What are Local Bike Shops Doing so Wrong? 

I'm not joking, the *owner* of a local bike shop in 2017 said in front of me, "lipstick on a pig" about my brand new bike purchase from them: a full carbon race bike. Just after final assembly, they took my new bike out of my hands, put an expensive set of carbon rims on it, walked outside and took a few phone shots for the shop's instagram account. Then proceeded to put the stock rims back on before handing the bike back to me. "Lipstick on a pig" - Jason, former co-owner of 'The Velo' in Phoenix Arizona; who was later found to be embezzling funds from his other co-owners. Some in the bike industry aren't very nice people. And then there are others who are demonstrably bad people.

There are many local shops which specialize in the very high-end market. Unfortunately, they often treat people who are not spending $3,500+ on a bike like lepers. This does not help the industry.

I know most LBS don't want to hear about ebikes, but hear me out. I'm an older guy, hadn't really ridden a bike of any kind for about 30 years, and got an ebike so I could start riding with confidence again. When I needed some help the LBS was just, frankly, contemptuous. I didn't need electrical work, just some help adjusting the rear derailleur and a cassette replacement. Was told by several shops to just pound sand "we don't work on ebikes." So I bought tools and learned to do it myself. Two years later my fitness and confidence improved and I thought I'd get back on a conventional bike so I went shopping for a sub 1K hybrid bike, mainly to get some urban exercise, but also to throw in the back of my truck and ride on some forest service logging roads when I went camping. Again, was told my choice was crap and really needed to spend more money to get something worth while. I stuck to my guns and bought an entry level Cannondale hybrid bike, which has worked well for me. Now, my daily rides are getting up into the 30 mile and longer range. One of the reasons the Cannondale has worked so well for me is that it was comfortable and I didn't worry about making mistakes with it while I was relearning how to enjoy riding again. I didn't need a 3K bike then, but I might want one now. Guess where I won't be going to spend my money? Beginners are the future of the sport. We don't aspire to be racers, we don't need or want to drop multiple thousands of dollars on bikes when we're not even sure we'll enjoy it that much. Beginners might well get a bike at Walmart and need to be encouraged to get better at biking, before they need to be sold better bikes.

Went to 4 local shops in my area. Pretty much ignored because I wasn’t spending more than a thousand on a bike. Just ended up buying online bike

I moved to a new community and I brought my 1988 Specialized Rockhopper with me. I asked around and everyone recommended a place in the south suburbs of St Paul, MN called Bike King as a GREAT bike shop. I hated the name, but it is a great shop. It serves riders that can't spend thousands of dollars on gear as well as those who can. Over the summer they checked and tuned the bike that had been hanging in my old house's garage for 20 years, got me into some new tires and tubes, new pedals, and some handlebar toys. They liked that my Rockhopper was 95% original and they gave me helpful, affordable options for updating what needed updating. The store is a treasure in this part of town. No attitude what-so-ever.

Another popular bike mechanic RU-vid tells a story about how they refused to install training wheels on a young kid's new bike from Walmart, told the parent to return the Walmart bike and he would sell them a second hand bike, which made the kid cry ("your bike sucks, kid!"). He then expressed confusion that the customer left a 1 star review, as he was "only trying to help." Obviously from the customer's perspective, all the mechanic was doing was trying to upsell his own product. Maybe the mechanic was right, but he could have much easily charged the parent to install training wheels, made the parent and the kid happy, and probably had a repeat customer for any small jobs (which he could charge a premium for, because he has the skill/time and they don't). Instead he essentially told the customer they were stupid, lost some easy business and earned himself a 1-star review. And then complains that LBS aren't doing well. The general vibe I get from most LBS is along those lines, they seem to look down on you for not knowing basic bike stuff, but then would why I need to go to a bike shop if I already knew everything?

Favorite story...took my bike to the shop with wheel bearing noise...the shop that I purchased the bike from...the mechanic took a look, "adjusted" the hub...then looked me straight in the eye and said...you need new wheels. I said thanks, took the bike home, did some research and bought new bearings and replaced them myself. I never went back to that shop again.

That opening just killed me. That was hilarious.

I've been on the receiving end of dealing with butt head bicycle shops, so instead of dealing with butt head bicycle shops I opened my own, I treat my customers how I would want to be treated.

My local shop: a service comprises charging me for replacement cables, pads, brake calliper plus a lecture on how to better look after the bike. Get home and realised the chain hasn't been cleaned. Total jerks.

The same problem exists with other hobbies as well, that arrogant behavior, snobbery and gatekeeping. I've been into hifi audio for quite some time and my experiences are the same at those stores. Especially when I was younger and looked more like a broke student. As a test, I changed my typical outfit back to a cheap shirt and jeans not too long ago and entered a hifi store. Immediately got to deal with condescending behavior... in fact, when I told them what my hifi setup was, they were skeptical and suggested that I was bragging or something.

