Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and Performance. Certainly emphasizes the value that a good LBS can bring. My guess is that most of the shop guys that visit here have several options.
Me: How about drop and reach info for road handlebars on the website?
Performance Tech: Is there a specific bar you are interested in?
Mf: Yes. Aluminum, 44 cm, Non-ergo bend or predominately round, approx 80 reach, and 130-140 drop. Less than 275 g Thanks,
Performance Tech: Actually I was asking if there is a specific brand and model you would like that info for. I really can't search based on reach and drop.
Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and Performance. Certainly emphasizes the value that a good LBS can bring. My guess is that most of the shop guys that visit here have several options.
Me: How about drop and reach info for road handlebars on the website?
Performance Tech: Is there a specific bar you are interested in?
Me: Yes. Aluminum, 44 cm, Non-ergo bend or predominately round, approx 80 reach, and 130-140 drop. Less than 275 g Thanks,
Performance Tech: Actually I was asking if there is a specific brand and model you would like that info for. I really can't search based on reach and drop.
Why did you waste the Performance Tech person's time? Why didn't you just go over to the Harris Cyclery website and look at the QBP catalog? In less time than it took you to send the email, and in less time it took to write this message, you could have answered your question yourself. Or was the answer not really what you were after?
"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<_Kcjc.24784$_o3.811161@bgtnsc05- news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
Quoted message said:
Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and Performance. Certainly emphasizes the value that a good LBS can bring. My guess is that most of the shop guys that visit here have several options.
Me: How about drop and reach info for road handlebars on the website?
Performance Tech: Is there a specific bar you are interested in?
Me: Yes. Aluminum, 44 cm, Non-ergo bend or predominately round, approx 80 reach, and 130-140 drop. Less than 275 g Thanks,
Performance Tech: Actually I was asking if there is a specific brand and model you would like that info for. I really can't search based on reach and drop.
"Russell Seaton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Why did you waste the Performance Tech person's time? Why didn't you just go over to the Harris Cyclery website and look at the QBP catalog? In less time than it took you to send the email, and in less time it took to write this message, you could have answered your question yourself. Or was the answer not really what you were after?
As you have suggested, I certainly could have used several sites, manufacturers, bike shops or competitors to get the specifications of products sold by Performance. However I could not have secured the info on house brands. Point is, it sure seemed reasonable to me that Performance tech support should have ready access to the info on the limited group of products they are selling on their web site.
Your assumption about the time involved is way off base. Easy to find for any particular product but a bit of a project for a range of products. I specifically wanted to know if Performance had anything that would meet my needs. I do a fair amount of business with them and expected a little more competence and or willingness to be helpful. Bill
I do a fair amount of business with them and expected a little more competence and or willingness to be helpful. Bill
And now you get an idea of the strength of a good relationship with a local bike shop. I know that the price difference can be tough, and the convenience can be nice. I get things mail order sometimes, but I mainly buy things from a couple of different local shops. And when I am searching, the people at these shops are willing to search things out, give me solid info, etc.
If a local shop did to me what Performance did to you, I'd write them off. There could be a lesson in this 🙂 One shop lost me as a customer in the last couple of months when their new 'sales manager' started pushing other salespeople out of the way (people I'd dealt with for a year or much more) and was feeding me [censored].
And now you get an idea of the strength of a good relationship with a local bike shop. I know that the price difference can be tough, and the convenience can be nice. I get things mail order sometimes, but I mainly buy things from a couple of different local shops. And when I am searching, the people at these shops are willing to search things out, give me solid info, etc.
You know, you can look at a website yourself and get "solid info" rather than asking someone to tell it to you.
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If a local shop did to me what Performance did to you, I'd write them off.
You're saying that if in the future they had something you know you want at a reasonable price you'd avoid them anyway? Bizarre.
Mail order places sell things. They don't exist to hold hands. It's not worth getting offended or annoyed at that. That's what they are. Accept it and buy from them when it makes sense. Don't buy from them when you aren't sure what you want or need some special support. It's not about "relationships" and emotion -- it should be about transactions.
If a local shop did to me what Performance did to you, I'd write them off.
You're saying that if in the future they had something you know you want at a reasonable price you'd avoid them anyway? Bizarre.
I dont think it's that bizarre - I'm the same way. I'm not giving my hard earned cash to any old [censored], especially if I can get it off the net for cheaper. If it's the same price, I'd rather see the profits go to someone else. This includes but is not limited to buying bicycle parts. Anyway, if the reason we buy at a LBS is great service and support, they had better give it. Otherwise, save the bucks and go to the dutch auctions.
Unfortunately, in Australia, a lot of LBS exist only because they are convenient, despite the fact that they are horrendously overpriced and technically inept. Of course they are not all like that, but you have to weed through the driftwood before you pull out the plastic.
Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and
Performance.
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
They have a website you can look at to see the product.
JT
If you go to Performance.com and look at road handlebars you
will discover
Quoted message said:
that there is no drop and reach info available.
"Me: How about drop and reach info for road handlebars on the
website?"
Quoted message said:
It wouldbe safe to assume that if the info was on the "site" I
wouldn't
Quoted message said:
need to ask the question.
These guys are just order takers and can only regurgitate the information in the catalog. You cannot expect service or technical expertise from the discounters. That is not their deal. Low price is their deal.
Now, this does not mean that any old LBS could have done any better. It is the rare shop that can rattle off bar specifications like Peter and Paul did. Plus, Peter and Paul are apostles and can do holy magic tricks like turning fish into wine, or something like that. -- Jay Beattie.
I do a fair amount of business with them and expected a little more competence and or willingness to be helpful.
Dan Daniel said:
And now you get an idea of the strength of a good relationship with a local bike shop. I know that the price difference can be tough, and the convenience can be nice. I get things mail order sometimes, but I mainly buy things from a couple of different local shops. And when I am searching, the people at these shops are willing to search things out, give me solid info, etc.
-snip- Aside from general arguments, handlebars are particularly hard to describe from afar. Even a marginally competent LBS should have an decided edge here-- because you can hold a half dozen different shapes in your hand. Even pictures are not all that helpful.
I am just bereft of ideas to describe, on the telephone, the subtle shape variants among all the various modern bars. Words just fail.
-- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
