First *real* bicycle as a grown up... more drama than I had bargained for...

[ny biker]

If I need help in a store and I see several sales people standing around doing nothing, I don't wait for them to notice me. I go up to them and ask for help.

But in my LBS, they always greet me and ask if I need anything. It's one of the reasons I shop there.

[zeWoo]

If I need help in a store and I see several sales people standing around doing nothing, I don't wait for them to notice me. I go up to them and ask for help.

But in my LBS, they always greet me and ask if I need anything. It's one of the reasons I shop there.

I personally feel that when I'm about to make a high ticket item purchase(over 500.00), that very fact, warrants me not having to go over and smoke out one of three guys standing in the bike shop doing nothing, but shootin' the breeze to come help me. Sure, it's passive aggressive, but that's just the way I see it. If it were a bike light or some type of small accessory and I don't see what I'm looking for right off the bat, than yeah, fine, they don't even have to move, just point me to the goods -- I'm probably asking before they have a chance to say anything... but when I'm standing there looking like a lost ball in high weeds for more than a couple of minutes, there's a reason, and that reason is I want you to come to me. -- As the customer, I would like to hold on to this tiny sliver of entitlement ... wrong or right, that's how I roll.

[Geonz]

"find the old guy" ... snork!!!

When I was making my first "real bike" buy, I test rode about a dozen bikes. At the very last shop, I rode a bike that felt better than all the rest... but then I was afraid that that was just because I was riding better. So I went and test rode the ones I had already tested.

I went back to that bike shop because they didn't feel as good and... that bike had been sold, and it was a "last year's model," so they didn't have one I could afford... but I asked, "why would it feel better?" and the guy said it was because Bianchi stems have a different angle... and promptly took a stem from a Bianchi and put it on the Giant I had just ridden... and yea! it was great!

It was a slow day and a small shop so I had two guys out there... and I asked about comfort for longer rides, since I had only ridden these things around the lot a few times. I was thinking back pain... and as the young guy kinda stared off into the distance, the old guy proceeded to tell me the importance of paying attention to whether there was pressure on the soft vaginal tissues... that you felt pressure on the bony stuff right away, but the soft tissues would really hurt you later.

Welp, that wasn't an issue right then, but years later when I was trying out a new saddle, I realized "This is what that old guy was talking about!!"

I still have that entry level GIant, with an Xtracycle Free Radical on it, and it gets 5000+ miles per year. (Everyhting but the frame's been replaced at some point or another, I b'lieve.) I also have a 7.5FX that I love for faster and longer rides.

So! I also think you are awesome for sticking to your guns and persevering ... this *is* a sweet obsession that will pay off. TEST RIDE. See what feels good.

[LadyinWhite]

I live with in minutes of several very busy, popular bike shops and I have done business (bought bikes & gear) from all of them over the years. Then suddenly I found THE lbs which had the perfect (to me) combination of amazing bikes/gear, helpful (not pushy) staff and a genuinely kind, welcoming, interested and helpful owner regardless of your fitness & cycling interest. He's a former pro cyclist and knowing that intimidated me at first... til I got to know him.

Reading through all these posts I feel SO lucky to have found this shop. I drive 30 min to get to it, passed all the others.. but it is so worth it.

T.

[ny biker]

Reading through all these posts I feel SO lucky to have found this shop. I drive 30 min to get to it, passed all the others.. but it is so worth it.

Yes, the LBS I shop at most often, and where I bought my bike, is not nearly the closest to my house. They are worth the trip. And they're close enough to other stores that I can usually make an errand-fest out of it.

[lph]

"find the old guy" that's what I do when I need girly stuff like make-up that I know too little about, find some kindly matron who will tell me what I need without making me feel like a dork

I know about feeling like the bike is tiny. I felt the same way first time I tried a road bike, it was like handling a toy. Remember mtbs are built for really hard riding, jumps and landings and stuff, so the frame has to take lot more than a road bike. Honest, they're plenty strong. Little miracles of engineering! But you do want good wheels.

In my perfect store, the salespeople notice me as soon as I come in, call out "Hi! Let me know if you need any help!" and go on doing whatever they're doing. I love that.