Is it bad form to visit LBS with intention of buying online?

Anonymous

Honesty is the best policy.

Treat others as you would expect them to treat you ;-)

sparklehedgehog

trek_dan wrote:

Go into the shop and take a print out of the Wiggle bike with you. Get fitted up, check you like the bike and size. Explain that you have seen it cheaper online but would prefer to buy from them to support your LBS. 99% of good shops in this situation would cut you some sort of deal, be it price match, free servicing, free/discounted upgrade parts, free/discounted kit or a free bike fit if needed.

I have a personal rule of anything within 10% of internet pricing and I will always buy the shop version as I don't want the shops to go yet it's fair enough they have more overheads so if they try to compete within my margin they deserve the sale more.

IrishMac

In my experience, I spent €1500 on a bike from Wiggle, I was between sizes, 56 + 58cm, and went for the 58 in fear of the 56 being too small, in hindsight, I should've gone for the 56.
Had I bought in my LBS, I most likely wouldn't be looking at option for a narrower handlebar and shorter stem right now...
When I got it, everything was spot on, gears shifted perfectly, I didn't even have to oil the chain, so top service from Wiggle. After a few rides there was a bit of a creak out of Bottom Bracket, turned out the Bearing weren't sitting right or something of that sort, anyway, had to bring it to my mechanic friend to look at it and he sorted it. If I had of bought it off the LBS, I could've brought it straight back and had it fixed for free

Although I did get a full carbon frame, full Ultegra Gruppo and Shimano RS30 wheels for that €1500 (not pound!)

You could get a friend/wife/son to go in and enquire about the prices and models for you

There's also the fact that a LBS won't see you stuck, my uncle buys everything off of one and when the his bottle cage mount on his frame(long story,) buggered up, the LBS had him on an Orion until the frame was fixed

Hope this helps,
Cormac

Roberto2379

I would buy from your LBS all day long!

Reason being if we keep buying online we will loose the invaluable knowledge, experience and personal service that you get in a shop. I love having local bike shops available so I can browse and see things I didn't know were available. I can ask for advice, help and guidance on different aspects of cycling. And when it comes to buying a bike you can try various models and sizes so you get it right before you buy. And like some of the other people have said most decent bike shops will do you deals, finance your purchase and price match.

Buying from your LBS is investing in the future of that local service when you need it. You cant beat a hands on buying experience. Then if you have an issue they will do all they can to help you, you don't get that over an email.

Go to your LBS, test ride the bike you want and buy it from your LBS!

Grill

Your LBS clearly isn't an Evans or Tredz...

ugo.santalucia

My Rule of thumb...

Buy your bike in a shop and buy the rest online (clothing, upgrades etc... ). It is important to keep the shops in business and at the same time it is good to have online retailers that push low prices and push manufacturers to produce user-friendly components that don't need a PRO to be installed.
That said, a bike needs service, it needs fettling and unless you can do 100% yourself, it's best to have shop supporting you.
I do all my fettling but I have never bought a full bike online (OK, I have but from an independent shop who shipped it over... different ball game)

rolf_f

ugo.santalucia wrote:

My Rule of thumb...

Buy your bike in a shop and buy the rest online (clothing, upgrades etc... ). It is important to keep the shops in business and at the same time it is good to have online retailers that push low prices and push manufacturers to produce user-friendly components that don't need a PRO to be installed.
That said, a bike needs service, it needs fettling and unless you can do 100% yourself, it's best to have shop supporting you.
I do all my fettling but I have never bought a full bike online (OK, I have but from an independent shop who shipped it over... different ball game)

Hmmm, not sure that every few years buying a big ticket item with a low margin and using the online retailers regularly for higher margin stuff is necessarily the right way to do it from the LBS perspective. I see your logic though. I try to use High on Bikes as much as I can because I know that, excellent service aside, they do have a proper shop even if it isn't local to me. I use Evans occasionally usually using their price matcher but I rarely use the proper LBS's because I am mechanically mostly self sufficient and the shops aren't that handy anyway. And even if the price is competitive, the choice often isn't that great. I probably spend most at Ribble as they tend to have what I want at the price I want. Not an LBS but a reasonably local business.

I don't use the foreign online retailers now as a matter of principle.

rudivoller22

I wouldn't always assume lbs is more expensive. I always use the same shop and often get great deals. Just looking at purchasing a new bike and through discount and an upgrade it will cost me a lot less than online. Plus if it goes wrong I have somewhere I can go to try and sort it. That's invaluable. Now when I get it serviced i often get extras done for free that if I hadn't built a relationship with the shop of have to pay for. I suppose it depends if you live near a decent lbs.

adamfo

dilatory wrote:

My inseam puts me in the small and my heigh puts me on the medium. I put all my stats into the Canyon (another option) size guide and it suggested I buy small in their road bikes.

Go back and measure your inseam properly bearing in mind the Canyon calculator works almost entirely on inseam length not jean size !