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Seems like you want to have your cake and eat it a bit.
I want specific stuff, but I choose not to recognise that there’s difficulties in running a shop.Choice to run Oxford and Sunrace is probably because the margins are better and supply for Shimano is thin on the ground.
Last I checked for UN300 in 122.5mm (UN55 has been phased out) was somewhere in 2023.
Remember, you, the self sufficient cyclist, is the one that brings the least amount of money to a bike shop. Your needs are super specific, and you’re likely to build your own bikes.
Chak-
Remember, you, the self sufficient cyclist, is the one that brings the least amount of money to a bike shop. Your needs are super specific, and you’re likely to build your own bikes.
That’s true, for a typical services, customers tend not to care about what components are fitted as long their need and budget are addressed.
The majority of customers never cared what bottom bracket we fit as long it no longer crunchy, the minority that do, we may have them, but if not, requires a deposit and 10 working days min wait.
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Well, I did say above that I understand businesses need to make profit, also stated I was willing to pay more in a bike shop rather than online. Not sure how this constitute having my cake and eating it! I've happily paid £6 or even more for brake cables in London, because it was convenient, knowing it's nearly 3 times what I would pay on eBay if buying in bulk... I also recently bought a basic lock in a bike shop nearly £20 more than online because I needed it as an emergency, and accepted the fact without moaning. But when wanting to buy cables (at whatever price), puncture repair kits, or near universal crank bolts becomes seen as being an esoteric costumer, isn't that a bit much? I'm not especially keen on the tendency of how most bike shops are becoming, but, having ranted about it in the past (and being mildly told of and explained how things were by @edscoble ), I now accept it and just modestly say "(most) bike shops don't suit my needs"; if that's not gentle enough a statement, then I don't know how to put it... Of course I deplore that rental costs make things tough for bike shops (and sadly for lot of people in general) but I'm not buying a Pinnacle... I'll happily visit @fly 's shop when I'm in the area though...
edscoble
veLLo
Well I'm sure some still exist, I was talking generally... [edit: and describing a tendency, pointed out by others above. I understand businesses need to survive, but if it means some no longer sell basic stuff for -mostly- self sufficient cyclists who are not in the market for a Taiwanese made bike, then I have to, and had to, buy what I need online; the shops I have access to geographically without making an expedition out of it have not given me much of a choice]
To be fair one of my local sorted me out for basic stuff a few times, but they are quite limited. I bought a sealed bottom bracket and the only choice was Sunrace and Oxford depending on axle length... Why not stock basic Shimano UN55 or whatever the reference is? I'm happy to pay more than online if I can cycle down the road and get it right away.
Where's your shop so I know for the future... :)