braaap

My Blog today is a bit more about bikes without the moto..

Besides riding braaapsters I occasionally jump on my trusted mountain bike and go for a ride with the family or mates, it’s a great way to keep fit, take in the awesome scenery that Victoria can offer.

A few mates and I decided to do a 50 km+ ride a week or so ago along the East Link trail, it’s a pretty good ride that takes you from the Patterson river alongside the Eastlink freeway passed Dandenong towards Ringwood, our plan was to get as close to Ringwood as possible.

About 2km out from Dandenong I had a mechanical breakdown on my bike, “no worries” said my mate Daz, “there’s a bicycle shop just up the road”

So a short push of the “pushy” we were standing outside a large bicycle shop and excellent they had a workshop!

Went up to the counter at the workshop and asked the bloke if he wouldn’t mind maybe checking out my bike for a quick fix, I wasn’t expecting miracles, just a yeah no worries, we can fix that in a hour or 2...mmm not to be, the guy basically gave me some hogwash about that it was a massive  job, I needed a frame/wheel alignment and some other bulldust about being a Saturday and short staffed  and gave me the best line of all “ You better find something else to do for the rest of the afternoon mate, as you won’t be cycling”! .... Yep that’s great if I wasn’t 20km from home and I had to push!

Anyway to cut a long story with much fuss and stress I finally persuaded them to help and they spent 5min and got me going again on 1 gear, ironically we probably spent more time and energy trying to getting them to fix the bike than the fix itself!

So anyway $10 later I’m off back home, 20km cycling on 1 gear – brought back those memories of those BMX days - at least I got home!

On the way back we were chatting about the service we had just received and were all agreed that we would probably never go back to that bicycle shop again, oh yes and they are part of a large chain of stores!  The whole experience was unpleasant and it almost spoilt a good day’s ride...

Being involved with braaap, I just thought to myself that this level of service would be unacceptable, every time I’ve been in the braaap shop, no matter how small your job or purchase is , it gets done with no worries, from my personal experience this service extends out of the shop - I have broken a clutch lever or 2  at the Frankston track, yeah, yeah  trying to hold up the ground !!   -  a quick ring to the Frankston store and in no time the braaap bus comes braaaaap,  braaaaping along, the boys coming for a ride – spare clutch lever in hand – Brad Smith even replaced a clutch lever for me once – LOL  - don’t tell Pauly J

I’ve also seen guys come in needing parts for other mini bikes, guys needing a quick  tyre changed as they are off for the weekend,  the staff are always  efficient, helpful and everything  done with a smile,  braaap makes every customer feel like family and that’s why they will always come back.

Now THIS is service -  if only braaap’s bicycle shop cousins could take note of this!

Keep on braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaping!