Brailsford on Ineos Grand Tour leadership; A totally pants bike; Halfords bike sales up; Traffic warden tickets cyclist; Dutch in sensible take on cycling shocker; TfL uses AI to assess cycling demand + more on live blog

43 thoughts on “Brailsford on Ineos Grand Tour leadership; A totally pants bike; Halfords bike sales up; Traffic warden tickets cyclist; Dutch in sensible take on cycling shocker; TfL uses AI to assess cycling demand + more on live blog”

1. I got excited about cars

   I got excited about cars being craned away but then slightly disappointed that it was in Frankfurt and not the UK.

   It’s not just the cycleway they’re impeding but also taking up much of the footpath so their selfishness is inconveniencing and impeding the two main forms of active travel. There is justice in inconveniencing them for the inconvenience their behaviour has caused not only to those who cycle or walk but also those who have a buggy/pram or are in a wheelchair.

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2. The Frankfurt solution should

   The Frankfurt solution should be applied universally, except that you’d need an armada of trucks to cope with the illegal parking.  And it would help if the government finally made pavement parking illegal, like they said they would do twenty years ago.  Worst local example I saw was an SUV parked on a corner with double yellow lines, half on the pavement.

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   • eburtthebike wrote:

     The Frankfurt solution should be applied universally, except that you’d need an armada of trucks to cope with the illegal parking.  And it would help if the government finally made pavement parking illegal, like they said they would do twenty years ago.  Worst local example I saw was an SUV parked on a corner with double yellow lines, half on the pavement.

     — eburtthebike

     Zero chance of it being made illegal in the UK. We can’t have nice things in this country.

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     • Jackson wrote:

       Zero chance of it being made illegal in the UK. We can’t have nice things in this country.

       — Jackson

       Absolutely, how on earth would the Wankpanzer division cope?

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3. If we want to get serious

   If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

   Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

   Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

   NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

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   • hawkinspeter wrote:

     Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

     NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

     — hawkinspeter

     New York City do that already. They’re rubbish with a lot of things, especially when it comes to cycling but there was a story of one guy who makes hundreds of dollars a week by reporting illegal parking.

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   • hawkinspeter wrote:

     Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

     NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

     — hawkinspeter

     Love this idea, more civil that simply keying the thing as you walk passed.

     Think something similar should apply to dashcam/bikecam footage that results in conviction – might make me finally get one.

     As for the app idea, you could have it that it’s the app that records the footage, so it has to be live footage to be submitted – streamed if you will and only stored on the receiving end.

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     • kt26 wrote:

       Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

       NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

       — kt26

       Love this idea, more civil that simply keying the thing as you walk passed.

       Think something similar should apply to dashcam/bikecam footage that results in conviction – might make me finally get one.

       As for the app idea, you could have it that it’s the app that records the footage, so it has to be live footage to be submitted – streamed if you will and only stored on the receiving end.

       — hawkinspeter

       It could be problematic giving a cash reward for dashcam footage as it could be seen as encouraging conflict on the road. I can imagine certain drivers complaining that cyclists are just out to earn a bit of cash by winding up drivers.

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       • hawkinspeter wrote:

         — hawkinspeter

         — kt26

         It could be problematic giving a cash reward for dashcam footage as it could be seen as encouraging conflict on the road. I can imagine certain drivers complaining that cyclists are just out to earn a bit of cash by winding up drivers.— hawkinspeter

         Probably. Though I dare say we are mostly over that bridge already with the lack of policing placing alot of onus on the public and their dashcam footage.

         As I see it there are two options, either police the road correctly or if you are going to rely on the public to buy otherwise unnecessary items to do it for you, compensate them for making that purchase.

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   • hawkinspeter wrote:

     If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

     Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

     Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

     NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

     — hawkinspeter

     Nobody around in our area to do any “catching”.  This was a recent example in my road.  Inconvenienced a lot of pedestrians.

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     • alchemilla wrote:

       If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

       Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

       Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

       NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

       — alchemilla

       Nobody around in our area to do any “catching”.  This was a recent example in my road.  Inconvenienced a lot of pedestrians.

       — hawkinspeter

       I’ll see your van and raise you a BristolPost article: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/must-bristols-worst-ever-parking-8611

        

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       • hawkinspeter wrote:

         If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

         Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

         Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

         NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

         — hawkinspeter

         Nobody around in our area to do any “catching”.  This was a recent example in my road.  Inconvenienced a lot of pedestrians.

