I just wish that the LBS would remember that even the lower end buyers like myself could be their next higher end bike buyer in the future and take the time to sell me what I need and willing to pay for now and not continually try to pressure me to buy to buy something that is more than what I need now.

Also, I do own my own business and I recognize the need to support our small business, but at the same time as a consumer, I don’t want to pay considerably more than necessary for the same thing I can get online. I think there can be a happy mix. LBS are in business to make money, so I don’t see the need to “support” them, but I would come back every time if I was treated with good service and made to feel important despite the purchase level.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.

I don’t understand shops that are rude or turn away bike builds, service on parts not purchased there etc…service is where you make money so who cares where they bought it. This is your opportunity as a shop to win their business next time. I will say that you should not expect the bro deal if you are buying elsewhere for your purchases and only come in for sales or the occasional tube. Also with regard to tubes… This is another area where shops make money. We always priced tubes fairly (50% markup) but found almost all other shops price up about 100% or $7-9 on average. This is smart on their part. Most people buy tubes when they are in need and can’t shop around. Just good business. Bike shops also only make a 35-40% margin on bikes. So when you add in bike fits, lifetime adjustments most shops loose money on bike sales. We got to the point where we would rather a ‘trouble’ customer buy the bike somewhere else so we did not have to deal with them without charging them. If we were to do this again we would open a higher end service only shop where customers felt comfortable bringing in their online parts without either end worrying about the relationship etc..It would be purely about the skill and knowledge of the mechanic and that is what you would pay for. I have seen a few of these pop up and I think they are the future.

I will say that the one point that sometimes bothered  me as an owner is that we invested a lot in the community. We supported every local cause as well as lots of time and money on building local trails, a kids bike program, pump track. So when you invest like that and see the people using it not invest in you it hurts. So if you have a LBS that is giving back you should think about going there first. I know people in our town are pretty upset we are leaving as we are the only LBS in a 30 miles radius and they now see what we did for the community. Your LBS may be hanging on by a thread so if you value them in your community think about paying $1.99 for a Honey Stinger waffle there rather than $1.29 online at least once in awhile.