Missing my LBS

Somerset Bikes closed a few months ago, and I stocked up on the usual consumables before they did, but with the build of the latest Cats Wiskas I have inevitably found the things I forgot to buy.

Never mind, most of the stuff I need I have bought at Halfords in the past, so a quick trip there resulted in:

Tube of grease - No. Although they do have the grease guns in stock.
Brake O rings - No. The couple I have left are in a Halfords bag.
Gear O rings - No
Brake cable ferrules - No
V brake blocks - £8.99 pr for generic moulded blocks
26" Rim tape - £4.99 for some silicone squishy thing, no bog standard tapes.
26" Inner tubes - £3.99 own brand.

So, I left empty handed, as only the tubes were a sensible price.

I don't know who has chosen the stock profile for our local store, but it's an inconsistent mess.

Man I miss SBC.

Black insulation tape in place of rim tape.

Wilkinsons do the rest apart from O rings.

Re:

Yes, I have now used electrical tape, same as doing a tubeless wheel really.

Never been to Wilkinsons, apparently we have one in W-s-M.

Shows how often I go into town.

Asda and some big Tesco stores sell bike stuff too, local asda to me even sells folding tyres, got a good few bits from there myself. Cables and chain splitter have come from there as I needed them badly and they are still fine 6 months on.

Re:

B&Q is a great place for grease/lube/oils & cleaners. CarPlan LM2 grease is a great all-purpose one, one tub will last ages; they also do Autosol, some stores have Muc-off, etc.

Also useful for cleaning brushes, various kinds of electrical (rim) tape. Not so much help with ferrules & all, but there's a lot of workshop-type stuff that B&Q are pretty handy for.

If your LBS is Woodrup's then you are in the same boat for a while, the pictures of their shop underwater in Leeds is pretty shocking

Shaun

Re:

Thanks for the suggestions, I've managed to get round a few things, but the cable O rings are holding me up at present.

Lots of messing about here, all for the sake of a few bits I used to be able to pick up in five minutes.

Midlife":j2qkgk4y said:

If your LBS is Woodrup's then you are in the same boat for a while, the pictures of their shop underwater in Leeds is pretty shocking

Shaun

Click to expand...

OMG!

Is that their workshop too?

I feel so sorry for all those poor folk up there, it must be absolutely shattering.

Kinda puts my little hissy fit in perspective.

Hi Neil

As I'm from Cumbria it's something that goes with the territory if living here, 2005, 2009, and again this year. Horrible !

Seems like my old stomping ground has taken a hit as well, miles away but just as horrible.

Yep, Woodrup's have everything on site AFAIK so out of action for a while, being in as city the water has fecal contamination so lots of stuff will not be recoverable!



Shaun

Poor Woodrups - they are pretty decent. Blimey I knew Kirkstall road had flooded but not that deep. I hope they managed to get the exotic pets out from the petshop nearby.