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Okay, so I’m cheap. There, I said it. I’m wary about spending money and I’m always looking out for a deal. Most of the time, this practice works out pretty well and keeps my head above water while I still enjoy the good things in life. However, sometimes you really do get what you pay for, and I learned this lesson from Via Bicycle the hard way. See the sign? Yeah, I chuckled too the first time I read it. Over the course of the year I’ve dealt with them, though, I’ve come to realize it’s not a joke. These folks really will squeeze you chop-shop style. Case in point: Last year I bought a pretty inexpensive bicycle that was supposed to be durable enough to handle city riding. The darned thing gave me nothing but hassle; first the gear-shift, then the brakes, then the bicycle seat. After taking a nasty spill, I decided I wanted to trade my bike in and apply the balance toward a tougher set of wheels. I had to wait over an hour on one of the most disorderly lines ever, only to be told I had to talk to the boss, who made me wait another half-hour. Finally, the guy inspected my bike and discouraged me from trading it in, telling me it’d be cheaper just to fix it. He quoted me a reasonable price and I agreed. One week and a handful of phone calls later, I got the bike back for three times the original quote, which was about how much I paid for the bike to begin with. Two weeks later, the bike gave out again—this time it was a busted chain. So now I’m out 300+ bucks and I’m stuck depending on SEPTA and my feet to get me around, both of which often leave me sore. I have now transitioned to the greener pastures of Bicycle Therapy (2211 South St).
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