Unless you can't or don't want to bother with building up your bike yourself, I wouldn't do that at my LBS either. My last several bikes were bought, piece by piece from the internet at great cost savings. The only thing I had my LBS do was press in the headset cups on one of my bikes because I don't have the tool for that.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

If you're in Gainesville. Why don't you go over to the St. Pete/Tampa area if you want to check stuff out in person, they have some good shops there. I know the Florida Bicycle Sports Shop in St. Pete (www.floridabicyclesports.com ) has a lot of stock of tri/ racing bikes and equipment the guys there are great with customer service and helping you out. You could even call ahead and let them know what you're looking for. Just a thought.

Why should a LBS spend roughly $1000 on a race wheelset that they are selling for around $1350 so someone like you can come into the store and check out the product, then turn around and mail order it to save a few bucks.

Ex. Guy is in store the other day. Takes up about 45min. of my time trying on shoes/looking at pedals, getting advice, doesn't buy anything, then shows up a week later with new shoes/pedals (bought online). Told me he saved tax. Wants me to install cleats properly...gets pissed because I want charge him $5.00 to install while he waits, even though we were very busy at the time.

Also - if most LBS only sold bikes, and pressed in headsets that customers bought online they would not be around very long. MOST shops are not ripping you off. I can tell you that , because I have worked in a local shop for a while.

I hope this post doesn't sound like I am being an ass, because that is not how I am trying to come across.

I don't think most LBS's are ripping me off. I took a basic mechanics course at my LBS several years ago that taught me enough to start doing my own work and building. I have one near me that is great and I use them as much as I can, but not at the expense of greater, well,...expense. However, if a bike shop is losing money to an online retailer, they should lower their prices to compete, or offer something worth me spending extra money at their place.

I didn't think you sounded like an ass. ;-)

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

If they provide you with valuable services such as fit, unique insights and advice on gear, are willing to bust ass and bail you out of a sticky situation if needed (ie - last minute repairs before a race, etc) then there is a strong reason to suppor them. If however, all they want to do is take your money and order stuff from a catalogue, then the incentive to support them is reduced. Somewhere along the line you'll have to decide when and where to draw the line.

We can't all live in Dearborn...

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
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All we ask at my shop is to give us a chance to see if we can match online prices.

If we can't and the difference online is worth $$$ I can't blame cust. for ordering. But sometimes people go about it in a rude manner.

Rude people suck ass.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Right on!!!

its three hours away, cept for a bike, im not driving 6 hrs to look at a bike seat, or the equivalent

hey, if they have it, id buy it, i always check out my LBS, and buy anything i can from them. I would never try something out there then buy it online. The thing is, why shouldnt i order it online when their entire attitude is, "we can order it". Weee, so can i.

I am often conflicted about what to buy online or ebay versus buying new from a LBS. The problem is when the price is almost nearly double in the LBS versus new online and its something that I can install myself. For example, a few weeks ago I went in and was going to buy a new cassette and didn't have the gear ratio I wanted but they said they could order it and said go ahead. I went in a week later and they still hadn't ordered it so I told them to forget it. I went online and was able to buy one for nearly half the price w/o sales tax with free shipping and got it quicker. Same thing with tubular tires: the shop wanted $124 for a Continental Competition tire and biketiresdirect.com wanted $65 for the same tire....hmm $250 for two tires or $130 online, I think its a no brainer (not to mention that shipping is often less than the sales tax and I can save an additional $10 making about a roughly $130-$135 savings just on two tires!)

I am sorry but I don't have that kind of cash to literally throw away just so I can feel good about supporting the local shops...I try to buy as much as possible from the ones I like but they have to provide something an online retailer can't to buy it from them. For example, the last pair of shoes I got the difference was only about $10, plus I got to try them on etc...so I bought it from them.

Because if you don't stock inventory, then you're basically a repair shop. There's still a big world out there that prefers to buy stuff in person.