The Path Bike Shop, Live Oak (Trabuco Cyn) and Tustin

The Path steps up again....the only ones who had the SRAM HRD brake bleed kit in stock. I know bike shops can't carry everything, but there are enough SRAM-using roadies out there that it must be somewhat in demand. Yeah, I could have ordered it but like most things I'm sitting here this morning thinking about my mushy rear brake on the Kona, and figured I'd bleed it, and wanted to bleed it now.

The actual bleed process is for another thread.

 

The Path is making progress - they have expanded their web sales presence. However, comma, they gotta take the extra step. I clicked on "Derailleurs" and they show exactly 2 - both 12 speed, a SRAM GX and a SRAM NX. I find it hard to believe that's all they carry.

 

The Path were amazing in my impulse buy documented elsewhere. Short story - I bought a Pivot Firebird 29 on impulse. Made a lot of changes to it. Rode it a dozen times. Ultimately didn't like it better than the Tracer I owned at the time. Asked them what recourse I had, fully expecting them to say, "sell it and buy something else." Nope. They said, "Try anything else we carry. If you like something, we will talk price." I traded for a Santa Cruz Megatower for full credit for the Pivot and everything I added to it. Unreal!

Oh - Tustin shop, but that doesn't really matter. Thanks Tani!

 

Went there when they reopened Thursday, and left my GT needing to have the BB chased. Headed for my car and was stopped by the Service Tech who said it would be done in 10 minutes, and I was on my happy way 10 minutes later with not that much lighter wallet. This is the frame after the mid-drive was removed.

 

Hate to make this sound like an advertisement, but gotta tell the truth. My better half had a problem with her front tubeless setup and we stopped at the Path to have it remedied. Needless to say, they started on the problem immediately (bad valve) and we were on our way less than 15 minutes later.

 

A couple of weeks ago my friend had a problem with her rear derailleur that seemed to be a problem with the hangar alignment. The service department said they would call with an estimate later that day, but didn't call back, so she called a couple of days later and said to go ahead with the work. Apparently they ordered the parts a week after that and she was informed the bike wouldn't be ready until after this weekend, five or so days after the initial estimate. I still recommend the Path, but watch out if you need service work.

 

It seemed like they were always able to get me in quick... Until one time that it was going to be like 2 weeks for a bottom bracket.

I bought the tool, and did it myself. I don't think I've had a bike in for an issue since... And Lord knows I have issues.

I will admit to texting the help desk frequently with dumb questions.

 

They have always been hit or miss for me. They have gone out of their way a few times and been super helpful/quick and even free, and other times completely bungled the job. The "issues" I have had were mostly minor, but they left one of my brake levers very under torqued once and I almost died going down Chutes Ridgeline. Another time, I had a fork service and it was as hard as a rock, and air pressure adjustments didn't help, so had to take it back.

 

I do almost all my wrenching, but didn't have the tool to align the derailleur hangar; guess I may need to make the $100 purchase for a decent one (the next time there's a problem).

 

That's about the only tool I don't have... And with 3 geared bikes in the rotation now, I need to get one. Pretty sure that Stumpy could use it now.

In the meantime, there is a mechanic on the forum who can align a derailleur... And I hear his scheduling isn't bad.

 

Although staff would not Tani at the Path dropped the price $ 500.00 as an offer to get me to buy my Santa Cruz Carbon Chameleon. Sold. My experience was an average of a week wait on service repair there in my early days of Mtn. bikes. It motivated me to buy another bike so I would at least always have one available. ( And then I bought another and another- Haha )

 

They were able to effect the repair by Friday, so we had a fine outing at CHSP yesterday, but thanks for reminding about the other local option.

 

BTW, the Path's superb (IMO) Service Mgr is back so it appears all is well there again.