LBS Loyalty ???

As far as pedals go, I love my two sided ones. Anytime I get in a situation on my mtb that I'm not comfortable with, such as an area of trail I've never done before or a portion where I need to be able to put my foot down, I have that option.

For the LBS, there are two near me, one I use as much as possible because they are more than willing to work with me and my limited budget, answer any questions I have, and have a pretty good selection of WSD. If I can't get what I need there then I'll go online, but only after I've checked them first. As far as the other shop, I won't go near them again. A couple of my friends and I have all tried them, and they were rude to every one of us, kinda that little girl doesn't know anything about bikes attitude. I've given up on them.

I personally stay loyal to one shop for maintenance. But for pedals, clothing, accessories, etc... I shop around. You have to get what you want and for the right price. If the shop I get my bike worked on at has it for the a reasonable price, I go there first. Today I had to go to a competitor to get my husband a helmet for his birthday tomorrow because my favorite shop was out of his size. A lot of times we order clothing from the internet because it is a better value and selection.

My opinion- stay loyal when you can and don't feel bad for buying what you want where you want. ;)

I went to another LBS today (on recc from a TE member) so now I have 2 favorite shops. Recycled Cycles (www.recycledcycles.com) and Ti Cycles (www.ticycles.com)

Ti Cycles had some awesome pedals (shimano/rat trap on both sides) that RCC didn't have. The sales chickie was very cool and very helpful to a "newbie" in the clipless world. That'll be coming up later, when I'm ready for clipless. Ti Cycles was all about getting me comfortable with the pedals, so I'm getting really psyched about it. (maybe Saturday... hmmmmm)

I got my Ibex knickers there for 40% off. Yeah, baby!

I'm very into LBS, and having a couple to choose from is a happy thing in my world.

IS IT MY IMAGINATION OR DO YOU BIGGER LADIES (LIKE MYSELF)UNABLE TO FIND SAY MTN BKE SHORTS THAT FIT YOUR SIZE-ITS LIKE THE MANUFACTURERS ALREADY BELIEVE ALL THE WOMEN ARE SMALL AND FIT-THE IDEA IS THAT THEYRE ARE SOME OF US OUT HERE STILL TRYING TO GET INTO THOSE SIZES-IE XXL IS 34? WHAT PLANET ARE THEY FROM. IM A 38 on a bad day.. AND ALL IM LOOKING FOR IS A MTN BIKE SHORT THAT FITS ME HIPS! help.:cool:

Yubagirl why not shop here. Susan deserves an LBS status among us. She offers much in the plus size department. Just go to the upper left corner and find "click to shop".

She also goes above and beyond (not to mention providing this fabulous forum) in describing clothes in detail. Who else always gives pics of the chamois and length of shorts.

GO SUSAN, QUEEN OF LBS - CLOTHES AND MISC. ! :cool:

Some times we forget the gold right here.


Carole

I get as much as I can from my LBS for a number of reasons. It is a strictly local store; even though the brother of the owner own the bike shop the next town over, and the nephew owns a shop 2 towns south, they have resisted the urge to form a mini chain. My LBS is now facing in-town competition from one of the larger bike shop chains here in Mass. I have nothing against this chain, they support MassBike and PMC. I'm not sure why they relocated their southern-most branch from a college-town to a town that already had a bike shop. I doubt that they want to put another shop out of business, but the fact is that since they can be open 7 days a week they will take a fair chunk of business from my LBS.

Why am I so loyal to my shop? Because they have a 20 year history of loyalty and service to my family. Paul taught my son about credit, by letting him re-build his BMX component by component. The final component was the new frame that changed his basic BMX to a top-flight Haro free-style. They have gotten accounts set up with vendors that they haven't previously dealt with so that they could order things for me. They often do all that, and still give a price that is competitive to web prices. While they don't carry a lot of WSD stuff, indeed they don't carry much clothing at all, they often ask me if I would be interested in a new item that a vendor is listing. They are well aware of my gadget propensities, and often have the info on hand when I come in to ask if they could get something or other. They know my riding style and size requirements and currently are helping me in locating parts for the bike build I'm doing, and ultimately Paul or Doug will do a road check of the finished bike to be sure I didn't screw up. Why wouldn't I do as much business with them as I can?

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Originally Posted by Yubagirl

IS IT MY IMAGINATION OR DO YOU BIGGER LADIES (LIKE MYSELF)UNABLE TO FIND SAY MTN BKE SHORTS THAT FIT YOUR SIZE-ITS LIKE THE MANUFACTURERS ALREADY BELIEVE ALL THE WOMEN ARE SMALL AND FIT-THE IDEA IS THAT THEYRE ARE SOME OF US OUT HERE STILL TRYING TO GET INTO THOSE SIZES-IE XXL IS 34? WHAT PLANET ARE THEY FROM. IM A 38 on a bad day.. AND ALL IM LOOKING FOR IS A MTN BIKE SHORT THAT FITS ME HIPS! help.:cool:

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I haven't found a decent-fitting pair of shorts in any bike shop in town. Besides being heavy, I'm tall at 5'11" I feel like a freak trying to find bike clothes in the LBS's. At least we have a great women's plus-size clothing store near me...they don't have acutal cycling clothes, but I can make do with their line of exercise wear. :mad:

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Originally Posted by Quillfred

Susan deserves an LBS status among us. She offers much in the plus size department. Just go to the upper left corner and find "click to shop".
Some times we forget the gold right here.

