[Closed] Another day in the lbs

"I want to buy a hybrid bike with rack and mudguards for £700, it must weigh more than 22lb, which bike should I buy?"

I'm not sure what's funny / odd about either, the first seems to have a set of requirements and wants to know what you've got to fit the bill (although the weight thing is either a typo or a bit odd) and the second just wants a bike rack that'll fit his car - maybe it was the way it was said / you needed to be there!!

1. A 22lb hybrid, if it exists, is likely to cost £1.5K odd+

2. Why have a SUV but not even put the back seat down to get a clean bike in it?

My interpretation of the second scenario is that there is speculatively space within the SUV for the bike. This is based on assumptions such as the pre-existing contents of the boot being minimal. As such, I am prepared to accept half marks for my answer.

[img] [/img]

Chap booked his bike in for basic cable a service on Thursday. I get a phone call about an hour later from him asking me to replace the front and rear pads as they were not done (paid for but not done) on the last service. Not out of the realms of possibility but not likely either.

"Did we do the last service.?

"yes"

"and how long ago was that sir.?"

"Erm... around 12 months ago.?"

😯 🙄

10/10 for trying.

1. A 22lb hybrid, if it exists, is likely to cost £1.5K odd+

Ahh, I didn't know about the price!!

2. Why have a SUV but not even put the back seat down to get a clean bike in it?

Ahh, the point isn't that the rack doesn't fit, but that he 'can't now drive my new bike home'!!

Sorry, I'm being a bit dim today 😐

Ages ago I had a customer how had bought a Dawes Galaxy from our other store about 15 years ago.

It was well used and worn. She wanted a refund as it didn't fit her 😀

And then bike shop people come on here and complain about people buying online. I usually prefer my shopping experience with less ridicule included.

We never openly ridicule you lot. Just s**** about you once you have gone 😉

[quote=cynic-al ]
"I want to buy a hybrid bike with rack and mudguards for £700, it must weigh more than 22lb, which bike should I buy?" Don't all £700 hybrids weigh more than 22lb......

Today at the LBS I accompanied a mate looking to spend 2k and had narrowed it down to 2 bikes both of which brands the LBS carried

[u]Mate[/u] Can we have a test ride?"

[u]LBS[/u] Yes of course, 5 mins round the car park should be OK

[u]Mate[/u] Do you have each bike in my size* to try

[u]LBS[/u] No

[u]Mate[/u] Can you get one in my size to try at a later date

[u]LBS[/u] No

Remind me why we buy online when a customer with most peoples monthly wage burning a hole gets treated this way?

* The request was for a bike from the same model line to check for fit, not each specific model. Not unreasonable I thought........

i reckon you could find a hybrid under 22lb that costs less than £700!

I want to hear more about the wrong bike rack you sold someone?

i reckon you could find a hybrid under 22lb that costs less than £700!

Think Al's missed a piece of vital information in his first post.

Today at the LBS I accompanied a mate looking to spend 2k and had narrowed it down to 2 bikes both of which brands the LBS carried
Mate Can we have a test ride?
"LBS Yes of course, 5 mins round the car park should be OK
Mate Do you have each bike in my size* to try
LBS No
Mate Can you get one in my size to try at a later date
LBS No

Remind me why we buy online 

Why doesn't your mate buy one of each and sell the one that doesn't want. That's what the shop would have to do.

Certain models of bike are in short supply so it's quite possible the shop can't source one in another size. This supply issue isn't limited to traditional shops either.

Off you go. Report back later.

Ooh, can I play?!

[url= http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/whyte-portobello-hybrid-bike-id84964.html#info ] Any good?[/url]

Why doesn't your mate buy one of each and sell the one that doesn't want. That's what the shop would have to do.

We have a dozen or so bikes out the back of the shop that have been built for customers to try before they buy and were never purchased. They will get sold eventually but some have been there a while. Our shop has the luxury of a big warehouse space. I can imagine a typical LBS would struggle to store a dozen "over builds" without it creating a problem.

Really.......?Why should he do that..... 

How long would the shop last if they had to buy two bikes just to sell one?

cynic-al - Member
1. A 22lb hybrid, if it exists, is likely to cost £1.5K odd+

must weigh more than 22lb

@bearnecessities: over the price limit, no rack/guards but at least you have got it over al's 22lb mark 😉

Large chains can move demo bikes between stores for you to try.
I am surprised that importer/suppliers don't have demo bikes they can move around in between independant bike shops they do business with at request.

bikeneil - Member

Why doesn't your mate buy one of each and sell the one that doesn't want. That's what the shop would have to do.

