I don't have any problems with the shops I use 1 x Wakefield, 1 x Leeds & 1 x Slough but I don't work on bikes so I suppose they could tell me anything.
My experience of bike shops completely changed infinitely for the better when I moved out here to NZ, where here bike shops are invariably friendly, helpful and somewhat radically - put the customer first - always.
In the UK, this approach seems to be completely alien, so I previously avoided bike shops like the plague. Inevitably the UK bike shop experience would involve being talked down to (as if I was a complete ignorant twunt) in a surly condescending way by someone who probably wasn't even born by the time I started mountain biking.
Here in NZ, for example, I hand over a box of new bits that I want fitted to my bike - and they cheerfully fit them. No questions, no hassle, no condescension. They will trouble shoot any problems if they arise and cheerfully let me know possible solutions. They are always quick, professional and do a great job.
The only downside is that I've now become completely lazy about doing my own maintenance and fixing, whereas I used to do absolutely everything myself.
Like most of you I've had some truly dreadful and expensive experiences with bike shops making a mess of things.
I don't think it's unique to bike shops though. I could give you a list of bad experiences. People claiming to be experts but being bodger's at best. Farriers, plumbers, mechanics, accountants.
There are good people out there, who know their stuff, take pride in their work and expertise.
So if you are in Newcastle and want a bare foot trimmer (and discussion about shoeing horses), mechanic, decorator, carpenter etc. I can probably give you a list.
I tend to go off friends recommendations. Failing that, the streets wattsapp group is good for tradespeople.
I stopped using a local shop after getting mocked for having the wrong brakes, Granddad.
I popped in for some brake pads to be told "nobody uses those brakes any more"
I do.
"They were terribly unreliable"
I've had them years without a hitch.
"They were a cow to change the pads"
I just popped mine out while the kettle boiled...
Could he not have just said "Sorry, we don't have any of those in today"?
I did once have a shop assistant refuse to sell me a SRAM powerlink because I was using a Shimano chain 😂
@Crazylegs wrote: What I do like doing is cleaning it – I’m very happy just sitting at home and giving it a thorough clean. It’s quite therapeutic.
We can feed you one night a week if you can clean one of the bikes in our garage? it can be an ongoing thing, we've enough bikes to keep you going for a couple of months thenit will be time to start again 🙂
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