I remember the store that sold me my first bike. In retrospect they were a bunch of salesmen optimized for fast sale of bikes. I had taken a curb a bit unoptimal during rain so my front wheel needed to be recentered and the handlebar realigned. Went to the store. First reaction: why didn't you come for the 500km inspection? "You told me I don't need to and should only come for the yearly" "We never told you that! No one here would say that!" (When I picked up the bike the Store clerk gave me the bike, put it in front of the store and when she saw me riding off she closed the whole store for the day. I picked it up and she impatient because I dared to pick up the bike at 5:30 in a store open till 6). Bike returned after 2 days with a re-centered front wheel and a even more misaligned handlebar (which i only realized after riding off and you guess it, the store closed behind me, again. Went to another Bike store (the one that serviced the bike during the remaining 2.5 years of Leasing) and repair guy was "you should go to the store, since they have to give warranty on repairs" and the Clerk/Boss be like "Look at this handlebar. If we let such a misaligned handlebar get out of a repair service & inspection I would also not expect the customer to come back" Queue the new leasing bike this year (Term is 3 years and after I get it for 18% of list price, so mom happy to get my old bike) and I am in the store for 3 hours and both the Shopkeeper and me make sure I get exactly the bike I want.

The shop where I bought my bike kept breaking it every single time I brought it in. The worst part was he would always always blame me. Eventually took it to another shop and have not had a single problem in the past 2-3 years.

Tbh, I roll into my LBS with the biggest POSs that I have generally screwed up wrenching myself. "Uh, I thought it was the derailleur hanger so I tried to adjust it. Please help" And generally, they are cool. So they fix my shit & I bring my next project to them when I butcher it. And, I buy all accessories there

I brought my bike to a shop the other day for a tune-up. I have a chrome moly frame that is perfect for my needs and indestructible under normal use. The tech initially tried to convince me that I should get a carbon fiber bike for a little over $2000. I told him I'm sure it's nice and will consider it when I bend my current frame. At 60, that's not likely going to happen, but my tendency is to keep things for a long time. The owner of the bike shop quietly deflected him elsewhere when he realized I'm not buying into the concept of a new bike. They did a good job with the tune-up though. The day I decide to shave off time on my current rides, get into senior racing, and I get a new source of income, I will consider that carbon frame...maybe.

Took an old steel frame single speed into local shop a few years ago to get some rims/tyres and was laughed at by shop workers who then said 'no one rides things like this, you need something like this'...points to carbon aero bikes etc. Was made to feel stupid when all i wanted was a set of wheels for a bike so i could cruise down the shops for some milk etc. I have built a few bikes over the years from frame up and am by no means an expert but I new what I was after and wanted to go to a local shop rather than the internet. Instead I got laughed at for not having a 14k race bike. That bike got stolen a couple years later and I hadn't had a bike since then and had been getting the urge so I started looking around online and found a 1k flatbar/commuter steel frame bike that looks great for 1/2 price at a different local bike shop. I was reluctant to go and have a look but went in anyway.... The guys there were awesome and straight away were like 'oh dude this would be perfect for what you want (fitness rides up to 50k), our roads are so crap, this bike will be awesome for that' etc etc. Made a world of difference, I will go there for anything I need now unless its crazy cheap online of course. Bottom line is there is no need for some of these people being the way they are, I've played guitar all my life and music shops can be just the same!

This is a long one but relevant. The time: 1970’s. In Sacramento Ca. there was The Bicycle Business. Started by Kendall LeCompte. I think it’s still there, new ownership. That’s how you run a business. Any business. Kendall was a frame builder, master mechanic and raced in-the local circuit. I was about 12 when I got bit by the bike bug. I cobbed together components on my back then old Raleigh gran prix to make it lighter and better 🤣. He knew I was doing this. He was so cool and helpful, never condescending to a kid. So I spent my money there when my Simplex Prestige got munched. He recommended a Suntour VGT Luxe. I bought it. And every other part I ever needed for years. FF to 1978, I bought with my own hard earned cash a new Viscount Aerospace Pro for $229. My first new bike. He knew that too. Well, I kept breaking rear spokes and he respoked the wheel with heavier spokes, no charge. Every upgrade I did, I bought the parts there and had him do the work I couldn’t do. He’d let me and my other bike geek friends just hang out and browse and chat. A great guy, always a gentleman. A great life influence for young guys and a great shop. I’ve been an avid cyclist since then and a lover and collector vintage road bikes. I have 30, I think. RIP Kendall. A good man.

I’ve bought more than a few bikes over the years. I’ve come to realize that the shop you buy from is about as important as the actual bike model you’re buying, if not more.

Gaaaaa!!!! That sound effect sounded terrifyingly real!

My bike shop mechanics are really cool and knowledgeable. They know me by name now and always give me first hand service.

It’s understandable but unfortunate to see so many local shops really not stocking a wide selection of accessories right now. I get that money is likely tied up in actual unsold bicycles but it’s REALLY asking a lot to ask customers to order online from their distributor but still pay prices which reflect brick and mortar pricing. I’ll pay whatever for in store shopping but online I’m shopping for a good price. Highly doubt I’m alone in that mindset.

