[Closed] has CRC, planet x etc had their day?

@hammerite

Have you tried either shop to see if they can get something in and at what price? Not aimed at you at all but a lot of people seem scared to ask/haggle with the lbs but I find they'd rather your custom and aren't offended if they can't match a price.

coomber - I have in the past yes. However, I know with most of the stuff I buy I can order it and have it delivered to home a few days later. With an LBS I'd need to go in, check to see if they can order it, place the order, wait for it (usually longer than a direct delivery) and then go and collect it.

It's a lot less convenient regardless of price.

I have in the past yes. However, I know with most of the stuff I buy I can order it and have it delivered to home a few days later. With an LBS I'd need to go in, check to see if they can order it, place the order, wait for it (usually longer than a direct delivery) and then go and collect it.

It's a lot less convenient regardless of price.

You are supporting your local bike shop though which isn't to be underestimated. If I had a LBS I'd want people in asking for price match rather than just ignoring me and walking past. At least that way I'd have the chance to build a good relationship with them that benefits both them for service and the local community by having a bike shop on their high street.

Whilst I can see the benefit of supporting a local business, LBS's don't usually 'make' anything. They're just a go-between you an the distributor. Yes it's a few wages, but it's not the same ripple effect you get with other businesses. An LBS is just an inefficient version of CRC, and the price difference is that inefficiency.

Not like buying pies from a local shop, that gets it meat from a local butcher who gets his from the local farm, who used the local Vet, who sends his kids to the local piano teacher who buys the pies, thus supporting the local economy.

And the convenience thing never stacked up, instant access to innertubes and gear cables aside, I can get a part from an online shop and it'll be here on Thursday. I can get it from an LBS, and even if they price match it'll be tagged onto the next order from that distributor in an indeterminate time frame, then a day or two to arrive, another few days to the shop to process the stock and phone me, etc. I'm still waiting from a call from my LBS for a set of seals I ordered for some forks I've since sold 2 years ago.

Have been a CRC customer since 2005. The main thing that keeps me going back is the choice. Wiggle have started matching them on price and Merlin have some good deals if you live on their website but neither of them (nor anyone else for that matter) has the variety.

If I want something different or non-mainstream CRC has it. And not just one or two there's a choice of different. Sadly the lbs has what it has and can always 'get' stuff but it's not the same.

There have also been some spectacular deals from Tweeks Evans and Winstanleys the last 12 months or so. Have often bought something for a crazy low price, looked back the next day and the price has gone back to normal. Not too sure what's going on there but by the time it's on a deals website or a PSA on a forum it's too late

Case in point the Magic Mary mentioned above - Vertstarsupergravityfolder £38.99

You are supporting your local bike shop though which isn't to be underestimated. If I had a LBS I'd want people in asking for price match rather than just ignoring me and walking past. At least that way I'd have the chance to build a good relationship with them that benefits both them for service and the local community by having a bike shop on their high street.

I appreciate that they employ people, but the way bike shops are revered on here is odd. Most are pretty badly run (look at the examples of people ordering stuff and never being called again). There are some good ones but many are pretty average. Others ignore the local riding scene too - I worked in a shop where there was quite a big local DH scene (they even ran a shop DH team) but they never really stocked any of the stuff that people wanted. No chainguides, small range of DH tyres etc. No matter what was said to the owners / managers, nothing changed.

I feel for them with regards to stock with the bike industry introducing new standards etc which is where the big online shops come in - the range is good, prices good and the stuff I want will be with me quickly. Personally I don't really need the workshop because over the years I've bought my own tools.

[quote=tonyja ]If I had a LBS I'd want people in asking for price match rather than just ignoring me and walking past. That gets old very quickly. Believe me.

No one supporting their LBS then?

I guess saving a couple of quid is more important than helping our local economy, or even national economy if you go shopping overseas.

For some reason this just made me think of Rover. People could have supported their national economy by buying them instead of better cars made by other people. Should they have done?

Agree that price and saving a couple of quid isn't everything, but I wouldn't use an LBS just to do them a favour any more than I'd have bought a Rover to help them out if better products/service were available elsewhere.

No one supporting their LBS then?

I haven't been a shop of any kind for best part of a decade. Why would you?

Guess I'm lucky with my LBS, I shouldnt assume they are all as good. Mine will get pretty much anything in next day, will usually price match and I can call them to get a price whilst browsing the interweb so have no down time. I've used them for 20 years plus so they like me. I'll pay extra at times for convenience of big items if there is a problem i.e. dont have to faff with returns, and because they take my spending into consideration for any repairs they do.

Wont be the same for all shops obviously.

I haven't been a shop of any kind for best part of a decade.

