Popped into mammoth bikes Madrid this afternoon for a couple of bits and ended up chatting for a couple of hours about bikes. The guy I was talking too, Fran, is a true enthusiast he loves bikes and particularly the smaller brands.

It was nice talking and not being sold to/ talked down to/ ignored.

Bike shops are great. 😀

I hope you repayed the favour and bought something from them. Chatting, being nice, being enthusiastic are all great, but if you then go and spend all your money on CRC, wiggle etc poor Fran will be poor and hungry.

Naturally I bought something, they didn't have everything I wanted and one point I had to tell him to serve the customer.
One of the bigger shops in Madrid, Fran won't go hungry. 😉

Good to know – I'll be in Madrid in a few days

Too right, it's becoming a usual right of practice for bike dealers to treat their customer's like complete ****ts (Motorcycle shops aswell ime).

Even just after having walked in with a smile and an upbeat hello tone.

Narky is the actual attitude from some-most bike shops I have been into.

Good to hear a different from the norm.

We need more rider owned shops imo. get back to basics 100% real.

Well my LBS is like my second house.
I just go there for lunch sometimes. I have a shower there after rides. It's a great place when to hang around and have coffee. We we are going to Nice with the SO and her son, he usually fell asleep in the car. being him ( a little grumpy git) we usually park around the shop, carry him for 5 minute and sit so he can wake up a little bit more while we have coffee. They organise ride, day at molini (with nasher, apéro and motorbike trips. So basically any money I pay more is actually very much worth it. Oh and yes, the big difference with the UK shops I have visited is that:
the owners work in th shop, so you can actually see them. And they have been riding bikes for about 25 years now

What, 25yrs now with a bitter attitude of not getting enough riding in. 😆

We went up to cannock the other day, couple of my mates just wanted some helmets (weekend warriors) came out tutting about the bike geek that held themuptalking about suspension…….

No lads thats how it should be, go back in and say sorry or your walking home.

Well put. Wiggle, CRC etc have their place, but as long as the price difference isn't massive I'd much rather pay a wee bit more and buy from my LBS, or several of them in Edinburgh. Life woudln't be the same without them. Pretty much the only shopping I really enjoy.

I won't go to my nearest shop anymore. Guys who work there act like high and mighty knobbers.

The shop half a mile further in the opposite direction were really decent when I went in last time and didn't pester me, answered questions and were generally friendly.

Next shop along is Evans @ Metrocentre…..less said about that the better.

I've never bought a mountain bike part from an LBS. Ours are all a bit shite and expensive.

Good LBS's are a national treasure – and my LBS is great.

I use them for all kinds of stuff they don't normally have to try to get, and they'll happily try to get hold of whatever random nonsense I want – If they can't there's no messing about pretending the supplier is out of stock et cetera, they'll just say they can't get it.

If your LBS is crap they deserve to fail, but if they are giving it a go, help support them. The few quid extra you'll maybe spend flows back down the line in time, you'll get loads of advice, and / or discounts will start to appear on your invoices … 😉

Online is all fine and dandy, and I use the big stores for stuff I can't source via my LBS, but they'll be no good on the day I need a BB faced, or a bearing pressed out, or someone to hunt down an ancient obscure part …

a certain shop in the Peak District who sells nice bikes has lost my custom by having a can't be arsed attitude

I have a shop nearer that is good for repairs and servicing and he's a nice chap, he just doesn't sell much stuff that I want

jools182 if that's the same bike shop I'm just about to drive 100+ miles to then i am surprised – There's a reason why i'm driving that distance to see them for chat instead of going more local.

I'm sure they'd be interested in hearing your feedback?

I'm not going to name them on here as its someone's livelihood, and I know all too well what its like to be out of work, but I phoned them 4 times to get me a price for a spring for a set of forks, and they never got back to me about it.

I have had a few other issues with them too when trying to buy a saddle and some waterproof clothing. Shocking service, especially as every time I have been in there he's sat down reading or surfing the internet

I never bother my local bike shop at Radstock, after a few poor services from them including some damage on my frame, I havent been there for a few years since. I have found next nearer bike shop in Wells do fanatstic service and have stuck with them since and the guys are into mtb's and do bikes rides aswell.

Whats a local bike shop.?

It's a local shop for local people.