LBS Politics (LONG... sorry!)

[Running Mommy]

Ok, first of all, Cambria is a good shop. Just give the bike a good look over to make sure they didn't "trade out" components. I have heard some stuff about one of their shops. Don't know if it's true, but always good to be cautious...

Now as for buying a component online and then asking them to install it?? Ohh that made me bristle. It's kind of like taking your own food into a restaurant and sitting at their table and eating it. It just seems to be bad form IMO. There was a discussion amongst lbs owners in a trade mag about that recently. Some say they will, some say absolutely not. It's hard to exist as a brick and mortar with the internet folks under cutting you. BUT if they are not able to get the component you need, then I would say it's ok. Have you asked them if they can get it for you, and if so what kind of price they'll give you?
I know some shops will install for free if you purchase it from them. For our shop it just depends. I would think that most shops would be willing to work with you tho.
And NO, I do not think you are evil for buying online. When I'm pricing things for the shop I always try to look at what the online market is pricing it at. I can't always match it, but I try to stay within a stones throw.
One thing I don't think alot of people realize either is that some online stuff is previous years goods. So they think the lbs is overcharging them for say a 105 rear derailleur, but what they lbs is selling them is a current model, and the online version is 07 or older. If your lucky your lbs will have an older model on hand and is prolly discounting it.
As for the fit. Does this shop have a certified fitter on staff and charge for it? If so, then no worries. That's part of their business model. It's just another service, so I wouldn't think twice.

I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago. A lady came in and asked me to measure her for a bike. I took all her measurements and plunked them into the system. Gave her the size, saddle height, reach, etc. and then she took those measurements to my competition. Apparently she had a credit at the other store, so she was going to use it to order a road bike. She didn't like how the other lbs had measured her, so she came to me. Sure enough, He had measured her big. Which I attribute to the fact that he can't get the bike smaller than a 48cm. She measures at a 45-46. The bike she's getting will be too big for her. I'm sure I'll see it in here when it doesn't fit. I'm not certified yet (coming after Ironman) so I don't charge anything. And I also don't put it out there that I will do a professional fit. But I do know enough to be able to swap out stems, adjust cleats, etc.
I'm just hoping that by helping her it will eventually mean she'll actually spend some $$ at my store, rather than just use me for my knowledge. All I can do is hope. At this point I'm trying to spin it as good bike karma...

Hope this helps. You are not evil!! No worries!

[VeloVT]

Thanks everyone.

None of the local shops carry Scott. So I guess that makes it a little better?

I think I would never have the nerve to walk in with a crankset I bought on Ebay or Nashbar or whatever and ask LBS to install it. Not to say there's no temptation, but I don't think I could actually do it. I do need to learn to do my own mechanical work though.

The shop I have a relationship with is OK. I really like one of the sales guys there and one of the mechanics. I've also gotten BS from both sales and service, though, and as mentioned, they sometimes do a pretty mediocre job fixing my bike, so... I feel loyalty to them because, as mentioned, they do know me and my bikes. It's a little like feeling guilty for going to a new hairstylist when you realize you've had a string of bad cuts though.

RM, I am sure that if your shop were in my town none of this would be an issue.

[Blueberry]

My LBS guys work with me on stuff. I bought a Surly Cross Check on Ebay. I got a good price. I brought it to them to work on. They oo'd and ahh'd over the bike, and I spent over $100 getting it "just right." I also get them to order parts for me that I could just as easily order myself for the relationship. They work on my Bike Friday - it didn't come from them.

If they aren't a dealer in that kind of bike, they'll probably be cool with it. Just explain and communicate. The bad service sucks - mine will re-fix any minor problem, but honestly the wrench who does much of my work is so good it's never an issue......

RM - there may be liability issues with installing an unknown part. Another good reason....

[Running Mommy]

Thanks everyone.

None of the local shops carry Scott. So I guess that makes it a little better?

YES it does.

I think I would never have the nerve to walk in with a crankset I bought on Ebay or Nashbar or whatever and ask LBS to install it. Not to say there's no temptation, but I don't think I could actually do it. I do need to learn to do my own mechanical work though.

Yeah sounds good in theory, but hard to do huh?

The shop I have a relationship with is OK. I really like o
ne of the sales guys there and one of the mechanics. I've also gotten BS from both sales and service, though, and as mentioned, they sometimes do a pretty mediocre job fixing my bike, so... I feel loyalty to them because, as mentioned, they do know me and my bikes. It's a little like feeling guilty for going to a new hairstylist when you realize you've had a string of bad cuts though.


This part concerns me!! It reminds me of my prime competition, and why I decided to open our own shop. I really tried to like this shop. I did for awhile- I think I even posted some positives about it back in the day. But then I started noticing that the bike was in worse shape when I got it back from when I took it in. The guy couldn't get what I needed etc. I tried to turn a blind eye to it, but finally realized it just wasn't working out. And now all I hear from my customers are complaints about this guy. It was hard to come to that realization, because I really like the guy. but he just couldn't handle my needs.
Ironically one of his employees came in lastnight and was chatting w/ us. He told me that the guy knows it's me that opened the shop and is super bitter. I had sent a lady there to get specialized spin shoes because he's a specialized dealer. I guess when she went in there she told him I had sent her over. The guy said the look on his face was priceless. It's hard to hate someone when they send you business. lol
RM, I am sure that if your shop were in my town none of this would be an issue.

