Cycle Lab Fourways

[Beast Tech]

Which then leads to the question, why must he know? no-one can know EVERYTHING about all thing cycling related...again its the double edged sword, you don't walk onto a BMW sales floor and ask about a Nissan do you? The sales person will look at you blankly and say I don't know Nissan because I don't sell it....same deal Cycle Lab don't stock SS parts etc so why must the salesman do research into it?

 

Really dude? Your example is relating to different brands. If I walked into Nissan and asked do BMW vehicles also use wheels do you think he will reply with "I don't know?"

 

I don't expect the guy to know the technical things (spacer size, sprocket size, sprocket material). I just expect him to know what it is. He does work in a bike shop after all? 

[rouxtjie]

Really dude? Your example is relating to different brands. If I walked into Nissan and asked do BMW vehicles also use wheels do you think he will reply with "I don't know?"

 

I don't expect the guy to know the technical things (spacer size, sprocket size, sprocket material). I just expect him to know what it is. He does work in a bike shop after all? 

Salaries...biggest expense in most companies. See what I did there?

[eddy]

I think you missed my point completely...

 

I don't mind that they don't stock it, I do mind that a technician at a cycling shop doesn't even know what it is...

No point missed at all.

 

If you go to a mcDonald's and ask the chef if he can whip you up a Chateaubriand with a bottle of Romanee conti he will tell you he can sell you a Big Mac and a Coke. That is what he does and that is what he knows.

 

The technicians at the Cyclelab don't know about singlespeed conversion kits because the store does not serve that side of the market.

[RocknRolla]

Hi Bigjmeister, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

 

Please would you kindly message your contact info and we will be in touch to understand the precise nature of this incident.

 

We have indeed received complaints for bad service in the past and will of course be ready and willing to assist our fellow cyclists who are our customers in improving constantly and learning how we can best meet their needs as understood by reasonable expectation.

We would welcome a sit down with you at Cycle Lab Fourways, should you wish to get some closure.

We look forward to hearing from you directly and understandably hope you will afford us, again if you like, the opportunity to rectify this situation.

Yours, Cycle Lab

 

 

Ahh yes, Cycle Lab. Taking the Bull (buffalo) by the horns.

[Beast Tech]

No point missed at all.

 

If you go to a mcDonald's and ask the chef if he can whip you up a Chateaubriand with a bottle of Romanee conti he will tell you he can sell you a Big Mac and a Coke. That is what he does and that is what he knows.

 

The technicians at the Cyclelab don't know about singlespeed conversion kits because the store does not serve that side of the market.

 

Guys lets calm down on the examples, you guys are making ludicrous examples to try and get your point across that's all. So lets put it in context...

 

Car example you gave

Technicians are not meant to know exactly part information for each of the brands, but I am pretty sure they know the components that go in a car (these people are not stupid). So in my case he may not know the brands or the technical points but he would still know it exists

 

Mcdonalds example

You are comparing two complete different income levels here so this is not expected (stupid people even know this so your example is pointless). Plus the field of food is much broader than that of bikes so it can not be applied

 

In summary

There are a limited amount of parts that can go on a bike. With a bike shop that cells bikes upwards of 50k I expect some degree of knowledge in the shop. This is what I expect, and if it is given I will give them my money. If not I walk away. LBS know more than these people.

 

Salaries...biggest expense in most companies. See what I did there?

 

Could not agree more, best explanation

[rouxtjie]

....

 

Could not agree more, best explanation

Yep, and again, its their business model. Have a couple of tech proficient guys that can teach / train temps...you probably dealt with the latter. Nothing wrong with it, just not what interests me. See they might have a mega store with a whole lot of stuff in it, but honestly I can't say I would go there unless its an emergency and I needs something generic in a hurry. 

 

Walk into hunter cycles or sprocket and I drool over everything....30th of floor space but every thing there tickles me with knowledgeable people. The lab caters for the larger market obviously and doing very well...that is where the numbers are at.

[Patchelicious]

We as humans, and especially Hubbers are exceptionally good at finding the faults in other, bikes but mostly bike shops.

 

Every bike shop will have a bunch of positives and a few negatives. If the negatives outweighed the positive they would close down pretty quickly.

 

So we need to understand and embrace the various people who cater for the various sectors of the market.

 

Cycle lab will be profit driven and use the capitalist methodologies that Rouxtjie has highlighted, that's why they exist. Simple, if it was YOUR business and that was your focus you would also rather stock a chain that's sells 30 units a month rather than a niche product that sells only one a month. Well you can sell that one, but then at a 30 times higher margin than the others for it to make sense. They also deal with what gets referred too on the hub the whole time... noobs. They do it well, I have often seen Andrew chatting to people who are clearly new to cycling for great lengths of time. They have become the go to people for the entry to middle tier guys. Most of their staff are geared to deal with that category, because its by far the biggest segment.

 

I went in earlier to try on some new shoes, I knew which ones I wanted and was specific, but the dude kept trying to sell me a cheaper option, its just their mind set, so it didn't bother me. Another example is that you cannot go into Cajees expecting them to... well anything but give you a good haggle.

 

On the other end of the spectrum... Imagine a Single Speed specialist getting 50 walk in customers everyday asking about "what is the best entry level MTB for my wife, do you have a Titan?" , "which is better 26 or 29? My braai pels tune me you get an even better in betweener called 27en n halfer, you know it" all whilst drinking his Ethiopian special blend 32-second pressed coffees. His beard will go grey faster than he can get more tatoos, he will end up chopping off his own top knot!

