Brain recalibration - a cost of living/modern life thread
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She's just happy doing the customer facing stuff and doesn't have much ambition professionally so has moved on. She thinks they just wanted to turn it over to another local coffee shop they're friends with (the previous business actually owns the building so would get income from the rent still).
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I had a wander round The Toon today early pm when the sun was shining (that did not last): this is a regional centre with lots of local independent businesses, along with the usuals. Where did I see most people sitting outside? The Costa, the Starbucks, the Greggs... all of which's products are essentially shite. Support your local businesses why don't you?
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Greggs is local!
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A local Greggs for local people?
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unfortunately, they are open longer, they are more reliable and probably slightly cheaper than the independent, that come and go every year.
left the forum March 20230 -
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That's the thing, they aren't generally cheaper, I think a lot of people assume this. A flat white at my local coffee shop is £2.90, Costa is £3.90!
I think a lot of it is habit and the misapprehension that a chain offers better value for money.
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Reliably average, at best, I'd say.
I can genuinely say I've not been into a McDonalds more than ten times in my life, and, to be fair, they are consistent... consistently always worse than even I think they will be, despite my already thinking they are awful.
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I’ve started stopping at Greggs on a couple of my rides where they are handy. A flat white and a cake is easily under £3.00. That’s less than half the price of either a Costabucks or an indie. For a quick fuel stop and loo it’s crazy cheap.
2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner0 -
Greggs is definitely cheap. You can get a breakfast roll and drink for just over £3. I actually prefer their coffee to Costa despite being bean to cup.
I only go to Costa when with the wife who likes it (she only drinks really weak milky coffee). I generally manage to avoid Starbucks completely, they are terrible. Neither are cheap for coffee but their food is even worse.
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I can't remember the *exact* price off the top of my head, but peak Costa gouging on food was opening a box of the red Lindor chocolates, putting them in a bowl beside the till and selling them for 40p each
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!2 -
Probably just being lazy - just going to the same place they always have done, and that their friends frequent.
We have a number of local cafe's and coffee shops, I try and rotate my business between them.
Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
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PAS normal studios entire USP is that it is really expensive and therefore "exclusive". The stuff is generally very plain and doesn't raise the bar in terms of quality, fit, materials etc. They are also not the only "boutique" brand doing similar.
They are pretty much taking the Rapha template from a few years ago and repeating; however Rapha had considerably more substance behind the marketing, and people bought and still buy it because of the quality as well as the brand.
I can't see anyone mourning PNS when the fashion kids are off to the next expensive brand.
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The fact that it's stocked in END clothing tells you all you need to know.
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I have always assumed the PNS sell the bulk of their stuff in Denmark where they are based. I have never seen anyone in the UK wearing it. I think you have to look at a few 'boutique' type brands as targeting a very specific customer base, not one for the mass cycling public.
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Same here, I work on the basis that if we don't support them, they won't be here. It is also nice to actually know the owners a little and know that my money is going towards paying them and their staff alone, and not a shareholder dividend!
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Can confirm to have seen several wearing PNS in the wild in Essex (and specifically South Essex).
Not as many as MAAP but plenty enough to keep the Essex stereotypes rumbling on.
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Interesting. Definitely no confirmed sightings in the Midlands or the North, and not expecting to anytime soon!
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Colleague at work wears it, largely because as he says himself, it's quite "exclusive" and he doesn't like wearing the same as everyone else.
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Plus everyone has time to read the logo on your jersey as you cycle round very very slowly on your £15k superbike ;)
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the cycling industry becomes more exclusive, people buy less cycling related products as a result… which results in the cycling industry becoming more exclusive to sell fewer luxury items to fewer wealthy customers, which results in fewer people getting into cycling, which results in the cycling industry becoming more exclusive and only selling extremely expensive items to selected and selective wealthy individuals, which in turn means…
and it goes on and on…
Now that the 5 figure bicycle has been normalised, to the point that even Ribble have a few in their catalogue, what’s next? The 30k bicycle? The 6 figure bicycle? The 4 figure helmet and cycling shoes? Where does it end?
left the forum March 20230 -
Where does it end? Well, my bike buying days ended in 2011 so quite a while ago. I pity people wanting to get into cycling these days.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Saw a fair amount of PNS in Mallorca last year.
Our club has a supply arrangement through NoPinz which is pretty expensive, initially lead times were about three months as it was individual custom orders. The last time I ordered it came after less than a fortnight, and now I seem to get a never ending stream of discount emails from them, so I guess times have got tough. Decent bikes, decent kit ... you can only really buy 'so' much, its not a limitless market.
2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner0 -
I would argue cycling will go the other way Ugo, although I can fully understand the logic in your argument. I have said this before, cycling has been positioned as a lifestyle brand, which led to the boom in niche/luxury cycling brands and also the high prices we have seen over the last 5 years. This was always likely to be an artificial boom though. Hedge funds came in and backed brands like Wiggle and Rapha but we are now seeing the demand slip massively and those that grew too big, too soon, are now collapsing.
You were always going to be left with people like us on the forum as your key customer, keen amateurs who want good value products that perform and last. I think we have been taken for granted by the industry as consumers, but we were here before the boom and will still be around long after the bust. I think we are going to gradually see prices come down (it is already happening at the top end with bikes), luxury brands will go bust, online will take a big hit and good quality local bikes shops will see a renaissance. We do have to accept that as online retail drops, the days of mass discounts will also go, but I think we will se a return to more sensible prices, but will have to pay at or close to full retail as a result.
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Were those people not ridiculed on every ride for spending daft money on a kit from a brand whose name is pronounced so close to "penis"?
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You are the person that literally posted about high end kit and how 'mad' the prices were!
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Yeah sure, they are mad. I mean, I remember thinking spending £50 on a jersey was really profligate, and I still really struggle spending 3 figures on a pair of shorts.
If I was earning the big bucks I obviously wouldn't mind about the big price points!
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I clearly need big bucks to be redefined. You are on big bucks (I think?) as far as I am concerned, and I think 3 figures for quality bibs is to be expected.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0