         — alchemilla

         I’ll see your van and raise you a BristolPost article: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/must-bristols-worst-ever-parking-8611

          

         — hawkinspeter

         WTF!!! Okay, the street it’s blocked (I work nearby, FWIW) is narrow and quiet. But it’s not too narrow to drive down. Not normally… Just insane. 

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     • alchemilla wrote:

       If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

       Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

       Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

       NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

       — alchemilla

       Nobody around in our area to do any “catching”.  This was a recent example in my road.  Inconvenienced a lot of pedestrians.

       — hawkinspeter

       Key down the side.  It’s the only way to be sure 

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       • brooksby wrote:

         If we want to get serious about badly parked vehicles then I have a solution:

         Firstly, implement a rising fine scale, so the first time you’re caught you get fined say £50. The 2nd time you’re caught it goes up to £100, then £200, then £400 ….. maybe have a cap of £5000 and just tow and scrap/sell the vehicle once the owner reaches that cap.

         Secondly, allow members of the public to submit videos of the badly parked vehicle from their phones with minimal fuss and provide a “finders fee” of maybe £10  for the first person to submit that instance of bad parking. If there’s any evidence of people forging the videos, then maybe write a simple phone app that uses encryption to deter reverse-engineering of the protocol and thus provide an authenticated video stream.

         NB. video is to be preferred as it’s harder to photo-shop – especially if it involves walking around the vehicle to show several angles.

         — brooksby

         Nobody around in our area to do any “catching”.  This was a recent example in my road.  Inconvenienced a lot of pedestrians.

         — alchemilla

         Key down the side.  It’s the only way to be sure 

         — hawkinspeter

         You know, I don’t think they’re really arsed about how the van looks…

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4. The other thing to note about

   The other thing to note about parking is that a lot of places which are obstructive to park in at present would be okay if there were a lot less traffic. This doesn’t apply to bike lanes, bus lanes, pavements or junctions, obviously, but would free up a lot of places where parking is prohibited in order to “maintain traffic flow” for the traffic we wouldn’t have. Win win!

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5. For fucks sake not

   For fucks sake not Cyclesurgery as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    

   I’ve always had good service from them, buying stuff as well as in the workshop…in multiple shops over the years. My local (to work) kings cross branch are a great bunch of guys. Really feel for them, such a shame.

    

   FOR FUCKS SAKE IN CAPITALS JUST BECAUSE!!!!

    

    

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6. not angry about cyclesurgery.

   not angry about cyclesurgery.

   Wiggle and chainreaction have single handedly ruined the cycle trade by making a discounting cycle purchase cculture that everyone had to follow. cycle shops who relied on product sales will all die. the internet has made all products cheaper than RRP available somewhere. RRP is required for a bike shop to be viable.

    

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   • Freddy56 wrote:

     not angry about cyclesurgery.

     Wiggle and chainreaction have single handedly ruined the cycle trade by making a discounting cycle purchase cculture that everyone had to follow. cycle shops who relied on product sales will all die. the internet has made all products cheaper than RRP available somewhere. RRP is required for a bike shop to be viable.

      

     — Freddy56

     Partly lack of choice. Could not get a Mavic part from 2 places, “don’t deal with them”
     Couldn’t get a basic tubeless repair kit from one in town.

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   • Freddy56 wrote:

     not angry about cyclesurgery.

     Wiggle and chainreaction have single handedly ruined the cycle trade by making a discounting cycle purchase cculture that everyone had to follow. cycle shops who relied on product sales will all die. the internet has made all products cheaper than RRP available somewhere. RRP is required for a bike shop to be viable.

      

     — Freddy56

     So its sad to see bikeshops close but if they don’t evolve to provide a service that suits the customer then is it such a loss?  Its not always about the cost of a product that determines if you shop somewhere. 

     The quality of the service you receive and whether they have products that suit their customers is just as important and it seems that shops that become hubs for their community are much more likely to survive.

     If shops believe that just stocking products and selling them like a traditional bike shop from the the 80’s is still relevant today then in my opinion they shouldn’t exist.

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     • hopster wrote:

       So its sad to see bikeshops close but if they don’t evolve to provide a service that suits the customer then is it such a loss?  Its not always about the cost of a product that determines if you shop somewhere. 

       The quality of the service you receive and whether they have products that suit their customers is just as important and it seems that shops that become hubs for their community are much more likely to survive.

       If shops believe that just stocking products and selling them like a traditional bike shop from the the 80’s is still relevant today then in my opinion they shouldn’t exist.

