The Path

[Padre]

Originally Posted by Lovin

Those come in handy. The first time I was riding STT, my friend and I didn't know which way to go at the flags to hit the Luge. My friend busted out his phone and asked for the number.............BAM.....it was right there. haha

Did they charge you for the advice?

[hav77]

It's a hit and miss. There have been times where I'm greeted and asked if I need any help. There have been other times where I stroll in and out and not a word from the crew.

A good example was this past weekend. On Saturday I went to check out their singlespeeds. Though the shop was busy, Tani saw that I was checking out the bikes and asked if I needed any help and showed me the Kona paddy wagon. When I went back Sunday to purchase it, however this time no one ever asked if I needed any help. The shop was kinda busy, but not as busy as the previous day. There were times where I was obviously looking at things and the employees just looked at me at walked off without a greet or anything. Anyway, I had to flag down someone for help. Brian ended up helping me with the purchase and was cool enough with the transaction. [EDIT: Just to add, really appreciated Brian making sure that I found the right sized frame. One of the first things he asked was how tall I was and that he just wanted to make sure I got a bike that was a good fit for me.]

Again, it's a hit and miss...but I sure am enjoying my new Paddy Wagon!

[ctimrun]

The Path rocks! I love the shop and the people working there are friendly and knowledgeable. They gave me a good deal on a new frame I bought yesterday.

[JohnnyGent]

Love goin in there cause there is soooooo much stuff packed into a tiny space. Plus my dad just bought a 2008 Spec Pitch Comp at an amazing price over the weekend. And Tani is the sh!t straight up...

[mytrustysteed]

Thanks to The Path my bike build is back on track. (I probably should have gone there first anyway) After another bike shop that I won't name for now, told me 2 hours before they had promised to have my bike completed and a week after I ordered the parts through them that they were just starting my bike and that Hope sent them an empty box without my hub in it!?!?! Then the story was, maybe we can get the hub shipped this week and finish it by next week so we just won't work on the rest of your bike for now either.OK.....

Well, I called 5 shops and no one keeps Hope hubs in stock, but The Path. Sanjay was super friendly and helpful and I got my hub right before closing. Hopefully the other shop will finish everything tomorrow..."Tomorrow for sure...."

Any way, big thank you to The Path for having EVERYTHING in stock in such a small store and still being really helpful at the same time. I was only there for 10 minutes, but to me this is what a bike shop should be. Too bad they are 40 minutes from my house.

[Hotchkiss]

I've purchased two bikes from the path (paddy wagon & Dawg primo). I also take my bikes there for any work. I love the place! I feel comfortable asking any question, no matter how stupid it may be.

Good to know of a comparable shop up north. My fiancé's Grandfather lives in Morro bay and we love riding when we visit him.

[Dufferin]

I have been to different shops in the LA area, but I keep going back to the Path, even if it is 30 miles away. The reason:

1. Customer Service
2. Friendly and knowledgable staff
3. Attention to detail and thoroughness of the Service Dept.
4. Parts and bikes galore
5. Customer Service
6. Customer Service...

Just had some service done, wheels trued, installed a new headset and new fork, and the guys at the Path hooked me up, specially Raoul. His work is clean, professional and treats my bikes like its his own. His attention to detail is amazing, he even asked me which way I want the headset logo to face and took the time to make sure that the steerer tube length is exactly how I want it.

Thanks again Raoul and The Path.

I'll be back fo sho!

[chongoblanco]

they are always helpful, especially the The two Brians and 9 times out of 10 they have what you need in stock. Got treated like crap at a shop that I used to go to for a long time and made the switch and have not a a bad experince.

[Shortfuze]

Went to The Path for the first time yesterday. Drove down from Upland on a whim with a couple hours to spare. Was greeted by all the staff and asked if I needed any help several times as I wandered around like a kid in a candy store. Brian was extremely helpful, got to test ride one of there Spec '08 Pitches on sale (almost bought one LOL) but instead opted for a new wheelset and bunch of other accessories. Everything on my current want list was/is there. Loved it so much I went back earlier today and dropped some more moolah. Great shop and even better, exceptional staff! I predict I'll be spending lots of time and money there. Viva La Path!

[Kish Me]

Visited the Path today as I always do when I'm in the neighborhood. (anywhere north of El Toro)
Everything on my list was in stock and prices were as good or lower than the online discount stores... Before the 10% STR discount!

Also check out the "monthy specials" on the Path's Blog
http://blog.thepathbikeshop.com/

Always check your favorite LBS before ordering anything online!

Thanks guys!

[asian fury]

These guys don't have a very sophisticated website, don't do direct mail or any other kind of big budget advertising, and have a pretty small retail space for the amount of business they do. It's pretty amazing how they get it done and do it better than any other shop I've seen.

[minimusprime]

The first time I went into the path 3-4 months ago I was kinda intimidated. there were people and parts packed in every where. Admittedly my knowledge of bikes in general was poor compared to what it is now.

after spending money at performance on a bike I eventually ended up not liking and selling I went to the path. Tani and Brian took care of me and hooked me up with an 08 pitch pro with shimano XT brakes off of the take off wall.

I'm in love with both the bike and the path. I've gone back several times since to upgrade my shoes, gloves etc etc. I think that i will be supporting the path in the future as it's so nice to have a quality bike shop in town with desirable stuff for sale. At this point in the course of buying 2 different bikes and a full set of gear from car racks to helmets to gloves etc i've been in every shop from here to Santa Monica. The path is the best hands down.

[PAIN]

Just got back from the Path, my first, but not last visit to this shop. It did take me awhile to find the place though, I drove past it a few times, lol.

Great help and they had what I was looking for, cant ask for more.

[ctimrun]

The new shop is really nice, I'm like a kid in a candy store in there. I have recently bought two frames from them and am considering buying a third and building up yet another bike that I don't need.

[GeorgiaOfTheJungle]

There are plenty of bike shops with buddies who come in for work or help and get first rate assistance, no matter who else is in the shop. However, I think it's rare to find a shop, with employees who will treat you like that buddy, even when they've never met you before. That was my experience at the Path.

Oh, I've been there before, but not as a regular. Nor had I ever met the gentleman who took my bike and information, listening intently as I described my troubles without making that "you're a stupid girl" face (that I get so often when relaying the suspiscious sounds of the my beloved bike). They truly treated me special-and not in the helmet on the street kind of way-thanks!

But, the best part of our trip to the Path was the treatment a friend got when looking for a bike. He had a very specific price range that he wished to keep it in. Instead of trying to upsell (which is easily done here), Brian worked with him to find a bike that fit all aspects, including price, of our friend's search. Big kudos and ((((hugs))) to all there.

[hunterp101]

I have to agree. I went in to get a build kit and they took great care of me. I had never bought anything there except a couple of odds and ends but it's obvious that the staff has been taught customer service is number 1. Big change from my experience a couple days earlier at The Bike Co. I got money burning a hole in my pocket because I am building up a new bike and The Bike Co seems to be doing so well they don't mind running customers off and making nothing off of them. My experience at the Path could not have been more opposite. Well done guys, keep up the good work.

[stevers]

I guess I'll break the theme and write a negative review. Yes, The Path has a great selection of parts. Yes, the staff is knowledgeable. Yes, the take off wall can occasionally have amazing deals. Yes, I do like coming here.

Okay, so with that out of the way, onto my experiences with their service department. These are three separate instances spread over several months. Keep in mind that these may be isolated incidents, but they're important to note anyways. Experience #3 is the most recent, and what sent me over the edge.

Experience #1
I needed some bearings on my Santa Cruz Superlight. Knowing they're not an SC dealer, I called in advance to see if they had the bearing. The person on the phone told me to bring in the bike. I replied that the bike was in pieces, and that I needed a 7902 enduro max bearing. He didn't know what that was. I asked if I could give him the ID/OD specs and he could roughly check, but he assured me that they are "The Path" and have so many bearings available, so just come on in with my bike with the bearings exposed. Apparently, he was going to eyeball the bearing and find a matching one. Ok, so I cave and bring in my bike (pivot axle and bolts out). So I carry my frame into the shop. I try to get the attention of several people, but they're too busy. Not offered to let my bike down somewhere or anything. I stand there for quite some time with my bike frame in pieces. Whatever, my arms could use a workout. Turns out, they didn't have the bearing. Then the guy (who obviously wasn't the guy who I spoke with on the phone) told me that I shouldn't have brought in the bike. I just needed to ask for 7902 bearings and he would have told me they don't have any. I asked if they could pop out the existing bearings (honestly, 2 minutes). They wrote me a work order for 3 days. I guess they're just that busy, so I go to Switchback and get my bearings pulled and new bearings pressed within the day.

Experience #2
Wheel truing. I brought in a hope pro II wheelset for truing. They went out of true in like 3 normal rides. Terrible job. I should have checked to see if it was true right from the shop. Possible that something odd happened and I knocked them out. Still, I'm going back to the old dude in a wheelchair at REI. He trued my WTB SX24 wheels and they were rock solid for month (until I sold them with my bike). I miss those wheels now.

