I picked up my tuned up ride from Aaron’s and I gotta say, she runs like new now, does old Bucky. Having the rig tuned up cost less than I thought it would – and certainly less than a new bike. They did a great job on my ride and didn’t sell me a bunch of needless crap or try to talk me in to upgrading the stuff that still works but is mighty old. “Nah, that stuff hardly every wears out,” said the guy, who’s name I can’t remember, when I asked him about my shifters and my dérailleur. Well done, well done.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that the vibe in that place is, well, odd. My friend L said he felt like he was interrupting them when he walked in, though they did give him excellent advice and I’ve no doubt they’ll do a great job on his ride. But there’s something funny in there, funny strange, not ha ha, like you’re in someone’s garage and you’ve stopped in to borrow a wrench from a guy who’s in the middle of something, not like you’re in a retail/customer oriented environment. “They’re busy,” you think, trying to explain it, and then you think, “Dude, it’s a retail space and I’m a customer. This is weird.” That said, the service at Aaron’s is leagues ahead of that at Bike and Board at the Admiral Junction where you have to track down someone to help you and then they have no idea what’s even in the shop. Still, I can see how newbies might be intimidated by the brusque manner and coolness of the staff.
I found a review on the web where this place gets blasted for crappy service and it gives you an idea about what I mean – though there are good reviews, too. The staff seems intensely nerdy, the kinda people I know from working in tech who are really into the problem at hand but don’t know how to talk to you, the “outsider” about it with any grace. They’re like back of the shop people and the whole place is the back of the shop, or it feels that way. A little more front of the shop attitude would warm it up, but I’ll bet they think everything is as it should be.
Did I mention that my bike rides like new? It does. I’d take my rig back to Aaron’s again, after all, it’s my neighborhood shop and they do good work at a fair price. Here in West Seattle, I think there are only two choices and I’ll take Aaron’s over that other place any day, odd vibe or no.
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[tags]West Seattle, 98136, bike shops, bicycle repair[/tags]
Pam:
I completely agree with you about Aaron’s. They do good work but have pretty much no customer service skills. I also have to say that as a woman who does not live and breathe biking but sees it as a better way to commute, I am not always pleased with the attitude that I get. I only go back because of the quality of their work and the proximity to my house.
We have a shop that sounds similar a block from our house. 🙂 Here’s to having your bike in good, working order!
You know, I’ve been going there regularly for years at this point, and am a daily bike commuter, and a woman. I don’t get a sexist vibe, but agree completely with the ‘weird’ vibe. I just don’t like it when Aaron is there. He’s arrogant and has never really been friendly at all, in total contrast to the guys who work there. I’ve also felt that some of my input about my bike and riding are accepted with annoyance only. Sorry I don’t do my own hard maintenance – that’s why I’m spending money there, you know? Anyway, recently I’ve decided that I just can’t take it anymore and am going to check out Alki Bicycle on a recommendation.