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TheDuke

TheDuke

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:x I WENT TO THE ONLY LBS YESTERDAY TO REPLACE THE RUSTED OUT BOTTOM BRACKET FOR MY B.O.B.(Sorry for shouting)There were 3 guys working there all within hearing distance.I explained to the guy what I needed and he said"Wheres your other cup?".I explained again that one side rusted apart and the berrings just rolled out when I removed it.He said he could sell me new berrings but had no idea where to get new cups......................................WHAT? I hate it!Only LBS Full of BS!He was acually serious!He and everyonethere had no clue where I could get a replacement. I try to support the local guy and thats the crap I get! Since I'm not there to buy a $1500 bike or some overpriced Lycra and accesories They seemed uninterested in helping me.Then again I think they really were clueless! So I came home and jumped online.Went to AAA bicycles whom I've bought some stuff from before. Got a new Bottom bracket(cups included)and a freewheel for $23.(that included s&h) That's probably what the berrings would have cost me At the LBS! THEY ARE DEAD TO ME! :x :x :x :x

Thanks for listening!I feel better now!L8 EM :wink: :wink:
 
:lol: Everytime I hear someone say, "Support your local bike store", I laugh! SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU! (no apologies for yelling)

I have several bike stores that are within a 20 minute ride from me, all of which are useless, unless you are a roadie or want a full bike! So I drive 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours from my LBSs to get the parts and knowledge I need. We use to indulge in the internet thingy, and there's nothing wrong with it, in fact it's mighty convenient if you know what your looking for! But if you don't know for sure what you need, then you better know of a great bike shop within reason.

Gigs and I are very lucky to have stumbled across two bike shops in our 60 mile radius, Cycle Works in Clawson and Houuse of Wheels in Owosso.
Both these guys are into Restoration and enjoy the ratty side of bikes! We've ridden in rides sponsored by both and was actually asked to bring our FreakBikes! Cycle Works also has my FreakBike/RatBike, "Ratasia" on display. They also sell our FreakBike Nation shirts

One of my "used to be"better friends is a very well known bike mechanic and salesman in the lower Michigan area, and he won't even consider ordering special parts or tires, because there's no real profit in it for him or the store. PUNK!

If the auto and motorcycle world had the single minded approach of the bicycle shop, there wouldn't be rod or chopper shops around. And there surley wouldn't be parts stores! "Nope we don't carry air filters, don't even know what one is, but how would you like to drive home in a new pair of authentic Dale Gordon signature NOSCRAP racing panties?

There's got to be a market for FreakyHotRatCustomRestoD.Y.I. Bikes! BikeZone? PedBoys?

I feel for ya Duke, this shouldn't be a problem for us bike nuts, but the greed of the LBSs is in our way! :x

Good luck on finding a real Bike Shop close to your home and your heart,
Chainy
 
Same here - - I went to have a cluster removed from a schwinn wheel. The LBS guy said "what?? well I don't think I have a tool for that one but I'll try." Good grief! his shop is actually a new bike assembly and sell establishment. My friend has had a wheel there for 3 weeks for spoke replacement, just some. This shop isn't even busy. But he'd sure like to sell you a $1k bike.
 
the thing i dont like is askin for a part and they say "yeah i dont have any of these right now, i got some comin tho, but leave me your # and ill call you when it comes in" one guy actually told me if i didnt here from him in a couple months call him up and remind him, told him i think i might just get sick of cruisers and buy a Trek off ebay instead. call me in a couple months and ill let ya know how many people i refered to the shop the next town over.
 
I experienced the same thing in Winnipeg at every shop I entered. There's one that supposedly has a reputation of being good for those with old bikes but I went in to get my wheel measured for spokes and they wanted to charge me 15 bucks just for the measurement. I have never gone back. The others are the same old story, won't order for you don't really know what they're doing, blah-blah. I was lucky though to find a one-man operation in Steinbach who is totally helpful. He will probably order anything he can for a customer and even let me borrow his tools for a couple minutes for some adjustments in his shop. This is serious customer service and I will not go anywhere else now. They are few and far between but good LBSs do exist. He's actually restoring an old Typhoon as well. I showed him this site so he might be lurking here by now too. So hey Patrick, thanks for your help so far.

p.s. oldy57 and dez if you ever get down to Steinbach, check out Body Driven sports on main. He's open Tuesday to Saturday but closes from 1-2 for lunch.
 
