RIP Agoura Cycles...

[Aggie_Ama]

I get free lifetime tune-ups when I buy a bike there. this bike will make number three from them

I heart my LBS.
Even if you think you found a deal online it usually isn't by the time you pay shipping.

I agree. About the only thing I go online for is shorts because the LBS hasn't figured out bibs are way better.

[Blueberry]

I agree. About the only thing I go online for is shorts because the LBS hasn't figured out bibs are way better.

Clothes - I go online for (or to REI). My LBS hasn't figured out to carry much women's wear at all - and certainly not my preferred shorts.

Within reason, though, LBS. I give them almost every part order, usually buy all tires and tubes, locks, etc. there.

CA

[Zen]

Clothes - I go online for (or to REI). My LBS hasn't figured out to carry much women's wear at all - and certainly not my preferred shorts.

Do they know this?

I had the good timing to be at the shop when the PI rep was there recently, taking an order for next fall. You can bet he and the owner heard more from me than I'm sure they wanted to.

They have a gorgeous wool jacket coming...

[Blueberry]

Yep - I've talked to the manager at length. Have also tried to get him to focus on women's fit issues. He would love to do more, but with a limited budget he buys what he knows will sell. Truthfully, I think the decision may be being made higher up than him. He doesn't really have the money in the budget to experiment much (they're part of a small, local chain - 5 stores). He has a hard time even getting certain kinds of bikes in the store.

CA

[Aggie_Ama]

I do hit up the LBS sale for clothes or even sometimes I pay full price. Most of my jerseys came from there courtesy of DH. I bought my pedals there, my new snazzy Atmos helmet, mountain shoes, all those gels, CO2, tubes, floor pump. We often buy tires from the shop because they have a great selection and I can have it today, no shipping, no waiting. I really rely on the LBS and mostly go online when it is something the LBS doesn't carry.

I am an REI member so they do get some business as well. I wonder when we get that dividend? March?

[Blueberry]

I wonder when we get that dividend? March?

I asked Friday when I was in the store - they said they mail them on March 1.

[Aggie_Ama]

I asked Friday when I was in the store - they said they mail them on March 1.

Oh goody. We bought a lot this year, a lot of sale but a lot not. Might be halfway decent.

[kacie tri-ing]

Yeah march 1!

I love my lbs too! I have been asking them how they are doing, and they think they are going to be fine for a while! I sure hope so!

[Aggie_Ama]

I think the one I frequent will be fine because it is the powerhouse of Austin but some of the smaller guys may not. I would prefer to frequent those because the service is personal but the selection is so much better at mine. I have really gotten to know the service department and they don't remember my name but they know me. I can't remember any of their names but I know which one listens best and wrapped my bars to me liking. Good enough.

[Running Mommy]

As for the clothes... UGH it's hard. I have an entire womens section and cant sell anything to save my life. I'd like to think I have a nice selection of jerseys, but they just don't sell. So I'm sitting on a bunch of dead stock that I plan on practically giving away at our sidewalk sale next month.
I think most women are going online for clothes. Great for TE, not so much for us. But thats ok. We are going to go in a new direction and move more towards custom shop jerseys.
And thanks to you ladies you have sparked my creative side to design some cool one!

[ridebikeme]

Aint Doody had a great point! For all of those who buy online, we are the reason that our local businesses aren't doing well!! Of course, the local business has some of that responsibility as well... but the reality is that we have to some degree created this!

If your local business doesn't carry what you want, perhaps they can special order it for you... I know that happens quite a bit in our area. If that isn't an option, then you have no choice.

What I have learned is this: after 17 years I certainly do NOT know everything. Just because something sold one year, it doesn't mean that it will the next year. Some times certain price points change completely from one year to the next. The key is to pay attention to what your customers want... and that is something that happens constantly. That is something that many businesses forget... we have so much to do, but the reality is that if you don't pay attention... then you have very little customers.

I would encourage everyone to shop locally! Try and support the smaller local business, in the long run, most are the ones that will help when you need it.

