Costal bike stores

[MORNE]

I met Martin at Ride Life after I had to redo a tubeless wheel In Heidelberg and damaged the tape. Back then stans tape was what I used, and George was where I got it. Nowadays I'd make a plan first with some form of duct tape that you can get at the Agri.

Honest question, do you do your tax returns yourself? I pay someone with ronde handjies (someone in my wife's firm to be honest) to do it better (and more effectively) than I can so that I don't have to. And when you are on holiday, then struggling with a bike is the last thing some people wants to do when they only have two weeks leave a year. Holiday time is precious.

Yes i do my own tax. 3 times a year. I’m a control freak obviously haha.

But a little a day is how you do it. I had to learn the hard way back in 2012 when sars came after me when it turned out an ex-employer never payed them my uif and Paye. Baptism by fire. I’m glad I did though...it’s really not that complicated.

Most people’s problem is they want to start doing tax the day they get a msg from SARS saying it’s tax season. Those same people probably want to have their bike’s serviced for the first time in peak season on holiday, in a small coastal town - with limited capacity. Like i said in my post...not planning very well. Why would you want to get your bike serviced on holiday in the first place?....When you only have 2 weeks a year.

Those people also believe the bike shop when they say redoing tubeless is a dark art/voodoo, like accountants do with tax. Its not. Its basic accounting, and knowing the rules and parameters.

Anyway. I digress.

[Nicdog]

Had similar experience. Upsell is one thing when you are in the market for an upgrade, but dissing your current S-Works model to attempt a sale is not cool. When no sale is imminent, any form of service is shutdown. Then you might as well be furniture. I almost feel violated when leaving the store.

Exactly my experience at the Specialized store in George yesterday. The owner might be a rad guy “when you get to know him” but he sure wasn’t a great brand ambassador yesterday. So much for ‘rider-first engineering’ when store owners make you feel like *** for your current s-works model and are keen to get out of helping you as soon as humanly possible. Too bad Concept Cyclery Bryanston isn’t at the coast on holidays - Donny is a legend!

[Jewbacca]

Yes i do my own tax. 3 times a year. I’m a control freak obviously haha.

But a little a day is how you do it. I had to learn the hard way back in 2012 when sars came after me when it turned out an ex-employer never payed them my uif and Paye. Baptism by fire. I’m glad I did though...it’s really not that complicated.

Most people’s problem is they want to start doing tax the day they get a msg from SARS saying it’s tax season. Those same people probably want to have their bike’s serviced for the first time in peak season on holiday, in a small coastal town - with limited capacity. Like i said in my post...not planning very well. Why would you want to get your bike serviced on holiday in the first place?....When you only have 2 weeks a year.

Those people also believe the bike shop when they say redoing tubeless is a dark art/voodoo, like accountants do with tax. Its not. Its basic accounting, and knowing the rules and parameters.

Anyway. I digress.

This....

 

How much are you riding that you need to service your bike while on holiday?

 

I would do a suspension service a week before I left, then smash the holidays and then check hours/performance when I get home. 

 

If you are doing 50 hours in your 2 week holiday then sjoe.....

 

A part from that, what needs to be serviced more than a few times a year?

[MORNE]

Snip

 

A part from that, what needs to be serviced more than a few times a year?

Glued in bottom brackets? They’re....spezial like that.

Haha????????

[DR ◣◢]

Id charge someone R1000 to redo a tubeless tyre just because they have “ronde handjies” and cant do it themselves. id charge them R2000 to index gears...

 

Maybe they had to redo the tape because it ‘rolled’ or shifted on the bead. That happens using certain tapes.

 

I get that not everyone is mechanically inclined but hell, my wife is designer and wears high heals - can jack up a car...get the spare wheel out from under it and change it herself.

A self respecting cyclist should be able change a silly tubeless bicycle tyre.

100% with you there. If I can’t do something I learn how to do it.

[DR ◣◢]

Exactly my experience at the Specialized store in George yesterday. The owner might be a rad guy “when you get to know him” but he sure wasn’t a great brand ambassador yesterday. So much for ‘rider-first engineering’ when store owners make you feel like *** for your current s-works model and are keen to get out of helping you as soon as humanly possible. Too bad Concept Cyclery Bryanston isn’t at the coast on holidays - Donny is a legend!

I 100% disagree with you on Concept Cyclery Bryanston. I walked into a virtually empty shop on a Saturday about 30 minutes before they closed and I was treated like the cat dragged me in.

 

I needed two tires. I found them myself and stood at the till point for about 10 minutes before i was able to attract the attention of whoever deemed me important enough to help.

 

I guess my “look” doesn’t fit into the Specialized brand. No fancy clothes or a BMW X5 in the parking lot.

 

Nothing like a snotkop that thinks he is the **** because he works in a specialized store.

[Kranswurm]

Maybe I'm also "brainless" then, sorry I fail to see how did Chrisf "shoot his month off".  He simply gave an objective opinion and advice.  If you don't like it, ignore it.

 

Maybe more so over the holiday down at the coast, but the issue is valid in the entire country, if the OP intended to get only posts from a specific region, he could have made that clear, till now he didn't.

Not from a specific region but about a specific region.I clicked straight away that the OP referred to the garden route.

[Hairy]

I'm a newbie (thank you NDZ and cigarette ban). So far received only good service from The Bike Shop in Plett

welcome and many happy miles on your bike Mr Grumpy ... and many more shiny bikes for you in the future too

[Hairy]

Id charge someone R1000 to redo a tubeless tyre just because they have “ronde handjies” and cant do it themselves. id charge them R2000 to index gears...

