I think at this point, if I had a LBS that was good in other ways -- repairs, keeping basic essentials in stock, advice, supporting the local cycling community -- I'd probably go out of my way to buy more stuff from them, even at a moderate markup. (There are limits to my generosity.) I keep reading about these fabulous local bike shops, and they sound great, but they don't jibe with my own experience. At the two bike shops that are right in my neighborhood, I've been talked down to, overcharged over the quote they'd given my husband, lied to, laughed at, and ignored. It's actually worse than auto repair places, because those guys at least want your business enough to be smarmy; the bike shop guys are sometimes downright rude even if you're spending money. And both my husband and I have had no luck finding anyone at either shop who really knows how to fit a bike.

Last week I tried to buy a patch kit and levers, because ordering small stuff like that online is insane, and the shop nearest me didn't have any. What kind of a bike shop runs out of patch kits and levers?

So as much as I'd love to support those guys because they do support the local cycling community, I find myself buying most stuff online, at Performance, or at REI. The employees at Performance and REI are helpful even if I'm not riding a fixie. Maybe it's because they're working on commission, but sometimes I'd just like to get my bike repaired without being made to feel like an idiot.

When my husband had to file a claim with PayPal over a misrepresented bike he bought on eBay, he needed a bike mechanic to certify the damage, and the only one who would do it was the mechanic at REI. That guy was incredibly helpful; he wrote a very detailed report and uncovered proof that the bike had been wrecked, and he did it for free. I don't feel guilty about buying the occasional headlight from them, especially since the LBS probably doesn't have them in stock, anyway.