LBS Tantrum

[Guest Agteros]

I bought my MTB from a LBS bitterly down the  road from where I work and stay.

Together with the MTB, I asked for a pump and spare tube together with a few other items.

 

I kept the tube and pump on the MTB as punctures is a certainty, unless you make use of solid inners.

 

Lo and behold, today on my 5th race my rear wheel got punctured. No problem, I thought.....

 

Well, it turns out that the tube has a different valve(Presta) from those on the MTB, which has Schrader (car) valves.

 

So, I tried the pump.... Surprise!!!! It does not fit the Presta valve....

 

To cut a long story short, it took about 45 minutes before I got going again.

 

Needless to say, I'll stay away from Cycle Fontaine from now on. I'd rather take a bit of time and try one of the other PBS in the surrounds. Hopefully I'll get a salesperson who actually wants happy, returning customers and not just a quick buck!

 

[javadude]

With most pumps you can unscrew the valve end, turn the rubber grommet thingy around and then fit it to presta/schraeder valve as required.

[Guest Agteros]

 

 

With most pumps you can unscrew the valve end' date=' turn the rubber grommet thingy around and then fit it to presta/schraeder valve as required.

[/quote']

 

Okay, using a small screwdriver I was able to do that, just to check. These instructions were not on the pump packaging, nor anywhere on the pump.

 

To take something apart to make it work is somewhat counter-intuitive and definately not something you want to do in the middle of a race.....

 

This does not detract from the fact that if the LBS is actually trying to render a service, I.S.O making money, they will:

1.) Tell the above to the customer, or even better (and expected)

2.) Sell customer spare parts that are the same / similar in function and use (valves) to that fitted to the bicycle they sell said customer

 

This all just underscores the experience of a lot of people that customer satisfaction is something everybody talks about, and [virtually <- grudge insert] nobody does and gets.

Agteros2008-11-02 08:29:51

[Johan Bornman]

Sorry Os, but you have only yourself to blame. Pre-ride checks are important and you should apply your mind to them.

 

 

[Guest Agteros]

 

Sorry Os' date=' but you have only yourself to blame. Pre-ride checks are important and you should apply your mind to them.

 

[/quote']

 

I DO blame myself...

 

I blame myself for trusting other people

I blame myself for believing that shop owners

* are honest

* wants returning customers

 

What is the purpose of buying things in a 'parcel' at the same time and then still have to check and re-check and check again everything that everybody that took money off you does?

 

Then you can rather doe everything for yourself surely?

 

 

[turtlek]

agteros most LBS's will ask what valve and or what size tube if you dont know what size or valve your bike takes and you failed to check if it would fit or not before you rode your bike it doesnt help blaming the LBS also i have a certain ritual after buying something new for my bike especially pumps and speedometers if i cant get it to work in my lounge by my own power i will call and ask someone that will know

 

 

 

as johan said pre ride checks are important even though they take longer than actually getting onto your bike and riding it to the gate it is still imperitive to do them everytime you ride!!!

[Guest Agteros]

 

agteros most LBS's will ask what valve and or what size tube if you dont know what size or valve your bike takes and you failed to check if it would fit or not before you rode your bike it doesnt help blaming the LBS also i have a certain ritual after buying something new for my bike especially pumps and speedometers if i cant get it to work in my lounge by my own power i will call and ask someone that will know

 

 

 

as johan said pre ride checks are important even though they take longer than actually getting onto your bike and riding it to the gate it is still imperitive to do them everytime you ride!!!

 

They did not have to ask, as I bought bike a spare tube (stating it is a spare tube) at the same time.

 

This is not about pre-ride rituals, but rather about integrity of said LBS that sold me these items in one transaction.

 

[Sean Badenhorst]

That's your own fault, not the shop's. 

[Guest Agteros]

 

That's your own fault' date=' not the shop's. 

[/quote']

 

Define 'That'

 

[turtlek]

if you dont check that the tube and pump will work on your bike in the shop how can you blame the LBS????

[Guest Agteros]

Trust them, as they assembled they bike?

[Sean Badenhorst]

 

That's your own fault' date=' not the shop's. 

[/quote']

 

Define 'That'

 

The problems you experienced on your ride. Don't try blame the shop. Put it down to experience. Next time you'll not have the same delay or frustration cos you'll have learned from this - like all of us did at some point.

 

 

 

[Guest Agteros]

I have no problem with ME ruining MY ride and wasting MY time

 

Maybe the point I should have made more explicitly is that shop owners (I dealt directly with the shop owner) are not always that interested in the best interest of their customers?

 

Sure, you CAN make the pump work. Guess what? A few people stopped to offer help, and they could not 'turn their pumps around' either, knowing that THEIR pumps can 'do both types of valves'

 

This unfortunately underscore by point of view that a LOT (if not most) business/shop owners are not there to have a happy returning customer base, but like big/bad corporations are only concerned about their monthly/quarterly bottom line.

 

Rather, they should look after their customers, and the money will keep on flowing as if by miracle!

 

[TheLegend]

After your posts we can gather that

a) you bought a new bike at your LBS

b) you asked for a pump and a tube to use with the bike when you bought the bike

c) you punctured

d) the tube had the wrong, but with your rim still usable valve

e) but you were unable to note, and later to change, the valve adaptor inside of your pump to fit your pump

f) you are arrogant enough to blame this on your LBS and try to flame it by naming it on the hub

g) you are a strange dude!

 

 

[Guest Agteros]

 

After your posts we can gather that

a) you bought a new bike at your LBS

-->CORRECT

b) you asked for a pump and a tube to use with the bike when you bought the bike

-->CORRECT

 

c) you punctured

-->CORRECT

 

 

 

d) the tube had the wrong' date=' but with your rim still usable valve

-->CORRECT

 

 

 

e) but you were unable to note, and later to change, the valve adaptor inside of your pump to fit your pump

-->I'm am not inclined to disassemble my equipment mid-race to figure out how it works. It should just work!

 

 

 

f) you are arrogant enough to blame this on your LBS and try to flame it by naming it on the hub

-->I'm am not arrogant! How many time do we hear that consumers should stand up for themselves and name good / bad service? How does this differ from that statement?

g) you are a strange dude!

-->PERCEPTIONS PERCEPTIONS PERCEPTIONS .......

 

 

[/quote']

[Guest Agteros]

What is quite interesting from all of the above posts are that everybody keeps on going after me for not trusting / checking. I have categorically stated that I blame myself for the resultant experience, but still people are going at me...

 

It is as if the LBS is a little sister, which the LBS sure is not?

 

I stand by my point of view that the LBS should have checked that the spare tube they sold me have the same valve as those fitted on the bike.

 

And THAT is at the reason for my original posting, with maybe too much peripheral detail...