Performance Bikes to close!

[jcarneytx]

Quite a bit of my gear comes from there (shorts, helmet, jerseys, shorts, glasses.) I like getting money back from REI, but their selection can be weak. Will miss if our local store closes.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2018/11/15/ase-owner-performance-bicycle-and-asi-file-chapter-11#.W-8A7jhKiUm

[Shinerider]

Holey shit.  While it isn't a surprise when online bike places are closing, brick and mortar's will always have it tough.

[ATXZJ]

Wonder what GTs plan B for retail sales will be now that they're improving their lines. 

Best part : pinkbike -$11k

[Bamwa]

Not all locations but yeah the one on Anderson Lane helped get my addiction up and running. Was never really busy and rent cant be cheap.

[mack_turtle]

good riddance. I worked at one of their stores for a month. I hated myself until I left to work for a better shop.

 

I worked at a store in another state. he had a two-month wait list to get simple repairs like flat tires done, but they would only put me on the schedule for 18 hours a week. we had to tell customers that we "didn't have enough staff" to get more done. the sales people were sizing bikes by 1970s methods, the mechanics were paid just a smidge over minimum wage. I watched a "mechanic" try to remove a square taper crank arm from a customer's bike using hammer until I stopped him and showed him how to use a crank puller. I was explicitly told to cut corners, never take the time to test ride bikes, and filled out work orders in pen on four-part forms with a full UPC digit code for each work item done on the bike.

Edited November 16, 2018 by mack_turtle

[rockshins]

This stinks because their branded stuff was cheap but I never really loved this place, went in to get standard stuff like SPD cleats and shimano brake pads and they did not have them, was forced to either go to another shop that had basic things or go online.

[MrTheCatLady]

1 minute ago, Bamwa said:

Not all locations but yeah the one on Anderson Lane helped get my addiction up and running. Was never really busy and rent cant be cheap.

I say good riddance as well.  I've done business with the Anderson Lane location and I think it is a terrible place.  The staff is often moody and/or sarcastic and their service is second to all IMHO.

I bought a brand-new Fuji Altamira road bike with rim brakes from them last year and I got the bike all the way home before I realized the front caliper was not secured.  At all.  The nut down in the recess on the back of the fork was not long enough to engage the threads on the bolt coming through the caliper on the front.  I spoke with the manager next time I was in, and he was super nice about it, but yikes.  That bike had been through at least two inspections before I got it home, including the "final check" after the sale.  Also on that same bike I asked them if they could go ahead and mount the aftermarket bars I had selected from their display.  They indicated that service was a little backed up and that they could do it maybe Wednesday (this was on a Saturday).  So I just did it myself after I got home (whereby I discovered the front brake issue).

Maybe that is normal, but at the shop I usually do business with (BSS/Research), if I buy a bike along with so much as a plastic bottle cage, they'll install it right damn then unless I ask them not to.  No matter how busy service is (although I have had to wait a few minutes sometimes, which is not at all a problem).  This has been the treatment I have received on every bike I have purchased, starting with the first one when I was a brand-new customer.

So, yeah.  Good riddance.  I hope the employees there find new work quickly, and get their attitudes adjusted.

-cls

[ATXZJ]

The one on south lamar was always a ghost town. I'm keeping my eyes on performance and nashbars sites for some pricepoint.com-esq deals.

 

 

[taco_junkie]

Yup, pretty empty on S Lamar when I stop in there for cheap consumables. Wont miss it much.

[Seths Pool]

Lol this is the place I posted about on bike mojo a few years ago that wanted SEVEN DOLLARS PER FOOT for shifter cable housing. 

Im so surprised to see them go 🙄💩

Buh bye 👋 

[TAF]

7 hours ago, MrTheCatLady said:

I say good riddance as well.  I've done business with the Anderson Lane location and I think it is a terrible place.  The staff is often moody and/or sarcastic and their service is second to all IMHO.

I bought a brand-new Fuji Altamira road bike with rim brakes from them last year

I'm baffled as to why you would compare Performance Bike with BSS. How long have you lived here?

[MrTheCatLady]

25 minutes ago, TAF said:

I'm baffled as to why you would compare Performance Bike with BSS. How long have you lived here?

I...I'm not sure how to take this.  Being completely earnest here...they are both bike shops, so what could be baffling about comparing them?  Granted, they are both very different (local vs. national, privately-held vs. corporate), but they still offer the same exact types of products and services, right?  Are you saying that one to the other is like daylight to darkness, such that comparing them is just...silly, or something?  Please explain, seriously.

My wife and I have lived here for 3 1/2 years now.  So we *are* pretty new to the area, yeah.  But we're not a pair of those damned Californians, no siree.  We're from DALLAS!! 😎

-cls

[TAF]

9 hours ago, MrTheCatLady said:

I...I'm not sure how to take this.  Being completely earnest here...they are both bike shops, so what could be baffling about comparing them?  Granted, they are both very different (local vs. national, privately-held vs. corporate), but they still offer the same exact types of products and services, right?  Are you saying that one to the other is like daylight to darkness, such that comparing them is just...silly, or something?  Please explain, seriously.

Erm, well - Performance Bike, as you point out, is a nationally-held chain. They sell (sold) mass-produced bikes, mostly lower-end, and the skill set of their mechanics was at best, dubious. Every other weekend they had a 40% off sale! BSS, as you point out - and indeed any of the numerous small shops around town - sell far better quality, including custom, bikes, and have excellent mechanics. You answered your own question, really. But no, they do not offer the same quality of products and services - nowhere close - I'm struggling to understand how you came up with that one, but it does explain why you arrived home with a faulty bike!