I would love to see you do an update on the industry as a whole 7 months after the first video! Good content! Subscribed!

Rather go to the dentist for root canal, than go to the bike shops here. I don't need them for repairs, I learned to do everything myself at home. I can buy parts on line and get them faster and cheaper than from the shops and no freakin attitude.

Great info, also applies to businesses in other industries. What you are describing is exactly how I try to run my motorcycle shop.

We had a local bike shop tried to lobby against a set of bike lanes

If a shop tries ripping me off I don't go there again, last one tried charging an extra 100$ for a 200$ job, always get quoted the price before the work. My old lbs had actual knowledge and always cut me deals since they were cool and knew how much trail building I put into the area. Loyalty is built on reputation. Actually just treated me as an employee and got their price, worth it to any shop to support their local shredders and builders, after all business is about building good relations and word of mouth is powerful.

At 72yo, I have been riding in a club since 1984. Along the way I have bought bike equipment from many shops ( corporate and locally owned non corporate). For me the Trek,Specialized take over of the industry has been a disaster. Entering one of these corporate stores reminds me of going to a high pressure auto dealer where the sales people will tell you anything to sell you a car. I still have a locally owned shop that does some service work for me. But I won't pay double for a part at that store especially if I have to wait weeks to get the part. I am sorry to say, I buy almost everything for my bikes on the web and I am able to shop prices. The industry has evolved and many of the old shops are just burned out trying to use their old business model. But I will pay the local shop a decent price for his labor hours because I appreciate the service he offers me. I wish the industry could convince shops the 11,12,13.... speed isn't necessary for many bike riders and start selling 2-3k bikes to riders. Sorry for the rant.

I feel blessed to have my LBS. From the day I walked in with my family shortly after moving into our new house they've been great to deal with. The owner was so great and patient with us we bought 4 bikes that day. I've since become obsessed with MTB and have bought 2 more bikes from elsewhere (covid shortages) and they service them as if I bought them from them. Always helpful and treats me wonderfully even though I basically loiter there 😂.

I spent 3 years working in a great shop, that treated people like...people. We asked questions, listened to the customer's answers, and had a blast doing it. Education was the main thing. I honestly never sold a bike. I asked questions, did a lot of educating, and when the match between rider and bike was right, the bike sold itself. I can't tell you how many times the customer left to "shop around" and ended up coming back because they didn't like the way they were treated elsewhere.

Great rant, hits home here in Oregon. Reminds me of two local shops in the Midwest where I’ve experienced the polar opposite, a super-positive experience: One On One in Minneapolis MN and Goldfinch Cyclery in Cedar Rapids IA.

A local shop I've been going to for 16 years has always been very supportive to my cycling needs. Of course, there is always that one sales specialist and/or technician who has to be the badass douchebag. One day I waited behind a young lady whom had over 25 minutes of informational help served to her (probably more likely small talk ❤). When it was my turn, he said.."Nobody has helped you yet?" So he asked what problem I was having. I explained that my brakes were rubbing against the disc. "That's it?" he asked. After correcting the problem, he noticed the camera on my helmet. Then he asked if it was recording which is his right under state law, I always make sure my cam is NOT recording when entering businesses. He said in a cold manner. "I don't like to be recorded and anyone who comes in recording, I will deny service!". I understand his concern, yet I felt like I was being accused while being responsible. The whole experience made me feel like a worthless waste of time after establishing that shop for years. I didn't want to stir the pot, so I just let it go. If it happens again then I'll let my voice be heard.

local bike shops are so hit or miss. the bad things ive found were mainly shops that dont take pride in their work. I had a shop replace a cable i nicked on my brand new marin rift zone one, and they didnt bother to put the rubber gromets back into the frame... I was pissed! little things like valve stem caps, cutting zip ties, etc. maybe im nitpicking, but you need to take a little bit of pride in the jobs im paying you to do! On the other hand, the best bike shop experience ive ever had was with state bicycle co. specifically the state rideshop that unfortunatley closed down in tempe AZ. im a mountain biker and they took the time to teach me everything about fixed gear and track bikes, say what you want about state bikes, but i had a 5 year warranty on a 600 dollar 6061 black label. I crashed and bent my bars, showed up and they gave me free ones that had a scratch on em. they put in 2 BBs for me on warranty free of charge, no questions asked. they straight up gave me free take-off tires, added some links to my chain, they taught me everything I wanted to know about fixed gear. The people in the state rideshop were intrested in my progress and were happy everytime I told them I got a new trick down. Thats a shop that supports me and my hobby, and everytime I went I left in a good mood. Everytime I go to my local shop, lets call it the "bicycle dungeon" I feel like i got robbed.

Definitely strikes a chord with me. I haven't stepped into a bike shop in years after so many bad experiences. I bought all my own tools and taught myself how to work on my bikes. As for buying bikes, since I'm 6'4" no bike shop carries my frame size anyway, so I buy my bikes from smaller bike manufacturers Like Mason and Turner. When I email them a question, they email right back with helpful answers and advice! Lastly, I hate to be that guy, but your eye lines are all wrong in the opening and closing bits of this video. Customer is looking left to right, shop employee is also looking left to right instead of right to left. Very confusing visually. A guy that has perfected the one-man video is Tom Grossi. I'm always impressed by how tight his eyelines are in his videos. They're also very funny, especially if you're a fan of the NFL. Cheers! Subscribed!

