LBS or internet buying???

martylaa

Who shops at their LBS as much as possible, i use my as much as i can.
Just read a online review of my local LBS, someone saying they had bought a bike online yet wanted to go into his store and sit on the bikes to try to confirm they were ordering the right size from online! Then he complained the store owner was not helpful to him! Seriously some people do my head in, if people don't support their local stores then they'll disappear and we'll end up with Halfords and a online store, thats it!
I know LBS cannot compete with internet stores but i do try and get my stuff from their if possible to get a face to face service.
Just bought a second hand bike and it needed a service, rang my local LBS yesterday and he said 1 week turnaround, really busy anyway dropped it off as i know his work, phone call this morning bike is ready to collect, you just can't beat service like that.

P_Tucker

Internet is cheaper. The end.

anto164

normally LBS's can provide bikes at a similar price to online. But you will normally pay more.

What you're paying for is a bike that fits, that is adjusted to you, and an easy direction of service for the bike. Normally, if you have a problem with a bike from an LBS, whether it's mechanical or anything else, they will have the time to sit with you for a while and sort the issue.

It's hard to do that with an internet retailer.

As for parts, bike shops can normally price match (Have you ever asked) even if they have to order in specially. I don't mind waiting a week for a part if it means i can get it from my LBS.

But yes, for some things, internet is cheaper.

MrChuck

Internet has stock, is cheaper, and saves me a trip into town. LBS usually doesn't have what I want, can't get it any quicker than I can, don't call when they say they will, and have done shoddy work on my bike.

I'm not purely driven by the best price (up to a point of course) and wouldn't like to see LBSs disappear, in fact I'd like to support them but too often this would be as a favour or an act of charity, and often they're not helping themselves at all.

That said, they've saved my bacon a few times with a new deraillleur on a friday afternoon etc., and I'd still rather buy a bike I've at least ridden round the block than one I haven't even seen- that's changing though.

martylaa wrote:

Just read a online review of my local LBS, someone saying they had bought a bike online yet wanted to go into his store and sit on the bikes to try to confirm they were ordering the right size from online! Then he complained the store owner was not helpful to him!

That's low though, I wouldn't do that unless I was prepared to buy from them.

Wacky Racer

I guess it all depends on your LBS. Some are no doubt very good, offer great service, and are sensibly priced. However, there are still plenty that don't carry enough stock, the shops aren't very clean, they don't offer good service and the prices are 15/20% more than online, and in some cases more than that.

The bottom line is that online offers convenience and competitive prices. LBS's must change if they are going to survive. You cannot continue to use the "try for size is best" argument forever and a day. There is a bike shop in Pershore, not far from me called Echelon, the shop is modern, immaculate and the staff are extremely knowledgable. Look around the town of Pershore and you'll see lots of people riding Echelon own brand bikes. That must be for a reason! This shop has the feel of an online shop, there aren't rows of bikes crammed in amongst last years stock and dirt and dust, every bike is reachable, every item in the shop is available for you to touch, try on, feel, etc. No they aren't the cheapest, but they are sensibly priced, and the staff are genuinely experts in their field.

Cleat Eastwood

Cheaper wins. My LBS didnt even have a set of brake/gear cables the other week.

GyatsoLa

Internet isn't always cheapest - you can often negotiate a price, or, for that matter, just wait for sales or clear-outs in your local shop. Cheapest quality kit I ever got was last year in my local shops sale. Often shops will sell things cheaper when its part of a service.

Even when a bike is cheaper online, that is only the raw bike price. If any niggles need to be sorted out, getting it done can be a difficult and expensive experience when buying online (especially if it has to be mailed back), while a good LBS should sort things out for free.

I'm usually a big supporter of keeping my LBS ticking over, and i'm happy to pay a small premium in order to ensure I have bike shops open in my locality. However, sometimes it is hard to justify when they don't give good service - I've had two bad experiences lately of (different) bike shops messing me around. But then again, I've also had to suffer poor service from online suppliers.

