An open letter against online retailers

If a manufacturer believes that their product benefits from being sold by knowledgeable sales staff to customers, then they should take pains to not let strictly online retailers sell it. If the product is simple and specialized, like in the BMX industry, then online retailers are prettymuch the only way to go.

If I owned a local bike shop I would work hard to carry products that were not being sold online through discount shops.

In some ways, the traditional model needs to be ready to change. I can't add a lot of value to someone's purchase of grips… but things like seats and bars, where people buy the stupidest shit if you don't guide them in the right direction, and obviously more technical things that require mechanical work, benefit from the direct LBS connection.

That all being said, most people I know who are the "fuck bike shops, I'll just buy cheap online because they treat me badly" types are idiots.

That all being said, most people I know who are the "fuck bike shops, I'll just buy cheap online because they treat me badly" types are idiots.

I wonder if it's causation or correlation that most people who work in bike shops are like Fuzzy, Fatty and Tatooey.

A lot of the time looking up a specific thing on the internet will net you much more information and suggestions than a shop monkey will. For example how to put a F-derailleur on a socom, 3 shops said impossible, 1 hour of internet usage showed numerous people and showed the best way to do it.

If I had a dollar for every time I was told I couldn't do something from a shop monkey and did…I would have three dollars.

I do remember being told that 10mm stem spacers weren't something I could purchase, let alone use on top of my stem. While leaving said store ,"rocky cycle" I see a bike with a stack of 10mm spacers sitting right in front of Fuzzy and Tatooey. Needless to say I purchased elsewhere.

I pretty much buy where I can find the best deals, bike parts or anything else for that matter. Retail is for suckers and Christmas shoppers.

In some ways, the traditional model needs to be ready to change. I can't add a lot of value to someone's purchase of grips… but things like seats and bars, where people buy the stupidest shit if you don't guide them in the right direction, and obviously more technical things that require mechanical work, benefit from the direct LBS connection.

That all being said, most people I know who are the "fuck bike shops, I'll just buy cheap online because they treat me badly" types are idiots.

Let us not forget the other reality. Bike shops don't make money of the majority on here. Most members of NSMB through either simple necessity or out of curiosity have learned to do our own bike work.

Bike shops make money of people who are to lazy or to inept to try to figure it out for themselves. Fucking Tri Geeks are a prime example.

I think what one of the final thing comes down to is that although I might sell a companies product and offer inhouse warranty on that product. I do not offer inhouse warranty on product bought online. If you buy something online and it is faulty than you have to contact the place of purchase or the manfucturer. I don't have to fix your broken crap that I didn't get paid to sell. Nuff said.

A lot of the time looking up a specific thing on the internet will net you much more information and suggestions than a shop monkey will. For example how to put a F-derailleur on a socom, 3 shops said impossible, 1 hour of internet usage showed numerous people and showed the best way to do it.

An hour? :lol:

An hour? :lol:

sidetracked by the boob thread

A lot of the time looking up a specific thing on the internet will net you much more information and suggestions than a shop monkey will. For example how to put a F-derailleur on a socom, 3 shops said impossible, 1 hour of internet usage showed numerous people and showed the best way to do it.

I have a hard time imagining 3 shops in a row didn't know what an E-Type front derailleur was. What those shops probably meant was "you're an idiot, why are you trying to put a front derailleur on a purebred DH bike?"

I have a hard time imagining 3 shops in a row didn't know what an E-Type front derailleur was. What those shops probably meant was "you're an idiot, why are you trying to put a front derailleur on a purebred DH bike?"

You use a normal one with a bolt on cable guide according to my 2 minute google search. I've known people do 2hr Swiss alpine climbs on an Orange 224 and you don't get much more purebred DH than that!

Bike shops make money of people who are to lazy or to inept to try to figure it out for themselves. Fucking Tri Geeks are a prime example.

Many of our customers are intelligent, tech savvy people. They still come in to get their suspension worked on, brakes bled, etc. etc… They buy things and get them installed; sometimes they get good deals, they always get good advice, and get their shit fixed quickly and properly. It (the LBS system, not just us) is generally a pretty positive business model.

Also, many of our customers make decent money, so it isn't laziness that keeps them from learning how to overhaul their own forks, it's simple economics.

Oh, and I'm not sure tri-geeks are worth the trouble.

You use a normal one with a bolt on cable guide according to my 2 minute google search. I've known people do 2hr Swiss alpine climbs on an Orange 224 and you don't get much more purebred DH than that!

Intense suggested that the seat-tube was too slanted to mount a front derailleur on. Whether that's true or not, you can't expect a shop to try every stupid idea that someone suggests, especially when they go against the manufacturer's claims…

And I've known people to mount 4 sets of bar ends on top of eachother. Doesn't make it a good idea.

I think what one of the final thing comes down to is that although I might sell a companies product and offer inhouse warranty on that product. I do not offer inhouse warranty on product bought online. If you buy something online and it is faulty than you have to contact the place of purchase or the manfucturer. I don't have to fix your broken crap that I didn't get paid to sell. Nuff said.

should i tell u how thats handled in europe? online shops are forced by law to offer a 2 year warranty on manufactoring faults. the first 6 months the shop needs to proof that its caused by the rider, the last 18 month the customer needs to proof that its a manufactoring fault. on top of that, every customer has the the right to ship something ordered online back to the shop 2 weeks after the postman gives u the parcel. and the best thing for customers, if the goods cost more than 40eur, the shop needs to pay the shipping cost back to him. :rocker:

Oh, and I'm not sure tri-geeks are worth the trouble.

As a Tri Geek I swear it's like talking to a crack addict…

No Mr Mike Pigg wannabe.. a $800 carbon aero bar will not make up for the extra 50 pounds you are hauling around on the 30k's of the bike section. Nor will it along with the 650 aerospoked wheeled X - Lab help you catch the dirtbag age grouper who keeps beating your ass on a 1987 Centurion.