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Review content:
In June of 2007, I bent a rim on my mountain bike. On a Saturday afternoon, I called the ""Bike Doc"" and explained the problem. Beau, the owner, asked me when I could bring it in. I replied that I could do so at his convenience, which he said was 4:00 that afternoon. I arrived on time, and finding no one in the shop (garage), I knocked on the front door. Apparently I woke the Bike Doc from a nap, because he brusquely said from the couch: ?I?m not working right now.? When I asked if I had misunderstood the arrangement (to straighten my rim at 4:00), he vaguely remembered my recent phone call. He got up, came out, and without even glancing at the rim, proceeded to examine the rest of the bike. He stated that the brake pads were ?too hard? to stop me effectively. I replied that on a recent, challenging ride, they had performed quite satisfactorily. He sarcastically retorted ?who?s the pro here?? and stated that he wouldn?t touch the rim unless he could replace the brake pads as well. When I asked how much that would cost, he did not answer but proceeded to list additional problems. What started as a $10 repair quickly grew to over $50. When I said I?d prefer to just have the rim straightened for now, he indignantly said: ?Take it to Santa Fe, then.? At this point, I was upset. I am a daily rider and keep my bike maintained, yet I felt like a medical patient whose doctor refuses to trust or even listen to a patient?s experience and opinion.
For the record, I remember the detail because I wrote (and saved) a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Now three years later, I read Matthew?s review (July 8, 2010, see below) with great interest and d?j? vu. In 2007, it was also clear to me that Beau didn?t like my bike (mid-range, purchased for $500 in the 1990s). It?s not difficult to discern from the other reviews that Beau prefers to work on high-end bikes. Like Matthew, I also got the spiel about his expertise and reputation. And, like Matthew, Beau ?The Bike Doc? Gerard also yelled after me as I walked away from his garage. It is clear that if your bike didn?t cost at least four figures, and if you?re not willing to pay for whatever he wants to do to it, you?re not worth his time, and he?s not afraid to tell you so. You can discern much of this from Beau?s reply on July 13, 2010 (see below). In my experience, he is not ?simply and kindly direct,? but brusque at best and contemptuously rude at worst. If you insist on taking your bike(s) to him, be prepared for his ?benchside manner? and to pay for ?the works.? I highly recommend The DOME Cycle Lab as an excellent alternative. Scott is also a pro, but he knows how to deal with people. Instead of ?my way or the highway,? he will tell you what he recommends but only do the work you ask for. And with a smile.
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