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FFS. The issue is not entitlement. Just because we've not all worked in bike shops 🙄 it doesn't mean we are not allowed an opinion.
The main point is that this fellow biker was 20 miles from home. The shop guy knew this, sold him a BB then refused to help him out. For the record, I do not consider it good form to walk into a bike shop and expect to be lent tools. This case was an exception and any decent person would have helped the bloke out (with the proviso that the OPs story is indeed true).
When ever I am on a ride I always plan for worse case scenario, and because I don't want to carry loads of bits and tools with me I carry a credit card, worse case if the bike breaks and I cant carry on riding I get a taxi or a train, simples
Good luck around here with that.
Here's a typical scenario - and this is pretty much verbatim:
I'm in the workshop, building something - because it's me, it'll be something complicated and very expensive, so not something I can stop working on or put off.
Person comes in with a story about having a puncture. I sell him an inner tube. He asks if I can fit it for him, I say no, I'm very busy (and don't point out the big sign on the door saying I don't repair normal bikes). Okay, can I borrow some tools? Sure - I hand him some tyre levers, and ask if he needs a spanner. I don't know, he replies. Oh oh. Okay, hand him a 15mm spanner just in case, and off he trots. Two minutes later, he reappears and says that the spanner is the wrong size. I doubt it, but hand him a 13, 14 and 17 as well to cover all possibilities. Two minutes later, he reappears and S&S the wheel isn't coming off for some reason. So have to stop what I'm doing and go disconnect his brake cable for him. Leave him to it again. He gets the wheel off and tyre off too, but pinches the new tube with the tyre levers puttingit back on.
Etc etc...
Other than the discussion on the general principle of lending out tools it would be interesting to actually know what the problem was and what tool/s were required but the OP doesn't appear to have revisited the thread...
bencooper - Member
Here's a typical scenario - and this is pretty much verbatim:
I'm in the workshop....etc,etc,etc,etc..
[img] https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQTi9hy9Y13hiTUcdn_t4p-lxbwWc0V1xwWb7t_HswMpnYx-lr5Q [/img]
No, seriously bro, I feel your pain.
I would expect a certain LBS in Mill St. to take a fairly hard line on tool lending, eh Will?
Ha yes....
For the record, our (huge busy) store has basic tools that can be borrowed at the main customer service desk, thankfully far away from the repair shop. Probably not BB tools though for reasons mentioned a million times now. We also offer maintenance clinics twice a week (so people don't end up in the same position as the guy in this thread....), and have so far this year given $15,000 for a trail maintenance project. And that's before we even start on our existing trail project that we were working on last year. We will be giving away approx $500,000 in community grants this year (how much are CRC giving away?). But nope, sorry we are waaaaaaaay to busy to have people cluttering up the shop fixing their own bikes by the Service Writer desk.
Sorry I am confused.
How can you go out on a bike ride and be surprised when anything more than a chain or a spoke snap/ break fail?
BB's don't suddenly die. I have seen people surprised by free hubs though I guess.
Also what was your worst case scenario. Sit matey in the pub, finish the ride and pick him up later?!?
And why buy something without asking before whether the mechanic could fit or you could borrow tools.
So OP's mate is not very good!?!