LBS prices..........an interesting slant on it.

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DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
An LBS needs to change; one of my local ones has just put in the cafe and I'd agree they need to become a workshop fitting key items. The good example I've seen is Green Jersey Cycles in Clitheroe - good cafe, workshop next to it and items. They can do the whole package.
 
If cycling increases in general to be the standard form of transport for short trips, it could survive on easy repairs from people who can't/won't get their hands dirty. Like me. And services. But all bike shops around here open 10am (so past the commuting rush where you could nip in en-route to drop it off for a fix).
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
[QUOTE 3807903, member: 45"]Like I said, they're in Ireland.[/QUOTE]
I'm confident that when I was in their warehouse showroom last week, I was still in Northern Ireland :laugh:
 

Vapin' Joe

Formerly known as Smokin Joe
The old fashioned LBS is indeed dead, and in most cases good riddance. 10% were excellent, the rest varied from adequate to crap. The way forward is to do what Pembrokeshire Bikes did when they opened in Fishguard (Now moved to Narberth) in 2009. Concentrated on high end bikes but offered a service to match, professional bike fits, made a big thing of catering for female riders in a non patronising way (Yeah ok love, we'll see if we can get one in pink for you), organised weekend rides, sponsored a local guy, got fully involved in all the events in the county by providing training rides and advice for newcomers to the sport and mechanics services on the day. They also run regular courses on maintenance and have earned a reputation as THE place to go in Pembrokeshire.

I don't particularly need a cycle shop as I am self sufficient when it comes to the spanners, but I still appreciate having a local shop for things I can't or won't buy online, such as clothing and footwear. In my experience some of the biggest complainers about the prices an independent shop HAS to charge are those who can't remove a valve cap on their own without a trip to casualty and have to run to the shop to get it done. So if you need and value your LBS then accept that they have to charge more than Wiggle and CRC to stay in business, just like your corner shop has to charge more than Tescos and stop whining.
 

vickster

Squire
Got loads of bike shops within say 8 miles of home. Probably 10-15! I do tend to shop online, mostly clothing simply because they don't carry my size in store. I do use local ones for online shopping though. Or those with free returns like wiggle. Parts I just tend to buy wherever is cheapest and then if needed, pay the lbs to fit. Still works out cheaper often!
 

Hyslop

Veteran
Location
Carlisle
I do the majority of my shopping at my LBS as I can think of any number of examples of times they've bent over backwards to help me out with a mechanical etc but not charged me for the time, or argued my case for me with manufacturers long after I would have given up. Hell, the manager even lets me know when he's found a new coffee stop or a descent I might enjoy. That side of things is far more valuable to me than savings online.
+1
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
I called at my LBS a couple of weeks ago for replacement forks for my project cycle, I was going to get suspension forks and was willing to pay a fair price (£50ish) for a decent set of forks. I inquired at the shop if he would sell me the forks i spotted hanging on his wall (2nd hand) he told me he would sell them to me but only if he fitted them himself incurring labour charges............his take on it was he can make more money than he could selling them to me...............................those forks are still hanging on his wall.
I then asked about fitting rigid forks to my bike and he was more than happy to sell me lightweight aluminium forks to fit myself?????? go figure............
Try as I might, I cannot follow the logic!
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
[QUOTE 3807554, member: 45"]Chain Reaction are Ireland. Wiggle used to be Southampton. Have they moved?[/QUOTE]

Dunno. But wiggle did do a firesale sell off about six months ago so maybe they relocated their warehousing?

I think they were in Portsmouth before that BTW, never confuse the two lest their football supporters get wind of it'
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
It is a crying shame that the LBS is more or less dead in the water. They are none in my local high street and that is in London. I have to travel a good few miles to Evans, but I am lucky that I got to know the mechanic there and he always sorts me out. I think even labour is on a short time frame. Why pay the cost replacing your chain cassette wheel etc when you can youtube how to do it.. ok so you need the right tools but the initial outlay is well worth it.

In the past I would have rather used to LBS but there are so few of them around I just order what I need looking for the best deal, and do most of the labour myself.:surrender:

Yes it is a shame to be sure but on the other hand you are a better cycle mechanic yourself as a result
result...
 

steve50

Disenchanted Member
Location
West Yorkshire
Putting it into perspective, when i had my Raleigh hybrid i took it to my local LBS for two new gear cables fitting, he charged me the princely sum of £35 for fitting two cables!!!
I have replaced the brake and gear cables on my project cycle for less than that!
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
When I bought my Garmin, I was chatting with my LBS owner and Halfords were selling the Garmin Touring GPS for £30 less than he could buy them for wholesale. I do get bits and bobs from my LBS as they are excellent. I nearly bought a CF Bike from them but the offerings they had, at my price point didn't wow me.
 

xxDarkRiderxx

Veteran
Location
London, UK
Yes it is a shame to be sure but on the other hand you are a better cycle mechanic yourself as a result
result...

lol Success in removing chain and cassette for cleaning on my Scott Speedster S10. running so smooth... tried to clean the hub on my wifes Raleigh Vixen (cheap) epic fail..... had to order a new rear wheel for her.... online.:surrender:
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
Depends on the bits, really.

I can get (decent - there may well be dodgy ones cheaper) Brompton tyres cheaper locally than I can online. There's usually little, if any difference in the price of Brompton spares generally.

I can get Carradice stuff for the same price, if not a little cheaper, locally, and be that annoying bloke who tries fitting stuff in the display bags to see whether they're going to work or not.

I can get brake pads, cables, cable outers and spokes cheap enough locally that buying online isn't worth the hassle.

Tyres, chains, cassettes, rims - the difference is great enough that the inconvenience of waiting in for a courier is, generally, worthwhile.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Wiggle's warehouse operations are in the process of moving to Wolverhampton. Everything else is in Portsmouth.

Just as well they operate on-line rather than telephone ordering then! I think (in my Scottish case anyway) that the language barrier could cause some problems. I can imagine it now ..... "No I will not calm down and go and have a nice kipper tie, thanks. Just get my order posted please!".
 
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