LBS - love them or hate them?

[Cataboo]

Love the German Shepherd!

My LBS is great, but only because the guys there are great. If you don't know them I'm not sure its a good situation. They excel are giving newbies and Freds attitude!

Sometimes LBS give you the best possible deal. For instance, yesterday I bought a 1398 gram Easton EA90 SLX wheelset for the bargain price of $540. Oh, and since it was at Performance Bike i got another $100 in store "points" to spend on tires etc. WOW right. It pays to stop by the local shop periodically...

The ea90 slx's sell for $355.90 on chainlove.com when they pop up:

http://gearattack.com/items/11109

[fidlfreek]

Yes, but sold out....And the deal was available 5 months ago and for 2 minutes. So.

[Cataboo]

Yes, but sold out....And the deal was available 5 months ago and for 2 minutes. So.

Yeah, but just as I don't expect the local bike shops to always have their sales & clearances in stock - I don't expect online places to as well. Chainlove had the tubular ea90 slx's on sale 16 days ago, and the ea90 aero's about a month ago.

[msincredible]

You are not of this planet, are you?

I'm another non-bacon-loving alien.

Oh, and I'm happy with my LBS.

[Miranda]

That's too cute and funny! Btw, I do LOVE bacon. Hmm, maybe if my lbs had someone in the foyer cooking up some free bacon I could tolerate the bs better.

[GLC1968]

You are not of this planet, are you?

Probably not.

[Eden]

Love the German Shepherd!

My LBS is great, but only because the guys there are great. If you don't know them I'm not sure its a good situation. They excel are giving newbies and Freds attitude!

Sometimes LBS give you the best possible deal. For instance, yesterday I bought a 1398 gram Easton EA90 SLX wheelset for the bargain price of $540. Oh, and since it was at Performance Bike i got another $100 in store "points" to spend on tires etc. WOW right. It pays to stop by the local shop periodically...

ummm Performance isn't exactly a LBS..... kind of like saying K-Mart is a local variety store or your Micky D's franchise is a local restaurant....

I think if you want to call it a LBS it should be owned by a local small business owner and probably should have no more than a few locations in a relatively small area (so I wouldn't consider REI to be an LBS here, even though they are based here..)

[NoNo]

I used to love my new LBS (I moved). Bought my bike from them last year, had a question about the price I'd seen another shop charging for the bike, and they split me the difference. Great, I thought, an honest shop. I also thought it was nice that it came with free lifetime tune-ups and they offered a tire protection plan, which I've used. But lately I've been less enamoured with them. I've spent a decent amount of money there, I've brought in family and they've shopped there as well. Yet every time I walk in, it's as if they've never seen me before. Not the slightest hint of recognition. Now they've moved to a sleek new store, and it really changed the feel from local shop to big corporation. It also doesn't help that I live in a fairly wealthy town (though I am not one of the lucky ones), so their focus seems to be on selling higher-end gear. My old LBS used to give a discount if you were doing a charity ride, this place is like "Oh, that's nice, fork over the cash." I'm thinking I'd like to learn how to do things myself and only use them as a back-up. Or find another LBS, though it's so convenient to have a place right down the road.

[Fredwina]

I guess I'm really bacon.
I would like to support a LBS, and try to but a lot of time I wind up at REI. Between the selection and the fact that they are only shop open when I am off work on the weekdays, it makes it a little easier (plus, I am a member, so I do get the discounts

[shellkay1212]

I LOVE my LBS...I'm making cookies for the guys this weekend!

[Irulan]

I LOVE my LBS...I'm making cookies for the guys this weekend!

Ditto.
Nothing like showing up with warm cookies to turn the LBS guys into your friends.

[redrhodie]

Cookies for mine, too! Jeez, I wonder if they're inundated with them?

[Irulan]

I actually think they get more beer than anything. That is what guys always take them. I try to think of both the under age shop rats and the people who just don't drink.

I had someone tell me I shouldn't take cookies because they weren't healthy and someone who is training wouldn't want them.

[shellkay1212]

Yeah - I thought about taking a healthy version also. But I would venture to guess that during the holidays AND the 'off-season' - they just may indulge a bit.

[shellkay1212]

Oh and PS last weekend I took a couple of the guys out for some holiday cheer. They can't help but love me...