[MrTheCatLady]

OK, gotcha.  In so many words, you were saying "Well DUH!" 🙂. Although on the customer service front (e.g. mounting those bars on a just-purchased bike), I still believe I have every right to expect the same attentiveness from PB as I do BSS.  Maybe that's misguided, but I think CS is CS, national chain or not.  PB has no reason to be not as good as, say, REI on the CS front.  I mean, I've never bought a bike at REI, but I have received uniformly excellent CS regarding every single thing I have ever bought (and, especially, returned) there.

Also, while we're on the subject of the brands they sell, what do you think about Fuji?  I thought the Altamira I bought had pretty good value for the quality of frame, groupset, etc.

-cls

[Barry]

10 minutes ago, MrTheCatLady said:

Also, while we're on the subject of the brands they sell, what do you think about Fuji?  I thought the Altamira I bought had pretty good value for the quality of frame, groupset, etc.

I think the Yari looks like a fun a decent value adventure bike. I have a friend in NY who loves his.

[Bamwa]

3 hours ago, MrTheCatLady said:

OK, gotcha.  In so many words, you were saying "Well DUH!" 🙂. Although on the customer service front (e.g. mounting those bars on a just-purchased bike), I still believe I have every right to expect the same attentiveness from PB as I do BSS.  Maybe that's misguided, but I think CS is CS, national chain or not.  PB has no reason to be not as good as, say, REI on the CS front.  I mean, I've never bought a bike at REI, but I have received uniformly excellent CS regarding every single thing I have ever bought (and, especially, returned) there.

Also, while we're on the subject of the brands they sell, what do you think about Fuji?  I thought the Altamira I bought had pretty good value for the quality of frame, groupset, etc.

-cls

Ya know I think people get out of life what they put in. I've had crappier service and been lied to by BSS more than Performance. It makes a big difference if you go in friendly and get to know the staff a little. Monkeywrench is my jam now but before I knew the scene there were a few good employees at Performance. Never had any repair work done there but they were fine for shoes and goos and clearance bin browsing. It's up to the buyers to know what items/service to get from particular lbs. I've found some great deals there over the years.

[TheX]

I was a performance shopper 15 years ago when they sold Cannondale. I've had great experiences with them over the years. Not much of a shopper there now but I do go in there for emergency stuff.

They took over the SuperGo stores that were closing around that time.

Edited November 17, 2018 by TheX

[Cafeend]

Monkeywrench is my jam now

Joe is awesome..highly recommend the Monkeys

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

[JRA]

I'll miss their cheap Shimano parts. I always thought the south store had a better selection of everything and was better organized and staffed. I usually walk out of the north store nifted for 1 reason or another. Obviously, I wouldn't let them touch any of my bikes.

[JRA]

1 hour ago, Cafeend said:

 

 

Joe is awesome..highly recommend the Monkeys

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk
 

 

Ulisses and Michael are top notch bike people also

Edited November 17, 2018 by JRA

[Chongo Loco]

30 years ago they were THE place to get decent quality shorts/jerseys and other items on a college student budget. That was in the days of phoning in an order and they had very good customer service. They still make decent clothes especially for those looking for the most bang for the buck.

Surfing through their catalogs was how I realized the crazy markup on parts many shops had and quickly learned to do 99% of the work on my road bikes back in the mid 80’s. A Performance catalog and a copy of Zinn and the art of bike maintenance (road & mtn) saved me thousands over the years.

I only went by the store here for small consumables and usually only on Tuesday for the 10% lunch time sale. That kinda cancelled out having to pay sales tax was how I’d see it. Their bike brands were a great alternative for new to the sport people that wanted something better than Wally World, but can’t afford the boutique brands most of us have migrated to. More butts on bikes is better for all of us IMO.


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[AntonioGG]

1 hour ago, Chongo Loco said:

30 years ago they were THE place to get decent quality shorts/jerseys and other items on a college student budget. That was in the days of phoning in an order and they had very good customer service. They still make decent clothes especially for those looking for the most bang for the buck.

I bought 2 shorts from them while I was at UT and those shorts lasted forever and they were my favorite.  I used to go years ago for consumables, but stopped going when their tubes kept splitting down the seam (2 in a row.)  

[TAF]

11 hours ago, MrTheCatLady said:

but I think CS is CS, national chain or not.  PB has no reason to be not as good as, say, REI on the CS front.  I mean, I've never bought a bike at REI, but I have received uniformly excellent CS regarding every single thing I have ever bought (and, especially, returned) there.

Also, while we're on the subject of the brands they sell, what do you think about Fuji?  I thought the Altamira I bought had pretty good value for the quality of frame, groupset, etc.

Absolutely agree - customer service is key - you may or may not know who I work for, but you'll often find us near REI stores, and we totally believe in customer service. As does REI, and I would certainly overwhelmingly recommend their bike repair shop over Performance. 

As for Fuji - dunno - I have a disgustingly expensive custom Ti habit, I'm afraid.

Edited November 18, 2018 by TAF

[Jammy]

I bought a Fuji Cyclocross bike from them - their higher end aluminum version.  Wheels lasted 3 months before they were bent and very hard to align since one whole side of spokes were so tight they would break when messed with.  The rest of the bike was adequate... I was happy when the bike was stolen 2 years after I bought it - Then I got a real bike from a shop that gave a fuck about putting it together right !

[AustinBike]

Every time I shopped at Performance they would take my email address and start spamming me daily. To the point where the last time I went in there I specifically told them DO NOT EMAIL ME to which they guaranteed that they will not.

And then Monday morning I had a new spam from them.

For this reason alone I am fine with them going out of business. They do not understand their customers. It is trivially easy to add someone to an unsubscribe list, but to automatically re-subscribe them because thy made a purchase? That is just wrong.