I was having a conversation with a relative newcomer to cycling on the weekend, a guy by the name Michael. Specifically, he was recounting his rather patronising experiences at two different bike shops in the last few weeks, each of whom seemed far more interested in selling him something quickly, than actually helping him with what he needed.
I’ll let Michael tell the story from here…
“The two shops I visited are part of the reason why I think online shopping is so popular. I got a flat, and realised there was a chunk of the tyre missing, and figured I needed a new one, quickly, as in the morning I was racing.
Shop 1. This shop has been around since I was a kid, in fact my first mountain bike was purchased from them growing up. I asked for a 700×23 tyre. The answer I got from the young kid behind the counter was ‘We don’t have anything in a 23, but we do have a 25. I strongly recommend this.’ At this stage I walked out, because if you don’t even have a 700×23 tyre, surely you shouldn’t be in the cycling world? The strong recommendation also felt very much to me like ‘this will do mate because this is all we have.’ At $50, I wasn’t throwing money at the wrong size tyre.
Shop 2. The next morning I went to another bike shop I knew would have a wider selection. I told them ‘I race crits, I need a 700×23 tyre that will be okay for grip, but with a certain level of durability.’ The young guy pulled a tyre off the shelf and said ‘this is a good tyre.’ Looking at the packaging I asked ‘I this going to be okay, it says it is a training tyre?’ It was a genuine question as I’m new and don’t want to go into a corner and crash. He looked over to the mechanic behind the counter who called out ‘What do you want?’ Once again, I explained the crit racing. I was told ‘triathletes like training with this, they are a good hard wearing tyre.’ Unconvinced, I said ‘do you have something in the middle or super grippy?’ The gruff answer this time was ‘That tyre will be okay.’
With no other option I bought the tyre and walked out the door. However I quickly turned around and walked back in, as they had given me the wrong size. $45 later I was still not confident in my purchase, and the ‘that will do’ attitude sure doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy.”
Michael may be a noobie. But he’s not an idiot. As you can probably tell, he was pretty worked up by all this, not least because he also knows just how much pressure overseas and online retailers are placing on the LBS. You’re rarely cheaper, you’re rarely the sole retailer for the item/s concerned, so if you don’t offer great customer service, what exactly are you offering?
As someone from a marketing background myself, this kind of service – in all retail categories, not just cycling – has always perplexed me. But from a cycling-specific perspective, perhaps the saddest part in all of this to me, is that I had exactly the same experiences myself about four years back when I really threw myself into my cycling. I too was patronised. I too was given a bum steer toward things that, in hindsight, weren’t what I really needed. I too was made to feel like a halfwit for asking what I felt were genuine questions at the time. As a direct result I too started researching and buying a LOT of my gear from online retailers, something I did for about two years before gaining enough confidence to re-enter the world of the LBS where I far prefer to spend my money nowadays.
I must say until speaking with Michael I felt things had improved considerably since my beginnings in cycling, and perhaps they have. But from his perspective it’s been a pretty shitty road so far. I can’t imagine he’ll willingly set foot in either of those bike shops ever again.
With so many new people coming into cycling – with all their new enthusiasm and money – why wouldn’t all retailers embrace the noobies with open arms? Their cash is the same as everyone else’s and, frankly, once they get bitten by the bug as many inevitably will, they’re likely to keep spending and upgrading for years to come. In simple marketing terms it’s called understanding the lifetime value of a customer. Sure, Michael may only have wanted a $7 tube or a $50 tyre. But who’s to say he wouldn’t be back next month to buy a $6,000 bike? Or $3,000 wheelset? As well as recommend their store to his 450+ cashed-up clubmates?
Now this is not to say all bike shops are like this. Clearly they are not, and as Michael himself was at pains to point out, there are many that do offer great service. But clearly some bike shop owners and sales staff out there just don’t get it and are surely living on borrowed time?
“Maybe the Retailers’ Association and retailers in general should stop bitching about online shopping killing local businesses,” says Michael, “and spend more time looking at employing sales staff that really want to be there, and care about your purchase.”