Thats not a very nice attitude
Do you work in a bike shop by any chance?

The request was reasonable in my opinion
The shop had one in his size but not the other
He asked if they could get anything in from either the importer, distributor or manufacturer
Not the same model exactly, eg Tiagra/Duraace instead of the Ultegra one he wants to buy

Your comment about why should the shop buy 2 is particularly interesting

The fact is if he buys 2 online he can send one back and get a full refund
As far as I know someone like Canyon will even take it back within reason after a few rides out

Would the LBS do the same if he rides a bike round his living room then decides he doesnt want it?

Dont get me wrong my family run a small business, but to compete against the internet you need to offer something the internet doesnt. My LBS failed this test today and 'smart' posts from people working in the trade dont particularly help

Peace and love to all

🙂

This thread is hardly an advert for the 'use your local bike shop' cause.

Firstly, if you want to make a point it is important to give the correct information.

To do that it may help to read back your posts before pushing the go button.

This is clearly an issue with CA and NW.

On the flip side when complaining about treatment at a shop it is helpful to give an accurate account of the conversation. IAS, if the shop simply said 'no' then that is poor service. If they explained that it was not possible due to the fact that they would have to buy the bike rather than source it from the distributor or from another branch, I would find that a fair and helpful explanation.

It strikes me that bike shops need to remember that a customer is just that and that they may not have the encyclopedic knowledge of all things biking that the likes of many on here may have.

When I bought my first bike for £500 back in the 90s I was clueless and drunk, the guy in the shop was great. Well over £100000 worth of business from myself and my friends later he is still the guy I recommend to friends that are getting into biking.

As customers it is not always clear how a shop operates, helpful explanations from the staff not only explain why something cannot happen but can also highlight what a tough environment bike shops are trading in, thus encouraging the customer to value and support them.

As a final fling.... I do believe that the distributors and brands should have a fleet of demo bikes that can be booked by shops, especially independents, so that a customer is not expect to throw several thousands of pounds at an item that is very fit specific, I actually think it is an outrage not to provide this service.

Phew, time for a cuppa.

http://boardmanbikes.com/hybrid/hybrid_team.html

10.1kg rounds to 22lb less than £700 if you buy on-line

Which shops do you guys all work in?
Just so I can avoid you.

double post

As a final fling.... I do believe that the distributors and brands should have a fleet of demo bikes that can be booked by shops, especially independents, so that a customer is not expect to throw several thousands of pounds at an item that is very fit specific

Several do

"I want to buy a hybrid bike with rack and mudguards for £700, it must weigh more than 22lb, which bike should I buy?"

Maybe they're worried it'll blow away - shouldn't he hard to get something well over the specified minimum weight? 😉

For balance, the guys at my lbs are great and on the odd occasion i need to use a particular tool or I am in a jam they are always pretty helpful.

Simon - I appreciate that.

SP - ha... good find and an excellent example of what the shops are up against.

Some people are knobs , it makes no difference whether they are buying or selling bikes.

Had a friend who purchased an innertube from an lbs took it away, inflated it outside the wheel and tyre then tried to get it in. After many failed attempts took the wheel and innertube back to shop saying it was the wrong size. At the time he was dressed in full sky kit.

Ah, excellent, another "had an idiot in my shop today" thread. Maybe you should be grateful they're in your shop and not buying online.
The guy with the SUV might have child seats in which means he can't put the seats down? Or, maybe he's just a stupid lbs customer.. 🙄

I enjoy these threads, the customer is not always right and I think these are good shops.

One of my LBS stories: "can you get me a *** *** frame?" (they're about £1800 so we're looking at a £3k + build),
LBS: "someone asked that 6 weeks ago. No there aren't any".

I emailed the importer: "yes we've loads, what size and colour are you looking for?"

I kid you not.

i reckon you could find a hybrid under 22lb that costs less than £700!

Off you go. Report back later.

Half that price can get you under 10kg.
[url= http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-one-2015-hybrid-bike-ec054675 ]here[/url]

A bike shop owner literally (I mean actually using the words) told me to fkcu off recently when I had the temerity to enquire about a club discount that was published in a well known cycle journal... Service with a curled lip.

