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Give me your wish list on boutique services you need
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in particular what i'm referring to are things you need that are hard to get or to find that fix specific problems. i'll give you 2 examples, not that you need these services, but they fall into the category to which i refer.

1. i wrote about the Formula SpeedLock hydraulic in-line quick-connect last week, and there are certain bikes i could imagine having where a pair of these in-line would make my life a lot easier. however, they are at present very hard to find; and i think a lot of mechanics would have a hard time getting these installed correctly. also, in certain cases, i would like to see the motif changed a bit to suit our particular needs. anyway, i would find it very handy to have at my beck and call someone who could come in and reroute hydraulic brake lines with strategically placed quick-connects, so that i can change stems and handlebars easily, and so that my bike can pack for travel.

2. pain cave set-up. while i don't need this, there was a time when i really could've used a bike + multimedia expert who'd come in, set my pain cave up, teach me zwift or rouvy or sufferfest or whatever i wanted to know, perhaps that would set me up with OBS studio for livestreaming, who'd hook up the TV, the appletv, or who'd consult with me on my gaming rig if i wanted to go whole hog. who'd choose and assemble my tv stand or mount. all of it.

these are 2 of the boutique services that i could imagine somebody providing, and maybe that's a mobile bike fitter who's hip to a slowtwitcher's particular needs, or a bike fitter or coach/mechanic or LBS who performs house calls or who at least has wrenching experience on point #1 above.

sorry for the long post, but, what i wonder is what other services beyond 1 and 2 above can you think of?

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I think that this has been mentioned elsewhere, but I would like a "chain wax" service. In other words, a bike shop (maybe some do this already) strips a new chain and waxes it with my wax of choice. Then, after a few hundred miles, I take the chain off and take it to the bike shop to be rewaxed. I would be willing to pay for this.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Based on some of the threads lately, I'd think there'd be a market for HRM battery replacement people. I could possibly see a market for an in-home bike fitter.






Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Okay this isn't bike related but it's been on my mind recently and you gave me the outlet so...

Fresh bread subscription service. Like a local bakery that drops off fresh bread 1-3 times a week on doorsteps. Fresh bread is just so much better than anything else.

Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [realbdeal] [ In reply to ]
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realbdeal wrote:

Fresh bread subscription service. Like a local bakery that drops off fresh bread 1-3 times a week on doorsteps. Fresh bread is just so much better than anything else.

You want my wife. She started doing the COVID sourdough fad thing way back in the spring. But it never stopped like most fads tend to. And has only gotten better. I get fresh bread like every day. It's unreal.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Slowman wrote:
in particular what i'm referring to are things you need that are hard to get or to find that fix specific problems. i'll give you 2 examples, not that you need these services, but they fall into the category to which i refer.

1. i wrote about the Formula SpeedLock hydraulic in-line quick-connect last week, and there are certain bikes i could imagine having where a pair of these in-line would make my life a lot easier. however, they are at present very hard to find; and i think a lot of mechanics would have a hard time getting these installed correctly. also, in certain cases, i would like to see the motif changed a bit to suit our particular needs. anyway, i would find it very handy to have at my beck and call someone who could come in and reroute hydraulic brake lines with strategically placed quick-connects, so that i can change stems and handlebars easily, and so that my bike can pack for travel.

2. pain cave set-up. while i don't need this, there was a time when i really could've used a bike + multimedia expert who'd come in, set my pain cave up, teach me zwift or rouvy or sufferfest or whatever i wanted to know, perhaps that would set me up with OBS studio for livestreaming, who'd hook up the TV, the appletv, or who'd consult with me on my gaming rig if i wanted to go whole hog. who'd choose and assemble my tv stand or mount. all of it.

these are 2 of the boutique services that i could imagine somebody providing, and maybe that's a mobile bike fitter who's hip to a slowtwitcher's particular needs, or a bike fitter or coach/mechanic or LBS who performs house calls or who at least has wrenching experience on point #1 above.

sorry for the long post, but, what i wonder is what other services beyond 1 and 2 above can you think of?