Quite so, I assume from your user name that you are in fact an elephant and not a shop. 8)

I've used CRC since about 2001. Up to about 2005/6 they were unsurpassed in prices, choice and delivery. IMO is been a steady slide into mediocrity since then. They no longer stand out amongst their competitors.

As they have diminished, I've sought alternatives, usually based on price and availability. I'm now a grazer of products across Europe - predominantly the Germans and French, but I buy from china and the US semi regularly too.

I have no nostalgia for LBSs. I learned early in my riding that most tried to sell me what they had rather than what I wanted, and, bar the need for specialist kit (300 psi nitrogen) or access to the warranty network, most of the spannering was at a lower, or at best equal stadard to what I could achieve with a bit of time and application myself.

I have similar feelings to 'the high Street' in general.

Very sad that people have had that experience with their LBS. Was it always like that from day one or as a kid did you used to lust after shop window bikes that you couldn't have even dreamt of in the early days of MTBing? Is it the same looking at a picture of a bike on the internet for a kid these days? Aren't well run shops the very window into our sport or are we all for letting them all close down and pulling up the ladder to make it harder for others newbies to get involved?
God, the irony, Tony from Bikesy advocating local bike shops on STW... 😉

I dont think that CRC etc have had their day. I know a few people in the industry who get parts from them because their retail price is lower than the importers trade price

Aren't well run shops the very window into our sport or are we all for letting them all close down and pulling up the ladder to make it harder for others newbies to get involved?

I think the days when shops were entry points into sports are long gone. In fact I reckon it's probably easier than ever for newbies to get involved now.

Very sad that people have had that experience with their LBS. Was it always like that from day one or as a kid did you used to lust after shop window bikes that you couldn't have even dreamt of in the early days of MTBing? Is it the same looking at a picture of a bike on the internet for a kid these days? Aren't well run shops the very window into our sport or are we all for letting them all close down and pulling up the ladder to make it harder for others newbies to get involved?
God, the irony, Tony from Bikesy advocating local bike shops on STW...

I think bike shops have changed - my LBS when I first started riding, Cycle care in High Wycombe used to be like an aladdin's cave of cool stuff and packed to the gunnels with drawers full of all those random little bits. I don't think modern shops are like this anymore.

Cycle care in High Wycombe

No one supporting their LBS then?

The other one moved out of town, and probably has lots of value added services, like regular rides and meetups. But it's out of town. So do I drive there, get the bus there, or go clickety click on the laptop and wait for a box to arrive 3 days later in the 24/7/365 self-serve parcel machine about 100 paces away from the office?

Hmmm. My last couple of CRC orders have been far,far slower to despatch than in the past, maybe because I've been using vouchers from a warranty return, dunno. Ordered a carbon seat post middle of last week, alloy one turned up today. First world problems eh? Tsk.

Was that Frances Thurmers (sp?), eccentric guy with a beard, shop?

Can't remember the chaps name and he didn't have a beard. He did get upset when I referred to his AC Cobra replica as a kit car though!

This was back in 97-99 when it was my LBS. We used to go in and drool over the Pace DH bike. It looked ace too.

The shop was pretty dark and dingey, but it felt ace in there. That's what a proper bike still is to me not the shiney concept stores.

Hmmm. My last couple of CRC orders have been far,far slower to despatch than in the past, maybe because I've been using vouchers from a warranty return, dunno. Ordered a carbon seat post middle of last week, alloy one turned up today. First world problems eh? Tsk.

I can't fault them still - ordered some cheapy Sombrio shoes Sunday night, dispatch email first thing Monday.

Was that Frances Thurmers (sp?), eccentric guy with a beard, shop?

he was great, a member of De Laune I think, he organised the South's craziest cyclocross on the Northdowns Way. Rolling start through town and a police escort. I think he ran a shop in one of the home counties at the time and was a real character. It's people like him that make (or made from the sounds of this thread) local bike shops great.

I used to really like planet X/on-one. Bikes and kit that fill a niche. Now it all seems a bit hit and miss. Clothing is dubious and the stock depends on what they got cheap and is unreliable. Wiggle I still like and CRC because of the BC discount code. If you are buying expensive stuff Europe works well.

Evans is improving - I like that you can deliver to the shop and instantly return anything. Great for clothing.

The thing that's put me of CRC in particular recently was the last few sales they've had as they've been pretty poor, yes they've had some good things in the sale but most of it was rubbish. How can £5 or £10 off something over £100 be a clearance item?

Their prices have also been steadily creeping up versus the competition on some items and their competitors have generally upped their game to compete.

I popped into my LBS earlier today they were selling a mum a decent first bike for her little lass, making sure it fitted the girl properly, making a fuss of her and generally making the world a better place - one new cyclist at a time.

Cheap parts are good, but... having a LBS is better.

Exactly!

I popped into my LBS earlier today they were selling a mum a decent first bike for her little lass, making sure it fitted the girl properly, making a fuss of her and generally making the world a better place - one new cyclist at a time.

