Performance Tech Support Handlebar choices

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill 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.

Deda 215 Shallow sounds like your bar.

Bill said:

Certainly emphasizes the value that a good LBS can bring.

a very good lbs. none of mine would have a clue. personally i'd hit the
web and do some research there.
--
david reuteler
[email hidden]

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?

http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&Category=554

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

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?

http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&Category=554

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

Bill said:

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].

<< Deda 215 Shallow sounds like your bar. >><BR><BR>

Or Ritchey WCS standard bend...

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

"Qui si parla Campagnolo " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

<< Deda 215 Shallow sounds like your bar. >><BR><BR>

Or Ritchey WCS standard bend...

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Thanks, I chose the Ritchey WCS "Classic" Bar. 135/82 44cm. non-ergo,round
bends.
Bill

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and Performance.

They have a website you can look at to see the product.

JT

Dan Daniel <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:52:35 GMT, "Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message 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.

You know, you can look at a website yourself and get "solid info"
rather than asking someone to tell it to you.

Quoted message said:

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.

JT

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Here is an interesting email exchange between myself and Performance.

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
that there is no drop and reach info available.

"Me: How about drop and reach info for road handlebars on the website?"

It wouldbe safe to assume that if the info was on the "site" I wouldn't
need to ask the question.
Bill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Regards

Bow

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in

message

Quoted message said:

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

Bill said:

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