BMXman said:
what kind of riding do you do?, is your lbs involved in the riding scene you do? do they help orginize competitions? group rides? do you have parks to ride in? did a bike shop help you get that park?do they give back to the sport or just take from it? if you lbs is involved in any of this, and you benifit from it you should thank them by doing business with them. if they are not involved then they are not worthy of your business. as far as shopping by price only, one day you will understand that cheap price isn't as good as a good value of having a supportive lbs.pnj said:
teamkranzelbike said:
Im with you there. I ordered almost $1000 worth of parts before Xmas for myself and Xmas presents and NONE arrived. When I asked what happened, they said they forgot to order them and they would get right on it. I went to the shop just a few days ago and the only thing they got were 2 tires I ordered. I ordered 5!!!!bigkonarider said:
A buddy of mine wrecked his fork and was trying to get it warrantied by the shop we were riding for. That fork sat in the basement for a month before being sent out for warranty. The whole time they were telling him it was already gone...Kanter said:
thaflyinfatman said:
Mail order you can count on consistent service, but no personal touch. There are better companies (like the Performance companies or Colorado Cyclist) and they are lousy ones (the back of any magazine). A couple of their guys ride, but they are trying to sell you something because of the commission.Fury said:
sanjuro said:
You are probably right. I was thinking about complete bikes. One time I was on the phone with 1-2-3 bikes for 10 minutes, and the guy was a little too enthusastic for me not to believe there wasn't a commission involved.BigMike said:
that's the best. unfortunately, the shop i consider my LBS has no inventory. but i know when he orders from QBP, and i know when the orders arrive. if i need something from BTI, i call him, and it's here 2 days later. if i'm in dire need of something, i go to another shop in town that does have a lot, but isn't tops in my book (though, they're very, very popular in town. do a lot for the community)Acadian said:
Acadian said:
My LBS is (generally speaking) the same as that. Their prices are still higher than mail order (but still better than most shops), but they keep a LOT of stuff in stock (including spares for just about everything), their wheelbuilds are excellent, and they're good with orders. However most shops aren't up to that standard (which is why I go to that particular one), so you can hardly blame people for buying mail order. If that shop was to screw me around, I'd just go elsewhere (probably mail order).Acadian said:
I agree...reason why I understand why some choose to simply buy from online retailers. If Sun Bike Shop (my LBS) wasn't around, I would do the same. It took me over a year of shopping at different bike shops in my area until I found Sun. We have a supergo here, but to be honest, it doesn't carry much as far as components go - lots of clothing and complete bikes tho.thaflyinfatman said:
Which cdn online shops were you talking about? I know I've checked out a couple online places from BC but as soon as I saw the prices, I started laughing!Shmoe said:
So you're proposing that for an an avid cyclist a website with usefull technical data, news on current events, a few skills tips and tricks as well as a little bit of wrenching advice is just as usefull (or in many cases more usefull) as talking face to face with somebody who might know as much about bikes as you do?buildyourown said:
I know he's small, but he is still pretty much online only and limited service. He also doesn't have the overhead of a real shop. He's handy cause he has good selection and prices but I can still pick stuff up in person. He builds good wheels too.pnj said:
That right there speaks for itself. That is how the LBS looses business to the bigger chain stores. Where else can you get a 2.5 mobster for $19? They buy in such bulk that they get a killer deal on products as where your LBS buys 1-4 maybe? at the most. Volume is where those killer discounts come into play. I have no doubts that even LBS buy products from Supergo/Jenson/Pricepoint wherever and get them cheaper than their own cost.Acadian said:
he has his own place now. but when i bought some stuff from him (a rear wheel, then a complete bike) he was working out of his parents garage.the Inbred said:
pnj said:
As an employee of a LBS, I hate to say this, but it is hard to compete with a company like Go-Ride when it comes to DH/FR. No one at my shop has the experience tuning suspensions like them, including myself; and no one at my shop starred in a Thor Wixom video.Spunger said:I'd have to say if we had a shop as stand up as Go-ride, They would thrive off the DH crowd from around. Hell I've ordered most of the parts including 2 wheelsets from them for both my bikes. I have no issues with their pricing or services. I just like being able to call them up and explain what I need, they usually have it, and they ship it out. Plus I pay no CA sales tax which can be nice
For a while there I was on the email you and you guys bill my credit card and send it out. I went nuts for a while buying things. There's some things I know I can get cheaper which is mainly tires. I will not buy tires from anywhere but the cheapest as I am NOT spending $50+ on a stupid bicycle tire. Any other single part on the bicycle and the internet is where it's at. For people in the DH and FR world, Go-ride is one of the few shops that has employee's that all ride and wrench as well. It's not like going to my LBS and having to try to explain to a roadie or someone for all I know doesn't ride what bushings I'm looking to order or what size spring I need. It's just so much easier making a phone call and getting it overwith.
I am going to go off a limb here and say not really any small bike store is going to make a killing off parts, but it's their customer service that keeps people going back. Everytime I go into the LBS I look around and usually walk out. We have 2 major bike stores and once in a blue moon I'll buy something and it's not because of the workers but because I need it now. I've had better luck using online places (including Go-Ride) with asking questions and getting answers, then placing a order for what I need.
People will pay more if your customer service rocks. In any field (computers, automotive, bicycles, anywhere) if you take the time to explain things and are friendly that goes alot further than charging $10 more on a part.
