY couldn't handle a strong minded woman with knowledge!

Next time someone treats you like a "little girl", you show them what you know!

[CR400]

I can't remember having to endure this at any of the bike shops I have been to. But I usually go in acting and knowing what is going on and what I want. I hate to be pesterd by sales people until I have a question I want anwserd. The only problem I had was when I first got my bike I should have made sure it was a better fit, and had them replace the 172 cranks with 170 before I left the shop. I have been reaping this stupidity for years now.

[Kimmyt]

I recently posted on a ski related forum I go to, but this seemed relevant. I went into a ski shop to look at gear and immediately a salesman asked me what color I was looking for while I looked at the (pitiful) selection of skis they had.

I walked right back out, but then came right back in to tell the idiot that his idea of humor, wasn't.

K.

[rij73]

Once I went into a shop and started talking bikes with a *woman* salesperson. After a while, she says, "Wow, you are a TRIP! You gotta come back when the owner is in. He's going to get such a kick out of you... You've got the lingo down and *everything*!"

I wasn't sure how to react. I just laughed and told her that I tend to get obsessive over my interests. But, she was a woman who knew about bikes. Should she have acted *so* surprised at my level of knowledge?

In fact, I did come in when the owner was there. He acted as normal as could be, and we had a great talk about bikes. He didn't seem surprised at all... Go figure!

That reminds me of another story. A few months ago my car broke down and I needed it towed. I usually deal with all the car issues, since I'm home all the time, and DH is quite busy. Our car (which I adore) is a 1996 Saturn SL. It has *no* power steering and is a stick shift. Mind you, I live in Brooklyn, which requires me moving the car once a week for street cleaning rules, and I always must parallel park. This is something I'm totally used to, and don't give it a second thought. Of course it's harder than an automatic with power steering, but big deal, right?!

So, the tow truck driver gets in the car to release the brake so he can tow it. He realizes the car's "features", and gets out, looks at me incredulously, and says in the absolute most sincere way, "You mean to tell me a sweet little thing like you actually drives and parks this car in the city???" Again, I didn't even know what to say! I wasn't angry, but just amazed at how wrong that whole question even was!

[sundial]

Knotted, sounds like you have experienced bike shop Nirvana.

KimmyT, I can't believe the nerve of that person. I would have selected a ski and *accidentally* bumped his noggin with it on my way out the door. Color my foot!

Mr. Silver, I usually wrap up the deals when we buy vehicles. My husband just sits there and smiles as he watches the salesperson's expression change as I calculate his bull on paper.

[Bklynmom]

Bike shops could take a leaf from our local Jack Rabbit running/tri store.

I go to a bike shop where a coach friend works, but when he's not there it is a nightmare, just like everyone else describes.

At Jack Rabbitt (7th Avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn) , the manager always helps me, even the teenagers are really respectful. I had a very informative discussion about recovery drinks with a 20 year old triathlete with zero attitude at all. And I certainly don't fit the athletic profile in terms of size and age. They are supportive and encouraging and not at all condescending at all - sometimes I just go in to buy a little something because they are so positive and they give me a boost.

All this is to say it is totally possible to have an athletic store with a great vibe -- how come there just isn't a bike store like that?

[Irulan]

I once got respect in a bike shop just for walking in with my spd shoes aaaaand ... Impeach Bush bike socks.

where did you get those?

It's much more productive to have a nice chat with the manager than to walk out annoyed and never go back. While the chances are 50-50 that the manager will "get it", IMNSHO it's worth it to try and do a little gentle education.

As a small business owner myself, I'd rather know where I've got room for improvement, or where my employees need to improve, than to have people go out and talk negatively about my business.

[onimity]

Wow, you ladies make me feel really lucky!

From the moment I walked into my LBS they listened to what *I* wanted and treated me with respect. They always encourage (and teach) me to fix things myself.

I first went in there a little over a year ago, my previous MTB had been stolen years before but it kind of turned me off on bikes, never fit well, heavy, chain always dropped. So I told the guy at the LBS that I wanted a hybrid (with the intent of taking it around town & on some easy trails). I was mostly looking to get used to riding a bike again before riding the "World's most dangerous road" in Bolivia. He told me that he would suggest a (similarly priced) MTB, because I could always put slicks on it if city riding was my thing, but it would increase the range of trails open to me. Then he went on: and you can always put racks and fenders on it if you want to start commuting on it...come in for our free maintenance class next week & learn to change a flat...they fit the bike to me really well & while I initially laughed at the commuting thing I was back there in a few months for the rack. And he was right about the versatility...I quickly became hooked on MTBing.

Now I am planning my first long solo touring trip and they are *so* helpful. The mechanic is helping me learn how to repair the most likely things to break and they are full of good advice even suggesting products they don't carry in some cases over products they do. They are going to let me bring an old bike in to work on it in their shop (myself) so I can ask questions when I have them. (they have a workstand and tools set up for the public) Of course I buy almost all of my bike gear from them because I really love their supportive attitude & respect.

So sorry that so many of you have been treated poorly by your LBSs, you'd think that they'd get out of the stone age sooner or later! I know the feeling though, I teach highly technical engineering courses & look a fair amount younger than I am; I get everything from skeptical looks to 'YOU are teaching THIS course?!?' Um, yea. Sometimes you just have to bite your tongue and show people that genitalia doesn't figure into intelligence or capability for abstract thought. But then again, those people are paying me! I'd have a hard time giving my LBS any business if they copped that sort of attitude.

Anne