Have you noticed how bike shops nowadays seem to be into selling clothes? There's a good reason for this: clothes have higher markups than bicycles or even exorbitantly priced bicycle parts. This means higher profits, and higher profits means more money, which means...
I've nothing against profits --- I like making profits myself, but since I'm a BOBer, I'd also like to visit shops where the people there demonstrate that their first love is bikes. A shop where the owner, perhaps, does not worry about sales targets. Maybe even a shop where there are no sales people, and everyone you talked to is a bicycle enthusiast who likes working on bikes and riding them. They'd probably just be a store where there were a few bikes, a bunch of parts, and a couple of workstands. The people there would know you by name, and would be really good with bikes.
Just another fantasy? Well, no. I know of one shop that's like this. No, they're not a Bridgestone dealer, but BOBs who live near by might want to check them out.
Cyclecraft in Cupertino, California (408) 255-2925 is a very traditional bike shop. They don't carry clothing or shoes or even helmets, they aren't open on Sundays or Mondays, and they don't even carry the usual production bikes. What you'll see instead is handbuilt frames, with an eclectic choice of components (yes, you'll even see some gimmickry there), and a couple of people working on bikes.
Upon walking in, you'll probably see Al "Uncle Al" Budrys working on a bike. He's the owner. Al's tall (taller than 6', I think), skinny, wears glasses and a grey lab coat that makes him look like the stereotype of a scientist in a high-tech laboratory --- except that this is Al, and he's in a bike shop. If you've been there before, he'll probably remember your name --- or at least, remember your bike (you rode in, didn't you?). Maybe you'll notice a brace on or near his elbow. If you ask him about it, he'll tell you that it's for his tendonitis, which he got from building too many wheels.
Up on the front counter, you'll see many bike parts, some partially disassembled. These are Al's current favorites. You can ask Al or anyone else who's there about them, and if you're interested, he'll even take apart the parts for you to show you how they work or how easily you could maintain them.
You could also talk to the other customers who walk in. If you come in on a busy day, you'll encounter all sorts. Commuters (there was this guy who commutes on a funny bike with a nightsun and 55/65/75 chainrings), racers coming in with their tubulars for repairs, utility cyclists... Al's shop is the only place I've ever heard someone complain about how his bill was too low. Mind you, this isn't because Al's cheap --- he's not --- he's probably one of the most expensive mechanics in Silicon Valley. But he and his mechanics do such a good job that people feel that they're getting a bargain.
For instance, Al actually got the indexing on my touring bike to work. This might not sound amazing, but the fact is that no one else had gotten it to work before --- or since. I've tried all sorts of things, including changing the chain and so on, and so have many other bike shops I've been to, but to no avail. It's pretty amazing to watch Al just lift the bike up onto a stand, flick his wrist a couple of times, and just fix up something that I've not been able to get right for hours. Al's also been willing to stay open late (as late as 9pm) to fix things up for me when I needed to go on a ride the next day.
Oh, Al put together my Bridgestone RB-1 for me. I'd wanted an unconventional component package, and it was going to cost too much, then Al took me aside and said, "Why don't you bring in a mail order catalog, and I'll help you with the selection, and you can buy it all and bring it in and I'll put it together --- I can't get parts as cheap as they can, but nobody knows as much about bicycles." I've tried to buy parts I needed from him since. I think his advice is pretty sound --- your taste might differ from his, of course, and if you have a good idea about what you want done to your bike, he'll do as you wish.
Al's wheels are also pretty traditional. He prefers 36 spokes on them, and he builds them strong. He then ties and solders them. It might or might not make them any stronger (Jobst "The Bicycle Wheel" Brandt claims no, Al claims so), but they certainly make the wheels look pretty. When the president of Western Wheelers saw one of them, he said, "Oh, these are jewel wheels!" And who could argue with that?
If you ask Al about Bridgestone, he'll say, "I like them --- they're a conservative design, and I can appreciate that." Grant and Al know each other. Al's not a fan of Aluminium or many other "high-tech" materials, either.
Here are some of Al's notes from his latest newsletter:
[About the InterBike 1993 Show] In fact, two of the items that inspired us the most at the show were the new rear hub and bottom bracket designed by Chris Kind, who is best known for his bullet-proof headsets... The rear hub is pawl-less and runs on directional needle/friction clutch style bearings that instant engage for forward pedaling, or spin silently for coasting...
[About Hubs] ...White Industries Ti cassette hub ... four sealed bearings, three pawls and the ability to disassemble within seconds with a 2mm allen... the Italian-made Campy hub --- sepcifically the Record ... three pawls, two sealed bearings and two sets of ball bearings... three port openings in order to inject/purge the hub without disassembly... Until the Chris Kind and Phil Wood cassette hubs hit the shops in late '94, I'd go with the Campy hub...
[Chainlube] Here's the simple scoop (No Technoisms!) --- it doesn't matter what chainlube you use, as much as it matters that you use something.
[Just in case you forgot] We are open Tues-Fri 11-7, and Sat 11-5. We are closed Sunday and Monday. Our answering machine is on whenever we are closed. It will accept a message, give you our fax number and our emergency contact numbers in case our building is burning or you need a new tyre before tommorrow's crack of dawn ride....
This is not to say that the other bike shops in the area aren't good. You can't do all your shopping at Al's shop. For instance, if you want a great selection of shoes, you won't find them at Al's place. Neither will you find a bike that you could roll out the door for under $2000 (unless it's one of the used bikes that Al's selling for his customers). Wheelsmith, Cupertino Bike Shop, Shaw's Lightweight Cycles are all excellent shops in the same area that do all that. But for the atmosphere, to get that special problem fixed, or for a place where you can meet mechanics who really know and love bikes, Al's shop pretty darn good. If you're in the area, try dropping by his place. Tell him that internet-bob sent you rolling by.
(I have no relation with Al or his shop except through being a satisfied customer)