So for christmas my mother decided to she wanted to get my wife and I something we otherwise wouldn't have bought, and we decided on bikes. I haven't been on a real bike in probably 15 years and figured it would be a good idea as something to do with the kids as they get older.

Anyways, since we don't have a garage, we waited until the weather got nice (so that we could use them right away) to go pick them out. I got a Schwinn with 29" wheels at target. Nothing extravagant (less than $300) because who knows If i can even remember how to ride a bike. Rode it around a little last week to better results than I anticipated, except for the assembly was done very shoddy. Most notably, one of the gear shifters wasn't hooked up right.

Now putting the bike in the car to take it back to get it fixed/replaced is a major undertaking, removing car seats, getting the bike in, getting the receipt from my mom, putting the car seats back in, etc. Luckily for me there is a bike repair shop about a half mile from my house. Spending $20 bucks to get it repaired is worth avoiding the aforementioned hassle.

So i get in that store, and the guy lays into me for for buying
A.) A bike too small for me.
B. ) getting it at a department store
C.) getting 29" wheels
D.) Not researching before I bought it
E.) how shoddy the assembly is.


I appreciate that this guy is passionate about bikes, and bike riding. But come on man, I am just buying a bike to ride around the subdivision behind my house with the kids. That's the problem with a lot of small business owners, is their passion for their business and interests is what separates them from big box national chains... but I've never understood the desire to make their customers feel stupid.

Did you punch him?

No, i gave him $30 for a total bike tuneup.

The thing that sucks about going into those shops (bikes, records, etc) is that they know EVERYTHING there is to know about it, but that's also the good thing.

PJ Chat has a similar charm.

I wonder how many bikes that guy has had to fix from department stores. He probably should look at things from the perspective that he gets tune up business when a bike is sold and slapped together at Target.

I dont trust anyone that makes fun of someone for NOT shaving their legs. I believe someone with hairy legs in the biking community is known as a "Fred" and they got made fun of.

I once was made to feel like crap at a luggage store. This guy knew more about luggage than I knew about pretty much any one subject.

All department stores and larger commercial retailers/grocers all suck, and so do the people that work for them.

Very true. BUT none of them give a shit, so I am not reminded how little I know.

Corporations so, like, suck.

I would be a "Fred". I easily bike over a 100 miles a week and I'll never shave my legs for biking. I'm a guy, guys don't shave their legs, period.

I was on the other end of that situation, selling luggage in high school and getting berated by old men for not knowing the intricacies of Hartmann vs Tumi.

this is why hitting bikers with my SUV is so much fun.

I narrowly escaped a collision on a trail with a mountain biker last summer. The dude was tearing down the trail and we happened to meet exactly where the trail narrowed as it came around a bend.

i got stuck behind a biker on the road yesterday, causing me to miss a light. fucker.

That kind of thing is infuriating.

I always felt like it was my job to make the customer feel encouraged and more knowledgeable not stupid. If they want you to return why would they treat you that way? The whole point of a sales staff that has knowledge is to help you maximize the enjoyment you can get out of the dollars that you spend. Otherwise... I mean you can get crap from Amazon and then get beat up on a message board.