SS Once More
While browsing around, I found the IRO is having a sale!!! Wooo!!! I also found out that a shop I was unaware of around here sells IRO’s, so I went down to check them out. Now, I knew this was a messenger shop, but I didn’t really expect open hostility. I certainly hope I was misreading the vibe, but there’s no way I’d step into that shop again. I mean, WTF?
February 7th, 2006 at 9:52 am
That’s dissapointing, as I had hopes for them as soon as I saw the Crimson Ghost in their logo.
Get back in there and read their manifesto to them repeatedly until you get what you want: an affordable alternative to the high end shops littering Boston’s landscape.
Tis a sad day when such a thing as a manifesto would go so slovenly to the wayside.
“(Specialized mechanical assistance and sustainable) products to the people!”
February 7th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Oh, I have no doubt they’re “affordable”, but there’s no way to know for sure without enduring the dagger eyes of the guy working there and I’m not willing to do that. It can’t be any more affordable than the IRO direct price (esp. with the 10% off). They had a couple Mark V frames (which is the courier fave) but no Rob Roy frames, which is what I’m after.
Then again, a Surly Steamroller would be cool. They deal Surly’s too, but they didn’t have any on the rack, and I wasn’t about to ask.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Hee hee… go back and ask them if he heard that Lance and Sheryl broke up.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:52 am
*gasp* They did? Where did you hear that? Does anyone else know?
February 7th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Lance and Sheryl broke up???? What……
I really don’t get the attitude that so many bike shops get off with. Any most other business they would be shuttered in no time with half the attitude at shops. What the hell?
I thought I would faint going shopping with Vic when we were out looking for touring bikes, and we knew pretty much what he was looking for and it is not like I’m a neophyte. Jerks were talking down to him left and right at ACE Wheelworks, and an old guy at Belmont Wheelworks could barely deign to talk to us even though we showed up on our bikes and walked in and said we want to look at the Co-Motions you had at the bike show, those were sweet. He did not even know he had a whole row of $3000 touring bikes on some upper shelf and could barely spend time showing us the Trek. We had to find someone else at the shop to help us. And while Vic’s bike at the time was crap, how many folks show up specifically asking to try a $3000 bike you were demoed a few months back? Don’t even get me started on the touring rack episode at International. Wow….. they followed up with Vic kind of, but I would have blown a gasket. I can’t go there.
I know I get a lot of ‘tude becuase I am fat, balding and getting old. I think to myself, at least I was not stupid enough to work for $8 an hour and I’ve biked more extreme places than these kids will likely ever see becuase they can’t afford to do anything but ball each other and drink cheap beer. Not that I’d mind getting it on with some of the mechanics, but I’ve got better things to do than drink cheap beer.
I really hate going to LBS. I do. I find it much easier and more polite to go to REI, and you can say “well they are a co-op”. I know I should support the LBS, but they are generally so unpleasant. I’m starting to pick up more stuff online as well, to avoid the LBS. I wish Harris were closer.
Ah, what can you do, except take your dollars somewhere else? Or open your own shop.
February 8th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I don’t know what it is. It’s either a hostile or condescending attitude, prices at 150+% MSRP, or bad service. At this point, I have only two places
I like my nearest LBS, Community, and Broadway Bike School. Both have good prices and friendly people (esp. Community who are top notch in every way). The problem with both of them is that their selection isn’t always that good, depending on what you’re after. I got my MTB at Community, but just about all they stock is Specialized and I didn’t like any of their road bikes. So I got my Fondriest at ATA, and while the purchase experience wasn’t bad, I will never return there because of their repair “service”.
I mean International might as well be selling used cars. They’d be a natural. Back Bay gives me the creeps.
I’ve liked Harris the few times I’ve been in there, and Sheldon is a cool guy, but they’re a little too far away to get to quickly. Quad Cycles is good, too, but they’re also pretty far away.
I guess, overall, Community is the best. Broadway is a repair shop, they don’t really concentrate much on sales.