I wish shops would service the bike that comes to them, rather than the one they'd prefer to sell me. I have an older ride with older rims (Ambrosio Elites), one of which broke two spokes in same week. after replacing and truing, mechanic sez: 'Next time, i'm just selling you a new wheelset. . .your gear is too old.' Really?? :/

I took my bike to my local bike shop where i bought my 7k specialized enduro comp from after 3 months my rear wheel was developing a little side to side play, stupid mechanic tells me its normal and even the 20k bikes will have these sort of side to side play . I didnt believe him so i contact specialized directly they said to me there should be absolutely no loose play at all. So i bought another rear wheel eventually and magic problem solved never had this issue again. Made me feel like a idiot.

Big on not taking out the day to day retail frustrations on everyone. I think most people would rather shop local as often as possible so long as their experience is positive. People are willing to pay more if their in person experience is solid. Keep your eye on the doughnut, not the hole. W.W.J.D? How do our actions affect Lebrons legacy?

I've worked in three bike shops as a mechanic. Most shop owners treat their employees like dirt - even the nice guys. They just don't prioritize staffing and pay. The result is bad employees, and good employees that are stressed out because they feel unappreciated and overworked. IMO bike shops aren't actually as bad as people think, but the culture is very unprofessional, and people pick up on that. It's owner's and manager's fault for not getting rid of the bad guys. Bob Roll has a great video about this, where some guy gave him a snobby attitude. Bob had a big beard, and they didn't recognize him. I'll add that the industry really isn't doing average riders much justice right now, and shops generally have to sell what they are producing, so that's frustrating for everyone.

I have a Ceverlo P-2 with Zipp 404 rims. I bought an E-longboard. Its actually more fun and makes Everyone angry when it stops....then Goes. Thanks China. Amazing.

I have four bikes, i use them on different things (Mountain bike, road bike, e-bike and going riding with my wife bike) but i really don't like fixing my bike, if I have to change tire or put a new chain that is fine but nothing else. I gladly support small business and gladly pay them money so I can have good and fun rides. I have two bike shops where I live and both are bad. Service is very bad and they will complain that my bike is wrong model, wrong parts and why I didn't get "that" and much more. My bikes are about 3000-4500 per bike and I know that they are good bikes and those have good parts (ride with my wife is 350€ 😂) That is why I go to another town 40km away to get maintenance on my bikes 😅

The LBS from my city are pretty nice, I go to one to special order parts fort my bikes and it take less than a week for the parts to arrive at the shop. I save on the shipping since they order it and the price is pretty much the same than buying online. A clerk from another shop saw my full campy daytona 10s look kg 241 with the cinneli intergralter handlebar outside the shop and came to ask me if it was my bike and I was like yeah. He then replied that he sent a pic of my bike to his boss since he thought it was such a cool bike and we had a pretty long chat afterward.

Wow. This made me really appreciate my local bike shops in Seattle. Have only had good experiences and shared stoke.

A long while back I had my steel Colnago in a LBS to get a spare seat binder bolt (not Campy's most durable part) when I had the shop owner...and it was definitely the shop owner...ask me, "When are you going to get rid of this piece of crap and get a good bike?" Since that shop was a Colnago dealer, I can only assume that his opinion was based on the fact that the frame was steel. At first I thought he was joking, but then it became apparent that he wasn't. My guess is that he figured I could afford one of his much more expensive Colnagos, and since I had a steel Colnago that I'd want a better Colnago. But it did make me wonder: does 'bike shaming' really sell bikes? Since this shop owner was apparently adept at it, maybe yes? Anyway, it's not just the 20 year old college kid that has the LBS 'tude, it can infect everyone.

I have a wery nice local mechanic. Bought bike at lokal big box sport store. My front brake piston got stuck, take it back for warranty, they replace brake fluid and this was it for them it took them 3 days. But problem was still there. Then i took bike to local bike shop which is run by dad and son. They tell me what is wrong, what can i do what can they do and the price... The fix my bike in 2 hours and bike is whit out any problem since. They where nice and didnt judge me or my bike etc.

Just want to chime in with some good vibes for the bike shops of Austin TX. Ive visited about every shop around, holes in the wall and the big national chains, making both big purchases and window-shopping, and I've had overwhelmingly positive experiences everywhere Ive gone. Ive asked the stupid questions that make zero sense and been met with a lot of patience and good faith attempts to teach me what Im lacking in. My experiences aren't universal, and may not be what every person in Austin has experienced but it seems at least im in a place thats beating the national average on quality of service.

