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When LBS's Fou...
 

[Closed] When LBS's Foul up and stop being your LBS

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Crikey - nice u-turn. Not the first either!


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:01 pm
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STEERER EXTENDER: The report back: well all back in one piece (much to my family's relief). headset still nice and snug zero play etc. despite taking in a couple of sets of steps and some pretty bumpy singletrack. (I won't intentionally be getting air, or racing downhill - it is a xc singlespeed after all)

just for the record: yes its a bodge,not ideal - but it works. its set into a steel steerer. the steerer is only about 20mm short so i guess its about 50% steerer and 50% extender inside the stem.

how it works - you insert the extender minus the top cap into your steerer so theres enough poking out to take the stem. pop the spacers on to create the correct diameter. put the stem on.tighten the top cap into the threaded head of the internal bolt (that holds the quill in place) as this tightens it pre loads the bearings (which is its job) and tightens the quill a bit more. (At this point I checked for any paly and had a right tug around to see if i could pull it off (ffnar ffnar) it being the fork ) Tighten up your stem and your done.

I did make one slight alteration - I replaced the BBB top cap with a spare Chris King I had lying around.

Now back to how all this started - the bike 'mechanic' i was refering to did not say he thought the extender was a pile of sh#te and in his opinion it wouldn't work - he told me it wasn't for extending steerer tubes, it wasn't to be used for threadless headsets it was for converting aheadset stems to quill type.

@rocketdog - I've burnt the note: somethings are best left unsaid until after you have departed this life.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:06 pm
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[i]Crikey - nice u-turn. Not the first either! [/i]

Gee thanks for all your contributions on the subject Al....


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:16 pm
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Awww diddums.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:21 pm
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You'll have to be nicer if you want a kiss...


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:23 pm
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Oh FFS. Hug?


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:30 pm
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Bitchfight!


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:31 pm
 hora
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I would charge you for a dirty bike or send you away to clean it first.

I hear you. Its courtesy. However how many times do you wash and detail your engine bay before taking your car in for a service or work?

There is a certain level of arrogance in bike workshops. 'Im only doing this before I go back to Uni' or 'I'm lifestyle smoking a joint of weed man'.

Sweepey- I had similar and worse at Cyclesurgery West Hampstead. I understand its under new ownership now and the tools will have moved on but there was definitely a culture of 'if its not broke recommend a brand new part to the customer' there. They even recommended me changing my rear mech as 'it is worn/needs replacing soon'. 6 years on and its still exactly the same and still on my only mountain bike.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:34 pm
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No, you're right, I was wrong about extenders, I thought as above that you could only use 'em in threaded steerers...

But I [b]will[/b] be right next time, MWAHHHAA HAA HAA....

Anyway, how's 'Wolverhampton' working out for you 'Anthony'? 😉


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:36 pm
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Wolvo is awesome thanks.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:43 pm
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Not you!
I could have done with Elfs help last week having time to kill while Mrs Crikey went shoe shopping....


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 5:54 pm
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There is a certain level of arrogance in bike workshops. 'Im only doing this before I go back to Uni' or 'I'm lifestyle smoking a joint of weed man'.

Most bike shops don't pay a huge amount to their staff, and most of them are only working here because of a love of bikes. I've worked in bike shops for over 5 years, and I'm getting out because of the stress of serving angry customers, constantly trying to price match, and the never ending 'can you just...'

Worst is that I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering and it is quite unbelievable how people talk down to you and are incredibly patronising just because you work in retail. I work my arse off running around trying to serve everyone at once and it's just completely burned me out.

On a good note though, sometimes you have nice customers....


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 6:15 pm
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Worst is that I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering and it is quite unbelievable how people talk down to you and are incredibly patronising just because you work in retail. I work my arse off running around trying to serve everyone at once and it's just completely burned me out.

Welcome to the world of work sonny 😉


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 6:29 pm
 hora
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schmiken don't work in retail. Staff are always asked/pressed for loyalty by their boss. Unless you have a chunk/interest in the business retail shop floor is the modern equivalent of the slave trade.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 6:44 pm
 DT78
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[i]I would charge you for a dirty bike or send you away to clean it first.[/i]

Well on this point, I had actually given it a wipe down before I took it in and the rear hub which needed servicing was spotless (as I was going to give it a go myself).

