recently yes.........one every coupla days....that why i have the lifespan knowledge

I have seen 2 in SW6 within the last week . . .the end in nigh

there is a few running along the fuxbridge rd.

skateboard =/= bike

Don't try to hide behind the Jonny foreigner bollocks; not having a great command of English is nither here nor there; its all about attitiude- something BLB seem to have in spates. On almost all of my visits there, I've found the attitude of most the staff objectionable. They should thank their lucky stars they have such a captive (HHSB) audience.

yeah lucky stars....thank my pagan gods for them....me english good boss,no??? altitude problems,wazzat??.....

i was at the pub last night and a female friend of mine who knows i ride a bike a lot asked me if i knew of a bike shop on brick lane. i said yes. she said that she'd had a pair of new tyres fitted and on just up the road on the way home the front wheel fell out of the fork. bloody hell i thought.

I really like the guy with a beard in there, think he may be polish or something. Hes cool. But there is some bird in there who is just so fucking moody and seems to get moodier everytime I go in.

Its for this reason, that although its my local shop, I try and go elsewhere now

that just sums it up i guess, if locals think this then it must be for a reason.

like i said previously, i haven't had the chance to gain my own experience of blb and im not going to make a judgement until i do, but that fact a local 'potential' customer says this, doesn't fill me with confidence.

But there is some bird in there who is just so fucking moody and seems to get moodier everytime I go in.

Its for this reason, that although its my local shop, I try and go elsewhere now[/quote]


she's gone now.

any particular gods? or just the regular ones?? do you think black metal may have the answer?

she's gone now.[/quote]

You know the one I mean then. You sure she has gone. There were 2 women there, a younger one who was always really nice and the older moody (uglier) one. If she's gone then I may start to go back

mikec you're the first person in my recollection to bring the attractiveness (or lack of) of the moody one into the equation in all the blb threads. But I get the impression a lot of people have been tiptoeing around it for ages.

Anyway she's so moody it's probably affected her looks over the years, kind of like an Eastenders actress.

Racists...

in this case i guess loki the trickster:-)

That's my road. I won't be having any of that.

In my experience all the London bike shops (and I've patronised 20 or so) from time to time have people with good and bad attitude and there are some predictable experiences as well as the odd pleasant suprise - I've even had good service in more than one Evans more than once. Much like most niche shops in London or the UK (record, hifi, fashion, menswear, bookshops, computer to name a few).

Brixton Cycles really stands out in my opinion among not just cycle shops but niche retailers in general in that all the staff seem to have a good attitude whether the customer is a hapless mummy, passing cyclist wanting to use the pump, me wanting some obscure part and non-patronising advice thrown in or my son buying a new bike. Perhaps they train them. Perhaps they pay them ok. More likely the people in charge have a good attitude, recruit like for like and pass it on. Would that more businesses do the same.

Another recent pleasant find for service is the cycledoctor - www.cycledoctor.co.uk. As he's based in canary wharf he's used to seeing customers with all the gear and no idea so you wont get attitude. A really good mechanic and very reasonable.

BC is the best bike shop in the world... Ever... Even the music is great... 70% of the time...

Oh and, because I am obviously the arbiter of all things bike shop and its good to profer anecdotal impression as considered insight I went into BLB two weeks ago for the first time and Jan told me that he didnt sell tubs as he put one on his bike and it fell off so he doesnt think they are worth bothering with. Go figure.

you actually see a bit a totty in the evening if it's warm, making the ride to hillingdon somewhat more bearable

Was in BLB last Sunday (BC is shut on a Sunday) and they couldn't have been more helpful. Was served by an American girl (judging by the accent, apols if I'm wrong) with long dark hair who had plenty of time for me, even though the shop was busy - and was friendly, answered loadsa questions and made me feel good about shopping there. In the end it's all anecdotes. I'll go back....

^^Yep, sounds like you got the really nice girl. You were lucky

Jan was on form Saturday... talking me through some sprocket/lock-rings with patience and interest.
Not so on Sunday though, seemed fairly smug/uninterested when I asked about track pumps and walked away mid-sentence as I imagine he was busy?!

I'm heading to Condor after work today, gonna see if it feels better to spend my notes there.

if you look anythign like a curryer, don't expect service at condor!

I've had some really good service from Condor recently, has surprised me ... maybe I've started dressing better?!

From my one visit to BLB I clocked it as a scenester place, got sneered at and so haven't returned.

Have to mention Edwardes in Camberwell as a worthy lbs and full of good track knowledge - 100 years old this year. Not always cheap but you get good returns on being a regular.

they're loose on suxbridge rd now? have yet to see one out west, I suggest we set up a patrol.

she ain't no american. she's from israel. very friendly too.

.

Always had a straight answer whenever I have been to BLB and decent service.
Don't spend a lot with them, but have used them for some service stuff and been fine.
Guess I must know what I am talking about!! ha ha ha

Like I say - apologies - at least I got the friendly part right....

they were never rude to me but they seemed to spend an awful lot of time waving shiny things at my mate (i guess that was how you got hipsters to buy shit at the time) chrome was all the rage and everything he asked for theyd get the slightly more expensive chrome ones

(i guess that was how you got hipsters to buy shit at the time)

Now all they have to do is squeeze out a quick slimey unipack, and the hipsters flock for the cheap ticket to bohemian individuality...

Oooh, slanderous!

Did you even read the thread?

yes