Its all about diversity. I'm glad there are companies like Planet X and Canyon selling great bikes online for great prices, as well as well stocked online shops like Wiggle. But if the local bike shop becomes a thing of the past it would be a huge loss to all cyclists. At the moment, I think there is a reasonable balance between the two, I hope it stays that way.

kev77

My experience is that if you walk into the big hitting bike shops you are just a potential customer.

On the other hand i send alot of business to the LBS who i have got to know well over the past 10 years and will do there upmost to look after you.

Dont get me wrong i do look at the big website's and they are appealing but as previous mentioned i love the " shopping experience " now i know how the misses feels with a loaded purse!

nferrar

Bikes, shoes and helmets I buy at LBSs, other stuff mostly Internet unless it's similar price in an LBS. No feelings of guilt on my side, an LBS is just a business at the end of the day. I wouldn't abuse their service though to check something fitted and then go and buy elsewhere...

golfergmc

LBS every time, but i`m lucky to have two cracking shops slane cycles and crc.

zexel

Defenders of the local bicycle shop say that online shopping can in no way rival the experience of entering a bike shop, being ignored by a staff of professionals, and paying a premium to cover their salaries. Advocates of internet buying say that buying online frees them from the constraints of being able to handle products and actually knowing what they're getting before it arrives six days later in a mangled box missing half its hardware. But regardless of whether you prefer good advice, bad advice, or no advice, brick-and-mortar and click-and-order will doubtless maintain their adversarial relationship for as long as there is crap to peddle.

waterford45

My lbs is quite happy for me to give him the chance of matching chainreaction or wiggle - its business to him and a smaller profit to him is more beneficial than if you buy online and he doesnt make anything

top_bhoy

The first LBS I ever used in Glasgow (large place near bus station), it deserves to shut down!! I spent a small fortune on a bike many years ago and they couldn't even have it fit me properly. Luckily at a later date I found somewhere of a far superior nature and never looked anywhere again.This other place - Big Al and Wheelcraft. Well worth the effort to get out there and the prices charged were price matched to those found in the cycling mag ads wherever possible. best of all worlds really.

Is Wheelcraft still around? I got a set of wheels the last time to take back with me to Oz when I was last over in Glasgow a couple of years ago.

In Oz, I normally buy from the UK over the internet - prices are half those charged in Oz even when postage is added. I do use the LBS but only for those rare jobs which require more than an Alan key.

P_Tucker

zexel wrote:

Defenders of the local bicycle shop say that online shopping can in no way rival the experience of entering a bike shop, being ignored by a staff of professionals, and paying a premium to cover their salaries. Advocates of internet buying say that buying online frees them from the constraints of being able to handle products and actually knowing what they're getting before it arrives six days later in a mangled box missing half its hardware. But regardless of whether you prefer good advice, bad advice, or no advice, brick-and-mortar and click-and-order will doubtless maintain their adversarial relationship for as long as there is crap to peddle.

ShutUpLegs

Has anyone ever asked for a discount in their LBS and successfully got one?

HadronCyclist

i give generous discounts to people unless they are complete knobs. like waterford45 said, I'd rather make a small profit and keep stuff ticking over than make none at all.... so yes some people's LBS's do give discounts!

Thelittlesthobo

Used my lbs for the last 10yrs. They always give me at least 10-15% off without being asked. Usually this brings there prices within a whisker if not cheaper than internet prices,

I always get asked for advice on bikes for friends kids so i must have gotten them 20-30 sales over the years so it works for everyone. They always give good deals to people i send their way.

Would never expect them to work for a loss and i never expect to pay oer the odds. Latest purchase was a Giro Monza for £63. Tried it on, liked it and took it to the till

andyjr

Depends on what your buying. Personally i'd never buy a bike without trying it first for size. Yes you can buy it cheaper on the net, but still you have to set it up & I wouldn't be 100% sure of getting it set up right. As such i'd would always buy a new bike from LBS so that it's set-up correctly. The one I use know me & I can go & have a chat with them about stuff & get good advice for free. They have also sorted out a couple of random noises without charge.

Stuff like clothing etc i'd use the net as there's a much greater choice