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Depends on the workshop. In my workshop, we have the same attitude as your friends; doesnt matter what you're riding, everyone deserves a bike that functions as well as possible.
Evans as a monolithic corporate entity may have some problematic issues, but the people in the workshop are people and most of us do what we do because we love bikes.
Joni_Doe-
I’m not commenting on the individuals that work the day to day, more on the companies themselves. It’s like a lot of jobs really, you have to love what you do to put up with it.
@7ven Coming in the new year hopefully - @punkbikecardiff for instagram updates. Thanks for the interest!
@Chak - Maybe through a perceived lack of inclusiveness then (it was early). I think the sterile chain bike store environment goes someways to put people with cheaper/older bikes off. This view is based on my own experiences and what our customers have expressed. We have benefitted greatly being the closest indy LBS to Evans in Cardiff, with people sometimes either feeling uncomfortable or priced out whilst in there. I think that for cycling to grow in UK towns and cities people need to have their needs catered for regardless of what they are riding. Thats all i’m saying and were very happy to profit from that.
LeChef
You are right about inclusivity. I have very recently taken on a small indy bike workshop with a friend of mine in Cardiff called Punk Bikes. The business has been on the site in one form or another for ~7 years and has always been built on a non judgemental, inclusive approach. We don’t care if you walk through the door with a £60 gumtree special or +£7k TT ride, you will get the same service and we have found people respond well to that. I get that larger chain shops (like Evans) are super busy and have enormous overheads etc, but they are sucking the life out of bricks and mortar bike shops imo, through a lack of inclusiveness.