Progress so far...

June 30th 2009 - 22 stone 4Ibs. Current weight - 17 stone 1Ib. Weight loss - 5 stone 3Ibs. Commuting miles - 3389.
Non commuting miles - 359. Mileage this week - 101 miles. Total mileage - 3748 miles.


Saturday 1 May 2010

Love your Local Bike Shop!

I know in this day an age of internet shopping and mail order you can get all things a bit cheaper and from the convenience of your own arm chair at the click of a mouse.

The same is true for bikes and all things bike related, indeed I've used any number of online retailers for bits'n'pieces, clothing and various accessories.

But lets for the moment take a moment to celebrate the blokes who run small businesses and keep your beloved steed in working order and can be the saviour of the moment when you need that "spur of the moment part", an emergency inner tube for a last minute pedal or just a bit of bike related advice to make your life a bit easier.

I'm lucky, I have Scott's Cycles in Rubery run by the ever helpful Graham and Northfield Cycles just up the road in, er, Northfield.

As most of you know I got my Giant Defy from Northfield Cycles a couple of months ago, and as you are probably aware, ever since I've had it I've had wheel problems, rubbing brake blocks, spokes pinging off and just a nagging feeling that all is not well with the hoops. For a new bike that's not good. Indeed at the free first service I voiced my concerns to Neil and they've had the bike back as well to replace spokes. Every time they've sorted it, but again the wheels would go out of true or ping spokes which it did again last week.

I took the bike in last Wednesday basically to say I was not happy, the bike is bordering on not fit for purpose and I want it sorted. Neil said leave it with us and lo and behold they did sort it. A pair of Shimano RS20 rims are now happily hanging on my bike. Not only that but they worked damn hard to get me the bike back for Saturday as I said I was going on a big pedal on Bank Holiday Monday. I got the bike back yesterday. Now that's service.

I think in this digital age it's easy to forget about the personal touch and good customer service, indeed we British are not very good at it so any bit of going the extra mile needs to be celebrated.

So well done Richard Tranter and Neil Jones at Northfield Cycles! You have a very happy customer who's expectations were exceeded!

Some times it's easier to moan about bad service and to take good service for granted so let's change that around, just don't shop where you get bad service and trumpet good examples here on our Blogs so we all know who's doing the business!


Neil Jones and Richard Tranter at Northfield Cycles



Neil and Richard keeping a wary eye on the Spawn of Satan!



Dan outside Northfield Cycles



My Giant Defy 2 with new hoops!



New front wheel!



New rear wheel!

So what I would say is use your LBS, cultivate a good relationship with them and keep them in business for your own good. Don't forget these blokes are cyclists too! Neil is now a regular commuter and ex BMXer and Richard is a cyclo crosser of some repute too, they like most LBS personnell are mad on bikes just like us mere mortals who use them as a tool or a hobby.

12 comments:

  1. I am with you with the support for the LBS but in my case my LBS (at least the one I reguarly use) is a cycle repair shop, don't not sell bikes just a few accessories and parts. But it has to be a balancing act between supporting your LBS and keeping the bank manager happy by buying online.

    The LBS where I bought the bike is very busy shop and the sort of place you have to book the bike in a week or so in advance which if you have had a component failure it can mess up any planned rides you may have been looking forward to.

    Hope you enjoy your weekends riding now Clive

    ReplyDelete
  2. Clive u have got a nice pair of rims mate.

    Ure rite about good service, I must say myself if say I am in a restaurant and the food is nice I do always say how nice it was.

    The web is good for some stuff but u don't get no personal service with it, like u say it's good for buying Bike peripherals DVD's Bluray's Books, even clone Muvi camcorder's and cheapo mountain Bike's of Ebay. But not very good if it goes tits up.

    Enjoy ure weekend Clive

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoy my weekend? Enjoy my weekend?!!!

    Bees just walloped our deadly rivals Moseley and we are now staying in the Championship (same level as the soccer Championship) and I'm now off to get shedded with the boys! Stuff the diet!!!!!

    Whoop whoop!!!!!!!!!1

    ReplyDelete
  4. Enjoy your hangover then.................

    ReplyDelete
  5. Totally agree about using your LBS. LIke you I have 2 to chose from Richards and Perth City both talk sense the staff and cyclists what more do you need. In this instance Richards got the trade when I bought my new bike funnily enough a Defy 2!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad it all worked out Clive but at the end of the day the bike should be fit for purpose and you dont expect it to go awol within a month or two.

    ReplyDelete
  7. good to have a local shop you can trust to get the job done,my nearest shop let me down a few years ago and ive never been back, my bikes cost to much to let a hamfisted idiot touch... so now my LBS is actually 45 miles away (the hub at glentress) the hub has exellent professional (qualified) mechanics...just got my pugsley back with the alfine hub now fitted and again excellent service- oh this is not a plug!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think you've got a good shop there with a decent bunch of guys. Sadly our LBS is Halfords and Evans Cycles, both of which just always seem to me to be more interested in "the silver dollar" than doing something because its the right thing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  9. When I travelled to the darkside today (north London) I came across this
    LBS

    I don't know wot it is like but staff seemed very freindly and helpful defo not a Halfords or Evans Cycles

    ReplyDelete
  10. Got to agree with you Clive. One of the LBS I wont go near, thanks to very poor service and trying to be ripped off. The other one is tiny and doesnt do a lot but the staff are friendly and helpful and that goes a LONG way in my book. The guys and girls where Im getting the Trek from is 15 odd miles away so cant really be a LBS but they are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm yet to experience my LBS. Taking the bike in tomorrow but comes highly recommended by my triathlete colleague.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Agreed. I'm fortunate to live a mile from a first rate shop, Bike Doctor of Arnold, MD. Your post has inspired me, I'll need to give them their due on my own blog sooner rather than later.

    Ride safely.

    Mike

    ReplyDelete