My local Trek dealer in Shreveport LA is a great dealer. When I bought my first bike the manager told me he wanted to sell me what I wanted not what he wanted me to have. Great attitude

Very true. I live in a suburb of Boston and Rome, Italy. The bike shop in Boston is great, though they do have 1 or 2 people that are less friendly, though in general they are helpful and knowledgable. In my neighborhood in Rome, Monteverde, I have 3 stores and just asking for a tuneup is like asking them to move a mountain. One store looked at the bike and told me I didn’t need a tuneup. I use my bikes for commuting and some trips on the bike paths on the weekends.

8:28 I work in Retail for car parts for over a decade now. What I learned over the years is that Online stores aren´t really a problem for local retailers. Yes, they are usually cheaper, but if you are loosing so much business to the online competition that you feel it becomes a problem for you, then you as the local retailer aren´t offering anything of value to your customers over what the Online stores do. I´m happy to have a bike shop near me where I feel welcome and that I can trust with the yearly service on my bike. Yes, I can do some things myself, like I installed and setup a Eagle AXS Upgrade Kit on my bike, but when it comes to changing the brake fluid or doing service on the forks I let the shop do it, because I don´t really feel like buying special tools just to work on a single bike maybe once a year.

I’m more confused on how my LBS is paying rent 😂. It’s like dude I know you aren’t selling that many bike locks.

Demeaning attitude is the main reason I ended up going with the trek store despite a plethora of local options, even though I don't ride a trek!

My local shop gives me a hard time for having a Canyon gravel bike, yet the brand they carry doesn’t make a gravel bike in my size. Guess I shoulda got a bike that’s too small so I can mark them happy.

BB job by the senior mechanic and the cranks (hollowtech) feel weird. He must have forgotten about the bolts before a test ride. Stripped splines. Lots of carbon paste and extra tight bolts. I still buy there, the owner is nice. Do they get their hands on my bikes… maybe once that mechanic is gone!

Went to my local bike shop to have them check out my work on my front fork installation (it was missing a spacer I didn't have) and the guy who was working there walked up to me with pupils the size of dinner plates, absolutely blitzed out of his mind on god-knows-what. Only for him to tell me that I needed to drive 30 miles to a different shop because he was so busy, he wouldn't be able to get to my bike for 2 weeks. The repair would have taken him about 5 minutes, the same amount of time it took for him to tell me no. I threw that bike away and bought a Co-op DRT 1.2 (the newest one) when it was on sale and haven't looked back. I will also never go to another bike shop again and I will never recommend that one.

I ride a 2018 Marin Rift Zone3 and found that most bike shops are initially friendly until they realize you arent there to buy a new bike. They almost always become snobs and try to manipulate you . I choose to buy tools and parts instead of paying someone who is a little imature as they tell me I am not qualified to work on my own bike when I previously operated propulsion plants on an aircraft carrier. Still , there is need for bike shops

We just got our know it all mechanic guy fired, absolutely awesome vibe in the shop now. If customers come in with attitude or think they know better, they get that same energy back. But mostly we are informative and generally a nice place to take stuff to get repaired. We only turn stuff away if it’s absolutely not worth saving, which is pretty infrequent. Bike shops can be fun and a cool place to go but it has to be ran by the right people and not all of them are (most aren’t)

This is a great Video I also went to Barnett I do not work on a shop but I do work on my friends bikes as they say I am their "personal" mechanic. I do avoid shops for so many of the reason you pointed out. The last time I went to a shop the guy in the shop said he would call me when he had a bike ready that I was very interested in buying (needed bar tape) took down my number etc. and I am certain that I would of purchased it had he called me but he never did. So I bought a Canyon instead but the guy lost a sell just by not making a 2min call, yesterday I rode by a guy that said something to me I waited for him asked him hey did you say something to me? He said I want to go as fast as you. I said man just keep riding you will get there I was riding at your speed a few months ago I just kept riding consistently. If I just blew him off it might have really put him off but we all can stop and communicate and encourage others put some positive energy forward. Much better to be like that than just crap on folks for not knowing what a limit screw does.

Greenline Cyclery, Chico, CA. Are a group of awesome 🚲 people!

Learn to do your own maintenance, it isn't rocket science. My problem with the LBS is that they can't carry very many items. When I have things that I like (tires, cables, brake pads, etc) and when I go in looking for what I want and I am faced with taking what they have. It's much easier to order what I want and have it here in three days. I have three bike shops within a mile of my house and I don't use any of them.

One issue with a hole in the wall bike shop was that the two employees didn't know how to fix a flat ? Which is the first thing you learn to fix on your bikes ? Write or wrong ? One other, or should it actually be a thing to cry about ? A shop that repairs flats with patches instead of a new tube ? I like to do all my repairs myself because I ride that bike and............ I ride that bike. Ha ha ha ha ha ha and I do work and built up all kinds of bikes it's fun and frustrating at the same time.

