Chicago area based triathletes - where are you shopping these days?
Running Away Multisport up in Deerfield is where I get most of my general tri stuff–shoes, clothes, etc. My wife works in a bike shop so get my cycling equipment there. RAM also put on some good races in the Chicagoland area so I like to support them in as many ways as I can.
Element multisport. I had a bike stolen recently and had a great experience repurchasing my replacement bike and additional toys with them.
For shoes I have and always will go to Fleet Feet in Old Town.
I’m out in the N/W Suburbs, so the best place for me is Wheel Werks in Crystal Lake. Mainly a bike shop, but the “triathlon” section there has expanded quite a bit recently. Swim stuff for me tends to just be goggles which I order online. Running gear, there’s a couple good running stores.
Really miss having a good triathlon store out this way. Got quite a lot of stuff ( esp. big ticket items, like bikes and wetsuits ) from Mission Bay over the years before their fiasco.
Sadly, everything online these days, and I do my own wrenching. Retail prices at shops are too pricey. Yes, people have good relationships w/shops, etc, feel like a vip when walking in, etc, but honestly, if you know what you need you can get it cheaper online. But I’m probably speaking n=1 in my case.
Get a Grip is a good everything shop, Tri and Road bikes and a pretty good selection (Cervelo, Cannondale, Serotta, Parlee, Scott).
Nearer home, Element is pure tri, and Running Away is a mix of both leaning towards bike/run.
Performance is always good for small stuff and tires, online prices at B&M site.
GAG sponsors my team but they have bent over backwards for us
Running away is very good, so is Urban Tri Gear.
I bought a helmet from Endure it and probably wouldn’t go back.
Agreed with a previous poster, online mostly. But if I do peruse a brick & mortor shop, Get a Grip and Performance Bike mostly. I avoid Fleet Feet as much as I can. There’s a “too cool for school” vibe that just gets under my skin, imho.
Steve,
I’m in the city & spend as much time as I can in local shops.
Element Multisport is a fine establishment, same can be said for Running Away Multisport.
I am familiar with all the others, and have given them business on occasion, but there is a reason I have kept it at the two mentioned above.
Running Away, Universal Sole, Performance Bike (for “bike commodity” parts and nutrition) and Online - - mainly because these are the easiest for me, open when I’m not at work etc.
I did have an interesting shoe experience though which will make me consider buying my next pair of running shoes in store - - which store? Whichever is cheapest since I know what shoe I want - - but I bougt a pair of Saucony Kinvaras at FF - -love them so stocked up on-line at a discount. Without a doubt, the shoes I bought on line are in fact heavier than the shoes from the store - - potentially they were an older year? Don’t know – really doesn’t impact me as an athlete much (I’m not finishing on the podium anyways), but wierd. Since I know what I want I find FF a pain. I feel like I’m cutting in line if I ask a sales associate to just get me my specific shoe and size so I tend to no longer shop there.
Is Wheel Werks Bob Klein’s shop? He was one of the best mechanics I ever worked with…
I’ve been going to Get A Grip for a number of years now, they never steer me wrong. No attitude, everyone there is knowledgeable and helpful. Can’t recommend them enough.
Naperville Running Company is quite good for the running kit too.
I live in close proxmity to many of the shops mentioned in the western suburburbs (Endure IT, Urban Tri Gear). I shop more and more at Performance Bike for the necessities because they always have a deal going on something I need. I recently discovered Running Away Multisport in Deerfield and found that to ge a really good all around shop for when I am in that neighborhood. As far as I am concerned, RAM is the most comprehensive tri store in the area because you can get everything in one place and no B.S. I am a huge fan of DeSoto and tend to order clothing directly from them or TriSports online.
If I were in the market for a new bike, I would start my shopping at Get a Grip in the city based on reputation.
I’m obviously a bit biased as I work at Element Multisport. That being said, you can probably guess where I’m doing my shopping these days. 
We also have a full service shop with some excellent mechanics as well as our new fit studio utilizing the Retul computerized fit system.
For all you online shoppers, we recently revamped our website to include online shopping, check it out at www.elementmultisport.com
Runner’s High & Tri in Arlington Heights followed by Running Away Multisport in Deerfield.