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platypus
Howard
Hey man, I'm dipping my toes into bike mechanics too, so yeah obviously hoping for the best outcome too!
The mistake for high street brick and mortar retailers is that they still think they're selling the actual item/product. No one sells an actual physical product anymore, they sell an experience.
Recurring sales only comes with good service/experience over time, the feel good factor that yeah, they're not trying to just sell me a bike, they're helpful, attentive and catered to my needs.
Evans is just ridiculous to the point that most of their staffs just want to get you to the till asap and close the sale. They offer price match too but guess what? They don't match the in store price to their own website! What utter shambles in mis-management
Hence my preference for independent shops - they make the effort and yeah, value your customs.
When I was living East, I'll go to Skinny Eric's (now Frankenbike), BikeWorks (new smaller operations opposite the arches by Cambridge Heath Station), Push Cycles or Hackney Peddler (now moved from Hackney Downs arches to
Stoke Newington High Street).
Nowadays it's SeaBass Cycles and did pop into Cycle PS quite a few times before they shut.