 

So in summary, the various shops have their places. As long as they service their market segment correctly and honestly then lekker, it keeps our options open and that's all that we need as consumers.

[Bigjmeister]

You may have a fair point about cycle lab. I don't know. Not my LBS so nothing to say one way or another but since this is may get ugly I will chip in with some advice that you are free to ignore, argue with or whatever.

 

The Hub is a very odd place. Lots of long time users and there is of course a history. But it's not Hello Peter dot com so guys get annoyed when someone joins just to use the Hub as a platform against a supplier. It has happened countless times. That's what you have walked into here.

 

If you decide to stick around a few other things you will notice. If you bring up a service issue someone, at least one, will tell you to heavily invest in time, money and skills and to service yourslf. That has already happened. Don't worry it's normal here.

 

If you ask about supplements someone, at least one, will tell you to rather eat real food.

 

If you ask bout road routes at least 20 people will tell you mtb is the only cycling that counts. Actually this happens with most road cycling related questions.

 

If you report poor or aggressive driving and even get run over by an irate motorist who hunted you down then drove away you will be asked if you were riding in single file and did you have reflective gear, were you wearing a helmet and were you on a freeway. You might also be told to start MTBing and to get off the road. Yes it's weird for a cycling forum but so it goes.

 

Please don't ever ask about chain lube, trust me on this. It's just not worth it.

 

Oh and welcome to the Hub

Thanks Martin.  That was a real welcome.  I have actually been registered as a member for some time; just never to post anything but it seems I have created a stir first time  I'd rather it be like this so I know people are reading and have an opinion; something like a real community which, lets face it, does not happen in real life to often.

[Bigjmeister]

my question to the OP? why did you go to Cycle Lab in the first place when your LBS is closer and this is were you took it to have it sorted out? Why not go there in the first place?

I technically dont have a LBS as I bought my bike overseas and recently returned.  I heard wonderful things about Cycle Lab and I was staying with family in Fourways for a week or so so decided to kill 2 birds with one stone... So still looking for a LBS

[Bigjmeister]

Maybe do the repairs and servicing yourself, buy the tools, lubes, parts and you good to go. Best way to get to know the ins and outs and makes things interesting.

I can do it myself, but my LBS that sold me the bike was so good, I never considered it previously.  It might be a good idea going forward.  Thanks

[Guest notmyname]

 

On the other end of the spectrum... Imagine a Single Speed specialist getting 50 walk in customers everyday asking about "what is the best entry level MTB for my wife, do you have a Titan?" , "which is better 26 or 29? My braai pels tune me you get an even better in betweener called 27en n halfer, you know it" all whilst drinking his Ethiopian special blend 32-second pressed coffees. His beard will go grey faster than he can get more tatoos, he will end up chopping off his own top knot!

 

LOL!!!!!!

[Bigjmeister]

Ed Zackery,

 

So you take the bike away - ride it for 5 months in whatever environments and expect it to be pristine.

 

I think we have a classic case here of someone who does not understand the first iota of what a bicycle headset goes through. You can destroy one in 50km if incorrectly adjusted or lubed or like said a high pressure hose or washer has got water in through the seals.

 

Time and distance have no bearing on the life of a headset unless you are talking things like Chris King which are bullet proof, and even then they will be subject to the same vagaries.

 

As I said - I think the bike shop was right mate.

 

And my post wrt your number of posts is what we see all the time here - the only time someone wants to get on the hub and start to post is when they have an axe to grind and want to besmirch a member of the community that they feel has wronged them - particularly retailers.

 

So your motives are really to make as much stink as possible for Cyclelab - however when you get people asking for details of what happened and being objective to assess it, then you dont like it.

 

Have a look at the warning around rant n rave first.

 

As i said - on average - and I have been a Cyclelab customer since they were in Woodmead, they have treated me very well and have been very reasonable in addressing issues which were their fault which is what I think they have been here.

 

`I think you sir are the unreasonable one and therefore should think about what your motives were with the post.

 

ok, thanks for your opinion.  that's what forums are for.

[rudi-h]

sorry about this one Bigjmeister, but you are in the wrong here and if I had a shop I'd never want to do business with you anyway.  its not cool to name & shame a shop all out on the interweb without even trying to resolve with the store manager, especially not if you do that on your first post.

 

CL fourways is really not a bad shop and not saying that they cant make mistakes or that they cannot be unreasonable, but to come out here flaming and blaming from a single incident is just poor class dude...  I hope that when you have an off-day and screw up (something equivalent to tightening a bolt) in your day job that somebody won't smear dirt all over you for all to see on the internet.

 

PS welcome to the Hub.  Its really not too bad a site if you don't just use it as a naming and shaming platform.

[Odinson]

On the other end of the spectrum... Imagine a Single Speed specialist getting 50 walk in customers everyday asking about "what is the best entry level MTB for my wife, do you have a Titan?" , "which is better 26 or 29? 

 

That's funny. Just imagine someone walking into Hunter Cycles like: "You got that Titan Trail bike? 27 Speed, nogal" 

[Patchelicious]

I technically dont have a LBS as I bought my bike overseas and recently returned.  I heard wonderful things about Cycle Lab and I was staying with family in Fourways for a week or so so decided to kill 2 birds with one stone... So still looking for a LBS

 

 

I can do it myself, but my LBS that sold me the bike was so good, I never considered it previously.  It might be a good idea going forward.  Thanks

 

Huh?

[Bigjmeister]

Salaries...biggest expense in most companies. See what I did there?

My business textbook says that your info is about 60 years out of date.  Just saying.