London Bike Shops AGAHHGRGRAGR!!!!

[bikeperv]

I thought I'd put up this message as I'm so sick of useless bike shops especially in London! :evil:

Yesterday I phoned round the usual shops in London trying to find Magura HS33 parts. Most didn't even have brake pads let alone spare parts. I thought I'd struck gold when Evans in Spitalfields told me on the phone they had a box of spares with at least one of the parts I was after. I quickly jumped on a bike and headed down there only to find that they had no spare parts and that I had been told a load of bollocks! :evil:

This sort of thing seems to happen all the time at various shops as well as being ripped of for very simple things like £50 to change a bottom bracket!

Do you have any similar stories or know where a good place to spend hard money on bikes in London?

 

[cannondale king]

£50 to change a B/B was it ti matey or a cheapy gotta laught at that madness

 

[bikeperv]

Cheapo Shimano thing! Bastards!

 

[Augustus]

They are just all aiming at other customers to us lot I think.


It is a shame that you overhear such rubbish being fed to unknowing punters though.

I heard the other day some Evans employee telling a new convert in the way of two wheels, that she needed a 180mm disc rotor around town as a smaller one would get dirtier because it was nearer the hub. And as for rim brakes on the road...that was a no no as they wouldn't be able to stop because of all of the road salt in winter.

Pleeeeeeaaaasssse!

I had to butt in and say this was all utter tripe and she should not buy a bike from this man on principle.

I don't buy much in London bike shops, but there are some non Evansy types still about. Not sure it's not all road bikes, but Mosquito and Brixton still exist. And Cycle Surgery have 'some' leftfirld stuff taht's not a bloody Specialized generic conveyor belt like all the other bike shops in Britain are fast becoming.

And what is it with London bike shops and South Africans? Nothing offensive meant by this, just an observation. But Evans, On Your Bike and the Surgery seem to have loads in their employ. Maybe south Africa has a massive cycling culture?

Any SA's want to elaborate?

 

[JeRkY]

One of my local bike shops has proved pretty inconsistant for me. First time i used them was to get 2 snapped screws out of the crown on my pace RC36, I dropped off the fork, they quoted me a small amount of money I left the fork with them and picked it up the next day just as they were closing up. They let me off the fee as they couldnt be bothered turning on the till again .

the next time i dropped a bike in to have new basic brake cables , inner and outer (i didnt have the time), for that they slapped me with a £45 bill.

 

[Crell]

I used to use Condor on Grays Inn Road when working in London. At least it's staffed by people who ride bikes, rather than the evans "sales assistants" who haven't got a clue and defer every question (apart from "can I pay for this?") to the one person in the shop who knows something about bikes.

£50 for a BB swap is a joke, but so is £110 / hour labour charge on a car :x

 

[bikeperv]

I'm looking for a new job at the moment, maybe it's time London had a RetroBike Shop?!? It'd definitely make getting up easier and you guy's all get 10% off!

 

[cannondale king]

a shimano cable set using sp41 outers and shimano inners costs about £12 and labour is changed at £23.50 including vat so should only cost £25-£35 depending how long (due to corrosion and crappy parts) it takes to set any more is a rip any less is worring about there standards at that price. thats gears and brakes

 

[JeRkY]

I'm looking for a new job at the moment, maybe it's time London had a RetroBike Shop?!? It'd definitely make getting up easier and you guy's all get 10% off!

:shock: Does Jez know your thinking of setting up in competition

 

[bikeperv]

Condor is great for road bikes but MTBs, I don't think they're quite as keen. It's also my closest shop to work but I have mixed feelings. If you don't know the right terminology in there they can make you feel a bit stupid! Having said that they have removed a BB in the past for only about a fiver and they are willing to spend the time on you. It's often hard to not whip out your credit card when you get the magpie syndrome with all the pretty, pretty shiny things in there! :shock: