bike shop stories, rants, etc

[brownlandshark]

This thread is a sister thread to the how to fire a customer in 10 minutes thread. This thread is for shop employess to share funny stories, odd requests they've had, just vent and talk about some of the stupidity you deal with sometimes in retail on a day to day basis.
Feel free to post, leaving out names please.

As a shop employee since 86 I have so many I don't know where to start. I will post some weekly for reading enjoyment.
I had a good one a while back. A guy wanted advice on a good mountain tire for local conditions. I gave him my opinions based on what I use as well as what had been popular at the time with my customers. He buys them. Out he goes.
Comes back a few days later FURIOUS. Says I have no idea what a mountain tire should ride like and that I am to blame for his cuts and bruised thigh. I asked what happened. he said. You A hole. These tires SUCK on wet grass. 99 percent of my riding is on wet grass and now I'm hurt. He actually wrote a letter to the owner of the shop complaining about it.
He ended up returning the tires and said he would never shop there again. He called me a few other things too but I rise above. He was sooooo mad though and I honestly thought it was joke.
I have many more to post. I will save the better ones as this thread progresses. Not all of my stories are from the same shop. I have worked at a few.

[mfoga]

OMG thats to funny. Come how could you no know that the local conditions were wet grass.

[Pain Freak]

Just being in the shop and listening to some of the people can be really amusing. I try not to judge or think less of them because it wasn't so long ago I was one of them.

Used to ride my mtb with tennis shoes and a sweatshirt and sweatpants. I think I may try that again. By the end of the ride my sweats were so heavy from sweat, they'd be falling off of me and I could barely walk.

[davidB]

thanks for that

but as this thread goes along, i'd like to hear from employees/owners about their policys/prices/etc and reasons for them, and more of the explaining that vendors are to blame for late parts because i don't think a lot of people realize that. Anywho, i'm no employee so what am i doing in this thread

[brownlandshark]

Originally Posted by davidB

thanks for that

but as this thread goes along, i'd like to hear from employees/owners about their policys/prices/etc and reasons for them, and more of the explaining that vendors are to blame for late parts because i don't think a lot of people realize that. Anywho, i'm no employee so what am i doing in this thread

I would be happy to answer your questions about policies and pricing at my store in a pm. Just let me know what you want to know. I'd keep this thread light hearted, just about funny and or stupid shop stories.

I never get enough of that guy/girl looking for a new saddle who decides that setting it on the ground and sitting on it is a good idea, or grabbing the saddle and SHOVING it up into themselves to really get a feel for it. This happens at least once a week and never gets old.

[strobelite]

how about the people who ride with flat tires and expect your shop to replace the wheel cause there is no bead left on the rim and its still under shop service???????

or the guy who puts his wheel on by screwing the qr tight, even though you showed him how to use the skewer's cam-lock properly and looses a wheel while wheelie dropping a curb?

[slowSSer]

best i've seen/heard.

admitted to me by young wrench:
pulled a spankin new kestrel roadie custom order/build out of the box, throws it up on the stand, clamps the top tube. CRUNCH

irate customer i've dealt with:
husband and wife purchase two new bikes from us as well as a trunk rack. legally, we can't help them put the equipment on their car or load the bikes. they seem fairly competent, and we part ways, with them leaving about 20 minute later.

about a 1/2 hour after that, we get an irate phone call that the brand new bikes had a blown tire on each bike, stating that it is entirely our fault.

what did they do in reality? popped the tires with the exhaust pipe's heat. now, how is that our fault?

manager ended up giving them new tires/tubes and having us install it.

[brownlandshark]

Another good one...........This happens a lot but this one was the best. Lady comes in very upset carrying a bmx bike. I help her take it to the back. She says in the best OC mom voice. "Uh, ya...do you want to tell me why my kids new bike whick I spent 400 dollare on won't fing work now? I mean I am busy and don't have time for bullshit from you fing guys. This thing is like a k mart bike" I look at it, calmly unravel the bars which had been spun around so many times it kinked the brake cable so the brakes wouldn't work.
I said. It's all fixed. The bars were just spun too many times. Well since it was so easy to fix she gets more upset, she said a "normal"bike won't do that. She went on and on for minutes before I think she realized it was a losing battle. The tangled brake cable on a kids bike happens a lot. The look on the face of a dad who can't figure it out is always priceless.

[Trailster]

"Is it a law for my baby to wear a helmet while in the baby seat?"