I think it is based on employee you deal with at the shop. Like every business it employs good and bad employees. I bought a gravel bike that was tubeless ready and decided to make the bike tubeless. But one tire kept going flat. I took back to the shop where I bought the new bike and had them set up the tuneless and the shop didn’t fix the problem but told me to ride the bike more. I bought two other bikes from the same shop and never ran into an issue. I took the bike to another shop and they retapped the wheel and I haven’t had a flat on that bike for three years. Then I decided to upgrade my 2017 mountain bike from a 3x to 1X SRAM NX drive train system. The tech guy barely looked at my bike and said it would not fit when I looked up my specs and it does fit. I took it to same bike shop that fixed my gravel bike but spoke with a different tech rep. So I decided to do it myself which was better because the shop changed $100 a hour and I can watch RU-vid to learn more about taking care of my bikes. That employee cost his shop some business…but for both shops it was the bad employee not the store that turned me off.

I'm all for supporting my Local Bike Shop, but you hit it right on the money. The mechanics at my LBS can be so rude, and I've been a longtime customer. I've gotten so fed up with them, that I've been taking my bike to my local REI, and HONESTLY, the local REI does a better job of working on my bike than my LBS. Also the employees there are friendlier, and they actually treat you like a human being.

Thank you, sir! 🍺

"We're here to be the experts! We're here to give the advice!" This is what I didn't get - of course people are bringing you broken, crappy bikes and asking for repairs and advice. Why are you mad about it? This is literally what a bike shop is for. Get them rolling.

I have two options for local stores, a TREK store and a Specialized store. I don't own either of those brands. I have a custom made titanium frame that I built up with Dura-Ace Di2 so there is no routine tuning to do really. For the last 3 years it has worked flawlessly. If I need tires neither of those shops sell Rene Herse, Challenge, or Pirelli tires. Bartape is leather from LEH Leather Goods online. I wipe down my bike after every ride with Meguiar's Ceramic Wax. Wax my chains. And I even build my own custom wheels which I have 3 sets of wheels now which I use ONYX Vesper hubs because I like the silence. I'm very OCD about my bikes so I purchase tools as they are needed, which I have acquired a large selection over the decades. I've learned how to do everything to service my bikes which makes it convenient so my bike isn't sitting in some shop for weeks at a time. I used to race mountainbikes and I've learned you have to have your bike ready to race at all times so I've learned how to do just that even on my road bikes. It's typical for my bikes to not be down more than a day. I don't hate bike shops, I just don't need them.

I tried supporting a LBS a few years ago by trying to purchase tubes, cable, oil, lube, bar wrap, etc., and they were not interested in selling me anything. I build and maintain all my own equipment and own all the proprietary tools for my bikes. I've been doing so since the late sixties. So, it was back to online purchases after all. That bike shop is long gone.

I just work on my own bikes I do a lot of touring need to know how to fix something in the middle of nowhere

@6:18 - this is an attitude I've experienced in the PC repair field as well. The repair professional sees the lack of care and indifference toward the product, and as a result will make a value judgement about the client/customer. As an enthusiast in both, I have difficulty remembering that what I would consider 'basic maintenance' is often something the end-user has never learned. As a professional, that ignorance is what keeps me employed. Teaching basics and having patience are hard to do in a busy environment, but the time taken can build a life-long customer.

I'm almost afraid to walk into a bicycle shop anymore. By choice (because I love them) I still ride lugged steel frames (Columbus or Reynolds 531) with a horizontal top tube, downtube shifters (three of my bikes are indexed, the rest are friction), 5 or 6 speed rear ends, and sewup tires. Those fancy $8000.00 bikes? Probably get me on my 30-40 Sunday ride three minutes faster. Big deal. Oh, I have owned a few brifter equipped bikes. Sold them off, preferred the Seventies/Eighties stuff.

Here's my $.02: It's weird how the underpaid and over-educated bike shop mechanics make fun of the guys who can afford the expensive bikes. Berate their inability to fix simple problems. Talk about them behind the customers back. Make demeaning jokes. Etc. I have been riding and racing since 1986. After a long layoff and a lot of weight gain, I'm back into cycling. I have bike knowledge. Components as well as mechanical knowledge...and tools. I do not want to go into a bike shop. Period. Even after all these years, I find it uncomfortable. I want to get in shape and lose weight. I do not want to race the Le Tour. I bought a used Cannondale from a private guy who is sorta like the "bike farmer". Good value. Good bike. Perfect for my trainer. Then I wanted an ebike. Guess what? Yep, DTC. So, Mr. Bike Shop, you don't want to work on an ebike? Okay, I get it. Liability issues with the super cheap, non-UL batteries. I don't want your attitude nor do I want your ebike selection. As someone in marketing, it's as if the bike shop has no idea who their customer is, what they want or how to communicate their mission and values to their prospects. You cannot grow your sport if you place a barrier to entry.

I hate going to the bike shop. I’ve never had a good experience going there. I’d rather shop online and try to fix my own problems. I only go to the shops if absolutely necessary.

I must have gotten lucky because most (read: not all) of the LBS mechanics around me are pretty good and not too rude. 😂 I’m used to dealing with mechanics of all types in the auto industry though.

