LBS Opening Hours Rant
lockstock666
Posts: 131
Why do no LBS' in my area open past 5:30?
5:30 is the very latest. Most close their doors at 5. This means that if you have a problem with your bike on a Monday, it is very unlikely you will get it fixed before the weekend!
How many bikes do they sell from 9-5 Monday to Friday? How many customers do they get in the week when everyone who wants a C2W bike is at work? Oh and don't expect anyone to open on Sundays. (with the exception of one)
It is not much of a wonder why people buy bikes from Halfords, they are the only place open.
Maybe I've spotted a gap in the market. 24 hour bike repair... hmmm...
Ok I'm done.
5:30 is the very latest. Most close their doors at 5. This means that if you have a problem with your bike on a Monday, it is very unlikely you will get it fixed before the weekend!
How many bikes do they sell from 9-5 Monday to Friday? How many customers do they get in the week when everyone who wants a C2W bike is at work? Oh and don't expect anyone to open on Sundays. (with the exception of one)
It is not much of a wonder why people buy bikes from Halfords, they are the only place open.
Maybe I've spotted a gap in the market. 24 hour bike repair... hmmm...
Ok I'm done.
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Comments
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This reminds me of the 'first world problems' meme.
Though I agree, it's irritating. Evans tend to be open til about 7, at least in London.
I'll add to the rants though, Post Offices and Banks. Useless feckers.0 -
My bank opens on Saturday, it understands me.
Cyclopolis (Balham) does 12hr/11hr days (I think 7am - 7pm or maybe 8am - 7pm). Though I have seen them close the shop earlier recently...Food Chain number = 4
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One of the LBS near me is open 7 days a week, until 6pm generally and later one day a week but it's not a LBS I like to spend my money in.
I see what you're saying though, It frustrates me when I need a part urgently or something doing in the workshop and they aren't open to take your money.0 -
Reminds me of the hotel in Spain I used to stay at that closed its restaurant for the holidays...ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0
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meanredspider wrote:Reminds me of the hotel in Spain I used to stay at that closed its restaurant for the holidays...
a restaurant that closes in the summer in Spain? It must be run by brits!!!!
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gabriel959 wrote:meanredspider wrote:Reminds me of the hotel in Spain I used to stay at that closed its restaurant for the holidays...
a restaurant that closes in the summer in Spain? It must be run by brits!!!!
A kid you not - same hotel that I got my hire car vandalised in the secure car park because it had Madrid plates on it (I was staying in Catalonia) and no-one blinked an eyelid....ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
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DesWeller wrote:Fix your own bike. It's about as complicated as an ironing board.
I need a spoke.
I would fix it if I could find a shop open to sell me the one, and this is the 4th spoke that has broken in 7 months. The wheel was rebuilt once before under warranty. I need the shop to be open to get the spoke fixed again under warranty.
If my ironing board was broke, I'd go to a 24 hour supermarket and bloody buy one. Or return it under warranty.0 -
Hairdressers are the worst. You could make a mint with one that only opened 5:00 to 22:00 and all weekend.FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
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I've always wondered this about LBSes. Passing commuter trade would earn them a few bob, wouldn't it?FCN 2-4.
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SimonAH wrote:Hairdressers are the worst. You could make a mint with one that only opened 5:00 to 22:00 and all weekend.
No, estate agents... If there was ever a market for a place to be open later in the evening then it's estate agents. I mean if you're looking for a place to live and you have a job, what use is an estate agent which only does viewings up to about 6pm?!
When I was looking for my current flat it was an absolute nightmare, I seemed to spend my entire life for several weeks dashing out of work as soon as possible and trying to get down to SE London for viewings before 6.30pm at the absolute latest. I understand that people who are selling property don't necessarily want people tramping through their homes late into the evening but surely estate agents can manage a bit later than 6 or 6.30pm?! Do they actually want to sell property? And then at the weekend many only do viewings on Sat mornings and are closed on Sunday.... I'm not sure if this was a symptom of a busy market back in 2006 and estate agents just didn't need to work very hard to sell...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
This also happens in Belgium. The owners of a pub or cafe will often just close up for weeks on end and go on holiday. Family holiday with the kids beats running a business.meanredspider wrote:gabriel959 wrote:meanredspider wrote:Reminds me of the hotel in Spain I used to stay at that closed its restaurant for the holidays...
a restaurant that closes in the summer in Spain? It must be run by brits!!!!
A kid you not - same hotel that I got my hire car vandalised in the secure car park because it had Madrid plates on it (I was staying in Catalonia) and no-one blinked an eyelid....Ecrasez l’infame0 -
If you cant spare a couple of hours off work to drop off your bike and pick it up then you're working too hard.
A good bike shop should be staffed by bike enthusiasts. A Bike enthusiast should be out riding on a Sunday, not working. Hence a good bike shop should be closed on a Sunday, and poo poo Halfords can be open0 -
Yukirin wrote:If you cant spare a couple of hours off work to drop off your bike and pick it up then you're working too hard.
A good bike shop should be staffed by bike enthusiasts. A Bike enthusiast should be out riding on a Sunday, not working. Hence a good bike shop should be closed on a Sunday, and poo poo Halfords can be open
Really? If I owned an LBS I'd be out riding all week during the day and then open at evenings and weekends...- 2023 Vielo V+1
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Headhuunter wrote:SimonAH wrote:Hairdressers are the worst. You could make a mint with one that only opened 5:00 to 22:00 and all weekend.
