if you want lower prices, take it up with manufacturers. seriously. why is it that a car costs ~$8,000-$30,000 brand new, is warrantied in most cases 30-50k miles, can run for 3k + miles between regular maintenance, and will typically have a life of 200k miles? meanwhile bikes (for nice ones) cost $2-5k, cost considerably less to manufacture, have flimsy parts in comparison to cars (which have tons of r&d in each part [way more than bikes] to make them light, efficient, and durable) which require frequent replacement following failure. if cars where made a well as bikes they’d be getting recalled left and right. bottom line is manufacturers charge out the wazhoo for bike frames/parts to dealers, who then have to chew on a shoelace to make profit. put that in your pipe and smoke it.

additionally, maybe you should think for a moment about the fact that bike shop employees (who do usually love cycling) spend ALL DAY EVERY DAY around bikes (and the range of weird customers that covet them), and maybe they are not interested in some weirdo who hangs out for extended periods of time trying to talk about “this or that” cycling related topic. there are actually 12 of you in each square mile, and it is hard to get through a shift without being harassed by you.

Cooking classes in athens ga.

Generic lexapro. Generic for the prescription drug lexapro. Lexapro generic.

I am 23 and have been working in bike shops for ten years (yes i realise perhaps i should try to aspire to more), during those ten years i have been spoken to in the most shocking manner! I know a hell of a lot!! when i was 16 i had a cytec mechanic qualification. People still refused to listen to me when i explained what they needed to get to fix there bike or when i tell them to STOP JET WASHING AROUND BEARINGS!!

Even earlier today as a senior supervisor at 23, an ignorant older man would not listen to me when i told him i didnt have the spokes in the correct length but i was willing to cut them to the length he wanted and rethread them! Free of charge!!
He was rude and condescending as most older cyclists are when talking to myself or to any of the other hard working employees that are under the magic ‘know all the answers’ age of 20.

I do hope that anyone reading my little rant will take on board what im saying and give a little respect to the young people who get talked down to all day whilst simply trying to serve the customer!!

Anyway apologies on the rant.

Happy cycling.

Stu

The LBS I ride from has:
a) super location with lots of money living nearby
b) a cavernous store
c) very few bikes
d) not much in the repair queue; but they can’t true my wheel until week after next, maybe
e) weekday hours from like 10 to 4, unless they close early, and weekends they’re open only for a quick pee before the saturday club ride
f) a new and bigger shop under construction across the street

So I’m thinking they:
a) don’t need to earn money, as it is rumored that the owner’s wife has a trust fund, you know
or -
b) sell drugs out the back door and are doing just fine, thank you very much

Clearly, there’s a party going on and my UCI card isn’t good enough for admittance. Maybe if I’d placed better than mid-pack in any races this season they’d invite me inside for the pig roast and wet jersey contest….

It didn’t matter when I was the marketing director for a major bike component brand or when I was the creator and president of another major bike component brand. It doesn’t even matter now that I am the producer and host of several fairly (ahem) popular bicycling podcasts. Every single time I walk into a bike shop, they somehow think I am a known-nothing doofus.

It’s even worse if I walk in with my wife and/or kids.

So please sign me up for an LBS membership card. It sure would short circuit those conversations when the pimply-faced kid at my local bike shop looks at the presta valve tubes in my hand and asks, ‘are you sure you want THOSE tubes?’

And like you, I’m still looking for that comfy chair and back rub. ;-)