I do concede it had a fair amount of dirt still on the frame. My bitch isn't that I was charged £10 for a dirty bike (though would be nice telling me that before you do the work and I find out at the end) the problem I've got is that they charged me and didn't actually clean it. So it was basically a fine.

And if you 'sent me away' it would definitely be the last time you see me or my mates grace your bike shop door.

(worked in retail for 3 years)


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 6:46 pm
 hora
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DT78 I'd never take my bike in filthy however one mans filthy is another mans reasonable.

Take it elsewhere. They obviously have too much custom.

I worked for Woolworths (store-based) throughout Uni. ****ed if I'd work in any shop after finishing uni though. I'd rather labour or work in a warehouse. I didnt run up debts to serve people. 😀

Make your degree work. Its too easy just to spend months working in a shop, go home and relax after a long day on your feet. Get applying!


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 6:48 pm
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Hora what about NWMTB? Ive always had excellent service from them, and have bought two bikes from them and wouldnt hesitate to buy from them again. I now only shop elsewhere if its a genuine emergency.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 7:08 pm
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Make your degree work

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-have-indians-done-for-us/page/3#post-1661527 ]

(Like time [b]immoral[/b] in pit villages, mill towns etc except replace the hot casserole with 'stew' and sliced bread)

[/url]

Yeah, but don't worry about being able to use the correct word in the right context or anything boring like that, eh?

Can you show me where the stationery section is please?


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 7:09 pm
 DT78
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I have indeed taken my custom else where, shame though after 5 years with them I felt guilty going to another bike shop despite the cockups -

I was looking to get a new frames BB cleaned out so took it to the 'other' shop and turned out the guy that sold me my duster from the now ex-LBS worked there, and despite being silly busy he did it there and then, in 5 mins for free.

That little simple thing has secured my business with them from now on. I even felt obliged to buy some stuff I didn't need as he didn't want paying for the frame...

Tbh I think it pays to do that little bit extra for your customers who are likely to be regulars/big spenders, but hey what do I know I haven't worked in a bikeshop


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 7:09 pm
 hora
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What have Indians done for us?
Given us hot casseroles that we mop up with slabs of bread?

(Like time immoral in pit villages, mill towns etc except replace the hot casserole with 'stew' and sliced bread)...

Think about it....think about it. If the working man had lots of spices available to him what might have happened to the working mans stew and casseroles etc?.....

Can you show me where the stationery section is please?

I went on to work in their head office in London. Even 10yrs before it went bust I thought it was heading the wrong way even then... Imagine working in a business where you had over 20 promotional periods a year where the shelves were cleared to accommodate totally different stock...


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 7:13 pm
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Think about it....think about it

You've fundamentally missed my point, haven't you?

Ok, I'll put you out of our misery: The word you meant to use is actually 'immemorial'. Not 'immoral', which means something completely different. People might think you're a bit thick if you seem incapable of using language correctly. You comment about people making the effort to find better employment, yet you show a distinct laziness/lack of care when it comes to your use of English. Something to ponder, perhaps.


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 8:04 pm
 hora
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[img] ?1263208249[/img]


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 8:07 pm
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[b]Grammar[/b]? Haha! I can't be bothered to explain just how big a FAIL that is, mate!

This may be of help, however:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocabulary#Knowing_and_using_a_word


 
Posted : 01/08/2010 8:23 pm
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i always find when people nit-pick about spelling and grammar etc, its usually time to step away from the internet and go to bed


 
Posted : 02/08/2010 12:11 am
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I was about to write a long boring story but i'll summarise.

Rude bike shop costs itself 24K in sales from word of mouth amongst a group of riders. Thats demonstrable cash sales of stuff they would have bought from them. And they know this but 'don't care'. Oh well.


 
Posted : 02/08/2010 12:52 am
 taka
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i don't like it when i get told by staff that my bikes crap or get charged for a new set of brake pads during a service when i only bought a full new set days before from them


 
Posted : 02/08/2010 1:22 am
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Hora - Are you going to name and shame?


 
Posted : 02/08/2010 6:53 am
 hora
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No, I'll just go elsewhere.

Hora what about NWMTB?
NWMTB is still a fair old drive away. Enough hassle so that an internet order with next day delivery is more desirable.


 
Posted : 02/08/2010 7:45 am
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