LBS vs discount prices

[OakLeaf]

I guess if I knew any LBS with an extremely wealthy absentee owner, then I might think again. But all the LBS I know are somewhere on the scale between not having any employees, and not being completely sure where their employees' next paycheck is coming from. And even if the owner were taking most of the money out of state, they would still be creating jobs in my community, and paying property and payroll taxes.

I do shop at TE, only because my LBSs, being that small, just don't stock much of any clothing. The biggest ones have maybe 4-5 styles of women's shorts, the smaller shops less than that. TE is hardly the size of Performance Bike, and (this is an important point) although they do have specials, as a matter of policy they charge full retail, which means they're not undercutting anyone. In the case of clothing, for me it's not a choice between TE and LBS, it's a choice between mail order and driving 200 miles.

Parts and equipment, always the LBS. Even though I almost always do the installation myself and labor is really their lifeblood...

My local running shops are much better stocked, and I buy all my running shoes and almost all my clothing there.



(Which all reminds me, again, that I miss RunningMommy around here and wonder how she's doing. But the ride schedule at her shop's website was just updated last week so I guess they're hanging in there.)

[azfiddle]

I'm a newish rider (3 mile trips to the store until June of this year). My closest bike shop is a Performance Bikes outlet, less than a mile from the house. Everyone there is friendly and has given good service to us. Although I didn't get a really expensive road bike, they listened to what I wanted, fit me to the correct size bike, didn't try to sell me something more than I could afford but explained why they didn't recommend I get the absolute entry-level road bike they had in stock. I have been very happy with every accessory I've added over the last few months that I purchased there, often with the employees' suggestions.

I've stopped in at the next closest shop, but it carries many fewer accessories and clothes, and since I already have the bike, I haven't been back recently.

My husband has dealt with a lot of the other shops in town- and has had very good service from one in particular that rebuilt a wheel for his Dahon for him.