WoFlowzDiverse spec and kinds of bikes, and everything else the answer is the people
We've got everything from BMX to DH to hand restored vintage 70's Schwinn.
cydwhitMy biggest beef with bike shops is that in my experience, for some to take you seriously, it takes a few months of getting to know them, tipping beer on all repairs, and generally ingratiating yourself to the shop before you can expect consistently good customer service and repairs.
And then once you’ve done that, and become homies with them, and “earned” discounts and quick repairs and such, they immediately stop taking you seriously because you’re one of the guys now, and “you’ll understand.”
Everyone is like “be good to your shop and they’ll be good to you.” Which is not how real businesses work. And then once you do, and they start hooking it up, they don’t take you as seriously because they’re hooking you up. Like bro, all I want is for your knowledgeable staff to greet me when I enter, and then sell me the parts I need. Maybe give me a small discount when I buy big items from me that you know I could get cheaper on the internet
Run a shop like a real businesses who’s goal is to trade goods and services for money, and you’ll make bank.
And pay your wrenches well enough that they stick around. Many customers have a favourite wrench, not a favourite shop.
Thanks for that Cy. I feel and hear you loud and clear on that concern.
gusbus432I spent a long time trying to find a shop that isn't trash, it's all about the people. The shop I drive way out of my way for has all experienced mechanics who are payed well enough that they've been mechs there for 5+ years. The owners are always there and super cool, they are good friends with all of their employees. All of the employees basically own the shop, they are actually valued and several of them have a share of the business.
Yeah, this is the vibe we're aiming for.
CrunnchyVanMan1. for me I dislike when bikeshops have sort of a get-in-get-out mentality, I like to chill and bullshit with the shop guys
2. I love when bike shops have a cool like coffee table area where you can hang out and read a bike magazine, takes me back to when I was like 8 being dragged around by my dad while he talked to the shop guys. I like bike shops where you feel like family
3. It would be awesome to see more bike shops hiring me. but for real it would be cool if more shops did shuttle services and group rides around local trails
4. I dont think im qualified to answer this because I dont know how businesses work
5. what makes me a return customer at a shop is when you go in and feel welcomed, and whether they are able to get your bike in the stand right away or if you need to wait a day or two, they are true to their word and knowledgeable
1. Those shops suck
2. We will have an Italian themed café attached, with an open floor plan between the bike and cafe, lots of outdoor seating, and a liquor license (hopefully).
3. Shoot me a message :-)
3.5. Our goal is to do shuttles, guiding services, and free group rides, but the first two won't happen until we get ore established and can get the permits for guiding/shuttling. We gotta open shop first, ha.
5. One of my pet peeves from shops is terrible communication. Like, I should never have to call to find out that my bike has been ready for 3 days.
mikemacA lot of my closest friends work in bike shops as managers and wrenches, so it is super nice when they hook me up but I'm never expecting it and I'm always willing to pay top dollar for good work, and I like to tip the boys for the sake of a good deed and bc i really appreciate their work and the fact that they get it done in a super timely fashion.
I'm not tipping so they'll give me free shit, they really can't get away with that much because of how closely everything is tracked these days, the more they hook you up, the worse their numbers look, the less bonuses and raises the boys can get. I also try to reciprocate by sending them business/reccomending their shop to customers from my restaurant. I also love to hook up the boys w some beers/apps when they come through to see us at the restaurant and its a great little symbiotic relationship, we take care of each other and we take care of each others customers.
Two of my least favorite things for real though:
1. being put on the backburner BECAUSE someone at the shop recognizes me as one of the "homies" and then they just think I'm just looking for free shit... like no, I'm a paying customer and I would like to be treated as such. I spend THOUSANDS a year here on hardgoods, softgoods, and shop work, mostly at full price.... and I've worked here seasonally in the past.... don't brush me off cuz you think i'm just some skid looking for the bro deal. But i get it... sometimes locals are the most frustrating because they have a sense of entitlement and expect special treatment. I try my best to absolutely NOT be that guy.
2. Being mocked or demeaned for "stupid questions" by a retail employee at a bike shop. Like sorry bro I'm not as hardcore as you... that's why I'm here seeking your advice and input on my purchases, you really hate your job so much that you can't treat customers with respect? Isn't the outdoor community supposed to be friendly and welcoming not elitist Dbags? Like sorry i haven't had access to $10,000 full carbon dual suspension mountain bikes my whole life.... does that make me a lesser person? And like I said I'm kind of one of the "bros" but i still get that salt sometimes... makes me wonder how women, BIPOC, or out of towners must feel walking into some of the saltiest shops. I get it I'm in customer service, sometimes people are unbearable, sometimes you're having a bad day, and the tourists treat you like garbage but that doesn't mean you can't treat the nice customers with respect. if you can't give good customer service without being incredibly rude then maybe you really need a new job?
BUT I also want to give a shoutout to my brother and his wife's shop: https://wheelwranglers.com/ They're trying to break outside of the crusty mold and establish a friendlier, more affordable and more welcoming environment to all kinds of cyclists, not just the most hardcore mountain bikers and not just to the bros. Because lets be honest, we all know those radbro shop guys who throw shade at beginners or folks just looking for a general fitness/roadie who don't want to pay an arm and a leg for some full carbon bullshit. It's super off-putting when you come into a bike shop and get disregarded because you don't have 10k to spend, and that's the kind of cultural shift they're trying to make in the industry. Still a super young company trying to break into a market with lots of barriers to entry, but I think they're crushing it so far. If you live or are visiting the Jackson/Teton Valley area check them out for retail, shop work, and rental: https://wheelwranglers.com/
I've been in the restaurant, service, and ski industry for over a decade. I'm all about the trading services life. I trade custom boot work for chiropractic work with a friend of mine, and we send each other business. Same for friends in the restaurant industry. If locals aren't happy with you, they won't recommend you. However, a customer who pays full price for service work, are always going to get service first. Part of the deal with the hookups, especially for service work, is being patient and understanding that people who pay full price will get wrenched on first. Cy touched on that above. That said, you'll still get treated the same, and I'm not going to throw you under the bus, treat you differently, or intentionally disregard you and your needs. Nor would I let any employees do that to any customers, rich or broke as fuck. As I said, I want the locals to be stoked on us, not frustrated. I hate shops that don't care about locals and give preferential treatment to big spending second home owners. Everyone will feel welcome and treated equally. We just had an inner city kid drive here from Denver (7+ hour round trip), on his birthday, with his whole family, to buy his wife an SE Bikes BMX, and we're not even open yet.
As for the talking down/belittling to customers, I hear ya, but sometimes it's tough to gauge the knowledge of a stranger walking into the shop. Some people handle this better than others. If I don't know someone, I try to ask open ended questions that help me get a feel for what they know and want. If I catch an employee mansplaining or being rude to customers (who don't deserve it), they'll definitely get put in their place.
Thanks for the input so far, everyone! It's great to hear opinions/input from outside of your bubble.