Many of you have mentioned what I consider to be bike stores, not shops.
The main focus of a store is to sell you a bike, while a shop will give you much more.
 
sometimes its not the shop as a whole.. there are mechanics at each shop that do love this old stuff.
I got to different shops to get bike boxes and most dont care at all about the old bikes... I think it goes the same in cars .... most new dealer ships dont care about an old musclecar but the mechanics do :)
I still try to buy from a LBS when I can, its hard tho So when I need something right now I research it and go in acting like I really know what I am talking about lol.
I met one great old bike guy by going to the LBS and asking for an axle nut for a sturmey archer hub. the salesman took me right back to the guy who had a clue :)
 
I went to my LBS for a chain for a Hiawatha I'm building. Nothing fancy just a chain for a single speed coaster brake. The kid getsthis dumb look on his face and asks "Is that some kinda BMX or something?" I hate to say it but I went to Wal-Mart and bought the chain I needed for less than half of what the LBS wanted. I'm sure the quality is not as nice but at least I got it.
 
I guess I'm lucky in this regard. There are two bike shops in town and both are excellent. The one is more upscale, a bit pricey, and caters to the rich summer folk. The other is more down to earth. Both will fix anything, and will try to help you find a part. Even better if it comes to Rat Bike stuff, 45 minutes away is that tiny bike shop I mentioned a ways back in a thread. He sells all the coolest newest bikes, but his heart is in the classic bikes and he routinely builds choppers, rats, and restores old bikes. He sells a full line of springer forks, seats, sissy bars, wheels, whatever you want. If he doesn't have it, he'll find it. If he can't find it, he'll make it. He even takes old neglected road bikes and makes his signature blue/white fixies out of them for $200-$300 depending on the components he "found" at the time. Some have Campy cranks some Shimano, etc. He's a true Rat bike enthusiest. Sadly he winters in FL so he closes mid Oct.
 
my lbs has been helpful a time or two.. there is a good one but 30 miles from here not to bad they'll order anything and even pull parts off of their display bikes to get you going if they have to... but they arent "true Rat bike enthusiest" or anything ... i know i have pay'd more then i should have at least once ... but they did take it off a display bike so i cant complain to loudly ....
 
When I first got into the biking scene I found myself at a couple of bike shops close by that dealt mostly in mountain and road bikes. All very nice people and appreciative of the older stuff....just didn't have any parts or much interest in them.

Then one day, someone recommended a shop about 15 miles from me in an older part of town. I knew it was going to be a good shop when I pulled up and saw the big vintage Schwinn Dealer sign up on top. They also had a bunch of used bikes out front for sale too.

Turns out that they have a bunch of cruisers for sale and even a bunch of old Schwinns inside for sale too. They have a whole wall of parts....many of them for cruisers and muscle bikes. Mitch is one of the guys that works there and he loves the old stuff...also does some restorations there from time to time. He can usually get any part you need in stock in about a week or less.

For those in the North Texas area....it's the Bicycle Exchange on Broadway in downtown Carrollton.

Good folks!
 
I've gone to Maple Ridge cycle, asked about a seat post, the guy said he might have one in the back but it was too close to closing to check...it was 3:00 and the store closed at either 5:00 or 6:00. He wasn't alone, two other sales people and two mechanics, he just didn't want to bother. I won't go back. If I do go to a LBS and they don't have what I want on display, I leave. It's easier to get online or find donor bikes on craigslist.
 
The LBS situation mirrors the attide of much of today's bike industry. In addition to my vintage stuff, I also ride road and MTBs. I tend to get a lot of life out of my bike purchases as is evident by my ten year old MTB-that is now considered "vintage." I cannot get any parts locally for my shifters, shock or my seven year old fork. Nothing. Everything has to be sent away to be serviced. I have seven or eight LBSs within 1/2 hr and none could help me when I wanted to change fork oil and buy the specific lube for my Fox fork. "I can ship it to Fox for you" was what I got everywhere.
What do you think happens when they see my 1940 klunker?
This is where the value of this site (and others) as a resource is invaluable. I support the local LBS because he is a member of my community and as such I have developed a relationship with that shop that has paid dividends over and over-wheels trued, cables, chains chemicals, etc, I always try him first but most of the time he is little help.
While blaming the LBS is cheap and easy to do, I feel that it is the industry that has lost its collective passion and sight.
 

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