       — hopster

       Why does a cycle shop have to be a ‘community hub’? They sell bikes and parts, they’re not there to provide a counselling service or creche. Do small and independent shops, non-franchised garages and mechanics have to serve free freshly ground coffee served by a trained barista and provide a while-u-wait service to survive?

       So let’s say we all decide to do our regular food shopping online. You will understand completely if all local convenience stores are forced to close because they can’t compete. The shops that stock those things you’ve forgotten to put on the order and are still open at 9.30pm when you’ve realised there’s no bread for tomorrow’s lunch or you’ve got to the end of the cling film or someone’s used the last roll of toilet paper. The one with an ATM, a Post Office franchise and is the only place open on Sundays before 10am. It’s OK for those shops to close because they charge more and the staff don’t fall at your feet with gratitude each time you walk in to get half a dozen eggs or when you call by to pick up a bottle of wine or some tinnies to take to a friend’s house.

       What about the fact that CRC/wiggle can sell OEM or grey market items for less than the LBS can buy it? Is that the little shop’s fault? And when you have a problem with removing that part you bought online it’s the LBS you go to, the one with experienced mechanics, a workshop and proper tools.

       What about the overheads of running a small business? Lots of shops in towns and cities close because council rates have shot up in recent years while out-of-town shopping centres have lower rents and rates, easy access (for drivers) and free parking and all the big stores and junk food outlets.

       Spending at local businesses puts considerably more money into the local economy but no-one cares about that until it’s too late. I’m not saying no-one should buy anything at chains or online; I do that too, perhaps more often than I’d like but I don’t have a lot of money for bike kit and it’s usually discounted end-of-line items or specific items of clothing that I know will fit properly.

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       • Simon E wrote:

         Why does a cycle shop have to be a ‘community hub’? They sell bikes and parts, they’re not there to provide a counselling service or creche. Do small and independent shops, non-franchised garages and mechanics have to serve free freshly ground coffee served by a trained barista and provide a while-u-wait service to survive?

         — Simon E

         Yes. 
          

         Otherwise what do they have over Wiggle? I can get any part I need delivered next day at the lowest cost online. Unlike a modern car, the owner can service pretty much everything themselves with simple tools, so the market for servicing is a smaller section of riders.

         Give me a shop with some atmosphere and a nice brew, and I’ll probably hang around and buy that nice jersey. However, if like the closest LBS you only open Mon-Fri 9-5, and 12:30 on Saturday and shut on Sunday, it’s unlikely I’m going to be able to spend much cash there.

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         • Drinfinity wrote:

           Otherwise what do they have over Wiggle? I can get any part I need delivered next day at the lowest cost online. Unlike a modern car, the owner can service pretty much everything themselves with simple tools, so the market for servicing is a smaller section of riders.

           Give me a shop with some atmosphere and a nice brew, and I’ll probably hang around and buy that nice jersey. However, if like the closest LBS you only open Mon-Fri 9-5, and 12:30 on Saturday and shut on Sunday, it’s unlikely I’m going to be able to spend much cash there.

           — Drinfinity

           Exactly. The staff in my LBS are very good, servicing is quick, relatively cheap and much better than the job I could do myself. However, if I want a new cassette, it is both quicker and cheaper for me to buy them online as they tend to stock a very small number of items (they never have my preferred 8-speed 11-28 in stock for example).

           As noted, I can get it next day from Wiggle or wait 3-4 days for them to have it delivered to them, and then I need to try and get to the store to collect it when I can’t guarantee getting to them before they close at 5pm during the week. My Wiggle order is just delivered to my local 24hour petrol station for me to collect at my convenience. 

           Without the “community hub” stuff, and providing services the online stores can’t, LBSs are going to continue to struggle badly. 

   • Freddy56 wrote:

     not angry about cyclesurgery.

     Wiggle and chainreaction have single handedly ruined the cycle trade by making a discounting cycle purchase cculture that everyone had to follow. cycle shops who relied on product sales will all die. the internet has made all products cheaper than RRP available somewhere. RRP is required for a bike shop to be viable.

      

     — Freddy56

     bike shops now have to have a business model that relies on servicing bikes to be profitable;selling bikes,parts and accessories at competitive prices doesn’t have enough profit to be sustainable.

