We All Want to Support Our LBS......BUT!!!

[MarkF]

It's £3 dude. Chill.

I was thinking that all they way through the thread. £3! Get a life.

I use my LBS and expect to pay more than in a multi national conglomerate, I am not bothered because I have had things from them for nothing, I can also get 3 little things from them, when I will have had to buy a pack of 10/20/50 of the same things from the MNC. It's the reason I use my local DIY store and not Wickes too, it's far more pleasurable doing business there and I am not sure (long term) it costs me any more cash, if it does, it's a sum not going to keep me awake at night.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I was thinking that all they way through the thread. £3! Get a life.
.

Not a good idea to apply that sort of thinking to all your finances. For 3 bottles it's actually a £9 saving. So when does it become sensible to consider a 43% saving prudent? There is an old saying - 'Look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves'.

 

[lesley_x]

I recently went into three LBS's looking for a 90mm stem. Really wasn't fussed about type or anything, just had to fit. Not one of them had one in stock or said they were able to order me one. Ordered from wiggle and arrived the next day.

 

[John the Monkey]

LBS that depend on selling small consumables will go the way of the Dodo.

Possible, I guess, although one place locally is well known (and used by lots of the bike commuters at work) precisely for their willingness to rummage in the bits box for a particular washer or bolt, and the variety of unusual bits and bobs they have on hand and are willing to sell as singles.

 

[JMAG]

Possible, I guess, although one place locally is well known (and used by lots of the bike commuters at work) precisely for their willingness to rummage in the bits box for a particular washer or bolt, and the variety of unusual bits and bobs they have on hand and are willing to sell as singles.

Couldn't agree more. I've only been back on a bike a few months, but these are the free bits I've had from 2 different LBS.

LBS 1. Frame clips for a bottle cage.
LBS 2. Crank bolt covers, cable crimp ends, seat stay light mounts x 3

In return for his kindness and some good advice, I paid LBS 2 £14 for a bottle of muck off and a can of GT85 and that was with a couple of quid discount! His bikes and many other items are competitively priced whilst other items are "extortionate". On this particular day I was only his 2nd sale of the day, the first being a £10 sale. Unfortunately, he probably won't be trading by next year and a lot of people will getting their service and advice from Halfords. Yes, there are Evans and others around, but for every LBS that closes a proportion of would be customers will go to Halfords, Argos, Tesco et al.

I buy some bits online, but mostly things I can't pick up locally. This week it's a Shimano HG51-8 11-28 cassette and an SRAM chain (PC850). I have nothing against people who buy everything online, everyone makes their own choices, but I think the general public is losing a valuable resource every time an LBS closes down (with some exceptions, no doubt).

 

[Kestevan]

I don't mind paying a bit over the odds for the convenience, but there comes a point where it's financially very difficult to justify, and the fact is that some LBS owners don't do themselves any favours:

Years ago I wanted to change the crankset on my commuter. I'd picked out the replacement Tiagra compact set and BB and priced it up on CRC or Wiggle so I had a rough idea how much it could be bought for. The LBS wanted more than double just for the parts, plus fitting. I queried the price and said Wiggle had the bits for 1/2 his price. His answer was that he couldn't get it from the supplier for that price..... I suggested he therefore either bought the parts from Wiggle or I did and paid him to fit them. He grumbled about not fitting parts he hadn't supplied etc etc. and in the end I told him to forget it; I bought the parts from Wiggle (and the required tools) and did the job myself.

Now I do my own maintenance and most of my parts come from Wiggle/CRC. Later on today I'll be ordering a set of new wheels - Fulcrum Quattros. Wiggle Price £197, price in the LBS - £279.99........

 

[JMAG]

Indeed, not all LBS are created equal, neither are all cyclists.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I don't mind paying a bit over the odds for the convenience, but there comes a point where it's financially very difficult to justify, and the fact is that some LBS owners don't do themselves any favours:

Years ago I wanted to change the crankset on my commuter. I'd picked out the replacement Tiagra compact set and BB and priced it up on CRC or Wiggle so I had a rough idea how much it could be bought for. The LBS wanted more than double just for the parts, plus fitting. I queried the price and said Wiggle had the bits for 1/2 his price. His answer was that he couldn't get it from the supplier for that price..... I suggested he therefore either bought the parts from Wiggle or I did and paid him to fit them. He grumbled about not fitting parts he hadn't supplied etc etc. and in the end I told him to forget it; I bought the parts from Wiggle (and the required tools) and did the job myself.

Now I do my own maintenance and most of my parts come from Wiggle/CRC. Later on today I'll be ordering a set of new wheels - Fulcrum Quattros. Wiggle Price £197, price in the LBS - £279.99........

90% of all my gear comes from online retailers because I am capable of fitting any part to the bike. But a huge army of cyclists out there are not, a lot of people haven't developed the mechanical skills of us oldies simply because there is no need for them to do so in this day and age. The LBS will always be there because there will be a continuing demand for them from people who are simply not interested in how the bike goes together or how it works, much as I am mot interested with washing machines. Most of the ones who ceased trading did so because they weren't much good anyway.

 

[John the Monkey]

I don't think anyone's saying to buy, or that they buy locally in all cases. But it's not the case that online is always cheaper.

Take Brompton parts, for instance. In general, I can get those from a local dealer (Harry Hall, in my case) for the same (sometimes less) than I can online.

