Cyclelogical - wow

niceonetom

Cliff is ok. The rest of them? Not really.

I recently bought a pair of wheels there, and I got a good deal (I think), so I can't complain on that front. That said, there is definitely a culture of confusion as to exactly who is doing whom a favour when a transaction is taking place. The customer, unless they are known to the staff, is an interruption to be gotten out of the shop as quickly and permanently as possible.

Also they seem to be incredibly forthright in their speech in there - while I was discussing wheels with Cliff in there and he looked over my shoulder and shouted (loud!) "Osama, ya black cnut, get the fcuk out!". I turned round to see a small, slightly confused looking middle eastern man... who broke into a big grin and asked Cliff, by name, how he was. This customer then got chatting to one of the other guys there (a welshman maybe?) and was obviously well known to them. Some people probably wouldn't like this approach though, or even like to be around it.

I'll go back if I'm looking for a bargain on some old stock they want to get rid of - I seem to have accidentally found myself in their good books after buying 2 wheelsets there.

But they have to cop on, they can't survive exclusively on their regulars.

TinyExplosions

ROK ON wrote: »

Hi, just wondering how are these guys still surviving as a shop. I mean who is a regular patron.

I'd be a regular in there, and have indeed found them to be caustic to some people, have found them grand to me, and always knock a few quid off (and indeed often have sold me things for the UK retail price at a 1-1 rate), and throw in some sports beans etc.

Yeah, they can be cranky sometimes, but I've never had a problem

Obviously, others miles vary wildly, but I'll continue to use 'em

DirkVoodoo

kenmc wrote: »

Yeah, how do you become a regular customer if you can't even become a customer first

Ah, the old nightclub bouncer mentality, "sorry bud, regulars only"

"But how can I become a regular if you don't let me in?"

I would have absolutely no interest in ever going back to that shop. As for the survival question, they can't be doing that well given the "R-word" and the fact that a lot of people are happy to shop with the likes of CRC.

It costs nothing to be nice, I hold Joe Dalys and Worldwidecycles as my shining examples for this.

Ghost Rider

Fair enough.

Still think it would be better to let people borrow one, mind you.

Raam wrote: »

There is one right in front of the till

uberwolf

they don't even service 'crap' bikes.

They get plagued by people seeking pumps, and other tools. So patience is obviously getting ever thinner.

Ryder

In their defence...whenever i go there there is usually some racing cyclist theyre fawning over so it is a bit intimidating but theyre straight up. Got my kona there. Never try to oversell me stuff and dont bullsh1t. I think it helps if you go there knowing what you want

DirkVoodoo

Ryder wrote: »

In their defence...whenever i go there there is usually some racing cyclist theyre fawning over so it is a bit intimidating but theyre straight up. Got my kona there. Never try to oversell me stuff and dont bullsh1t. I think it helps if you go there knowing what you want

I would +1 that to a degree. I did all my research before buying my bike there, I was still a little confused but found most of the process fine.

Still, if you are only going to cater to the bike crowd who know EXACTLY what they want before they walk in, what's the point of having salespeople? You may as well be shopping at Argos then.

BRENT_EAGLE

WOW
That shop used to be good but now they have gotten to big for there boots .. there not interested in any customer unless they have a couple of grand to spend

BostonB

If you don't want to be bothered by the average punter, don't set up shop right in the center of town, where everyone goes past you. Thats just "logical".

biker_joe

man, some of you guys and girls have a lot to learn ! I am racing cyclist, and be honest If I was running a shop, the last type of Person I would put behind the counter would be, wait for it ....

A racing cyclist !!

I stopped going to, well buying from either of these shops years ago ! I ocassionaly have a wander to laugh at their prices !!!!
and the Staff mostly have n't a clue, or nearly always have n't a clue, they pretend they do !! and to the ordinary punter they would sound like they do ....
anyways vote with your Feet !

And just to throw a spanner in the works ( excuse the pun ! ) all cyclists when commuting should carry a spare and a mini pump !!:)

Biker Joe

kirving

That shop used to be good but now they have gotten to big for there boots .. there not interested in any customer unless they have a couple of grand to spend

You seem to get that in a few places alright. I had to go into Joe Dalys one evening to get a gear cable, now he was extremely nice and all but didn't have time to fix it, but also wouldn't give me an allen key to do it myself in the shop.

I had to drop into Commuting Solutions, called think:bike now (I think!) to borrow an allen key and there was no problem at all. Moral: Keep allens with you!

I really just fix my bike myself now though, much less hastle!

DirkVoodoo

True that, but unfortunately not everyone knows how to change a tube out.

I have my little emergency pack: track nut tool, levers, tube and pump wrapped up in 2 rubber bands that stays in my backpack at all times (even when flying through Heathrow, stupidly, they took my bag aside and wanted to know exactly what this weird shaped object was. Thankfully they didn't confiscate it!).

thebouldwhacker

Here Here biker Joe... I used do a lot of road cycling, now MTB and always have a bikemate straped onto the bike with tools, tyre repair and pump. They only weigh a few ounces and Ive never needed them (touch wood) though the tools came in handy to nick a pedal from my gf bike on sunday for an emergency repair.

Either way a bike shop, a truly traditional Irish bike shop should cater for customers, that shop has a regular customer need and isn't rising to it. Charge people for a loan of a pump, rent it to them, have cheap ones and sell them for a fiver. After all whats next? not supplying brake blocks???

If I pass my local shop on a cycle and need a bit more pressure he pumps them up for me every time. That is the reason I have no issue spending a few cents more in his shop for items I need. I use his shop and he lets me use his shop, its called customer loyalty. he knows that if the economy keeps going down and he isn't shifting newbikes he'll be kept busy with the likes of me calling in for this and that and keeping him in busniess!!!

