why are the local bike shops closing down?

[TonyEnjoyD]

I try to support my LBS and alaways use them for new bikes and servicing, however, they are relatively expensive for parts.
Needed a new 105 front Mech and it was £45 form LBS and and £19 from Wiggle - unfortunately finances won the day.

In saying that, my LBS are constantly busy buying in and servicing new bikes as well as selling gear to newbies to cycling.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

My LBS is great if you want a top of the range road bike,they have loads of them in stock. If you want something small like a chain link or chain breaker you are not so lucky,they will order it in for you and tell you they will have it in a couple of days. I usually end up going to Halfords where they always have what I want

 

[dellzeqq]

In the past three years seven new bike shops have opened up on Susie's seven mile commute.

 

[Hector]

In the past three years seven new bike shops have opened up on Susie's seven mile commute.

Another decent bike shop has opened in Dunstable of all places. Yes this sleepy shithole of a town, along with the simply glorious Cyclelife, now has another bike shop.

I have to disagree with the whole lbs advice thing. I don't think there is nothing that a LBS can tell me that I can't reaserch on the internet - this place ain't bad for starters.

Right now I have a puncture on my bike and I need a new tyre. I know what tyre and innertube I need. Why would I do a 15 mile round trip when I can go on CRC and be done ordering in 2 mins?

I would like to know though what chain the OP had bought and if it was like for like.

 

[GrasB]

my LBSs can't provide the service on knowledge of my favourite on-line shops. I have a good list of IBS, because when it comes to special orders SJS cycles get things (I've had 2 experiences where SJS have done special orders for items all the local stores have said said are unavailable!) & have more knowledge of what's what. As a real bonus they're cheaper, okay they're not CRC/wiggle/etc cheaper but they're cheaper than my local store for a lot of things even after P&P.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

It's the changing face of retail. Book shops, hobby shops, record shops, to name but three have all seen their numbers slashed. There will always be a place for a smaller number of good outlets, but online retailing has taken a large chunk of everyone's market.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

[QUOTE 1970399, member: 76"]Now I don't own a shop so I may be talking crap here but....

If we are happy to agree that a few extra pounds to have something sorted is completely reasonable, and an LBS needs to charge £45 (I am assuming that was not including fitting? If it was fitting as well then that is more than reasonable), and Wiggle just £19 for a front mech, why doesn't the LBS order a £19 one from Wiggle, and charge you £25? They will get your custom, and Wiggle or CRC effectively become wholesalers!

Surely Wiggle are not charging a retail price that is less than a bike shops wholesale price are they?

I appreciate the other overheads, but like others have said, I frequently nip in for an innertube and end up with a tube, some bar tape, and all manner of other cycling non-essentials Actually, the internet is probably safer from that point of view![/quote]
Hi Maggot,
The £49 was supply only and I apologise, it was Ribble - not Wiggle
I had said that I was fitting it and the assistant advised me to get one from the web.
They would most liely have fitted it free for me as I ave bought three bikes from them and advised many from work to use them for their CTW bike so I don't really feel guilty.
They are independant do don't have the buying power of the biggies unfortunately.

 

[slowmotion]

I had pretty bad service from an "old school" bike shop in west London. Now I go to CycleSurgery which is three minutes away.. Lots of people don't like them but they know me a bit now. They have a price match deal with the internet. I'm not usually a haggler, but I surprised myself when I asked for the Parker International price for a couple of tyres, and held out for them to knock off the postage charges for the second tyre as well. I must have been having a bad week.

BTW, do High Street chains count as LBS?

