How keen should a LBS be...

nforne

...to sell you a bike?

I was looking for a £1,000 plus hardtail and needed a quote so I could buy it through work on a cycle scheme.

I eventually settled on a bike that's exclusive to a highly regarded LBS. Trouble is, they seem totally disinterested. Emails from them are blunt, simple requests (please could you fax me the quote) are too much hassle (no, we've already posted it). It's getting on for two weeks since I first asked but I still haven't got the quote.

If I could get the bike from anywhere else I'd have told them where to go. I find their attitude really weird - maybe they just didn't like my face or there's a special MTB handshake that I don't know about yet

Amos

Strange, normally LBS staff will bend over backwards to help you.

stu8975

Probably because they would rather you give them the £1000+ cash...some LBS's can be your best mates when you wave large sums in there face then turn to total dicks when you aint giving them the money

dav1

My LBS is decent, helpful as hell with my entry level bike and still helpful now.

Your LBS will bend over backwards to get you to buy from them but they also want to keep your business so you come back for upgrades, repairs, service e.t.c

Beyond that they know that you will probably have other friends into biking and they know good service will get their name out from your recommendations.

It does depend on the shop often i think, some shops are better then others.

My LBS of choice atm is just a small place but ive had a lot of good advice and good deals in the past which is why Ill be going back there when I need one.

ddraver

....s'not Condor is it?!

nforne

....s'not Condor is it?!

Nope.


Actually, one of the guys was really friendly and very helpful when I went up to check the bike out and have a test ride.

But it's another guy who's dealing with the business side of things who's trying his best to not sell me a bike.

Father Faff

You could try the shop's owner (unless he's the grumpy one of course!) as it might just be the shop's rogue employee. Or go back to the original nice guy you met and ask him if he could sort it out!

drewcole81

But the voucher you give them is like cash in there tills anyway, if its like the scheme i used your work buys the bike and you pay work back, so its pretty much like having a check written out for the shop to cash, are there no other shops near by that do the scheme?

hednesfordxcer

Swinnerton's on Cannock Chase are brilliant

nforne

Well my quote's arrived, in the nick of time too - the scheme's about to close.

I've spoken to a couple of other guys at the shop who were, thankfully, really really helpful. I think you're right, it's just the one grump. Or maybe he'd had a bad day or something.

Faith restored!

formerlyknownasbonj

nforne wrote:

...to sell you a bike?

I was looking for a £1,000 plus hardtail and needed a quote so I could buy it through work on a cycle scheme.

I eventually settled on a bike that's exclusive to a highly regarded LBS. Trouble is, they seem totally disinterested. Emails from them are blunt, simple requests (please could you fax me the quote) are too much hassle (no, we've already posted it). It's getting on for two weeks since I first asked but I still haven't got the quote.

If I could get the bike from anywhere else I'd have told them where to go. I find their attitude really weird - maybe they just didn't like my face or there's a special MTB handshake that I don't know about yet

More keen than that.
Try and speak to the manager, and/or explain why you really need them to fax you that quote. If necessary, by going in there in person.
If they really won't, explain to the cycle2work scheme administrators or whoever is insisting that you go to that bike shop how difficult they're being. They might just say "well ok we'll have a word with them ourselves then and see if they still want our bulk custom, and if not then we'll sort out letting you get it from another one".
Don't just hope something will happen, find out who needs to do what and don't rest till they do it.

edit: sorry just read that you're going to that shop because the bike you want's exclusive to them. Well what bike is it? How happy would you be settling for a similar one from somewhere else, which may have its own unique bits you like?

nforne

Well what bike is it? How happy would you be settling for a similar one from somewhere else, which may have its own unique bits you like?

There are a couple of reasons why I wanted this particular bike, and as my company's cycle scheme is closing this week I didn't really have time to start the search all over again. Luckily the LBS has come up trumps and I can go ahead and register with the scheme. They've sorted it and I'm a happy bunny.

I didn't mention which LBS because I thought it unfair to slag them off in public for what could be a simple mix-up. If it was a big place like Evans or Halfords I wouldn't have a problem, but smaller companies trade on their reputations.

And as the bike is an exclusive I can't brag about it because that'd give the game away.

Oh God, I've just realised... :shock: I can never mention my bike again!

I haven't thought this through, have I???

formerlyknownasbonj

nforne wrote:

And as the bike is an exclusive I can't brag about it because that'd give the game away.

Oh God, I've just realised... :shock: I can never mention my bike again!

er... yes you can. If you want. But if you don't want to, dont.

nicklouse

nforne wrote:

Oh God, I've just realised... :shock: I can never mention my bike again!

I haven't thought this through, have I???

just re register we will never know!