Was in the lbs the other day, a bike was in for servicing, 120 mm trail fs bike, adorned with full rack, guards and slicks, fair enough thinks I, we've all adapted bikes to fit a purpose. Then saw its 203mm disks front and rear, odd I thought, but again fair enough, could be a chap built for comfort rather than speed shall we say. Then the grips. Or rather I couldn't see them as they'd been wrapped with tape. Why the confusion? It wasn't bar tape, oh no, this was tightly wound electrical tape.... Wtf?

boblo - Member
A bike shop owner literally (I mean actually using the words) told me to fkcu off recently when I had the temerity to enquire about a club discount that was published in a well known cycle journal... Service with a curled lip.

Had you spent the previous half an hour extolling the virtues of German direct sellers, while telling him that LBS's are dead/you didn't like his wife's shoes?

Or maybe you've just got one of those faces that makes people swear? 😉

Or he could have Tourettes, and you've gone online mocking his disability!

When i worked in a bike shop:

Parents and their 8-10yr old son walk in.
Mother says the rear wheel bent and would like it replaced under warranty.
After a discussion we agreed to replace it as a good will gesture (it was a cheap bike and they were calm and polite).
Week later they come back with the new wheel bent.
Mother: "The same thing happened to this one."
Me: "Did he ride up a curb hard?"
Mother: "No he was riding round the park."
Me: Looking at the son, "Did you ride up a curb hitting the rear wheel?"
Son: Laughing, "Yes."
Me: "A new wheel is £**"

Had you spent the previous half an hour extolling the virtues of German direct sellers, while telling him that LBS's are dead/you didn't like his wife's shoes?

Or maybe you've just got one of those faces that makes people swear?

Or he could have Tourettes, and you've gone online mocking his disability!

Probably all 3... 🙂 This was on the phone when I was making an enquiry. He also slammed the phone down. I called him back, told him off and he apologised. Still shite though.

My LBS is really good, in fact I am lucky to have several in the area. In one a few months ago, a young 14yr old lad came in with a BSO and asked about forks. The guys in the shop explained about the merits of forks and added that they would not improve said BSO, but to buy better tyres insted. Young lad went off very happy and had saved £££.

I used to get the hair dryer treatment off the owner for giving thst sort of advice. Or come to think of it any thing that interrupted extracting maximum £££ from customers.

I popped into a Localish small bike shop towards the end of last autumn.
I said I wasn't in a position to buy a new bike at the time but would be interested to see one in the flesh when they get them.
The guy couldn't have been more helpful. Told me that they would be getting their own demo fleet of 2 or 3 bikes and if none of those were what I wanted to try they could get a demo bike sent to them for me to try over a weekend.
That's what I call customer service.....
A Whyte dealer if that makes any difference?

Is it now called Edinburgh Bike Not-very-co-operative? Free online slagging with every purchase.

18 months ago I went into my local (Wokingham) lbs and asked for help as I wanted a new bike for around 2k..

The guy told me they had nothing for me.

So I drove across to PedalOn at Tadley and they were great and I spent £2300.

Brilliant service from my bike shop, hassle free returns, great prices an no staff with poor judgement.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk

A bike shop owner literally (I mean actually using the words) told me to fkcu off recently when I had the temerity to enquire about a club discount that was published in a well known cycle journal... Service with a curled lip.

I was in a bike shop with Boblo in Portland, Oregon. He was looking for slick tyres to fit his 26 inch wheels. He made a beeline for the sale bin and found a pair of super light high spec tyres reduced to about a fifth of their RRP. He then negotiated a discount on two new tubes. To add insult to injury he even got the salesman to fit them for free.

The man's got style and no shame whatsoever.

Boardman Team meets the "over 22lbs" criteria for £700, but only just- it's very nearly too light.

Sounds like normal bike shop stuff to me!

Last time i went to my LBS, they were having a rave!

[img] :large[/img]

😉

How long would the shop last if they had to buy two bikes just to sell one?

One of my local shops, for any serious customers who aren't sure on size will call his brand reps and where possible have that size bike in the store inside a week that the guest can ride, in the dirt, to make sure the sale that the shop and the brand are asking is the correct one for the customer.

Thats how real bike shop service should work imo

On the issue of test rides, the LBS I bought my road bike from got a bike in my size to test, agreed with the supplier that they could cut the seat post down a bit and then loaned it to me for a week. Once purchased, they made a few spec changes for me and set it up including a free bike fit. That kind of service makes purchasing decisions a whole lot easier. BW Cycling was the shop in question if anyone is interested.