My LBS's don't really suffer from the attitude (Devner/Boulder), but maybe because I'm a former bike shop employee so I have a pretty good idea what I'm talking about. My main issue with my local shops is lack of stock of what I'd consider to be common items. I'm pretty sure we're out of the supply chain issues and I frequently can't find a specific item I'm looking for. I don't expect a shop to stock some really weird part, but a few weeks ago I was looking for a KMC 9 speed chain. (I have a cargo bike, so it needs more than 1 chain, so I need to stick with the same brand). I could not find one anywhere. It's just easier to order sh*t from Amazon then call around or ride 30 miles (Ok riding 30 miles is fine). Yesterday it was grips. LBS clearly had no effin' clue on what is popular (they seemed to order everything in the store based on what the margin was). They had a bunch of junk and 1 option for Ergon grips (which doesn't work if they have the large size and I have small hands. Excellent video. I guess I'm lucky not to have to deal with attitude.

Never had that problem in mtb shops haha! Mind you this is in BC Canada and its all just stoner freeride and enduro bros so i fit in pretty good hahaha

i have been in some shops where they only seem to can about a sale. i have also been in shops that treat you like a normal person and they wanna just share their knowledge. i just getting back into biking got one for my son and going to get an ebike for me.

100% why I I started working/building my own bikes, I didn’t want to go to my LBS and also get up charged like crazy. And yea when I roll up with my vintage bikes/steel bikes I instantly get treated differently. I’m on the lower class spectrum financially and cannot afford these new bikes anymore and it’s just a total “feel bad” experience when walking in there, but I found a great alternative with the category of bikes I use/ride now!

"Not being rude" would be a great start for my (only :( ) local bike shop. Last week I had a spoke snap just a couple minutes in on my way to work. so I really had no other option than to go there. Went in, went to the signed "service" area, made eye contact with the head honcho, said "hello" ... and was ignored for 3-4 minutes. On the verge of just turning around and lugging my bike on the train to the next option (~20km further). Hey, I get that you're doing something else and are busy. I really do. But what's hindering you of just acknowledging my presence with something like "hello, I'll be with you in a couple minutes"? I really think that next time I'll just push the bike for half an hour to the next train station, wait at least half an hour for the next train, take the train to work, come back, push the bike home and next Saturday take it to the 20km-away other shop. They're not great, either, but at least they got the basic politeness worked out.

What is the bikestand in the background called where you have your 2 road bikes in? This looks like exactly what im looking for.

Bike shops to me aren't welcoming places. It's like going into a jewelry store. Since, rarely are there entry level, cheaper even family friendly bikes up front, it feels like they cater to the Lamborghini crowd. I've ridden bikes all my life. From my starter used bike when I was a kid to a road bike to a mountain bike, a hybrid, now a stepthrough upright. Neither the hybrid nor the stepthrough were available in my LBS. I had to order them from Specialized to be assembled there. They were very nice at my store but set up things wrong on my latest bikes. So, I had to adjust them. But my big complaint is you walk in the door and don't feel it's a place that has bikes for regular people. And the alternative is Walmart. Or, some other place with cheapo bikes and bad assembly.

I am not looking forward to going to an LBS in a couple of weeks to ask them to mount new tires on my road rims. Yes, I know that "nobody runs tubulars anymore" and, yes, I am fully aware that I could upgrade to tubeless. But . . . what about my twelve year old, rim brake Campagnolo 11s Super Record bike. suggests that I'm interested in the most current stuff. I COULD use a jersey that says "I'm like my bike: Vintage"

One of the biggest things not seeming to be mentioned here is the management/owner and how everything is structured. That plays a massive role in all of this. Many times, if you are not a mechanic, you are pressured into making a sale over anything. It makes sense from a business perspective but in practice results in poor attitudes and high stress inflicted onto the employee(s) from the owner or manager. Many of the bike shop owners are failing to make payments and take their stress and frustration out on their employees, which will go down the pipeline and cause the employee to take it out on others. No, it’s not justified, but just some perspective. Most likely, the guy who was a jerk to you is probably a great guy outside of work.

That was pretty funny!

I live in a tourist driven economic area with an accent on alpine sports and hiking, we had one decent bike shop that didn't charge 40% markups and had a pleasant attitude with everyone from newbies to pro racers. They didn't survive the pandemic what's left is the tourists trap with incompetent staff, I learned to wrench on my bikes and motorcycles at a young age but most people around here get gouged for subpar service at $100+ an hour. So locally I'd say the issue is lack of competent staff but yet they charge promech tariffs, something is very wrong when you're more qualified than your mechanic who charges more than a BMW repair specialist...

Had some subpar experiences visiting local shops when I was first getting into bikes as a teen.. so for better or worse I learned to repair my own bikes 🤷‍♂️ Now I live in an area that’s an LBS desert. Time to open a bike shop?

Bike shops are fundamentally catered to specifically high end users when you are a normal bicycle or ebike rider it's just a different experience. The shop I go to is full of nice and helpful people who are a joy to talk to and very honest about things. They don't try and make you waste your money. . But sometimes theirs a clear disconnect where they don't understand that my bike being 30 pounds or 20 pounds is not a significant difference in how capable the bike is. And my ebike being 60 or 70 pounds has almost zero effect on its mobility

I’ve only been to one bike shop like this. And I think it was just that one employee I interacted with that was an asshat, I heard the other employees are very helpful.

