TheDude said:
The Performance stores are even worse than Trek.
Here is what I find a bit sad. I was forced to mail-order buy a bike last week. My son is turning 4. He has a 12" run-bike, perfect balance and needs a real bike, but is too small for a 16". You can not buy a 14" bike in the U.S. I have a Dawes coming from the UK (islabikes wouldn't ship).
I went to 4 or 5 local shops, most of the staff was great. It wasn't the shops fault, it was the U.S. market - nobody cares to get their kid on a good quality bike and that means in the future even fewer people with the love of cycling. I remember all of my childhood bikes from a tiny Schwinn with stabilizers to a Gitane 3-speed racer when I was about 8. Those bikes were freedom.
My nephews have wall-mart hunks of junk that can't be fit and maintained properly, but a really nice LCD TV or 2 in the house. Bike shops are in trouble because people don't ride - starting with childhood.
When I 1st saw this thread title I just assumed it was ABOUT performance. Actually I like Performance and spend a lot more of my bike accessory money there than at the LBS. (When not shopping at Performance for accessories and such, I typically shop at an LBS that carries mostly Specialized and Cannondale as well as some Trek. I tend to gravitate towards Specialized accessories when fit really matters. Could just be my body type. Chunky as f--k.)
But my criticism about Performance IS about their service staff's attitude. I have no idea whatsoever what type of skills they have because they will never turn a wrench on my bikes or my wife or kid's. Arrogant know it all doesn't begin to scratch the surface of the guy in Cary NC. For all I know he is the greatest mechanic this side of the Pro Peloton. I don't care.
On top of that, if I buy for example a cycle computer or aero bars from a local shop, wheter it be Performance or an LBS, I expect it either mounted by the seller for free or nearly for free, not some exorbitant rate card price. That mentality along with the arrogance sends me running from the service dept. I hate that about Performance.
Now as for your 12" 14" 16" dilemma. I really never had a problem with buying wally world bikes when my son was that size. The da-n kid grows like a weed at that age. He was on a 12" for maybe 1 season, then a 16" for 2 more. They'll ride 20" bmx bikes right up to adult hood (frames will change). Once he got into 20" we got an lbs bike.
I think Performance is doing to some LBS's what Lowes and Home Depot did to the Hardware store. The one in Cary put the weak LBS in the area out of business in a year. There are several others still in business, no idea if they are profitable or not. The new Perf. store in Raleigh NC is right between the trek Concept store and a local chain that I also consider a bunch of obnoxious a-holes. Every time I go in there they treat me like I am a brain dead moron. They cater to an entry level audience, which is fine, but just because I happen to walk through your doors doesn't mean you have to down sell me because that's all you stock. Sheesh. They treat 105 like it's Dura Ace and still act like it's more than 99% of people really need. I really couldn't care when Performance shuts them down. They're a low hanging fruit that has earned what they got coming as far as I am concerned. The Trek store is actually run by a guy who genuinely is in tune with the local scene. I hope he thrives. It doesn't mean he doesn't have the usual local boy racer know it all on staff. I guess it's just a fact of life.
The LBS employee d-bag ought to be the subject of another thread. They are a special breed: 'Hi, I make minimum wage and get parts at cost. In return for being a tool making $125 a week living with my parents, my other unpaid benefit is to insult your intelligence to the point where your soul cries out and wishes you were dead. And if you don't "look cyclist" enough, I have reserved a special level of insolence just for being soft, middle aged and obviously not above Cat 4.'
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