Where they're not cheaper, the difference might not be massive; I get my brake pads from Bike Boutique, and I pay, maybe 50p more (sometimes less) than online. I'll pay 50p to have the parts in hand there and then, and because the shop is a great local resource.

I don't buy tyres at the LBS (save for Brompton tyres, which are the same price or cheaper) because the difference exceeds what I'm willing to pay to avoid the inconvenience of having to wait in for DPD. I do buy Carradice locally, because, again, it's usually cheaper, or the difference is an amount I can live with. And so on, and so on.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Time will tell but the decline of the LBS is far from obvious in this part of London.

Off the top of me head...Seabass Cycles, Balfe's, Cycle PS, Edwardes, Paul's Custom Cycles, another Balfe's, the fab Brixton Cycles, Apex Cycles, Herne Hill cycles...all small independent shops, each with their quirks and offering something slightly different within 10 minutes easy ride of here. Four have opened in the last two or three years.

Ok, the internet is best and cheapest for some stuff (tyres anyone?) but have a good relationship with a good shop and be rewarded with continuity of care, a wealth of knowledge, the occasional freebie and 'for you' prices which are almost as cheap but with added value.

why go anywhere else? for five years they were the only LBS I'd use. And I got my Brompton from them even though they are 25 odd miles away.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't mind paying a bit over the odds for the convenience, but there comes a point where it's financially very difficult to justify, and the fact is that some LBS owners don't do themselves any favours:

Years ago I wanted to change the crankset on my commuter. I'd picked out the replacement Tiagra compact set and BB and priced it up on CRC or Wiggle so I had a rough idea how much it could be bought for. The LBS wanted more than double just for the parts, plus fitting. I queried the price and said Wiggle had the bits for 1/2 his price. His answer was that he couldn't get it from the supplier for that price..... I suggested he therefore either bought the parts from Wiggle or I did and paid him to fit them. He grumbled about not fitting parts he hadn't supplied etc etc. and in the end I told him to forget it; I bought the parts from Wiggle (and the required tools) and did the job myself.

One LBS is very clear on their 'you buy we fit' policy, and they tell you up front what the fitting cost will be, and they frequently advise "we can't get it for that price so buy it online"

In more than one case of fitting headsets to new bare frames and fork (about the only job I don't like to do and don't have the tools to do myself) in recent years the cost of buying from him with "free" fitting has been £10 - £15, or more, more than the 'you buy we fit' option. Shop is an easy walk carrying a f+f from home too. But he has a tendency to try to sell what he has in stock not what you want which puts a lot of people off.

When I walk in he generally moans "Not you again. What special item have I got to get in now!" which is odd cos my component choices are pretty mainstream.

 

[Kestevan]

One LBS is very clear on their 'you buy we fit' policy, and they tell you up front what the fitting cost will be, and they frequently advise "we can't get it for that price so buy it online"

In more than one case of fitting headsets to new bare frames and fork (about the only job I don't like to do and don't have the tools to do myself) in recent years the cost of buying from him with "free" fitting has been £10 - £15, or more, more than the 'you buy we fit' option. Shop is an easy walk carrying a f+f from home too. But he has a tendency to try to sell what he has in stock not what you want which puts a lot of people off.

When I walk in he generally moans "Not you again. What special item have I got to get in now!" which is odd cos my component choices are pretty mainstream.

Exactly as it should be. I would have had no problem paying him to fit components - but he wasn't interested.
The LBS I do occasionally use (strangely enough for headsets too - and I suspect in future for press fit BB as well) has no such issues.

Now it may be argued that failing to use the LBS for more day to day purchases will mean it wont be in business when I need it.... but I still can't justify paying twice as much.

 

[MarkF]

Not a good idea to apply that sort of thinking to all your finances. For 3 bottles it's actually a £9 saving. So when does it become sensible to consider a 43% saving prudent? There is an old saying - 'Look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves'.

As I said, is saving is there actually a saving? I've a good relationship with my LBS, I've had things for nothing, I've had boxes of widgets opened so I can have smaller quantity, I've borrowed tools. There is no 43% saving for me to consider.

 

[RedRider]

why go anywhere else? for five years they were the only LBS I'd use. And I got my Brompton from them even though they are 25 odd miles away.

The best shop ever - a real institution and community hub - but sadly up against it at the moment. @GrumpyGregry The block they're in is being knocked down and rebuilt (losing yet more social housing as an extra kick in the teeth) and they're going to have to move out. There's some complexity to the situation - they've been offered a space in the new building but it's not ideal and will mean a move to other premises and then back in again, also not ideal. They're currently seeking the support and advice of legal /housing / buildings experts from the extended Brixton Cycles family ie potentially you, me or anyone else with a bit of clout, expertise or connections who cares about this wonderful place. See this... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=872070169521906

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The best shop ever - a real institution and community hub - but sadly up against it at the moment. @GrumpyGregry The block they're in is being knocked down and rebuilt (losing yet more social housing as an extra kick in the teeth) and they're going to have to move out. There's some complexity to the situation - they've been offered a space in the new building but it's not ideal and will mean a move to other premises and then back in again, also not ideal. They're currently seeking the support and advice of legal /housing / buildings experts from the extended Brixton Cycles family ie potentially you, me or anyone else with a bit of clout, expertise or connections who cares about this wonderful place. See this... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=872070169521906

Yeah, was aware of that. Used to work opposite them and still have a more than passing interest in that part of the world. I am a man of no clout nor connections.