As someone who’s going back to solid food on the bike, custom flavoured energy bars.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [trail] [ In reply to ]
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Slowman had zero idea "wife swap" was potentially one of the boutique options...."ST wife swap" coming to bravo channel in 3....2...1.....

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [realbdeal] [ In reply to ]
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realbdeal wrote:
Okay this isn't bike related but it's been on my mind recently and you gave me the outlet so...

Fresh bread subscription service. Like a local bakery that drops off fresh bread 1-3 times a week on doorsteps. Fresh bread is just so much better than anything else.

One of the farm subscription services here in Grand Junction will do pretty much exactly that. In addition to veggies, meat, eggs, etc depending on what you want.

I would have tried to hook the Deals up with a sponsorship there too, but I lost you to Colorado Springs!

Adam Feigh
Pianko Law, Speed Hound, Castelli, Sailfish, Base
Feighathlon.com
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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[
As someone who’s going back to solid food on the bike, custom flavoured energy bars.[/quote]
THIS. Like Infinit only for bars.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I'd like the boutique service to be "teaching and tools" needed so that we can create independence.

I'd like the teacher to show up at a newbies place to teach a tight hour on how to change and flat and be there prepared to sell them all the items then need under their saddle to do it on their own for the rest of their life.

I'd like a teacher to show up at an athletes place who's transitioning from rim brakes to hydro disc and the teacher shows them how to adjust calipers, bleed, replace pads, etc and leave them with a set of new pads, plunger, fluid, everything they need.

I'd like a teacher to connect with someone who's just abandoned their tubed tires and teach them how to set up and maintain tubeless systems and then leave them with a tire pump that'll give an initia blast, sealant, a valve core remover, and syringe to maintain it.

I keep emphasizing "teacher" here because that's someone who is beyond a mechanic - yes, they need to know how to do it themselves, but can also teach athletes how to do it - that's another level.

Ian

Ian Murray
http://www.TriathlonTrainingSeries.com
I like the pursuit of mastery
Twitter - @TriCoachIan
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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ianpeace wrote:

I'd like a teacher to show up at an athletes place who's transitioning from rim brakes to hydro disc and the teacher shows them how to adjust calipers, bleed, replace pads, etc and leave them with a set of new pads, plunger, fluid, everything they need.

I'd like a teacher to connect with someone who's just abandoned their tubed tires and teach them how to set up and maintain tubeless systems and then leave them with a tire pump that'll give an initia blast, sealant, a valve core remover, and syringe to maintain it.

I'd be down for these two. Fortunately my Sunday riding partner is a former mechanic who's doing both of these for bottle of whiskey.

If I was a bike shop reading this I'd do a 1 mechanic + 2 customers personal class where you show up with your bike, there is everything you need right there. Bleed kit, rotors etc. You get taught how to do it, then take the bleed kit & your original parts home with you for 1 price. Same with tubeless tires. Plus it's a good way to produce a bit of revenue outside of normal operating hours.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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Pff boutique?

I want a post workout pt/massage service...in my house...with understanding of triathlon work loads.

Or a pre / post workout meal prep in a valid time window that take into account 700 -1200 calorie avg workout a day

Id love someone to start making valid drink mixes of over 100g carbs 7g protein in the correct ratio of glucose fructose

After that? I'd take someone to do my workouts for me but gift me the fitness.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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ianpeace wrote:
I'd like the boutique service to be "teaching and tools" needed so that we can create independence.

I'd like the teacher to show up at a newbies place to teach a tight hour on how to change and flat and be there prepared to sell them all the items then need under their saddle to do it on their own for the rest of their life.

I'd like a teacher to show up at an athletes place who's transitioning from rim brakes to hydro disc and the teacher shows them how to adjust calipers, bleed, replace pads, etc and leave them with a set of new pads, plunger, fluid, everything they need.

