Just had bike serviced.......good value IMO

[arch684]

My nearest bike shop is 10 miles away but the 1 use is 16 miles from me but i do most work on the bike myself

 

[burntoutbanger]

My comment wasn't meant as a pop merely an observation.

I know I'm lucky in having a decent bike mechanic a short walk away. Where I used to live I was in a similar position to @Drago (and no doubt many others) nearest bike shop was in the next town over, a twelve mile trip.

For what it's worth I would say that local becomes nearest at somewhere around the three mile mark?

 

[Drago]

I don't get this "strip down the frame" thing. Why?

To check the metal is OK beneath the paint?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

To check the metal is OK beneath the paint?

Huh?

 

[jefmcg]

a short walk away.

somewhere around the three mile mark?

Yes, I think an LBS has to be walking distance. Exactly how far that is depends on your tolerance and your feet.

 

[lpretro1]

Alas, even were In inclined to do so to lift a bike onto the roof of the car, strap it down, drive 12 miles to the LBS, find somewhere to park, unload bike, walk it to shop, walk back to car, and drive home, I could have service the bike myself and saved the stress of driving

There are quite a few mobile cycle repair services nowadays all over the country who will cpome to you

 

[Will Spin]

It surprises me when I see how little some LBS charge for a service, I wonder how they can stay in business, perhaps they're hoping to make a profit on the sale of parts that need replacing.

 

[screenman]

It surprises me when I see how little some LBS charge for a service, I wonder how they can stay in business, perhaps they're hoping to make a profit on the sale of parts that need replacing.

Many do not stay in business, a lot of cyclist are very careful with their money. Unless of course they have managed to become mugs or fools, these I read on here are the only one's who have plenty. Odd when you think about it.

 

[FishFright]

Yes, but I'm with @burntoutbanger, if your nearest bike shop is 12 miles away, then you don't have an LBS.

Similarly for pubs. If the nearest pub is 12 miles away, then it's just the nearest pub and not your local.

If you really were an expert in pub distance topological studies you'd know the 12 mile limit related to foreign boats fishing in coastal waters and the true local pub limit is a complex function of slope angle, leg length equality, the wandering coefficient and modal average of the specific gravity of the beverages consumed.

As an aside: My currently publicly funded research paper is looking into how the viability of a local pub being a 20 mile ride away is affected by the said establishment having an adjoining camping field. I'm presently in the data gathering stage and hope to publish in the appropriate peer reviewed literature at some point in the 2030's.