Now there’s an idea.
Carbon Addiction 
“I had exactly the same experiences myself about four years back when I really threw myself into my cycling. I too was patronised. I too was given a bum steer toward things that, in hindsight, weren’t what I really needed. I too was made to feel like a halfwit for asking what I felt were genuine questions at the time. As a direct result I too started researching and buying a LOT of my gear from online retailers, something I did for about two years before gaining enough confidence to re-enter the world of the LBS”
^ Absolutely the same as my own experience. I goto LBS now but only because I know exactly what I want and I want it NOW. BUT, I still get the same crappy vibe from 90% of LBS who seem genuinely miffed that there is a customer coming into the store to take them away from doing nothing….
I will stick to my two LBS stores. I cant get a bike fit online, and I cant get what I may need today from the UK. But I have had one LBS for many years and the know me very well. There is no way an online retailer can beat them on price. Don’t care why, but they can not.
My other LBS is where I got my last bike. And yes I experienced a similar experience. I wanted to buy a BMC, my 5th to be exact, and I knew what I wanted. I went to our largest BMC seller here and was told that I was looking for the wrong bike and I should try a Cannondale. I insisted on the BMC and was told that it would not work for me and would not ride right. So I left. I am over 100kgs and have been told by this same store once that racing bikes are not for me, I should buy a hybrid if I want to use Beach Rd (no I am not joking, I had people with me that were just as shocked).
I found another shop and went to them, they told me that the model I want is available on order, they organised a test ride, fitted me to it and I tried it. I loved it, took it to the hills on the first day and Beach Rd the next. It was fast, zippy and corners like an angel sings.
Moral of the story, if your LBS isnt working for you, find another. Stick with them and you will beat online prices. And better yet, you will take home your purchase on the day.
Good advice Ed, couldn’t agree more.
Just recently snapped a quicklink. I had tried a cheap-o Clarks brand after years of trouble free Connex quicklink use. I was able to buy a SRAM quicklink – which was a pain to remove later – and was told that because I had oiled the chain and not used rocking horse ear wax mixed with fairy piss solvent the pin broke, and that because the oil was pretty filthy (yes, 2000km from new and about to be cleaned), it must have been making ugly noises and not changing gear properly, etc, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth. The pin certainly didn’t snap because of the type of lubrication, and the gears made no audible noises and change gear just fine.
No wonder I buy all my stuff online and build and maintain my bicycles without their “help”.
They would probably have a fit if they realised my rear wheel has a 24 hole rim on a 32 hole hub, with 16 spokes 3x on the DS and 8 spokes 1x on the NDS. “Daaahh – why are there so many spokes missing, Man?”
As a new cyclist it’s a source of frustration for me. I’d rather use a LBS than online, but everywhere I’ve tried so far I’ve been brushed off or taken for granted. If I find a shop with great service and reasonable prices and staff who portray respect for me as a noob, I’ll be a customer for life.
I know some local stores have helped Michael out a lot. Remember who is sponsoring the local races that we all enjoy so much, and that’s not offshore online mass merchants
100% right Nash. And might I just say yours wasn’t one of the shops in question, you’re one of the ‘good guys’.
Always easier to blame someone else (in this case online retailers), then look at yourself (in this case LBS).
The good thing to come out of the local bike shop being so bad – is that I now have the skills to fix any issue on the bike.
I was speaking to a veteran of bike racing about a year ago about shaved legs, and his comment was, “I only shave my legs to get better service in bike shops”.
Stu
Hi Guys,
I want to make it clear that Nash and his team are fantastic, have done a wonderful job, and i do shop with them, and will continue to shop with them as they are great.I would point any newbie to go and see them. In this case i was stuck away from home and needed something in a hurry. If I had the two shops in the article as my only close options, online shopping for sure. I just couldn’t believe that these people were so horrible, they would be the same ones complaining that online shopping is killing their business.
Pretty interesting and passionate thread triggered by this post on Reddit. Check it out. I really like the people who distinguish between their “LBS” and their “nearest bike shop” – not always the same thing. I’d agree with this 100%.