The Path's inventory is astounding. But with that inventory comes the pressure to turn it over, though the're very "cool" about it, more BMW dealer than Toyota dealer in their approach. Picture a skateboard/snowboard shop, and replace the boards with Ellsworth & Moots frames, and you'll have the idea of the shop vibe, layout, and customer spending habits. If you're cooler than me, and especially if your bike budget is bigger than mine, it's a great place to go. Since I'm not trying to put together a $7000 custom huck bike or an 'alternative' third or fourth bike for my quiver, I'm not exactly Path material, and I've had a hard time getting the guys there to slow down (True, they're busy...) and answer my dumb questions.
Switchback follows the other bike shop business model. Inventory tends to be light, but Tim & Sherry, et al, will talk through any questions on anything, and happily put up with my dumbness. They do good work. But if I really need to come home with the part I'm looking for today, I go to the Path.
Surf City's people are nice, I got my 4-year-old's Nirve Hello Kitty bike there (she's proud to be a burly singlespeeder...), but the place feels a little antiseptic for a bike shop...gives me that eerie feeling you get in Performance...And they do indeed have everything you want-as long as you want Specialized.
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02-09-2007, 11:42 PM
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