RM, as for you online customers, do the repair work and EDUCATE them at the same time. Explain to them what is happening, and the difference in quality between what Walmart has and what you offer. If they choose to shop online, then that's their choice. When I go to my local car mechanic, if I buy tires elsewhere... they charge me more for labor! That's a standard practice!! Explain to them that in order to keep you labor rate down, you make a small amount on parts... if you don't sell parts then the labor rate unfortunately has to go up.

Lastly, for all of you who want to service your own bikes; I think that's wonderful. However, with all of the information here and other websites, you are taking business away from your LBS. I realize that we all want to save money, but the other side of that coin, is exactly what we are talking about here in this forum!!

I hope that local business does survive this next year or so, and I would encourage all of you to work with them and help make that happen. CAn you suggest to a friend or coworker where to buy something? Local business keeps money in your area... and that is something that helps everyone!

[Aint Doody]

Well said, Ridebikeme!

[Bluetree]

I am friendly with the owners of four local LBSs, and I can see the predicament that they're in. Campagnolo, for instance, forces LBSs to maintain a strict pricing structure, lest they be threatened with "removal" from their vendor list. I saw the price lists – even the official cover page forbids the bike shop owners from discussing "other shop prices."

For high-end boutiques – whose clientele is 50%+ Campagnolo – it's a no win situation. European companies are not bound by the laws of forced pricing, enabling them to be more competitive, and in many cases, crushing their North American counterparts.

Take PBK, for example. I bought a bunch of Campy Record chains for $34 (no tax, free shipping). In comparison, my LBS's wholesale cost is $50. Their suggested retail price is $90. It's not fair. And while I try to throw them a bone once in a while (my bikes are serviced more often than need be, admittedly), the savings difference is too extreme to stay domestic.

As much as people harp on a company like Specialized for being heavy handed towards their vendors, their ban on selling the bikes online has saved many an LBS. You are pretty much forced to buy through a dealer, and those Specialized Concept Stores are better off than a lot of independents, who see their online competitors undercut them on almost everything.



P.S. I'm sad to see Agoura Cycles go, but a former employee told me they were hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to Giant. Bicycles John's, another reputable bike store and a big club/team supporter, is supposedly taking over the place.

[redrhodie]

After reading this thread, I headed over to my lbs and bought a few things, a co2 inflator, a tube, splurged on tires for dbf's road bike. Then, Jim tried to sell dbf a Pinarello frame "cheap". Um, yeah. I've been down that road before. There's no cheap way to set up a Pinarello for picky dbf. Had he tried, instead, to sell me a 'cross bike, I may be posting a pic right now.

I hope he's not reading this. I'm trying to refrain from more bikes.

They seem to be doing okay, though.

[Cataboo]

I liked my Trek FX so much I'm getting a higher level FX (the 7.6) to ride as a road bike.

For some reason the WSD series only goes to 7.6 (tiagra ) while the men's goes to 7.9 (Ultegra).
I might switch up to a higher end drive train (105 or Ultegra) if someone can convince me it would make much difference.

I'm not sure it makes enough difference to warrant the amount of money you'd have to put into it to do it - shifters are expensive.

But if you want to compare, you're near me, you sound like you're my size & I've got one bike that's a 10 speed 105 triple & one bike that's a 10 speed ultegra double. I can't really tell the difference between the 105 & ultegra shifting.

I do prefer 10 speed shifters to the 9 speed 105's though.


I'm one of those bad shopping online people. I only do it when it's something that I can't get cheaper in the local bike shop. I went into the bicycle escape the other weekend and bought a chain & a powerlink... I looked at some of the other stuff, but couldn't see paying $50 for red skewers when I can get $15 ones shipped online. Now, maybe they're higher quality $50 red skewers... but I just want red. I tried to get a front derailleur from a lbs the other weekend, but they didn't have one that would work.

I have noticed that I'm buying a lot more from smaller LBS's online than from say performance or nashbar... Lots of bike shop ebay sellers or small websites. So maybe that would help Running Mommy move some more merchandise.