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You US gals are lucky to have TE! It'd be nice to have some place similar in Canada, but AFAIK, we don't. :(

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Originally Posted by Popoki_Nui

[...]I'm tall at 5'11" I feel like a freak trying to find bike clothes in the LBS's.[...]

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Popoki, we can be freaks together. :D I'm 5'10.5 (I'm NOT giving up that 1/2 inch :p) and know what you mean about finding clothes. It can be tough.

One thing that drives me nuts is seeing "XL" on a jersey.... and looking and seeing that "XL" means, in that case, a size 12. I *hatehatehate* that. It's like most bike clothes manufacturers make clothing for small lithe skinny people and forget about us. :mad:

At least I can find shorts that work well. When I first started riding I used my husband's old pair of shorts and the chamois just wasn't right. I wear PI's top-end shorts now and I'm always afraid of trying something new. :/

Mel

I try to be loyal to my LBS but if they don't carry the products I want, then I go elsewhere. Like when I got my Lemond, I *would* have bought from the LBS I rode in a club with. But the owner doesn't carry anything by Trek (some sort of grudge). And I'm not interested in the bikes he carries. So when I showed up on my new bike, he was a bit cranky about it. But that was his problem, not my and my shiney new bike's problem. :D

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Originally Posted by Melody

One thing that drives me nuts is seeing "XL" on a jersey.... and looking and seeing that "XL" means, in that case, a size 12. I *hatehatehate* that. It's like most bike clothes manufacturers make clothing for small lithe skinny people and forget about us. :mad:

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Yeah, really! :mad: On what planet is size twelve an XL anyway??? Geez that's annoying. I look like Herman Munster in those alleged "XL" sizes :D Shorts and T-shirts I can find, but try to find long tights/leggings for winter riding in size 18-20?? Forget it.
~Sherry.

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Originally Posted by Popoki_Nui

Yeah, really! :mad: On what planet is size twelve an XL anyway??? Geez that's annoying. I look like Herman Munster in those alleged "XL" sizes :D Shorts and T-shirts I can find, but try to find long tights/leggings for winter riding in size 18-20?? Forget it.
~Sherry.

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Popoki, look for Pearl Izumi Therma Fleece leg warmers. They come in both Large and XL and the way I wear them is I put on socks, then the leg warmers and pull the leg warmers all the up next to my crotch so that they go above the thickest section of my thigh. I then put on my shorts which have the grippy legs. I've found the leg warmers fall down less often. :) I personally wear the large size and they are comfy warm.

Mel

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Originally Posted by Melody

Popoki, look for Pearl Izumi Therma Fleece leg warmers. They come in both Large and XL and the way I wear them is I put on socks, then the leg warmers and pull the leg warmers all the up next to my crotch so that they go above the thickest section of my thigh. I then put on my shorts which have the grippy legs. I've found the leg warmers fall down less often. :) I personally wear the large size and they are comfy warm.

Mel

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I'm a size 14/16 in the real world and recently ordered the Pearl Izumi leg warmers. I bought the size medium (I guess they are men's - didn't see any women's sizes) and they fit me without having to pull them all the way up to my crotch...and I carry most of my weight in my butt and thighs...hope that helps you pick a size. I guess the clothing manufactures don't realize that if a woman is a size 14 or better she probably doesn't want to wear skin tight jerseys...give me the loose "club fit" jerseys. I've just decided to always order an XL or else I'll just be paying to ship it back.

my lbs went out of business :( a few years ago. I worked there part-time. I have found another lbs that I am very happy with: The Hub in Providence, RI. really good guys--they knew the owner of my old lbs, they are fair, honest and reasonable. If they don't have it, they will order it for me.

I also frequent Laughing Dog in Amherst, Mass. when I am at school, another good lbs. Have gone there for mechanical stuff when I can't get back to Providence. Actually, the owner of the Hub knows the owner of Laughing Dog...I didn't know this until recently!

I am pretty loyal but have shopped on-line at TE or Wallingford Bikes (referred by an LBS) when I wanted to try a Brooks Saddle b/c of their 6 mos. guarantee. So, some on-line shops are like an lbs for me.

Except for EBay and other online clothes purchases I do, most of my shopping is at the same LBS. My daughter's long-time boyfriend works there so he gives me a hard time if I talk about going anywhere else....of course with the great discounts he gives me I don't have much reason to.

My daughter does have another friend who works at a larger competing LBS, so that's my backup store. We took both of these friends to Colorado snowboarding this winter so with them both being bike mechanics I never have to worry about getting any work done on my bike. Yes, I am sometimes evil and tell the boyfriend that if he doesn't have time for my bike I could always ask the other friend to do it....it works everytime. My daughter has no interest in bikes and she loves to complain when we get into bike discussions.