It's entrapment I tell you

The Greg

Picture the scene:

In my LBS on the weekend to pick up my trusty (road bike) steed after its annual post-'summer' full schebang service.

"Just giving it one final check" they say. "Be done in 5 mins".

Cue me standing on LBS showroom floor passing the time looking at shiny bike frames hanging from LBS showroom ceiling.

"Oooh, that one looks nice" says I. "And it has a price tag that I can read" says I. "And that is a very reasonbale price" says I. "And so nice and shiny too" says I again. :P

Cue very observant LBS owner who decides to take down said bike frame so that I can "just have a bit of a closer look at it", the words "sh1t!, damn!, damn! No, No!, you barsteward" already forming in my mind. :twisted:

Cue 5 mins of 'angel vs. devil' mind wrestling (all the while knowning where this is going to end up) followed by "I'll take it".

Leave said shop with one expensively-serviced bike, one new bike frame, a badly hammered credit card and a 10 min walk home in which to devise a justifiable (but, ultimately, utterly transparent) excuse to put to the wife as to why this was a necessary purchase.

The moral of the story - when picking up your bike from your LBS call ahead, give them your credit card details over the phone then arrange for them to bring the bike outside on to the pavement when you pick it up. Do not set foot inside.

idaviesmoore

A harsh lesson for us all
And sometimes the best lessons are learned the hard way

The Greg

And now that I have to build it up into my winter trainer (having had to explain that my Merlin is far too precious to take out onto those salty and gritty Dec - Feb roads) every time I log onto Wiggle/Chain Reaction etc I will have to be taught that lesson all over again.

Whichahhh! :twisted:

idaviesmoore

The Greg wrote:

And now that I have to build it up into my winter trainer (having had to explain that my Merlin is far too precious to take out onto those salty and gritty Dec - Feb roads) every time I log onto Wiggle/Chain Reaction etc I will have to be taught that lesson all over again.

Whichahhh! :twisted:

(sings) 'There may be trouble aheaaaaaad' !!!

STEFANOS4784

What frame, out of curiosity :?:

Stewie Griffin

Thats very underhand. People who take advantage of the weak and vulnerable should be locked up :roll: .

The Greg

Soma "Smoothie" steel (Tange Prestige) frame - it's got eyelets for a rear mudguard, hence the attraction as a winter trainer.

Getting it resprayed in gloss black. 8)

downfader

The Greg wrote:

...10 min walk home in which to devise a justifiable (but, ultimately, utterly transparent) excuse to put to the wife as to why this was a necessary purchase..

"Honey! Fancy going on a bike ride? You could do with losing a few pounds" (god no, dont, it'll end in tears - or a broken nose)

idaviesmoore

downfader wrote:

[You could do with losing a few pounds"

You're not married are you :?: :!:

downfader

idaviesmoore wrote:

downfader wrote:

[You could do with losing a few pounds"

You're not married are you :?: :!:

Yep, prolly how I've survived

synchronicity

Well I know the feeling! You have a way with words. I'm sure you'll find some legitimate reason to tell the wife. Does she know yet?

shockedsoshocked

I went in to get a spoke replaced and came out with a brand new carbon bike.

I am weak

Stewie Griffin

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I went in to get a spoke replaced and came out with a brand new carbon bike.

I am weak

I feel so much better about being Wiggles biggest sucker . Oh look if I spend another £5 I will get another 50p off. They have 20% off HRM's at the mo and I dont have one, yet

il_principe

I have the answer to this conundrum - simply buy the nicest bike in the shop, then you can visit with impunity! Worked for me, although they do keeping adding rather lovely rims to their collection...

The Greg

You can buy the nicest bike in the shop for riding on sunny days.

But what about for the days that are cold and wet? And for the days that are wet, but not cold? And the bike for the ride to the shops? And the bike for the ride past the shops to the other shops? And for the ride to work? And for the ride along the canal to the pub?

There are plenty of completely justifiable (to me anyway) reasons why more than one bike is a necessity. I just don't need temptation waved in my face like that - it's like they saw me coming. :roll:

idaviesmoore

The Greg wrote:

- it's like they saw me coming. :roll:

:roll: :roll: Oh.....they did......they did

Slow Downcp

jashburnham wrote:

I have the answer to this conundrum - simply buy the nicest bike in the shop, then you can visit with impunity! Worked for me, although they do keeping adding rather lovely rims to their collection...

But then I'd have to find a new LBS so I can look at better bikes.......

RockyHopperShow

I like this thread, I thought it was just me...........

Boardman Comp for the trails (from Friday)
Spesh Langster for the road/fitness
Trek F400 folder for the train

il_principe

The Greg wrote:

You can buy the nicest bike in the shop for riding on sunny days.