You expect a LBS to get a bike in so your mate can try it then he wont buy either.Thats away to kill your business.

I picked up a new bike last week from a lbs. I asked if the tyres were tubless ready and was about to buy some sealant if they were. They said "yes, we'll set them up now for you." This was about 15 mins before closing time and charged no extra. They gave me the tubes back too. Great shop. Ill be back to spend more.

You expect a LBS to get a bike in so your mate can try it then he wont buy either.Thats away to kill your business.

You expect a LBS not to have the right size available to the customer or offer to get the customer right size? No bike, no sale - "thats away to kill you business"

OP.
Where do you work?
I might pop in just to wind you up. 😉

You work in a bike shop. You're always going to get dicks asking stoopid questions.
It's your job, It's what you get paid for.
Deal with it and walk away with your wage or find another job.

No my LBS is still in business they don't order in bikes worth 2k just so someone can sit on it and walk away.They have cheaper bikes you could size up on no problem.If they ordered as you say they would have a lot of bikes on there hands.Work in a bike shop for a while and see how many timewasters you get in there in a month.Like the prat the other day that asked about putting drops on a full-suss!!!!!.

Would the LBS do the same if he rides a bike round his living room then decides he doesnt want it?

In the LBS where I work in the last week or so:

Chap buys £400 hybrid and rides it home. He doesn't know much about bikes (and he's not that bright TBH) but he comes back saying he doesn't like it. So we found one he did like, in fact he raved about it. He was happy to pay £200 more

Today, bloke comes in in a fluster with a Canyon Ultimate SLX with Dura Ace on it. Gears not working and he has a race that afternoon. He's happy to pay and he watched me fix it. It was a simple job so I didnit for free. We joked about his white bar tape and I think he'll come back for a service and some new tape soon.

I've got a £300 + service on a full sus waiting for the shock to come back from Mojo. Owner is away and I'm sorting it all out for when he gets back.

I've got a £1200 plus renovation of an 80s Dave Russell track bike in full swing. Owner doesn't do Internet and is mostly happy to let us choose the spec. We're treating it like our own bike. It'll have Miche kit, and I'm building the wheels on Open Pros with spoke washers for the retro touch. I'm taking pics as we go for him, and we're inviting him in to watch me do the final assembly.

I love this job 🙂

I'm looking forwards to the day when PP does a LBS bike bodger U turn as much as the day he did his his fatbike U turn.
Though TBF anything must beat working at the gravel pit. 😡

Our store holds 17 demo bikes in stock in common sizes split across performance road, aero road, endurance road and MTB including hard tails and xc fs. We also have access to 90 bikes from our brand supplier.

We try our best to accommodate demo/test rides but simply cannot meet all customer demands.

The demo bikes we hold are bought on an extended invoice, come august it has to be paid. Thankfully we are well funded, as most lbs cannot stomach such a stretch.

Tricky thing for a 'brand store' is offering FOC demo/test bikes, customers often say 'thanks, but getting the bike from my local dealer as he's cut me a deal' ( the kind of deal that will see the distributor cutting ties if it regularly occurs).

Makes for an interesting conversation as the customer is unaware the brand stores are actually Lbs, despite being 'branded.

Interesting times in retail...

It'd be great if those working in the LBS and slagging customers would reveal who they work for. Cynic-al?

We had a classic a couple of years ago . Customer comes into the shop with his forks bent and claims he was just riding it and they failed so we say leave it with us and we'll take a look . About an hour later one of his mates comes into the shop and tells us to take a look at you tube where there's a video of the lad with broken forks crashing into a brick wall and bending his forks .

People in all industries have funny anecdotes about work and/or their clientele, LBSs are clearly no different and I enjoy these stories.

STW does seem to come over rather po-faced as soon as a customer of an LBS is the subject of an amusing tale....relax, don't take life so seriously, you'll be dead soon enough (seriously) and time spent on your high horse patrolling an Internet forum is time wasted.

Chap buys £400 hybrid and rides it home. He doesn't know much about bikes (and he's not that bright TBH) but he comes back saying he doesn't like it. So we found one he did like, in fact he raved about it. He was happy to pay £200 more

Today, bloke comes in in a fluster with a Canyon Ultimate SLX with Dura Ace on it. Gears not working and he has a race that afternoon. He's happy to pay and he watched me fix it. It was a simple job so I didnit for free. We joked about his white bar tape and I think he'll come back for a service and some new tape soon.

