Dumb shit I did you should learn from

[steve garro]

Don't let clients design bikes.
Send them back their deposit 1st.
When it does what you said it would do they will say it's your fault.
Hold your line no matter what.
- Garro.

[e-RICHIE]

[X] atso -

Don't let clients design bikes.
Send them back their deposit 1st.
When it does what you said it would do they will say it's your fault.
Hold your line no matter what.
- Garro.

+1

[ron l edmiston]

i came, i saw, i listened, "i believed.." --- & "believing" elevates perception/desire to reality...

ronnie

[MarkC]

I know Richard has preached this ever since the Rudy incident (as it is known). I'm curious though, what is it about custom bike clients that makes them think they could possibly design the bike better than the guy they commissioned to design and build the bike? I don't get it. Would be like one of you guys walking into my shop (lab) and trying to teach me genetics.

Since you guys deal with these goof balls on a regular basis, whats the mind set of said customers?

Mark

[progetto]

Since you guys deal with these goof balls on a regular basis, whats the mind set of said customers?

Mark

Because they think they know everything

[Andrew R Stewart]

I'd say, from working retail for too long, that the mind set comes from spending money. There seems to be a thought that if the customer pays you money that you owe the customer anything they demand. The "customer is always right" thing. Well we all know that the customer is not always right. That we might say so, as diplomaticlly as we can, is not thought of as doing the right thing. Andy.

[steve garro]

I finally hit the wall on how much I let the client input.
I said it would steer bad twice.
And guess what, it does.

Moving on.

If one of you learns this earlier then I did maybe there will be a bright side.
I just wish I knew they wanted to steer and I could have saved much misery for all.

One of the others ones is never, never let anything leave the shop until it's payed for. No one.
Not even God.

It saves friendships.
- Garro.

[zetroc]

dear Steve,

I promise you can design as much of my bike as you want. I trust you.

sincerely,
steve

[prolix21]

I'm curious though, what is it about custom bike clients that makes them think they could possibly design the bike better than the guy they commissioned to design and build the bike?

The internet

[Honus]

A camel is a horse designed by a committee -Sir Alec Issigonis

I fail to understand why people often hire an individual that is an expert in their field and then promptly ignore everything they have to say.

[pruckelshaus]

A camel is a horse designed by a committee -Sir Alec Issigonis

A designer coworker of mine had a poster on his cubicle wall that was a picture of a platypus with "Duck, designed by committee" printed beneath.

[WadePatton]

...whats the mind set of said customers?

the exuberance of youth and inexperience which can be compounded by the information overload of the collective and probably some clown at mtbr told 'em so.

just because you have a source of information doesn't mean it is good information.

[steve garro]

dear Steve,

I promise you can design as much of my bike as you want. I trust you.

sincerely,
steve

Thanks!
I don't mean this to be a grump session, this really is my list of dumb shit I did people shouldn't do.

Next one: spidery stainless steel dropouts.
I sure wish I would have missed that bus.
*"fifty cents? I'll skate to the beach - and I'll look better getting there!"*
- Garro.

[Mike Mcdermid]

Thanks!
I don't mean this to be a grump session, this really is my list of dumb shit I did people shouldn't do.

Next one: spidery stainless steel dropouts.

- Garro.

as wade said are these the ones designed by some clown over on mtbr

[kpomtb]

dear Steve,

I promise you can design as much of my bike as you want. I trust you.

sincerely,
steve

Mine too, the first one came out great.

[Dallas Tex]

I don't even give clients direct control over paint. They have input, and I have to agree. Its my name on the downtube.

AND if they end up unhappy, its still your fault in the eyes of the customer and in the eyes of anyone who sees the bike.

Gt

[Filly-fuzz]

I learned this the hard way as well.


I told him repeatedly the head stock would look ugly as sin, and what have I been doing last week?




Gluing offcuts back on to try and salvage it (facepalm)


And to top it off, It's my fault!!

[goor]

*"fifty cents? I'll skate to the beach - and I'll look better getting there!"*

Oh hell yeah, Chuck Mosely! So good! Thanks for that Garro

[suhacycles]

Hey, let's here some more specific examples, like a customer wanting a certain TT length or angle and how the "In my experience..." explanation didn't work and how they responded. Anyone ask for their money back? Did it affect referrals?

[edoz]

If you get an email, text or phone call that begins with "I have a stuck bolt/seatpost..." Just hang up, hit delete and walk away.