Testing bikes-Etiquette

[plantluvver]

After reading another post on LBS purchase and service, is it possible LBS price includes later adjustment for cable stretch and REI price doesn't?

Though if so the LBS should tell you to come back in a few weeks.

My dad was a plumber, and he always fixed everything himself, (though working on bikes with pipe wrenches really messes with their paint jobs. ) I've inherited his DIY or is it DIX gene. I figure I need to buy a tool ONCE, but I gotta pay someone else EVERY TIME.

[btchance]

plantluvver, you sound like me. Anything I have that stops working WILL be taken apart to see if I can fix it before I let anyone else touch it. (my grandfather, dad, and two of my brothers are the same way). and you know what, I enjoy doing it!

[bikerbarb]

Well, in this case, if the LBS included a check back for free to see if the cable stretched and REI did not and one was required to pay again, the cost for 2 services at REI would add up to half the cost of the one service charge at the bike store in question.
I'm glad REI is here, it is now a LBS in our neighborhood. I'm feeling less warmly toward the original bike store given several recent experiences (I won't rant about them all) that include catching them at things like downgrading the saddle my new bike is supposed to come with and then charging me extra for the saddle they put on it.

[KnottedYet]

Ooooh, that's nasty. That sounds like Quillfred and her pedal problem.

(did I mention how much I love my LBS? www.recycledcycles.com )

[bike4ever]

I do believe you will find across the country hits/misses with REI. Some are run more as a local business with others appearing to be the straight corporate line. You do have to shop around with your LBS. Some shops will give you the complete/total attention with others ignoring you waiting for the thousand dollar bike sale.

The shop I manage rewards their employees by encouraging positive costomer service. We receive 1% of the sale if the transaction has a specific amount of items on it. This offers the employees the opportunity to explain the benefits/safety factor of the accessories - helmets, lights, bottle cage, etc. This also encourages the employees to really get to know their customers - where do they ride, how often, what are their goals.

[Bad JuJu]

I like REI for their large and varied inventory, not to mention that nice little dividend every year. But I also have noticed big differences among different REI stores. In comparison, once you've built a good relationship with an LBS, that's usually something that sticks. I was off my bike for most of last year, but the LBS folks remember me and still provide good service plus a few little perks since I've been doing business with them for so long--nothing huge, but enough to make me keep going back there (free bungees when I bought a car rack, a free tube when I bought two new tires, accepting a 15% deposit on a layaway bike instead of the 25% they usually require). Add that to the happy circumstance that they are at the trailhead of the local rail trail, and you can see why I wouldn't go anywhere else.

On the other hand, if you live near enough to a well-run REI store that is friendly and responsive to your needs, and that can become your LBS, that's great, too.

[Brandy]

I haven't read all of the replies, but when I was buying my bike off of Craigslist, I called a LBS and was totally upfront with them. I just needed to make sure that the Trek 1000 54cm was indeed my size and I told them that I was planning to buy used. They were totally cool with letting me try out the bike for size and I bought my pedals from them a few days later.