I'd like a teacher to connect with someone who's just abandoned their tubed tires and teach them how to set up and maintain tubeless systems and then leave them with a tire pump that'll give an initia blast, sealant, a valve core remover, and syringe to maintain it.

I keep emphasizing "teacher" here because that's someone who is beyond a mechanic - yes, they need to know how to do it themselves, but can also teach athletes how to do it - that's another level.

Ian

THIS. ^^^

I paid a good LBS mechanic to do something like this for a day and it was money very well spent.

Would love if this service existed.

The more flexible the scheduling, the better. My ideal world: I sign in on an app like I do for GreatClips, enter my preferred location via GPS coordinates or address, it populates available time slots, and the guy shows up at the time I select.

Key for me: Teacher coming to my preferred location. I don't have time to take all my bikes/tools etc, somewhere to learn. I have most of the tools. Haven't had time/confidence to learn how to use all of them yet.

Would purchase whatever a local mechanic had on hand. In fact, I did purchase some of the guys tools and parts right off him. That was not in the plans for the day but I offered and he already had some upgrades in mind for his toolset. Win-win. Saved me a ton of time.

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Mbellis5] [ In reply to ]
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Mbellis5 wrote:

Or a pre / post workout meal prep in a valid time window that take into account 700 -1200 calorie avg workout a day

Trifecta (prepped food delivery) & RP (endurance diet programming) might be able to help with this. Or at least get you closer. I'm too cheap for the Trifecta part, but Walmart delivery of bread, lunch meat, and skim milk is pretty close. ;)

Mbellis5 wrote:
Id love someone to start making valid drink mixes of over 100g carbs 7g protein in the correct ratio of glucose fructose

THIS ^^^ I don't know if I'd include the 7g protein though. Might do closer to 0-4g with BCAA-biased amino acid profiles. HUGE market gap here, if anyone wants to team up! No supp company even close to hitting optimal intra-workout fuel mixes yet. Can be done super cheaply too. (or just do it without me and I'll recommend your product broadly!)

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Slowman wrote:
2. pain cave set-up. while i don't need this, there was a time when i really could've used a bike + multimedia expert who'd come in, set my pain cave up, teach me zwift or rouvy or sufferfest or whatever i wanted to know, perhaps that would set me up with OBS studio for livestreaming, who'd hook up the TV, the appletv, or who'd consult with me on my gaming rig if i wanted to go whole hog. who'd choose and assemble my tv stand or mount. all of it.

I would recommend this broadly to many, if it existed. Would be really handy if it could be coach-directed, at the request of the purchaser.


Future conversation between my athlete and me, if this service exists:
Athlete: Hey coach, what is a power meter, do I need one? Just tell me what to get and I'll get it.
Athlete: My friend has a peloton. Should I get one? Would that work for our indoor training? Does that work with TrainingPeaks?
Athelte: Hey I found this pain cave setup service and the guy is asking me what I need installed. Does it matter if I do the Kickr or the "wheel-on" cuz I don't know the difference.
Me: longwinded email.
Athlete: Hey coach could you look through all these options and tell me what you think I should get.. the guy is asking something about ANT+ and I'm lost.
Athlete: Hey the guy is here and he said X won't work with Y. Do you think I should.....

you get the picture.

Better conversation option:
Athelte: Hey coach, I have $3000 to spend on a pain cave. Can you make that happen for me with PainCaves'r'us and tell them what I need. I trust your judgement. Right now, I just own this old 2005 Trek 1200 and the tri-bike you helped me pick out, and even don't know where to start. Just don't know where to start.
Me: Sure! I told PainCaves'r'us know what to install, and I saved you a couple hundred bucks, here's the link to schedule with them.
Athlete: Sweet!

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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This would be great. They could have a set of tools that I could buy, if after the lesson I felt confident enough to the job myself from now on.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Slowman wrote:
in particular what i'm referring to are things you need that are hard to get or to find that fix specific problems. i'll give you 2 examples, not that you need these services, but they fall into the category to which i refer.