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7. Retford for the parking

   Retford for the parking violation, this might help

   https://goo.gl/maps/irFDMEESV4z7fqec7

   Ridiculous, these small towns with their crazy gestopo power crazed enforcers, be it front line or behind a desk

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   • visionset wrote:

     Retford for the parking violation, this might help

     https://goo.gl/maps/irFDMEESV4z7fqec7

     Ridiculous, these small towns with their crazy gestopo power crazed enforcers, be it front line or behind a desk

     — visionset

     I’m not sure what to glean from that. Most places I have been would clog up with no enforcement or deterrent.

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     • hirsute wrote:

       Ridiculous, these small towns with their crazy gestopo power crazed enforcers, be it front line or behind a desk

       — hirsute I’m not sure what to glean from that. Most places I have been would clog up with no enforcement or deterrent.— visionset

       Yeah but not with bikes! Retford ain’t Amsterdam any time soon.

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     • hirsute wrote:

       Retford for the parking violation, this might help

       https://goo.gl/maps/irFDMEESV4z7fqec7

       Ridiculous, these small towns with their crazy gestopo power crazed enforcers, be it front line or behind a desk

       — hirsute I’m not sure what to glean from that. Most places I have been would clog up with no enforcement or deterrent.— visionset

       Aberystwyth, a few years ago.  The police had told the council they weren’t going to be enforcing parking any more and the council forgot.  They had (IIRC) a year or so with no enforcement for parking AT ALL.

       (Apparently it was hilarious…).

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8. Re the bike getting a parking

   Re the bike getting a parking ticket, this is obviously unenforceable as there is no way of tracing the owner, and anyway, it looks like the bike is parked on a bit of land used by the cafe as there are tables and chairs around.  If tables and chairs are legally allowed to block the pavement here then there is no case for issuing a ticket for a bike, anymore than there would be for a pushchair or wheelchair.  Parking warden should be named and shamed.

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9. Where’s the crane truck? 

   Where’s the crane truck?  This was in Lydney today, on the very recently installed cycle lanes, as featured in lots of angry gammon letters in the local press.  I wonder if I send this to the local rag they’ll print it?

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   • eburtthebike wrote:

     Where’s the crane truck?  This was in Lydney today, on the very recently installed cycle lanes, as featured in lots of angry gammon letters in the local press.  I wonder if I send this to the local rag they’ll print it?

     — eburtthebike

     Just do it, copy the council and the police in too……..

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10. In Brighton the local
    In Brighton the local *dreadful* news outlet today published a ‘news’ article about the number of empty retail units around the city. About 80% of the comments were saying the reason was due to the ‘loony left’ and their cycle paths or high parking charges putting off shoppers. It was very depressing.

    Laziness is putting off shoppers, not the price of parking. Too lazy to get a bus or cycle into the city.

    Online pricing is putting off shoppers, a good example from the cycle trade this week for example is GP5000 TL tyres in 25c are 4p cheaper on Wiggle than from Madison.

    Then there’s the problems faced by all retail but will be magnified for the likes of Evans and CC (because people using their expansive websites will have the expectation of being able to see every low-margin product under the sun in their stores) but those problems are rent, landlords whose buildings are falling down but apparently it’s up to the retail business to pay for repairs*, and business rates being massively high.

    There is also the problem where to get a good mechanic (which people demand) you have to pay decent money – but then compete on the same field price wise as a guy down the road doing a dreadful job. So bike mechanic wages haven’t risen in years and consequently the good ones are leaving the trade in droves without training any replacements as would normally be what people from retiring from a trade do. And believe me I know this is the case because I just left the bike trade myself for that very reason -the most I could earn after 15 years experience and every piece of paperwork going was £22-23k a year, and I want to buy a house.

    *Literally I once went to view a retail premises where the fascade and windows were conpletely ruined. The landlord was still trying to rent it out but insisting the renter would have to pay for it. Quotes for the work were in the region of £15-£20k!

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11. I once got a parking ticket

    I once got a parking ticket on a canoe trailer!

    Admittedly, it was parked on what is “technically” a bit of pavement, but it was just a bit of filler in the corner of a car park and wasn’t obstructing anyone.

    The guy I was with phoned the council, as I think they’d put the minibus registration on it (seen it dropping it off, I think) – after a bit of explaining (Scout trip), it was cancelled.

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12. My wife and I had gone

    My wife and I had gone shopping and we briefly popped into Boots for some cosmetics (not for me). When we came out, we saw an inspector writing out a parking ticket.

    My wife started pleading “We’re really sorry, but we were only in there for, like, 2 minutes” (pointing at Boots.

