Turns out I need a super-secrete part for a SRAM hub. Fine, whatever. I contact SRAM and find out if I can get one. No, I can't. It has to be ordered through my LBS. Fine, whatever. Lame but fine. This is the same LBS that gave me NO help to begin with which led me to contact SRAM myself. So I go to the LBS, provide them with the part # and phone # to SRAM. Ask them to please call and order me the part from the nice people at SRAM (they really were nice).
At the same time I order some generic bike parts. A new handlebar and a shifter that are available through QBP. You know, available anywhere sort of thing. I've already researched their availability and found them for X% cheaper at various internet sites. But no, I order there, happy to support a local business, families, etc. Quite the humanitarian I am.
A week goes by. I stop by the shop on a Friday after being told they should arrive that Thurs. Get their 10 min before shop opens so decide to ride around the neighborhood for a half hour. Get back @ 11:20 and shop still not open. Fine, whatever, I gotta' go pick up a kid at pre-school by noon so take off.
Then ride back that afternoon. They're open, but the guy there looks at me with blank eyes when I say what I'm there for. I go home.
So I wait a week and this time use the phone. Call up and get the owner. Conversation goes something like this:
Me: Have the parts arrived?
LBS: Well, no, must be Christmas and all.
Me: But I ordered them two weeks before Christmas.
LBS: Uhhhhm, yeah, check back next week.
Me: How about those small SRAM parts, did they arrive yet?
LBS: Ohhhh, those, I don't think I called yet.
Me: Could you maybe call right now?
LBS: No, I'm kinda' busy. I'll try next week.
Me: Sigh.
So now I'm waiting for bike parts I could have ordered elsewhere (for cheaper!) and have had them long before the Christmas holiday. I'm also relying on them to order a part I can't get myself.
And I have two weeks of holiday to put all this stuff together and see if I like it. Well now one week of that is gone and instead I'm writing smack anonymously on the internet.
/rant
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6 comments:
Fire your LBS - if you really need one, start your own. Might be fun? :)
I'm too hard on 'em here, and they're nice people, but damn... this happened four weeks ago and I still don't have the parts.
Just confirmed they were ordered... two days ago. What's been going on over the last four weeks??? That after he told me they would be in "next Thursday." That Thursday was three weeks ago.
Arrrgh.
As a bike shop employee for the past 4-1/2 years who has done ordering (stock and special orders), this is completely unacceptable from ANY shop for ANY reason other than the place burning to the ground.
You're not being too hard on them. They are there to help you, not make you wait, and they should be keeping you updated on what's going on.
Sorry for a late response, I just really hate hearing stories like this.
Ha, get this: they finally ordered the part (Salsa Woodchippers). EVERY time I went in, I confirmed "I want the 25.4 clamp in 46cm width." So they FINALLY come in, I don't know, sometime in February, maybe March and guess what???? Come on, I know you can guess... that's right, it's in a flippin' 31.8 size. And here's the beauty part: Now they're out of stock in any size and they can't get them. Long story short: I am NEVER, ever, NEVER, ever going back there.
The other shop in town is ok, but really mixed luck with them. They seem to at least care, but half the staff is stoned at any given time and usually screw up the order. But at least they're nice about it when they do.
Sucks to be me.
Annoying for sure.
One of the shops local'ish to me is completely rubbish, they don't seem interested in selling anything, just in being annoying cocks.
*My* main LBS is great - I always try to give them the business first, they can usually match, or come close enough to online prices. Some stuff they just can't get, which is fine, they can't have accounts with everyone.
They managed to talk those 29er PII's out of the distributor for me in one call, by calling in a personal contact. I had been after a set for ages before I thought to ask my LBS to give it a go.
They are really good on odd, small items too, stuff like brake service kits, piston seals, odd bearings and the like.
I think my orders must amuse them, given that a huge amount of their business is in fast, straight-up road race bikes.
They got my H-Bars in for me, and opening the box in the shop was great fun, some of the expressions were prize, as the lads looked on, completely puzzled by them.
They are keen on seeing what you've done with the stuff they got in too, to the point of shaking their heads collectively in puzzlement as to why you'd ride *that*.
There is another shop I try to put a bit of business to as well, they are a nice couple, and I hope they do well, they are in different place in the market too, so things should be ok for them if we get a riding summer.
Ahhhh, don't rub it in! Luckily, the other shop in town, whose business plan revolves around selling $200 bikes with $500 worth of accessories, is kind of helpful. They at least order the parts. Those end up being the wrong part, but they try... unfortunately no, no coffee/tea/espresso. Interestingly, one of the big mail order places Jenson USA has their brick and mortar stores pretty close. If want something for a good price and am willing to drive 40 min to get it, they're a good deal. Real nice guys working there, too. And they pretty much get all the weird little bike things I'm into. They would love to order you some H bars, and probably would compare contrast the loop vs open models with you while you waited. :-)
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