Had a few factory built ebikes in the early days, 2 Stingray E-choppers and a A2B Metro. Did all the maintenance myself since it was mostly tire/tube swaps.
Fast forward a few years, I decide to build clone of the B52 Stealth. Notice a LBS while taking a detour one day. Since I'm still waiting for parts from China, I stop in and ask the techs if they can true up my wheels since I'm gonna use motorcycle rims and spokes laced to a DH bike hub.
Tech says something like, the boss doesn't like us to work on electrics. I ask can you find out. A few minutes later he comes back and say it's gonna be double the usual rate and no guarantees it will stay true, the wires wont get damaged, ect... The techs don't really care but Bossman doesn't like ebikes, thinks they are for fat cheaters, even though they have a few pricey Shimano ebikes in the showroom.
Even his double rate was cheaper than the motorcycle shops I had called previously. So I say fuggit, I'll stop by when I'm ready. A few weeks later, I come back when my wheels already laced and mostly trued. Just need to check and snug things up. I walk in with just the front 18x2 wheel, set it on the counter and wave to the guy I talked to last time. He's surprised to see me back despite the double rate quote. He calls the Bossman over to do the paperwork. He starts in again about the double rate... I nod and fill out a work order and head back out to the car and grab the almost 40lb QS205 with a 18x3 rim, set it on the counter.
He about loses his shit. Apparently he's never seen anything like this before and starts trying to back out. I ask his tech if he can true it, tech nods yes. Look at the Bossman, he starts saying the tech is gonna need a special wrench, before he can even finish, I reach in my pocket and toss the tech a motorcycle sized spoke wrench. Say, Keep it, I'll be back with more of these motors. Boss asks how fast does this go. I say 50 to 60ish, that's why I want it trued by a professional, can't afford to have a tiny wobble. He starts in on how that's not safe, and where am using this, blah blahblah and how he can't be liable. We spend the next 20 mins having a mini debate (to the delight of his employees, I might add). Ending with him ultimately and quite begrudgingly deciding to not turn away my double rate and do the job. Get a call towards the end of the day, pay my bill and walk out happy with some straight AF wheels.
From my experience, some of the LBS workers are cool with whatever you ride, as long as you ride. Others are snobby elitists who only care if you pedal or ride some specific style of bike exactly like them. It's the same in the motorcycle community. I just don't get why you would let this get in the way of profits.