 

Maybe they had to redo the tape because it ‘rolled’ or shifted on the bead. That happens using certain tapes.

 

I get that not everyone is mechanically inclined but hell, my wife is designer and wears high heals - can jack up a car...get the spare wheel out from under it and change it herself.

A self respecting cyclist should be able change a silly tubeless bicycle tyre.

congrats, you did well!

[Hairy]

I 100% disagree with you on Concept Cyclery Bryanston. I walked into a virtually empty shop on a Saturday about 30 minutes before they closed and I was treated like the cat dragged me in.

 

I needed two tires. I found them myself and stood at the till point for about 10 minutes before i was able to attract the attention of whoever deemed me important enough to help.

 

I guess my “look” doesn’t fit into the Specialized brand. No fancy clothes or a BMW X5 in the parking lot.

 

Nothing like a snotkop that thinks he is the **** because he works in a specialized store.

I worked in a popular CT cycle store when I finished school in 19'voetsek, and there was a customer who walked in every now and again asking tons of questions .... shorts and plakkies kind of guy.

 

Anyway, no one paid him much attention, but I did....talked through options, sent him off to look at other brand alternatives and at the end of the day he bought the most expensive bike on the floor .... once he pulled out his card and said he is paying cash he had the FULL attention of the then manager who was all over him.

 

Client asked me to help him take the bike to his car for him and it turned out to be a nice and shiny Porsche ... moral of the story, treat everyone equally.

[Forthelove]

Idcharge someone R1000 to redo a tubeless tyre just because they have “ronde handjies” and cant do it themselves. id charge them R2000 to index gears...

 

Maybe they had to redo the tape because it ‘rolled’ or shifted on the bead. That happens using certain tapes.

 

I get that not everyone is mechanically inclined but hell, my wife is designer and wears high heals - can jack up a car...get the spare wheel out from under it and change it herself.

A self respecting cyclist should be able change a silly tubeless bicycle tyre.

:- Yes it’s easy to change a tyre- but possibly the chaps on holiday does not have access to slime and happy to pay what he gets billed in say Pretoria or where ever the usual fee is give or take about R60-R150 per tire -but to get ripped off for one tyre R300- I to would be unhappy. Let’s presume he’s good with his head and hands - he’s a expert consultant for Sars’s or Securtiy mercenary manager or thoracic surgeon - or all three - simply because he’s on holiday and is happy to pay does not give a store the right to over charge. Overcharging on the small things will aggravate a customer, so when they come into buy a bike for 100 K they will already know the store is going to rip them off and go else’s where -give good service, fair charges and take care of the people in a professional way then everyone wins. It’s not rocket ???? science.

[Hairy]

:- Yes it’s easy to change a tyre- but possibly the chaps on holiday does not have access to slime and happy to pay what he gets billed in say Pretoria or where ever the usual fee is give or take about R60-R150 per tire -but to get ripped off for one tyre R300- I to would be unhappy. Let’s presume he’s good with his head and hands - he’s a expert consultant for Sars’s or Securtiy mercenary manager or thoracic surgeon - or all three - simply because he’s on holiday and is happy to pay does not give a store the right to over charge. Overcharging on the small things will aggravate a customer, so when they come into buy a bike for 100 K they will already know the store is going to rip them off and go else’s where -give good service, fair charges and take care of the people in a professional way then everyone wins. It’s not rocket science.

 

Just checked one of the more expensive bike shops in CT website, and they say R100 for a tubeless per wheel, ex parts.

 

Assume sealant at R75 / wheel (assumed)

Tape another R75 / wheel (assumed)

 

and boom ... you are pretty much on your R300 mark.

 

Are the coastal stores not maybe just more expensive that the stores up country given the higher cost for rentals and I assume the cost factor to get stock to their stores if they are outside of the major city metropoles ?

[Moult]

I had a fantastic experience with doing a bike setup at Coimbra George this afternoon! Totally mind blowing! I dont ride a specialized (on a vipa) but was told to go there by countless people. Absolutely brilliant! The owner, Wikus treated me with nothing but respect and kindness. Im very impressed.

[RocknRolla]

I packed the bare minimum on my trip to the midlands. 
multitool, track pump and some plugs/bombs. 
 

 Now If I went to the lbs which happens to be in a small town, and get ripped a new one, simply because I have a GP number plate, I would be pissed as well.

 

Hairy has a point though, perhaps we should establish what a reasonable price is for an item, and then perhaps establish a flat rate for labour before we say something is a rip-off.

 

ps do bike shops still fit tyres for free when its bought from the store? My moto rubber’s price includes fitment..if the tube looks dodge, I get quoted separately prior to fitting the new rubber..kinda a simple formula

[Kameel]

I worked in a popular CT cycle store when I finished school in 19'voetsek, and there was a customer who walked in every now and again asking tons of questions .... shorts and plakkies kind of guy.

 

Anyway, no one paid him much attention, but I did....talked through options, sent him off to look at other brand alternatives and at the end of the day he bought the most expensive bike on the floor .... once he pulled out his card and said he is paying cash he had the FULL attention of the then manager who was all over him.

 

Client asked me to help him take the bike to his car for him and it turned out to be a nice and shiny Porsche ... moral of the story, treat everyone equally.

Funny you say this. One of my best mates used to work for a luxury car brand as a Salesman.

 

He said the moment a guy walks into the dealership with a kortbroek and plakkies, they know he's the real deal.

 

Most guys walking in with suits and fancy clothes just wasted their time.

[Nicdog]

I 100% disagree with you on Concept Cyclery Bryanston

Bru, I literally only go there if Donny is on duty. Phone beforehand or ask for him on arrival. The guy is top drawer calibre.