I only have two local shops in my town, but they both have a select number of dickhead mechanics that loooove to lecture me. I will kindly inquire about a part, or a tool, and I get a snobby response towards the one word or term that I got mixed up. I do all my own wrenching on my vehicles, motorcycles, etc. I try to support local rather than buy online, even though I know I’ll save mega cash by just clicking. But they make it so damn hard to want to give them any business. Not all of them are like this though. Some genuinely do care about helping you out, and don’t push you one way or another, which is refreshing. I guess it’s just best to avoid the crusty bike bums trying to make a quick sale on a new bike.

People want bikes at 90's pricing. We want bikes at that price too, but it's not feasible. Working on a lot of bicycle shaped objects lately. That gets sad. People take my sadness that this is the industry now personally. LBS will be gone soon.

Are there that many one bikeshop towns?

International Cycles on Payneham Road in Adelaide S.A. is the standard worldwide. Sister city to Austin, Texas and location of the Tour Down Under. Peter Geissauf is a legend and has surpassed the service levels set by his father Charlie, over 50 years ago. Stop by and see for yourself....

District Bike Shop in Stillwater, OK is the best 👌

I don't actually have a local bike shop I have to drive over 80 mi away to Waco Texas but when I go into the bicycle world there which is the local Giant dealer I get treated like a king even though I've never spent more than $800 on a bike. For one thing I don't treat them like I'm smarter than them about their job and I don't pretend that without me there shop wouldn't exist and I treat them with respect and common courtesy when I do go into their shop.

I was at my local roadie bike shop picking up a helmet for my 5 year old (it's the closest shop to us and the kids helmets were actually affordable unlike most of the stuff there). I didn't have a bike there with me so one of the bike shop guys made a snarky 'Nice stroller' comment about my jogging stroller instead. The stroller has gone through 2 families and 6 kids so it is a bit rough looking but it works for us and will work for another family when my toddler is done with it. WTF bike shop guys?

It's pretty simple bikes are too expensive you can get a good car or motorbike for the price of a nice bike

Currently in Inland Empire, CA...If I'm not in L.A...most of the bike shops here really suck with attitude and give me that hesitancy to even go in there to even ask for assistance. Hey IE Bike shops...want to survive?,....be nice...you're competing with online stores...remember that.

Honestly they just charge horrendous prices, so getting the tool for even just one time use is cheaper then getting it fixed in the shop. Also I have problems trusting people I don't know. They want to drag my carbon bike in a backroom which I cannot see and work on a safety critical device that means life or death when bashing downhill gravel with >50km/h? Oh hell no. Most shops I have been to here in Berlin have 97% of their shop with everyday kinda garbage bikes and I should put my fancy race bike there that I as a student have been saving on for years? That's a nope from me. I have one canyon service provider that I do trust. When you come into the bike shop, you see the mechanics working on the bikes (not in a backroom), they take time to assess your problem, have really good knowledge. They seem to be a little grumpy but there they only do sporty bikes and not 50€ stolen bikes, so my mind is at ease to leave my bike ther with them. Sry for the weird English.

You want to be treated better, you must go out of your way to be exceptional and respectful. You are all missing the real cause I think. If you work at a LBS or hang out at one you can testify, the customers started it! Convince them early by being extra respectful and humble because The reason they roll their eyes is because they are so used to dealing with ahole people who think they know everything. Customers who Get pissed at them cause their bike tires keep going flat, cause their 50dollar wheels the bought on Craigslist won’t true, cause the mechanic charges 100 bucks an hour and they paid 100 for their bike, cause they took their bike apart on a tik tok tutorial and effed it up and expect them to fix it, cause they lied about how the bike got that way and want to warranty it, cause they know everything about bikes and the shop workers are idiots. On and on and on. Almost Every customer is a narcissistic piece of crap who thinks they know everything and they are really ignorant but arrogant. After a while, you don’t seem to care anymore, because, why? Can I get a witness

Let's be honest. Most people don't care unless there's something in it for them. Local bike shop in rock hill, has a good mechanic, but the girl up front needs to be fired. I don't shop there because of her. I drive 30 more minutes to charlotte. Ultimatebike in nc, has some good guys, one seems to not like people so much yet he's dealing with the public. I now avoid that one too.

Jerk mechanics have made me learn how to do so many things and expand my tool collection.

thank, you im in a place its 50 miles between 3 I have to Join

I can totally relate as a few shops ive gone to were a total waste of my time. Asked for a simple tune up and the bike techs were worthless. Shit work! Also some of these store owners have an arrogance and attitude with them and i cant be bothered with that! I do most of my own bike work now. Customer Service is something thats lacking BIG TIME!

Adventures Edge in Humboldt county, California best bike shop on planet earth! Don’t be a dick or nic pic and you’ll get your bike back in less than 2 days! Shoutout to all the good shops out there !