 

[The Brewer]

£12 for a buckled wheel with advice thrown in about how not to fix it....seems a bargain to me

 

[CopperCyclist]

I never pay the price on the shelf at the LBS anymore anyway - helps to be on first name terms with them! It's still a couple of quid more expensive than Wiggle, but I'll rather go to the LBS, stay 'known', support them, and make it more likely that if I take my bike into them and say 'please help, I have a sportive tomorrow' they'll say 'ok'

The one exception... cycle clothing. It's almost double the price of Wiggle and online retailers =0

 

[vernon]

The opening assertion is fundamentally flawed as it based on a single purchase of an item whose quality and can vary considerably. I could five quid chains from Asda or from the unspecified source but I could never feel comfortable that the chain would durable or fit for purpose.

I would be very happy to to pay five quid for a quality branded nine speed chain, delivered post free if the sales transaction also included a five minute chat about my cycling activities, gigs that are worth attending and ten to fifteen percent off every purchase with small bits and bobbins thrown in for free. In addition I'd want trustworthy advice and recommendations along with the ability to hand build a bespoke bike for me and tweak it free of charge until I am happy with the fit.

Until that happens I am happy to make my LBS owner richer and contribute to the wage bill of his expanding team of sales staff and mechanics.

Leeds had seen the arrival of two major chains, sic, of cycle retailers and the expansion of local shops. The one closure of a large retailer who now sticks with frame building had little to do with internet competition

 

[lordloveaduck]

I had pretty bad service from an "old school" bike shop in west London. Now I go to CycleSurgery which is three minutes away.. Lots of people don't like them but they know me a bit now. They have a price match deal with the internet. I'm not usually a haggler, but I surprised myself when I asked for the Parker International price for a couple of tyres, and held out for them to knock off the postage charges for the second tyre as well. I must have been having a bad week.

BTW, do High Street chains count as LBS?

+1

Put off LBS for life. Cycle Surgery and Evans have gone beyond the call of duty for me (think most times it's out of pity) with free fittings and discounts or just giving me the part.Wish i had gone to them sooner.

LBS and Bike Chains are like people they are all different, some good, some bad.

 

[subaqua]

[QUOTE 1970399, member: 76"]Now I don't own a shop so I may be talking crap here but....

If we are happy to agree that a few extra pounds to have something sorted is completely reasonable, and an LBS needs to charge £45 (I am assuming that was not including fitting? If it was fitting as well then that is more than reasonable), and Wiggle just £19 for a front mech, why doesn't the LBS order a £19 one from Wiggle, and charge you £25? They will get your custom, and Wiggle or CRC effectively become wholesalers!

Surely Wiggle are not charging a retail price that is less than a bike shops wholesale price are they?

I appreciate the other overheads, but like others have said, I frequently nip in for an innertube and end up with a tube, some bar tape, and all manner of other cycling non-essentials Actually, the internet is probably safer from that point of view![/quote]

sadly yes , places like wiggle etc can buy items in for less and therefore sell for less than your LBS can buy them in for. the same happens in my other hobby SCUBA diving. there are retailers who can't discount products as they have ben told by manufacturers that they wil stop supplying them . oh yes we all know its againast anti competition rules but that doesn't seem to matter.

i will always try and support my LBS and my LDS ( local Dive Shop) . to use a favourite quote from a good dive forum " try getting an air fill over the internet"

 

[Over The Hill]

Went to LBS when I was looking for a Galaxy. They had last years model and it had been standing outside the shop for a year come rain or shine and look awful. Even the price tag had faded and washed away in the sun and rain.
It was three times the price of an unused one on Ebay that had been sitting in a nice dry garage for a few years so I went for the ebay deal.
I do try to support them where I can but they do have a habit of springing a £20 price tag on something (no way of checking prices before going there and often no prices on stock in there) when I can pick it up for £5 elsewhere.
Ebay prices are just too good to miss. I am just looking at some brake pads for £2.99 delivered when I need a trip out and to pay £9.98 in the LBS.

 

[Maz]

Ebay prices are just too good to miss. I am just looking at some brake pads for £2.99 delivered when I need a trip out and to pay £9.98 in the LBS.

Wow, I'll bear that in mind for next time. Thank you!