No, estate agents... If there was ever a market for a place to be open later in the evening then it's estate agents. I mean if you're looking for a place to live and you have a job, what use is an estate agent which only does viewings up to about 6pm?!
When I was looking for my current flat it was an absolute nightmare, I seemed to spend my entire life for several weeks dashing out of work as soon as possible and trying to get down to SE London for viewings before 6.30pm at the absolute latest. I understand that people who are selling property don't necessarily want people tramping through their homes late into the evening but surely estate agents can manage a bit later than 6 or 6.30pm?! Do they actually want to sell property? And then at the weekend many only do viewings on Sat mornings and are closed on Sunday.... I'm not sure if this was a symptom of a busy market back in 2006 and estate agents just didn't need to work very hard to sell...
Most of the big agents in London are open till 7 at least. Foxtons are open till 8 every day in the week, for the very reason you mention.Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com0 -
okgo wrote:Most of the big agents in London are open till 7 at least. Foxtons are open till 8 every day in the week, for the very reason you mention.
Foxtons are open late because most of their employees can't abide daylight...- 2023 Vielo V+1
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They certainly don't get to see much of it with the hours they are made to work, I think they were one of the first to open late, which in turn means a lot of the others open late too.
I suppose a lot of us London lot are lucky as most shops open late on a thursday, so we can get our bike shop stuff done then!Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com0 -
They are often closed when club runs set off at the weekends too. If I had a bike shop I would be open early at the weekend to serve last minute purchases....they obviously do well enough as is and don't have to!0
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My LBS is open 7 days a week. It's pretty much the same handful of people I see in there every time, so they must work pretty long hours when you add in all the backroom and management stuff. It's very easy for people to whinge when they only do 9-5 Monday to Friday themselves.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
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okgo wrote:Headhuunter wrote:SimonAH wrote:Hairdressers are the worst. You could make a mint with one that only opened 5:00 to 22:00 and all weekend.
No, estate agents... If there was ever a market for a place to be open later in the evening then it's estate agents. I mean if you're looking for a place to live and you have a job, what use is an estate agent which only does viewings up to about 6pm?!
When I was looking for my current flat it was an absolute nightmare, I seemed to spend my entire life for several weeks dashing out of work as soon as possible and trying to get down to SE London for viewings before 6.30pm at the absolute latest. I understand that people who are selling property don't necessarily want people tramping through their homes late into the evening but surely estate agents can manage a bit later than 6 or 6.30pm?! Do they actually want to sell property? And then at the weekend many only do viewings on Sat mornings and are closed on Sunday.... I'm not sure if this was a symptom of a busy market back in 2006 and estate agents just didn't need to work very hard to sell...
Most of the big agents in London are open till 7 at least. Foxtons are open till 8 every day in the week, for the very reason you mention.
None of them would do viewings starting later than about 6.15 when I was looking to buy back in 2006, and that was at a push. Admittedly they weren't chains apart from Kinleigh Folkard Heywood or however you spell that... Goo to hear they have changed. I always though it would make sense for estate agents to run 2 shifts - a small, skeleton crew during the day and then from mid afternoon onwards a larger group to do viewings during the busy time...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
Il Principe wrote:Yukirin wrote:If you cant spare a couple of hours off work to drop off your bike and pick it up then you're working too hard.
A good bike shop should be staffed by bike enthusiasts. A Bike enthusiast should be out riding on a Sunday, not working. Hence a good bike shop should be closed on a Sunday, and poo poo Halfords can be open
Really? If I owned an LBS I'd be out riding all week during the day and then open at evenings and weekends...
This is what the bike shop do in Saint Lary (Pyrenees) in anything other than mid July-end August. They open 5.30pm-7pm most days (in theory they open on Saturdays but this is sporadic at best) and you will pretty much always find their van at the top or bottom of one of the local DH runs.http://www.ledomestiquetours.co.uk
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mrc1 wrote:Il Principe wrote:Yukirin wrote:If you cant spare a couple of hours off work to drop off your bike and pick it up then you're working too hard.
A good bike shop should be staffed by bike enthusiasts. A Bike enthusiast should be out riding on a Sunday, not working. Hence a good bike shop should be closed on a Sunday, and poo poo Halfords can be open
Really? If I owned an LBS I'd be out riding all week during the day and then open at evenings and weekends...
This is what the bike shop do in Saint Lary (Pyrenees) in anything other than mid July-end August. They open 5.30pm-7pm most days (in theory they open on Saturdays but this is sporadic at best) and you will pretty much always find their van at the top or bottom of one of the local DH runs.
Yep, I'd change my hours. The reality is that you need to compete with the interweb. I can't get to a bike shop until the weekend. Lack of proximity and time.FCN 2-4.
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"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Ok so I took yesterday off to have the wheel fixed.
I was swayed by it being 33°C. It wasn't the end of the world.
We only have one car, maybe we need two for the days when my bike is being repaired. :roll:0 -
LockStock666 wrote:We only have one car, maybe we need two for the days when my bike is being repaired. :roll:
No, you need another bike!
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