See my replies inside the quote

[tulip]

RM has the right attitude and advice. I bought one of my bikes from my LBS, and the others I did not, but my LBS works on all of them. But I buy my tires and tubes there, and my shoes. I also buy my shorts there, even though shorts are cheaper at Performance. That extra $10 is worth it to me to shop local and to get my shorts right away. I support my LBS in small ways with tubes etc as well as in larger ways (bike). I also have them work on my bike when I can't do it myself. I would never bring in parts that I bought elsewhere to install.

Because of this, they pushed a repair up because I needed it done pronto. I would not expect them to do that if I was not a regular customer. You do get what you pay for, and in the long run, I'm not spending much more (if any) than I would by shopping at Performance or other internet bike sites (I'm not an ebayer).

That said, I do go to the original Performance shop when I visit North Carolina and check out their bargain room from time to time. I have found some great deals on jerseys there.

[emily_in_nc]

So, did I commit a faux pas? This week I took my mountain bike (which I purchased on ebay last year) to a bike shop I'd never been to to install a suspension fork I'd also purchased on ebay. I don't really have an LBS as we moved fairly far away from the shop I'd bought a couple bikes from before (road bikes), and my most recent road bike is a Bike Friday, which was ordered direct from BF. My DH or I do most of our own maintenance, so we only need a bike shop on rare occasions.

A mountain biking buddy of mine recommended this shop, so I walked in with my bike and my fork and asked them to install it. I certainly didn't dicker on price and paid their usual labor charge. I didn't feel too guilty taking in a fork I'd purchased on ebay, because suspension forks are pricy, and I couldn't really afford a brand new one. This was a 2005 model, lightly used, so I got it for slightly less than half the price of a new one. (A new fork like mine would cost in the $700 range from an LBS.) I didn't tell them I purchased it from ebay, and for all they knew, I could have bought it from a friend.

Not everyone can afford to buy everything brand new, be it bikes or parts, and I believe in recycling and reusing when possible as well. So, do LBSes understand this at all? Or can I assume the folks at this shop were cursing me behind my back?

Emily

[kat_h]

My comments are going to be a bit more general. I work in a music store and we constantly have people coming in to have work done on guitars that they bought cheaper somewhere else. We charge them full price on labour and make decent money off it. When people bring in instruments that were bought at the shop they get a heavy discount on the labour and get priority on bench time. We do get annoyed at the customers who bring in guitars bought elsewhere and then expect free labour, as long as the stores are making money on the work and the customers are happy to pay it shouldn't usually be a problem. Shops should feel comfortable charging enough to make this worth their while too. A good service department can make decent money.

[blueskies]

While we're thinking about supporting businesses that provide value & which earn our support, let's remember Team Estrogen, right?

[Blueberry]

Not everyone can afford to buy everything brand new, be it bikes or parts, and I believe in recycling and reusing when possible as well. So, do LBSes understand this at all? Or can I assume the folks at this shop were cursing me behind my back?

Emily

Emily-

I think it depends on which shop it was....My LBS would be cool with it. I also think purchasing a couple year old pretty expensive fork is *way* different from ordering a rear cluster for $5 less from performance and then expecting them to install it. Just my 2 cents.

Slightly OT - how did you guys learn so much about maintenance??

CA

[Geonz]

a lot depends on the individuals. Bike shop folks can be opinionated ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L1m1QIFTtg is a pretty amusing depiction of one of our local character who professes that he's "fired a few customers.")

Still, I see this going in one of two directions: if you don't bring this in there, you may start buying stuff for it online more... you could drift further from the shop and more to online... not good for their business.

I'm going to be arrested for metaphor abuse but:

YOu aren't married to the bike shop, but you feel you've 'cheated' on it. Welp, it doesn't have to be the end of the relationship YOu just had needs that were met by somebody else for a little while... and they bore fruit... so you're asking the bike shop to help you take care of the 'baby' but ... you're payin' them to do it. It's not love, it's business. Kinda like if you got your hair done by another hairdresser - you can still go back to the original and patch things up?

[emily_in_nc]

I think it depends on which shop it was....My LBS would be cool with it. I also think purchasing a couple year old pretty expensive fork is *way* different from ordering a rear cluster for $5 less from performance and then expecting them to install it. Just my 2 cents.

It was the Bicycle Chain on Hwy 70 in Raleigh. An easy drive from work during lunchtime, great parking, etc. The shops in Chapel Hill, which are closer to where I live, are more difficult to park at, and going there means I have to give up valuable weekend time. I'm relieved reading some of the newer posts that they probably weren't peeved at me under the circumstances!

Slightly OT - how did you guys learn so much about maintenance??

I don't know much at all, but Barry is quite mechanical. And frugal. So he is able to fix a lot of stuff on our bikes that break, but we rarely have any serious problems. It's mostly installing new chains, tires, cogsets, pedals, saddles, lubing, etc. He has that huge bike mechanic book from Performance that has been very helpful with stuff over the years. He doesn't do builds from scratch or anything like that, though. When I bought a bare frame on ebay a few years ago, I took it to a bike shop and ordered the gruppo, handlebars, etc. from them, they installed all that (and made a LOT of money off me -- can you say Campy Chorus?! )

And Barry doesn't know about mountain bikes so when I need help with that, I take it to a shop. The shop I'd used when I first bought the bike and wanted some parts changed out, checked, etc., I gave up on this time, since they were too busy with custom bikes and servicing same to handle something as petty as a fork replacement. Kinda snobby... So, a mountain biking friend recommended the Bicycle Chain, and I am glad I tried them out -- I'll be back. But I will still shop at Performance for a lot of things (not things I expect the other shop to install!) because they're convenient (we can bike there) and cheaper.

Emily