Pure Energy Cycling

warcricket

warcricket

Like a Jerk
I've spent my fair share of time working at bike shops, and I currently work at a cycling related company. I've even ridden my bike across the country and stopped at shops in every state along the way, but I have never had a more frustrating experience than I did today at Pure Energy Cycling and Java House in Lambertville.

The situation was simple. I was on a ride and my chain started to make noise so I stopped by the shop, as it was on my route, and asked to borrow some lube. The exchange went roughly along the lines of:

Me- "Hey can I borrow a spritz of lube for my chain?"
Shop Guy- "You want to what?"
Me- "I just want to drizzle a bit of lube on my chain."
Shop Guy- "You want to give me back the lube?"
Me- "Yea..."
Shop Guy- "You're not gonna buy the lube? What do you think this is? A charity?"

I then proceeded to express my dissatisfaction and left.

If I needed to top off the pressure in my tires would they hide their shop pump and make me buy and new one? Mid ride?

Now I understand that in any non-cycling specific establishment that serves purely as a retail front, you of course have to pay for an entire product even if you only need an insignificant amount at an inopportune time, but this isn't Wal-mart. I was talking to the mechanic, in their maintenance area a foot away from their bottle of shop lube, for crying out loud. I'm not asking him to borrow a headset press to build up a new bike in front of him! Not to mention his condescending attitude does him little for customer relations...

Never, not once, has this sort of event been an issue for me previously, regardless of which side of the counter I was on. This simple unwillingness to help out a fellow cyclist really, for me at least, speaks poorly to the role this shop strives to fill in the cycling community.

Now I had been in the shop only once prior to today, and my experience that time was quite alright. I chatted with the owner about the local mountain bike trails and got the sense that the shop was a solid establishment and up to good things, but the attitude I encountered today is simply unacceptable. If that's how they like to run their shop, fine; but count me out.
 
i was there once - not a bad shop - they have coffee!
i could see the argument though that maybe you just shoulda bought some lube you know
my one experience there that i thought was interesting is that i was b.s.ing w the owner and i said something about a magazine that i like and he said he didnt need to read the magazine because he 'lived it' - it was a little 'braggy' for me but eh - i'd go there again if i had to i suppose
 
warcricket said:
its really a matter of business ethics at that point, plus i don't want to carry a bottle of lube for the next 40 miles....
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yeah i hear ya - alot of shops will do those simple things that make you want to give them your future biz - clearly not the case here

i have 3 shops near me and fortunately like them all (halters, bike rack, planet bike)
planet bike is closest, halters has EVERYTHING, and bike rack is the place where i can talk some vintage
 
Or maybe the mechanic probably didn't want to get fired .. Or maybe imagine if 100 people like you came in and asked for a squirt of lube ? It's a business , they have the right to do what they want . If you don't like it then just go to another shop , I wouldn't bash them for that tho cuz I understand where the shop is coming from .. Just sayin...
 
I have been that shop a few times and think it is a solid place. Sucks you had a bad experience, I am with you on the issue, with the amount of lube a shop goes through a little squirt for someone is nothing.
 
aedubber said:
Or maybe the mechanic probably didn't want to get fired .. Or maybe imagine if 100 people like you came in and asked for a squirt of lube ? It's a business , they have the right to do what they want . If you don't like it then just go to another shop , I wouldn't bash them for that tho cuz I understand where the shop is coming from .. Just sayin...
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warcricket said:
If that's how they like to run their shop, fine; but count me out.
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.....
 
If I go into your pizza place and you don't let me use the salt, you've lost a customer for life. I will also tell all my friends about it. You are a customer-facing enterprise. You do not shit on the customers. It's as simple as that.

I've sent this thread to the shop's owner. I hope this was a tremendous misunderstanding.
 
I had a situation like this a few years back. Granted it was at a Gas Station and I was driving my car, but the people there had the audacity to charge me money for topping off the oil in my engine. People have some nerve.
 
Salt is not a big deal , im just pointing out that sometimes in a BUSINESS point of view you cant just give everything out for free . Somethings you can and some stuff you cant . Its really up to the owner and his policy etc . See the problem is customers sometimes dont understand how a business runs... Yes your right , i am a customer enterprise so i can pick and choose who i want to be my customers.

Point being , hey it happened it happened , but i wouldnt bash on them just cuz of this 1 particular incident . Im sure they would help you out, who knows maybe the guy was having a bad day.

Norm said:
If I go into your pizza place and you don't let me use the salt, you've lost a customer for life. I will also tell all my friends about it. You are a customer-facing enterprise. You do not shit on the customers. It's as simple as that.

I've sent this thread to the shop's owner. I hope this was a tremendous misunderstanding.
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the issue is a customer relation thing look at gas stations that have a bay and do car work but still charge for air I will not go to those places for anything. I am a potential customer if you offend me I will go somewhere else the more people you chase away the less business you have. it's really that simple give a rider in need a "spritz" of chain lube you could sell a 3K road bike next week...
 
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