Are good bicycle shops extinct?

[KOTA]

Last year they opened a BMX and scooter shop in the center of the town I live in. A few months ago I stopped in to check it out, even though I'm not into BMX, or those tiny scooters. I had a question about hub size. The "young man" (owner) answered it, I politely thanked him. As I was walking by the counter, there was a very sleek looking BMX frame sitting there, I glanced at it and his (loud) response was: DON'T TOUCH IT, THAT FRAME COST $700. I let him know I didn't intend on "touching" it...Then I looked at him and said: " Look kid. See that car parked right there (in front of his entrance). It cost me over $35,000....Go "touch" it...I'll let ya....He never said a word.

 

[Bicycle808]

that's weird. beyond being rude, it's poor salesmanship. i mean, you sell more hott stuff by letting ppl touch it. How are you gonna damage it by hand, in any way?

What was the frame, i wonder?

 

[KOTA]

He said it was the only hand made titanium frame made in America......Still...I LOOKED at it. Never made any motion to touch it. I was more than five feet away from it. After I made the remark about the car, I think he realized what he had done....I still won't be going back. :roll:

 

[highship]

Kota, Highship.... you guys know of any that I should happen by ?
I don't need anything in particular but its nice to rummage n play :mrgreen:

I really like Highland Hardware in Holyoke... Highlandbike.com

I'm not sure how much vintage stuff your going to find(for sale) but cool never the less.
They have a lot of sweet oldies hanging from the ceiling but none of them are for sale, or at least the last 50 times I have asked

I do most of my work myself but I have bought some mountain bikes, parts, and had a few wheels built there and satisfied every time.

One time, I contacted a guy through CL for a bike and it turned out he worked there. He gave me a look at the basement of the shop and there had to be 100 bikes hanging from the ceiling. A lot where newer but there were some oldies. Some where for sale but most not.
He had some nice stuff for sale but they were "retail prices". I did buy whatever bike I was there for though.

Check out the website, i think they have some cool pictures.
*edit* I guess I was wrong on the pictures...

 

[Bicycle808]

He said it was the only hand made titanium frame made in America......Still...I LOOKED at it. Never made any motion to touch it. I was more than five feet away from it. After I made the remark about the car, I think he realized what he had done....I still won't be going back. :roll:

Oh, I get that. totally over the line on his part. What a douchecanoe. I get it that you weren't gonna touch it, but so what if you were? It's a thing for sale in a shop; customers should be encouraged to touch it. If it's something fragile or easily shopilifted (small&expensive), put it in a case. If it's a Ti BMX frame, and you wanna sell it, you gotta be nice to the customers, right?

What kinda car was it?

 

[KOTA]

2013 Mazda CX-5 GT. Every option and every accessory....It's getting traded in two weeks. Just came back from the body shop 2 days ago. Wife took a big hit on an Interstate last month..Looks good, fixed right...Don't want a new car with a bad carfax. NOW is the time I'll ever get the MOST money for it... 2014 CX_5 Grand Touring

 

[socal_jack]

Give Cardiff Bike Shop a try, Eric specializes in vintage Schwinns and you'll never get the spandex treatment. Some nice old cruisers for sale too(actually no new bikes at all). Occasionally he organizes cruiser rides, and there's always the Encinitas holiday parade ride.

http://www.cardiffbikeshop.com/index.htm

EDIT: Alan's in O'side has always been pretty cruiser friendly but haven't been in there in awhile (certainly a bit higher end since they moved) usually had a good stock of apes and other stuff and BMX goodies. El Camino in Encinitas is usually stocked OK with Electra accessories, some BMX stuff, cruiser friendly people there and they run a swap meet a couple of times a year in back of the store.

If you're not wearing a spandex riding suit many of the shops around here ignore you but since we are a beach town it's not that hard to find a shop that handles cruisers or customs. Doesn't mean they can't be snobby or lame.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Same experience here. I think the only shop which is anything close to good is Bicycle Discovery in San Diego.

 

[mikeeebikey]

Ha ha, "Spandex treatment!"
I have been moving about the last few years and not found a shop worth spitting on, compared to what I did with my own years ago, but what I have found are awesome employees at bad shops.
Case in point, in an Alabama town right by the University is a shop that they truly wear the spandex suit at work, there was this girl sales person. I needed a seat, excuse me, a saddle! She saw what I was riding and immediately got out the catalogs as they had nothing but selle racing saddles. I ordered one and she called when it came in.
I changed it out and offered her a chance to ride my Dyno, she did, she was converted that day!

So be personable, friendly and forward, don't just look around, talk to the people, sometimes looks are not everything! Yup, once in a while someone is going to speak out of a**, happens all the time, but move on when they do.