    The inspector didn’t respond and carried on writing the ticket, so my wife started to get a bit angsty. “Come on, you dumbass, haven’t you got something better to do?” she asked. The inspector responded to this by starting to write a second ticket (broken indicator cover or some such).

    This went on for about 10 more minutes with my wife getting more and more abusive and the inspector writing more and more tickets.

    Then our bus arrived, so we went home.

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    • hawkinspeter wrote:

      My wife and I had gone shopping and we briefly popped into Boots for some cosmetics (not for me). When we came out, we saw an inspector writing out a parking ticket.

      My wife started pleading “We’re really sorry, but we were only in there for, like, 2 minutes” (pointing at Boots.

      The inspector didn’t respond and carried on writing the ticket, so my wife started to get a bit angsty. “Come on, you dumbass, haven’t you got something better to do?” she asked. The inspector responded to this by starting to write a second ticket (broken indicator cover or some such).

      This went on for about 10 more minutes with my wife getting more and more abusive and the inspector writing more and more tickets.

      Then our bus arrived, so we went home.

      — hawkinspeter

      ho,ho..are you here all week?

      a variation on the dog bite gag; does your dog bite? no..person then pats dog which bites him..I thought you said your dog doesn’t bite? not my dog.

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13. Notts county council have

    Notts county council have gotten involved in the twitter thing, the original poster is calling prank and the enforcement officer seemingly has a proper sence of humour.  Nice.

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14. Ineos the company is

    Ineos the company is determined to produce ever more oil, exacerbating the climate crisis, and ever more plastic, some of which will add to ocean pollution. It’s wrong, and it’s past time for change.

    I’d like to see Road stop doing stories about Ineos the bike team. Otherwise, in effect you’re facilitating the laundering of Ineos the company’s reputation.

     

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15. Much as I try and use my

    Much as I try and use my local bike shops, I’m increasingly finding that they just don’t stock the basics, so I’m forced to order online for them.

    Examples would be where I’ve tried to get some bits for servicing brakes. I appreciate there are a myriad of brands and models and a shop can’t possibly keep one of absolutely everything, but you’d think they would for the more common models from the bigger brands, at least – I had to drive miles to get an Avid bleed kit in a hurry.

    And don’t get me started on cycling shoes in shops where they rarely have more than a couple of sizes in each model, none of which are the one I want.

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    • LastBoyScout wrote:

      I had to drive miles to get an Avid bleed kit in a hurry.

      — LastBoyScout

      LOL at your user name. A kit for bleeding brakes? Surely you can mcguiver a way round that one! modern life 

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      • visionset wrote:

        I had to drive miles to get an Avid bleed kit in a hurry.

        — visionset

        LOL at your user name. A kit for bleeding brakes? Surely you can mcguiver a way round that one! modern life 

        — LastBoyScout

        Believe me, I tried – but I didn’t have anything else that would fit the bleed valves.

        And I needed the oil, anyway, which came as part of the kit.

        At least I’ll never have to buy it again – and my sister paid for it anyway, as was her bike 🙂

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16. My LBS is awesome, they price

    My LBS is awesome, they price match Shimano stuff and if I ring them up and something isn’t in stock they’ll order it in which arrives usually within three days. They also give my cycling  club discount across the board, which allows me to buy consumables like those awesome Veloforte energy bars for less than I can get them online. They also totally understand that they can’t always compete with online retailers. 

    If I need my bike checking for something they’ll look at it and more often than not just fix or adjust it there and then with no hassle and no cost. 

     

    But wait, Halfords sold 86,000 kids bikes over Christmas!! That’s a lot of bikes and a whole lot of loot! That’s also a clear reason for LBS to advertise locally more to capture some of that market.

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17. MVDP – such class.

    MVDP – such class.

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18. Pubs which sell only alcohol

    Pubs which sell only alcohol as opposed to selling alcohol along with food, struggle to maintain in business. This is a trend that has been going on now for a number of years. It is no different for LBS to not only sell bikes or offer servicing, but my LBS has a nice cafe and toilets, which attracts cyclists stopping by either during or at the end of a bike ride. They have also embraced the local cycle club and offer discounts to members.

    When it comes to buying items from them, if they come within a certain percentage of online prices, then they will get my money. Recently just purchased a wheelset at a cost of £400 and now looking to buy two Tacx Neo 2T smart trainers, to which I will still use them! (The savings on large items can be wiped out in a single hit if you ever need to return it.)

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19. I thought the same till I

    I thought the same till I tried to bleed a reverb dropper remote. It needed a hex key through which you could add fluid, only the actual tool would do it.

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