Wednesday, May 03, 2006

LBS Attitude


OK I love to walk into a bike shop and look around at the "eye candy" and now that I've moved to the land of the frozen chosen I'm looking for a good local bike shop where I can have Roo serviced. Now mind you I'm a good and loyal customer. I'll buy my supplies, jerseys, and stuff for the LBS even if it is a little more than I can get elsewhere just to support my LBS. I'll tell my friends about the LBS and send people there to buy a bike. I'm also thinking about buying another bike but I digress..... I like to walk into bike shops look around and talk to the owner about his choice of bikes to sell perhaps the local riders and routes you know you've done it too!

So today I had lunch with a friend who rides a road bike. On the walk back to his office we passed a bike shop, so of course I had to go into the store. It was a store with quite a few mountain bikes because with all the mountain bike trails here that's what everyone rides. There were two or three road bikes on display. In the back of the store was, I guess the owner working with a bike on a stand working.

As we walked in the store the owner shout "What do you guys want?" Maybe we didn't fit his profile of cyclists or he got up on the wrong side of the rug this morning but I was kind of taken back by his approach to potential customers. My friend asked what kind of bike he sold and the reply was Jamis.... which my friend had never heard of so he asked what about Trek.... you know the Tour de France winners bike.... "That's to expensive for what you get...." and on he went. So then I asked about Litespeed....nice bike but to many dealers here already.... So then I said I have a Quintana Roo...which by his expression he had never heard of he said "good luck with it!"

My friend and I as we walked out commented on "how does that guy stay in business being so "friendly"?

So scratch one Biketopia in Havertown on Darby Road off my list of potential LBS for Oldman. Attitude my friends it's all about attitude!

PS Now I tried to post a note on his website to let him know I wrote about his store but.... I can't because I'm a gmail user and MSN will not let me. So if you can post a note on his website for me......

4 comments:

Cliff said...

It's odd huh? How can zero customer service business can still run while good boss with good customer serivce struggles to makes ends meat.

Glad u guys walk away. That's a pretty bad LBS to deal with.

Bolder said...

looooooo-sah-her!

'what do you guys want?'

that's a classic Oldman!

yeesh. two guys with plenty of dough walk into your bikeshop, and you insult them, and let them walk out without buying anything.

looooooo-sah-her!

Hollyfish said...

I have a similar guy at my LBS. Unfortunately it's the only LBS within an hour of my house. Good thing for the internet and educated blog bikers, eh? Hope you find a good place to shop soon!

Anonymous said...

I was searching blogs,and I found yours.Please,
accept my congratulations for your excellent work!
If you have a moment, please visit my triple hit baseball fisher-price site.
Have a good day!