I hate to use the word but..

BOOM!

Thanks for reeling us all right back for a reality check there. We often get so lost on the forums and end up nearly convincing ourselves that anyone can go out and buy the right bike for the little one as easy as buying a loaf of bread.

I went into my LBS and said I wanted a rear mud guard, they didn't have any, let alone the one I wanted , which was run of the mill. I went to another one to ask about an issue with my front hub, which raised eyebrows , as no one knew about spline hub and disc compatability. I went to another local one and bought a Thomson seatclamp and paid double what CR would sell me one. Felt like I was mugged.....So I have tried the LBS route and failed on most of the things I visited on. Sometimes you feel like they are selling what they want to, rather than what I actually would like to buy, which is why on line shopping gets rid of the middle man. Cant say I have bought much crap on line over the years. I know plenty of people who have bought bikes from 'decent' shops and they are totally the wrong size as well. One who recently is on his 4th 'bike fit' with a shop and he is still uncomfortable riding it and looks like he is. If you have a bike that fits and most manufacturers have data sheets for sizing , which helps gets things right on line buying.
That said, you must be more careful buying on line for the hassle of sending it back, although collect plus is easy when I have had to and warranty with Merlins was easy even if it cost me £3 to send it back, it was still a lot cheaper than buying it locally.

And that is why it becomes catch 22 for the lbs.
My good local one holds enough mechanical stuff of the right quality (xt/x9 and above) a good range of a couple of clothing brands for local conditions and bikes. Chuck in the small stuff like bar led lights and stuff like that and they seem to hit the spot. If it's not in they have enough product knowledge to point you in the right direction and will see what price they can do.

One thing I've seen with a lot of people is they are so much less used to interacting with retail people, almost treat shops like online if they can't see it leave. With stuff like the number of drive train options available if you want something like a x01 it xt 11 it's not an impulse buy.
Out here in Oz we can get most stuff within 3 days from local distribution. I wanted a new charge spoon and it's not sold here, took about 8 days to get here 🙁

Anyway unless somebody in tries a massive aggressive move to kill some competition the big guys will remain

What I have never understood is why there isn't a cooperative type of affair for LBS. The same way that Spar or Costcutter work. They would then have central buying power and be able to demand far better prices from the distributors and be able to compete with the online retailers. There are enough bikes shops around for it to work. It just seems that there are 100's of independent bikes shops not competing really with each other and not working together in anyway to either fight off the likes of CRC/Wiggle or Evans.

Totally agree with he comment that often it seems LBSs sell what they want to sell and not what the customer might want.

I know what the OP is getting at,CRC had my money for 6 months and never sent my item because it wasn't in stock,every time I phoned them they said it would be in in a couple of weeks,so 6 months down the line I got my money back,why did I leave it 6 months,well simple,I was seing how long they were willing to lie to me to keep my money.
As for LBS I sort of gave up a long time ago,I do have a shop I go to but it's 30 miles away but I know if I go there they will have what I want,but the others in the local area are all 15 miles away,so if I go that's £10 fuel and 2 hrs of my time,if they haven't got what I want I have to go back when they have it in,so that's something overpriced any way,I'm spending £20 on fuel and half a day of my time,when I could just go online,get what I want,go to work instead of driving around and wait for it to land on my doorstep,usually the next day.
So when an lbs tells me they can "get it in for me"
Well I can get it in for me aswell,faster and cheaper.

I think the problem lies with the fact that most of the people here who happen to stumble into a LBS are in fact "experts" and I would imagine this must really wind up bike shops. Having said that I am also quite sure what it is I want to buy.
I recently needed new pads for my guides and it seems no-one stocks them! I tried Evans and the guy openly told me he has never heard of them, and he has no knowledge of mountain bikes! I tried to explain the shape and he went off to the workshop and came back with 3 pads all different all wrong, and went of again to fetch back 3 more wrong types, when I suggested maybe I take a look at what you have, he told me I was not allowed in the workshop!
LBS's are there for certain buyers, and I bet they do not miss the tyre kickers who come in to fondle a reverb seatpost or argue over whether something is any good.

With most lbs I find they sell tat and top line gear,but sell nothing mid range,it must be hard for them to compete with the big online stores,I like seing what I'm buying,that's why I like going to lbs,and I think your right gummikuh,I bet they do get fed up of the "know it all" experts,I think these LBS v online store will always be a catch 22 argument.

Isn't this the time when CRC are MOST profitable.
i.e. they've done all the hard work, introduced their own brands, brought more brands into their own distributor (Hotlines), built up a loyal customer-base, invested in efficiency and are now cashing in?

People who search for the latest bargain from one of 10 shops are never going to be your best customers. CRC have become the default go-place online store for many.