1. i wrote about the Formula SpeedLock hydraulic in-line quick-connect last week, and there are certain bikes i could imagine having where a pair of these in-line would make my life a lot easier. however, they are at present very hard to find; and i think a lot of mechanics would have a hard time getting these installed correctly. also, in certain cases, i would like to see the motif changed a bit to suit our particular needs. anyway, i would find it very handy to have at my beck and call someone who could come in and reroute hydraulic brake lines with strategically placed quick-connects, so that i can change stems and handlebars easily, and so that my bike can pack for travel.

2. pain cave set-up. while i don't need this, there was a time when i really could've used a bike + multimedia expert who'd come in, set my pain cave up, teach me zwift or rouvy or sufferfest or whatever i wanted to know, perhaps that would set me up with OBS studio for livestreaming, who'd hook up the TV, the appletv, or who'd consult with me on my gaming rig if i wanted to go whole hog. who'd choose and assemble my tv stand or mount. all of it.

these are 2 of the boutique services that i could imagine somebody providing, and maybe that's a mobile bike fitter who's hip to a slowtwitcher's particular needs, or a bike fitter or coach/mechanic or LBS who performs house calls or who at least has wrenching experience on point #1 above.

sorry for the long post, but, what i wonder is what other services beyond 1 and 2 above can you think of?

I would pay large sums of money for a mobile bike fitter and mechanic, specifically one who knows tri bikes and equipment.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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YouTube and Amazon. Same day to two days later you can tackle any project you want.
I don’t know, in my opinion and experience adult cyclist either fall into one of two camps. They are cheap and or handy and want to do it all themselves and learn very easy and realize there is a video online of anything and everything you could possibly ever encounter. Or they fall into the camp of you have to do everything for them. Now I know there is a I can change my tubes/tires and that’s about it camp, but you get my point.
For some reason a lot of people think bikes are some sort of mysterious beings that they will never be able to figure out.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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One more option: routine bike service at your preferred location. Schedule via app. Select services by time estimate to do them. As in:

Dear mechanic, bring your van of cleaning stuff, tools, and bike parts to my location and spend 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, or 60 minutes doing the lowest hanging fruit type maintenance and upkeep on X Y and/or Z bike. With full discretion to the mechanic.

If I click the 5-minute button in the app, then maybe mechanic just wipes down and adds lube to chain. Or replaces a tube that's been flat for a few days and I haven't fixed it yet!

If I click the 60-minute button, maybe the brake cables get replaced, the bike gets lightly cleaned, chain cleaned and lubed, and a quick shifting tune. (no idea how long that all would take a mechanic but I can assure you it would take me longer! I think you get what I'm saying as an exmaple though.)

My imaginary MechanicOnDemand app could also include select-your-service options for the more picky folks among us.

Air up all tires in all bikes.
On-bike chain wipe-down and lube.
Install my new cassette.
Routine clean of whole stable of bikes ----> dropdown menu of various levels of clean ---->wipe it down; make it shine; deep clean, etc.
Moderately deeper clean of whole stable of bikes.
Full-tune up, cable replacements etc.
Install this other new part ---->dropdown menu of parts and associated install costs. Click!

Bulk discounts for large bike stables and similar activities being lumped together! (Wife and I have 7, soon to be 9 regularly used bikes).

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Blainyboy8] [ In reply to ]
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Blainyboy8 wrote:
YouTube and Amazon. Same day to two days later you can tackle any project you want.

I don’t know, in my opinion and experience adult cyclist either fall into one of two camps. They are cheap and or handy and want to do it all themselves and learn very easy and realize there is a video online of anything and everything you could possibly ever encounter. Or they fall into the camp of you have to do everything for them. Now I know there is a I can change my tubes/tires and that’s about it camp, but you get my point.
For some reason a lot of people think bikes are some sort of mysterious beings that they will never be able to figure out.


