Moving and (hopefully not) Shaking

And you thought you were heading for a post on Los Angeles earthquakes.  Hehehe... Just like to keep you all on your toes!

So no, the earth is not moving.  But I am, and so is my bike.  Ergo, I am in the market for a bike travel case for these upcoming shenanigans.  [No, no - I'm not traveling to Kona or anything.  My biking is gonna need a lot more work before I'm ready for that.]

Photo Cred

I've done some research, factoring safety, price, space, and durability.  I'm very, very close to pulling the trigger on this 'little' fellow.  He's an Aerus Composite Bike Case.  He's soft-sided, but with lots of padding.  He's discreet, which is useful from both a theft and airline fees standpoint, and he's relatively small.  The required assembly/disassembly is reasonable (handle bars, seat, wheels).  And all for $250-300.  

I'm pretty sure this is the winner - but does anyone have anything else to add, before I jump?

Goldilocks and the Three Bike Shops

I think that bike shops are like hairdressers: With the right one, things just work.  With the wrong one, you pay twice the price for weeks of stress.

In Rochester, I purchased, maintained, and serviced my bike with Park Ave bike shop on Monroe Ave.  Rochesterians, I know your feelings are mixed on this place - but that's neither here nor there.  They did right by me for a few years, and that's all I'm going to say, for the sake of this discussion.  

But after I'd reassembled my bike in LA following her long, boxed-up cross-country journey, she was definitely in need of a tune-up.  So off I went (to local cyclists & online research) to find that elusive "good mechanic"...


CA Bike Shop #1 (June)
I dropped her off at a Bike Shop #1, which seemed to get decent reviews and was pretty close to where we were living.  I was told that I could pick it up in...5 days.  Five days seemed a bit long for a simple tune-up, but hey, OK, it's spring, maybe you're busy, there's a weekend in there, blah blah blah...sure, no problem.

I also mentioned that I was interested in having a bike fit (process in which an expert analyzes and adjusts all the parts of the bike to the ideal position for your size/body), and was told, "Oh, the guy who does that isn't here. You need a special appointment.  You can make it...uhh...when he's here."  Erm, OK - but I'm already standing in your shop, and I'm indicating that I'd like to pay you for an additional service.  But you've gotta seal the deal, dude - and don't make me feel like I'm inconveniencing you.

I then (optimistically) inquired about purchasing shoes for clipless pedals, as I was finally making the leap from cages to clipless. The sales clerk informed me that the store didn't carry Women's cycling shoes, but that Men's shoes would be just fine for me.  I asked what the difference was.  He couldn't really give me an answer  ("Uhhh...not much, really.").  This wasn't exactly encouraging, so I decided to go home and do a bit of my own research.

I did, and when I returned to pick up my bike, I'd decided to at least try the Men's shoes.  The same sales clerk helped me, and showed me...to a rack of Women's shoes.  There were boxes and boxes of Women's shoes, of several different brands - right next to the Men's shoes.  So much for "We don't carry Women's shoes." At this point, I wasn't even sure what to think.

I would have gone elsewhere, just to protest the poor salesmanship, but my bike was already there, and I wanted to practice the clipless system with the bike on a trainer.  So I tried on a few pairs of shoes and picked one out.  The salesman installed the proper clip on my new shoes, although they were missing the adapters necessary to protect the clip when I walked.

The gold thing with the two circles is what clips into the pedal.
The black part is the adapter that the shop didn't have.
The skids on each side are what keep the clip from grinding into the ground when I walk.

This shop had no more in stock, so the salesman called around to find a shop where I could get them.  Bonus points for that, and for letting me spend an hour on my bike, on their trainer, to practicing clipping in and out.  

Overall, my experience at this shop was decent.  The service on the bike was solid, and the prices were on par with what other places were offering.  However, I wasn't enthused with the attitude/knowledge of the sales staff.  And when one of the employees invited me to join a group ride that ended up being way out of my league (despite my being very clear about my speed, experience, and abilities), I will admit that I was increasingly reluctant to return to the shop.

CA Bike Shop #2
I actually drove over to this shop after leaving Bike Shop #1, so that I could buy the adapter that I needed for my shoes.  I walked in and spent several awkward minutes trying to explain to 2 different sales people the part that I needed.  Finally, I brought the shoes in to show them.  "Ohhhh! An adapter!!"  Right...that's what I've been saying..??  But, I purchased the necessary part, and they installed it on the shoes for me at no charge.  Overall a pretty neutral experience.

CA Bike Shop #3
Fast forward 8 weeks, and I've just finished this ride, wherein I am forced to ride home with a wheel-rubbing brake.  I analyze the situation in excrutiating detail (Would you expect anything else from me?) here, and realize I've wrongly blamed the brakes for a problem with my wheel.  

I'm not particularly inclined to return to Shop #1, especially since it isn't convenient to our new apartment.  And, while Shop #2 helped me out of a jam, it has a reputation of being a bit elitist.  So off I go in search of Shop #3, hoping it will be just right.

Bingo.  After some extensive research, I settle on The Open Road bike shop in Pasadena.  They don't have a website, but click for the Yelp reviews.  The store is huge, and crowded with bikes, parts, gear, apparel, etc.  As far as I can tell, the shop is pretty much a one-man operation.  But that one man - Steve - is a good guy, who knows bikes and cares about people.  

I march my limping bike in and explain the situation.  In less than 60 seconds, Steve has clamped my bike up and is taking a look.  He confirms my suspicions about the wheel being out of true, and asks if I can wait about 10 minutes.  I wander around the shop for just a few minutes (closer to 5, than 10) - and Voila! my bike is all fixed.  He trued the wheel, and then called me back to see that my derailleur was also slightly bent.  He showed me how to check it myself, explained the problems this could cause, and quickly re-adjusted to the proper position.

We chat briefly about the bike, where I'm riding, possible groups for me to ride with, etc.  He then sends me on my way, refusing to take any money for the service. 

Overall, this was an excellent bike shop experience for me.  Steve communicated with a newbie (me) in a clear, but not condescending, way.  He obviously knows his stuff, and didn't try to sell me anything - material or service - that I didn't need.  He fixed my problem quickly and (more than) fairly.  I actually felt empowered leaving the shop - I felt validated that there was a problem, confident that it was fixed, and slightly more educated about the workings of my bike.  Pleasantly, I did not feel embarrassed for troubling someone with my trivial, cyclocross bike, non-racing cycle problems.

After such good treatment, I wished I had something on my "to buy" list for the bike that day.  But Steve, you can be sure I'll be back again soon. Thanks for all your help!

And now, it's time to get back on the road.  So what are you waiting for...?