Libby's Bike Store Rant - I hate them!!

this is me today, that is how mad I am

I have been riding with a lady in her late 50s, grey hair but fit as a fiddle. Anyhooo, long story short, she bought a brand new bike this spring. 3 times I have been out with her and her chain has broken, yes, broken, 3 times, just comes apart and falls off the bike.

First time she goes back to original store and they "say" they have fixed it. She is again out and voila, chain breaks and is bent. She goes to one bike store and they say, "chain looks fine lady" and they send her on her way.

She goes back to original bike and they say it is bent and "fix it". We are out today and you guessed it, the chain breaks.

So we have 3 ladies, butts in the air trying to fix a chain. It was like the 3 Stooges. First I open the Sram link, set it by my feet and weave chain in and where that Sram link went is anybody's guess. It was for 9 speeds, her gear cog had 10, so maybe it woulda been the wrong size anyhow.

We open the 8 speed Sram universal link and it does not go on and for the life of me I cannot remember anything sweet, kind Viktor O. had told me about how to fit the universal link back in. Viktor, where are you????

By now by hands are so black and I am sweating like a pig and glasses are fogging up. I gave up.

By the way, at least 3 men biked past at break neck speed. Not even a "are you okay?"

Connie and I left Charlene (she called hubby to come get her) and Connie and I blast home as we both have to get back early. We ride on all the roads they tell us not to ride on - Goshen, rt 352 and Paoli Pike. But we get home.

NOW TO MY RANT!!!

How in heck can a person go 3 times to a bike store and NOT have the folks in them actually fix her chain. Whattsup with that??

Is it cuz Charlene like me is an old lady? and by old I mean past 50, obviously if we are riding bikes we are not old but in the eyes of a 20 something bike mechanic, let's face, we look old.

Do you we get lousy service cuz we are old ladies?? What? Someone please tell me what the problem is with bike shops and older chicks?? How can a lady take her bike in for something as simple as a damaged chain and not have the bike store actually replace the chain but tell her it is fixed. I am beyond angry that a Biker Chick can have this happen to them.

SO LADIES, advanced bike repair clinic coming. Hopefully Charlene hangs onto her old chain and we can all practice repairing one.

Advanced clinic will focus on how to change a cable and yes, we will change one. We will work on derailleur adjustments and how to know when you need a new gear cog in back. We will focus on how to change brake pads. NO tire changing, no cleaning, do it before you come. If you do not know these 2 basics, yu can come early. More details to come.

I am convinced that if you are female and past 50, ya'd better learn how to fix your bike yourself cuz from what I have seen, the bike stores in the West Chester area have much interest in fixing your bike as your husband or bf does.

Some bike store owner prove me wrong, please!!! Cuz I am beyond angry that this can happen. Do bike stores actually want to fix bikes?? or do they just want to sell them?? are they only interested in the better riders and their bikes?

What?? I am stymied and have no answers.