But what about for the days that are cold and wet? And for the days that are wet, but not cold? And the bike for the ride to the shops? And the bike for the ride past the shops to the other shops? And for the ride to work? And for the ride along the canal to the pub?

There are plenty of completely justifiable (to me anyway) reasons why more than one bike is a necessity. I just don't need temptation waved in my face like that - it's like they saw me coming. :roll:

*Sigh, this is so true - and also partly the reason I have 3 bikes:
Sunny days
Winter training
About town Single Speed

RockyHopperShow

Who needs eager shop assistants when you've got people posting pictures of Pinarellos.

I want one now!

downfader

RockyHopperShow wrote:

Who needs eager shop assistants when you've got people posting pictures of Pinarellos.

I want one now!

is that the one krusty the clown did the ad for?

The Greg

RockyHopperShow wrote:

I like this thread, I thought it was just me...........

Boardman Comp for the trails (from Friday)
Spesh Langster for the road/fitness
Trek F400 folder for the train

No comrade, you are amongst friends.

My name's The Greg and I'm a bikeaholic...

Andyb10

Reading this there are so many more bikes I need (only got 2 road bikes and a mountain bike so far).
Had to put Raceblades on the Allez to convince the wife it was really a winter/training bike.

My LBS is Primera Sport and they have some seriously good looking high end bikes in there so have to go in regularly to check out the stock!

Just remember the right number of bikes to own is the number you already have + 1

Sniper8052

I like your attitude. :shock: :P <Wife: :!: :?: >

Mark Alexander

Stewie Griffin wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I went in to get a spoke replaced and came out with a brand new carbon bike.

I am weak

I feel so much better about being Wiggles biggest sucker . Oh look if I spend another £5 I will get another 50p off. They have 20% off HRM's at the mo and I dont have one, yet

Judging by this thread, I'm one of the strong ones.
I've never sucumed to the alure of the shiny bike in the shop syndrome..... And I'm single so don't have to justify it!

Wiggle on the other hand is another kettle of fish. I have the Platinum discount and have conciously removed it from my bookmarks! £1 here, £25 there and suddenly ebay has another auction of crap from the loft!

jimmythecuckoo

I have been in mine four times this year and bought two bikes.

Stewie Griffin

Mark Alexander wrote:

Stewie Griffin wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I went in to get a spoke replaced and came out with a brand new carbon bike.

I am weak

I feel so much better about being Wiggles biggest sucker . Oh look if I spend another £5 I will get another 50p off. They have 20% off HRM's at the mo and I dont have one, yet

Judging by this thread, I'm one of the strong ones.
I've never sucumed to the alure of the shiny bike in the shop syndrome..... And I'm single so don't have to justify it!

Wiggle on the other hand is another kettle of fish. I have the Platinum discount and have conciously removed it from my bookmarks! £1 here, £25 there and suddenly ebay has another auction of crap from the loft!

Late September and I get 2 pairs of Castelli Summer Bibs delivered, damn you to hell Wiggle with your weekly bargains and your next day delivery.

il_principe

Don't get me started. I've just ordered another cycling cap.I now have 7, as well as a pair of Castelli Belgian Booties, arm warmers and legwarmers and some Knog Frog front and rear lights (need them because they don't require a permanent mounting point so won't defile the best bike!). Damn you Wiggle and PBK, damn you and your special offers!

Finbar Saunders

How about this for a business idea:

Shoe shop in the front, bike shop at the back.

Wife walks by and sees the lovely shoes (or whatever it is that takes her fancy) and drags you in. You head to the back while she stays up front, and an hour later you both leave neither daring to comment about the other's purchase.

But that raises another question.....is it only blokes that suffer like that in bike shops?

The Greg

Went into my LBS to pick up the resprayed frame on Saturday. They took about 15 mins to find the forks that came with the frame. All the while leaving me to wander around the shop and look at all the shiny stuff - including some of the bikes to feature at the London Cycle Show. I am convined that t his is now a well thought out ploy on their part. Damn them to hell I say!

I held my nerve and walked out with frame and forks in hand and nothing else........until next time...

Mark Alexander

Finbar Saunders wrote:

How about this for a business idea:

Shoe shop in the front, bike shop at the back.

Wife walks by and sees the lovely shoes (or whatever it is that takes her fancy) and drags you in. You head to the back while she stays up front, and an hour later you both leave neither daring to comment about the other's purchase.

But that raises another question.....is it only blokes that suffer like that in bike shops?

Genius!
Does this now give us the new argument "well you have a new pair of shoes" or are we still stuffed and in the doghouse?
She can but we can't.