Experience #3
My Superlight has a ticking noise. I consulting the great STR boards. Replaced the crankset, tried different pedals, replaced the bearings (see #1), replaced the derailleur hanger, replaced the rear derailleur, replaced/tightened the headset, tried different wheels/skewers, removed the cables and housings from the cable stops. Ok, so I've exhausted all my options. Take it to the Path for some paid professional servicing. That was last Sunday. I checked in my bike with a description of the problem. I asked for a particular bike mechanic who was familiar with my problems. Said it would be ready by Wednesday. I called on Tuesday afternoon to see how things were going. Took several minutes (8 minutes) to find my work order. Not a single thing done. The bike mechanic was out, but would be there on Wednesday. I call again midday Wednesday, and they said no one has touched it. I needed my bike, so I told them to just get anyone to work on it. Then comes Thursday (today). I call to see if my bike is ready. Again, it takes a while to find my work order (6 minutes). They say it's ready, and I can pick it up whenever. Holy moly, they fixed it! So I come into the shop and ask for my bike. The person disappears for 12 minutes. I start wandering the shop. 15 minutes in, I decide to ask for the bike. They brought it out, placed it outside, and didn't bother looking for me. No worries, I'm just happy it's fixed. I asked them what they did to fix it. The person reads the work order and says, "Nothing. The bike hasn't been worked on." Ok, so I called twice on progressive days to remind them of my work order. They told me it was "ready" to be picked up. They gave the bike physically back to me and tried to ring me up. And then they say they've just basically stored the bike for 4 days? Unacceptable. I did have a nice chat with the fellow who had to give me such undesirable news. He had some suggestions and advice on how to fix it. Still, it doesn't make up for the fact that I've been brushed aside.

Now, it is important to say that not any particular individual was rude, ignorant, or full of it in person, but my experiences as a whole has been nothing but negative. I've tried The Path three times for servicing and have been let down three times.

This was really my last ditch effort to ensure my Superlight is safe to ride. If it was a cheap and easy fix, I was ready to drop a few grand on a 5.5"+ travel bike, but now that I think about it, I'd rather buy from somewhere else. I definitely bargain shop online, but if I use a place to test ride their products, I'll pay the premium to buy it at the store. I might be drawn back by their selection of products and the ability to test ride the bikes, but I'll be working pretty hard to send my big business elsewhere.

Edit: Yes, I am ridiculous and time everything. I do it at restaurants, too. It gives me a sense of how much to tip.

[Padre]

Kudos for a balanced post.

The Path can't win 'em all....batting 1000.

That said, I wouldn't take my bikes anywhere else.

I would argue that your wheel truing incident was about your wheel and not the truing job. A "good" truing job on a crappy wheel/build has no impact.

Originally Posted by stevers

I guess I'll break the theme and write a negative review. Yes, The Path has a great selection of parts. Yes, the staff is knowledgeable. Yes, the take off wall can occasionally have amazing deals. Yes, I do like coming here.

Okay, so with that out of the way, onto my experiences with their service department. These are three separate instances spread over several months. Keep in mind that these may be isolated incidents, but they're important to note anyways. Experience #3 is the most recent, and what sent me over the edge..

[Pho'dUp]

Stevers,

Perhaps you should try Pacific Bike Repair?

[tink bell]

brian & tani were super helpful when i was looking for my 'big hit bike'. ok, so maybe not so big to you, but for me... well, 6" is a lot! brian helped me first, giving recommendations for bikes that might possibly fit w/the geometry that i wanted in a dh-light bike, keeping weight into consideration. both brian & tani were ever so patient while i called, visited & even went to other shops to demo other bikes.

i ended up coming back to them for my kona minxy & from the time i decided to buy it, tani turned it around for me in less than 2 days so i could test ride it on an upcoming big bear trip! chivo (raul) did a great job building it up (swapping out all the changes i'd made to lighten her up). i don't think i had to make any changes, retighten any bolts, or adjust the shocks! everything was spot on! i love when chivo works on my bikes!!

also, tani (and chivo) dropped 4 lbs off the stock setup!!! holy ish! for someone who weighs just over a buck, every pound counts!!

the minxy is my 3rd bike from the path & i'm sure i'll keep buying from them when i'm reading to add to the stable.

of course, i could go on about my various visits to the path, but this is already long enough!

big thanks to tani, brian, chivo, carla & carl!!! you guys rock!! (did i forget anyone? i'm sure i did...)