I've got a £300 + service on a full sus waiting for the shock to come back from Mojo. Owner is away and I'm sorting it all out for when he gets back.

I've got a £1200 plus renovation of an 80s Dave Russell track bike in full swing. Owner doesn't do Internet and is mostly happy to let us choose the spec. We're treating it like our own bike. It'll have Miche kit, and I'm building the wheels on Open Pros with spoke washers for the retro touch. I'm taking pics as we go for him, and we're inviting him in to watch me do the final assembly.

I love this job

I've spent time(s) in the bike industry. Some have even met me in a LBS or two over the years.

It's a bloody joy of a place to work for much of the time. So much fun, the opportunity to share your passion and enthusiasm for bikes with people, etc.

Yes, there are bad bike shops, but there are bad every-product shops.

PP sums it up there. Sometimes, and some customers, it's just the best thing! I miss it, even now.

Some posts here to remind me why I don't use my LBS, and some that I would use if I knew where you were. Shop detail please...

As a final fling.... I do believe that the distributors and brands should have a fleet of demo bikes that can be booked by shops, especially independents, so that a customer is not expect to throw several thousands of pounds at an item that is very fit specific, I actually think it is an outrage not to provide this service.

This maybe works for your Trek and Specialised where they can run a fleet of demos and are selling enough product to write them off. For smaller brands that really hard - it didn't work for us as distributor for Nicolai (we're now just retailing so not our problem).

I've not tried shipping a complete bike for a while but the price was going up and up. If it was actually insured it was above £50. Each way. Plus it needs probably an hour to pack it up and as much again to put it back together when returned. For both the distributor and the shop. Wear and tear from it being used, wear and tear from shipping. Theres a lot of cost there for no guarantee of a sale (and for frame only companies the distributor's not making anything on the build kit). It's a service that would need to be paid for.

Not being a LBS I can't really join in with this thread - but I do often have problems convincing people I'm not a LBS. A typical example from a few days ago:

- Can you fit a new chainset for me?
- No, sorry, I don't do repairs - but there's a proper bike shop just six doors down.
- Can't you do it for me?
- No, I don't do repairs.
- But you've got the tools there!
- Yes, but I don't do repairs.
- It'll only take 20 minutes.
- Yes, but as you can see I'm very busy and there's a normal bike shop 15 seconds walk away.
- Can you lend me the tools to do it?
- No, I dont lend out tools, sorry.

etc etc

I sometimes consider re-activating the security door system that was left behind by the previous tennants.

This maybe works for your Trek and Specialised where they can run a fleet of demos and are selling enough product to write them off. For smaller brands that really hard

I wouldn't call Whyte a 'large' brand, somewhere in the middle maybe?
It sounds like it's a good set up with ATB and the demo fleet to me anyhow.
Is that not something other brands of a similar size or larger could offer?

With more niche things, it's my general experience that there's an inverse relationship between the number of test rides and the likelihood of buying. Some people just like trying out lots of bikes, but rarely ever buy one, the ones who buy generally have decided to buy before they try out a final one or two to make sure they've made the right choice.

Interesting that people are flaming Cynic Al, given the other threads on here from time to time from IT managers* slagging off users etc. In all our enterprises we get numpty questions or customers. Al is not holier than thou, just trying entertain.
Get over yourselves.

*Insert industry of choice.

[quote="tpbiker"]i reckon you could find a hybrid under 22lb that costs less than £700!

[quote="bearnecessities"]Ooh, can I play?!

[url= http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/whyte-portobello-hybrid-bike-id84964.html#info ]Any good?[/url]
10.3kg = 22.7lb and it doesn't have rack & mudguards. No good.

[quote="Stainypants"> http://boardmanbikes.com/hybrid/hybrid_team.html

10.1kg rounds to 22lb less than £700 if you buy on-line
It would round [i]down[/i] though so there's no way you can claim it's under 22lb. 10.1kg = 22.3lb. No rack & mudguards. No good.

[quote="jameso"]Half that price can get you under 10kg.
[url= http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-one-2015-hybrid-bike-ec054675 ]here[/url]
I'm highly dubious that a £350 bike weighs less than 22lb but I'll have to run with it for a mo. 9.68kg = 21.34lb. That leaves you 299g for rack & guards. First rack I found a weight for is a Blackburn EX2 @ 590g. So you're close, but no cigar I'm afraid.