Someone might pass this onto them.....

thebouldwhacker

and tell you to F*** off:D:D

Lumen

I've been into Stagg Cycles in Lucan a few times. Always good for a chat. They seem to be well connected with the "proper cyclist" scene, but admit that the "lightweight stuff" makes up a tiny fraction of their business.

So I don't get Cycleogical. Are there really that many people with thousands of euro to spend, who can't or won't use the internet to buy stuff, and who are prepared to run the gauntlet of ranty obnoxious staff?

They have city centre rents and rates to pay, and are turning away potential customers.

mod edit: obviously tongue in cheek, but snip

alfalad

I was coming back for Wicklow a couple of weeks back and got a puncture far side of blackrock, seemed to be going down slow so thought if i got it pumped i would get home, and happened to stumble upon a small bike shop and asked would he mind if i borrowed the pump, he said no problem and cause he was nice about it i walked out with two new tubes!! so if one in every five people did this it would be worth there while having a pump!

fixieboy

I imagine that their business is taking a bit of a hit with the sterling differential at the moment so I can understand the staff getting short with some punter who is too scaby to buy a pump....Cycleogical's position on the quays is a problem (they have a load of spaced-out druggies coming in and out of there)and they have to be strict with people blocking up the shop with non revenue-generating complaints. I do think that they should turn their frustration into an opportunity though....why not open a repair shop separate to the current premises?

jebidiah

never had problems with the chaps in there, but thats a downright disgraful way to talk to someone.
i can understand them not wanting people coming in and using a pump/tools, they might make a balls of it and the staff would have to bail them out. and it is a tiny shop so people might be turned away if there was a person trying to fix a bike, practically in the doorway.

NeilMcEoigheann

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

What about Joe Dalys? You could argue that while they are not as central they are certainly as accessible (Luas right beside it, abundant parking) and I can't see them acting like this.

I went in when my sister was looking for a bike, she had to leave before they opened after lunch so I just went in to ask about prices. I noticed two of my chain ring bolts had fallen off and so I asked the young lad in there would he have any spares. He ran off to see what he had, came back with a box of little assorted parts and fitted the two bolts. A 5 minute job, but this was saturday around 2pm and there were a few people in the shop and it was clear I was only here to say "How much is that?" without comitting further. I asked him how much for the bolts and he said not to worry about it (with a smile, no "you're wasting my time" looks).

I left saying that I would be back with my sister.

She bought a bike and some accessories 2 weeks later.

thats why i like joe's, they sorted me out with a front skewer for my fixie, but then i bought 1300e worth of mtb from them so it worked out nicely. but cyclogical is random and i would only go in there if it was for something i needed to buy and leave with no further interaction with the staff

Tackleberry

Cyclesuperstore = end of discussion, best bike shop in Ireland, you can even buy your stuff from wiggle or CRC and if you've trouble fitting it they'll sort you out, I've gone in with the bike a few issues and they take it in there and then and sort it out for you, cyclelogical is a sihthole and doesn't deserve our custom.

Jawgap

I've mentioned before how I've gone right off Cyclelogical.

Recently I needed a repair done and they declined the offer of the business on the grounds that they hadn't sold me the bike in question. when I pointed out the amount of gear I've bought in there over the years, they still wouldn't budge, so I simply took my business elsewhere.

I thought it was a bit short-sighted of them and certainly not a good way to convert casual visitors into long-term clients!!

But as for the no tool lending policy - this I can understand given their location.

Poncherello

Big sign in their window this morning "Half Price Sale"
I actually need a new pump for the bike, the one I have is useless might go in for the craic and ask if I can borrow one, then tell them I'm only joking I'll take one for half price !

tunney

ba wrote: »

somebody just doesnt drop the F bomb unless prevoked. i know all the lads in there from racing, and theyre very friendly. it doesnt make sense that one of them would say that to a confused customer.

I was there, there was absolutely no provocation. it was the owner who lost the rag.

Uncalled for, unwarranted. To be honest if I hadn't seen and heard the whole thing myself I wouldn't have believed it either.

Raam

Poncherello wrote: »

Big sign in their window this morning "Half Price Sale"

That sign has been there forever from what I can see

Ger the man

I remember being in there buying my first trek and stood at the counter waiting to be served for about 20 mins while some guy (the owner?)on the other side of the counter laughing on his phone saying to me repeatedly "I will be with you in a minute". While he was still on the phone I emptied the contents of my wallet (about 2k) onto the counter and he never moved!! I then proceeded to another shop and got a great deal plus a lot of stuff thrown in. I went back to cycleogical and told him that he missed the sale to which he replied "Please leave the shop".

alfalad

Poncherello wrote: »

Big sign in their window this morning "Half Price Sale"

I thought the legal def for something being on sale that it has been at a higher price for 28 days in the previous 3 months?? The Ridley Orion that Dirk has been advertised over a year saying down from 2500 to 1800! That surely was false advertising!

Hungrycol

An idea for a summer job for a student would be a mobile puncture and minor repair service. Get loads of cycling done, help out other cyclists and earn money to boot.

Ghost Rider

Excellent idea. A roving bike mechanic based around the city and contactable by mobile phone would be a great service. Better still might be to have a team of roving mechanics covering different "quarters" of the city, though maybe Dublin isn't big enough to support that. (They'd also need some kind of radio controller to administer the operation.)

Hungrycol wrote: »

An idea for a summer job for a student would be a mobile puncture and minor repair service. Get loads of cycling done, help out other cyclists and earn money to boot.

beans

Just setup outside the shops, they clearly get lots of people looking to borrow pumps etc...

BostonB

Thats a brilliant idea.