You'll like my replies above and below. ;)

It's about the time-cost of learning things, making mistakes, and the time-cost of those mistakes. I'd be happy to pay the TeacherMechanic guy or the MechanicOnDemand app because both would dramatically improve my current situation which can be described as

"Am I going to damage my bike by riding it as it is currently? No. Okay then put air in the tires and let's get riding, I've got to get back to work (or ST) asap."

Not to mention, most of my triathlete clients, especially the women, would pay well for solving their bike problems which look a lot like mine: limited time, limited energy and with probably less mechanic skills or interest. Evidence for my statement so that no one thinks I'm making some uninformed sexist generalization: direct quote from a lesbian and wonderful client of mine who is new to cycling and triathlon: "I hope I can find all the handiwork tools at the store because I am a walking embarrassment to the lesbian establishment. I hate screws and tools and fixing things."

Triathletes are busy! That's probably why Slowman started the thread. There is definitely interest in this level of concierge services if it's made somewhat affordable via scale/tech etc.

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub
Last edited by: DrAlexHarrison: Jan 26, 21 18:44
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [realbdeal] [ In reply to ]
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In Germany there are dozens of companies that offer this.
I have been ordering fresh buns and bread to my parent’s home many times during COVID.
The bag gets dropped around 6am and the service is available 7 days a week.
Cheap too....and great variety as well.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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ianpeace wrote:
I'd like the boutique service to be "teaching and tools" needed so that we can create independence.

I'd like the teacher to show up at a newbies place to teach a tight hour on how to change and flat and be there prepared to sell them all the items then need under their saddle to do it on their own for the rest of their life.

I'd like a teacher to show up at an athletes place who's transitioning from rim brakes to hydro disc and the teacher shows them how to adjust calipers, bleed, replace pads, etc and leave them with a set of new pads, plunger, fluid, everything they need.

I'd like a teacher to connect with someone who's just abandoned their tubed tires and teach them how to set up and maintain tubeless systems and then leave them with a tire pump that'll give an initia blast, sealant, a valve core remover, and syringe to maintain it.

I keep emphasizing "teacher" here because that's someone who is beyond a mechanic - yes, they need to know how to do it themselves, but can also teach athletes how to do it - that's another level.

Ian


I teach almost everyone who buys one of my bikes how to install clincher or tubeless tires, install valve extenders, and install/remove a cassette. This service is free. I do not sell them anything, but rather provide them with links to buy the tools and parts they need on Amazon, eBay, or any other discounted source.

If someone wants to learn about how to install or maintain their brakes, I would be happy to do that for free as well.

After I teach someone, I tell them that they have to buy all of the tools and teach some else or they owe me $100.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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A group class in a bike shop showing how to use and get the most out of your GPS unit, fenix 6 for me.

A bike shop that keeps the ingredients in stock for making your own bars, gels and drinks or list of local stores with what you need.

Classes on rebuilding shocks.

A bike clothing company that sends me samples of their chamois so I can determine which level of bibs I want.

Local guides recommended by a bike shop to either lead or map out a ride. I need to explore more of Colorado but I don't know the best areas, where to park, stop to refuel, etc. I know the Boulder area, a shop could give me discounts or a kit and I could take tourist on rides.
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [schag001] [ In reply to ]
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schag001 wrote:
In Germany there are dozens of companies that offer this.
I have been ordering fresh buns and bread to my parent’s home many times during COVID.
The bag gets dropped around 6am and the service is available 7 days a week.
Cheap too....and great variety as well.
Jealous. I spent 3 weeks in Germany in high school and ate so much bread and pastries... Just moved to a city of ~600,000 and I did a quick search for a similar service and there's nothing!

Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors
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Re: Give me your wish list on boutique services you need [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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In the good old days, if you bought a bike from a reputable bike store or dealer, on hand-over they would give you a short tutorial (15-30 min) on how to do routine maintenance.
Nowadays they just hand you the bike and shove you out the door.

And then they’re complaining why everybody buys ‘consumer direct’.
Mad world.
But maybe the pendulum will swing back....

Bike services like Velofix are hit and miss, and I don’t see that to be viable...so this has been tried, and largely failed.
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