Next !

😉

dobiejessmo - Member
No my LBS is still in business they don't order in bikes worth 2k just so someone can sit on it and walk away.They have cheaper bikes you could size up on no problem.If they ordered as you say they would have a lot of bikes on there hands.Work in a bike shop for a while and see how many timewasters you get in there in a month.Like the prat the other day that asked about putting drops on a full-suss!!!!!.

Sorry for wasting your time pal

But if youd bothered to read my post we didnt ask for a 2k bike to try, just anything from that model line which dips well below a grand

My mate is 5' 10" so pretty average and the bike was a mainstream and popular model

Can you tell me where you work please so next time I feel like being patronised again I can get a quick fix?

Like the prat the other day that asked about putting drops on a full-suss!!!!!.

Was it John Tomac?

It's quite easy to get round the test ride thing. A few measurements and some experience and the LBS will be able to say with confidence what frame size is required, all that needs to happen then is a few adjustments of saddle height and position and stem length and position once the bike has come in. So pay a deposit and I'll order in the bike, if it 'really' doesn't fit and the LBS has made an error then we'll order in the other size.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fit-500-flat-bar-road-bike-id_8239798.html#anchor_ComponentProductTechnicalInformation

For £380 @ 10.5KG

Spend £270 reducing weight, 1KG should be easily doable, more if you sell the parts you take off.

£50 for rack and mudguards.

The guy couldn't have been more helpful. Told me that they would be getting their own demo fleet of 2 or 3 bikes and if none of those were what I wanted to try they could get a demo bike sent to them for me to try over a weekend.
That's what I call customer service.....
A Whyte dealer if that makes any difference?

Whyte can't seem to do enough to get customer demo's (and turn up to demo days generally) but then having a LBS willing to ask them the question, and not just try to sell you what they already have in stock helps. This is my experience of two of my local LBS's, both are good but one more willing to 'help' you with what you want, than the other.

PS: I have no issue with post about stupid/whining/deceitful customers, cause they come in walk of life. Treating them badly to their face, when representing your employer, is a difference matter but we all need to release our frustrations when not "on the clock".

Without wanting to turn this in to another "demo bike" thread, I thought I'd do a quick check.

It's not really an option for many shops to have £20k or £30k tied up in demo bikes. Is there a need for an LBS to specifically order in a demo bike? Some/many manufacturers have demo days, purely because for some reason their name popped up in my mind here's Orange's list for this year: http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/dealers/demoday.php (note that I've no connection whatsoever with Orange, other bike manufacturers are available), here's Santa Cruz http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/demo-dates/

That's oh, two minutes maximum of internet searching.

Certainly not an option for the smaller players in the market but it seems that those who go for the Stantons, Cotics, Shands, etc., know what they want from a bike.

@gearfreak: +1 to what you say. The guy who built my first custom road bike stopped doing custom frames when the first wave of Taiwanese frames arrived. He reckoned that unless someone was really oddly shaped then one of the standard sizes along with standard stem, etc would suit 90% of buyers, another 5% might need the stem changing and he'd be left with the 5% oddballs.

If I'm going to drop north of £2k on a bike then I feel like I want to know what the thing rides like and I'm not going to get that just by riding round the car park. If it costs me £50, £80 to hire or demo then so be it. Usually if the shop/dealer makes the sale then that comes off the end price so as end customer I've not lost out but it [b]is[/b] less profit for the shop. On the other side of the coin, last year I was both looking for a hardtail and wanting to try out 29 & 650b wheel sizes as I hadn't ridden either. I was thinking of spending between £1k & £1500. Tried a couple out (Orange as it happens), then tried a Cotic Solaris. Result was I ended up with a custom build Solaris considerably over budget 😕 Not sure who if anyone lost out there.

Had an old boy in during the week who was about to cycle across India at the ripe old aged of 74. What a lad.! He brought an old metal friction shifter in for the rear mech, the thing must must have been from the 50's. He wanted me to set the rear mech so he could only get 3 of the 5 gears at the rear and loose the front mech as it would "end up getting smashed on one of the buses". I like jobs like that. In the last ten years since his retirement he had cycled pretty much all over the world and by the looks of it on the same bike.