Why bother?

I had to order my Thomson last winter. No shop in Vic had what I wanted in stock. The only stems I could find were of the blue/red/green/purple shiny variety. My LBS (OBB) gave me a very fair price and it was on my bike w/in a week. Not to shabby IMHO.
And by the way, the stem RULES!

People buy high end stems that aren't zero degree rise???

I spent 40+ minutes on the phone yesterday trying to source a 70mm 5/6/7deg rise high end AM stem.

Six (6) stores in North Van, NADA! (one had one in the proper dimension but was too f/r oriented)

Five (5) stores in Van., NADA!

Offers to order but what is the point in waiting 2-3 days and then having to go to the lbs and pay for example a hun + hst when I can order on line and have it delivered to my door for 20-30% less?

As I understand it the margins on bikes are slim and stores bread and butter are service and accessories but if I want to buy and install a bike part on my day off, what's the point in even attempting to patronize local bike stores if nobody bothers to carry any stock?

If you sit back and think hard enough Im sure you can figure out the reason for this. But I will help you anyway.

Bike shops are not warehouses. Stems range in size,degree of rise and style. Do you expect bike shops to stock 50+ different stems when they can bring in odd sizes with in a few days of ordering? Shops are going to stock the most common sizes and order in the rest. If you said you couldnt find a 50mm with no rise than you would have a valid point.

I can understand the frustration. Last week I went looking for a 50mm stem. I didn't phone around. Picked two shops. Neither had 50mm. Lots of 60's, lots of 40's, lots of 70's. No 50's. I have a 60mm now so I may regret it later, but I settled for a 40mm. I wasn't even looking for a particular brand. I would have taken whatever stem they had. If you are looking for a specific brand then I agree that it is cost prohibitive for any shop to carry a wide selection of every part. But for people like me who aren't that picky…… In any case, If you see a new white 40mm stem in the buy and sell it's because I should have stuck with my gut and waited for a 50 mm. Everyone hates waiting though.

To be fair to the OP, I'd say that a 70mm stem with a bit of rise is the quintessential 'all mountain' stem so it's a surprise to me at least (or is it….) that shops don't carry such a beast.

Tungsten and buster bluth could you both please post pictures of your selves on here. I realy could care less what anyone else on here looks like but for some reason I find myself very curious to see what you both look like.

Sorry for the thread jack but im sure im not the only one that would like to see what you two crazy bastards actualy look like.
cheers

Do you think the difference between a 60mm 5/6/7 degree and 80mm 5/6/7 degreee or any degree of variation will make you or your ride any better?:lol:

So buy online, or order on monday, fix bike on saturday?

I'd recommend searching out a Specialized stem. With their shim system you get a lot of angle adjustment. It is a useful feature too. Might not come that short though. I have a 75mm set up - 24 with a flat bar on my 29er.

i just grabbed on of those for my cross bike. eccentric shim in the stem = a simple yet brilliant idea!

Tungsten and buster bluth could you both please post pictures of your selves on here. I realy could care less what anyone else on here looks like but for some reason I find myself very curious to see what you both look like.

Sorry for the thread jack but im sure im not the only one that would like to see what you two crazy bastards actualy look like.
cheers

You'd be disappointed. I look just like the average mountain biker. A bit like Sharon. A bit like LeeL. A bit like Wade. A bit like Darcy. A bit like Lady Gravity. A bit like BoomForReal.

Cheezits mom knows what I look like and so does his dog.

In other news-what gender is Mark Zuckerberg? That unlikeable (see what I did there?) geek looks like a big ol lady lovin lady.

Do you think the difference between a 60mm 5/6/7 degree and 80mm 5/6/7 degreee or any degree of variation will make you or your ride any better?:lol:

Yes it does. :lol: noob.

interesting to see this concern also in Canada

here in the UK, I work for the UK's largest quality cycle retailer (48 stores, 2011 turnover of approx CAD$150 Million)

the way things have changed with stocking the stores, we carry minimal levels of finishing kit, higher end wheels, forks and drivetrain, its all held in the warehouse

we get it next day on our delivery vans, but its rare to "walk in" and find a Thomson X4 in 50mm or Race Face Atlas FR bar ready to purchase

when you start looking 'behind the scenes' at the costs involved in carrying excess stock for niche customers, you definitely see why this occurs, and many customers are happy to wait 1-2 days for their component order or component items to be installed onto their repair bike

interesting to see this concern also in Canada

here in the UK, I work for the UK's largest quality cycle retailer (48 stores, 2011 turnover of approx CAD$150 Million)

the way things have changed with stocking the stores, we carry minimal levels of finishing kit, higher end wheels, forks and drivetrain, its all held in the warehouse

we get it next day on our delivery vans, but its rare to "walk in" and find a Thomson X4 in 50mm or Race Face Atlas FR bar ready to purchase

when you start looking 'behind the scenes' at the costs involved in carrying excess stock for niche customers, you definitely see why this occurs, and many customers are happy to wait 1-2 days for their component order or component items to be installed onto their repair bike

This excess inventory problem is why I can't understand companies like SRAM and RaceFace manufacturing the same component in a variety of different colours. The extra inventory space and logistics of different part numbers must have an impact on overall costs of the part.

interesting to see this concern also in Canada

here in the UK, I work for the UK's largest quality cycle retailer (48 stores, 2011 turnover of approx CAD$150 Million)

the way things have changed with stocking the stores, we carry minimal levels of finishing kit, higher end wheels, forks and drivetrain, its all held in the warehouse

we get it next day on our delivery vans, but its rare to "walk in" and find a Thomson X4 in 50mm or Race Face Atlas FR bar ready to purchase

well, here in Vancouver, there are extremely few chain shops and those that exist have only a few stores, not really enough to justify keeping a warehouse full of parts.

for some reason I …. would like to see what you two crazy bastards actualy look like.

Here you go….

Well, that was an interesting process that I don't know that I'd repeat especially if I was in a big hurry. Took 10 days. Woulda' been another day if I hadn't lept outta' bed and ran to the door before the postie beat ass out my gate……

I am, it would seem from the poll, in good company. Elegant little unit, I shaved 30gms off the bike.

Thanks to those with helpful responses.