In support of the the local bike shop

My LBS sold me my bike (Mongoose hybrid, for commuting) about three years ago, and have been absolutely brilliant for after sales care - answering stupid questions ("What is this squeak, what is this noise, why does that do that") and many small adjusts that I couldn't see how to do have been free of charge. I also have the bike serviced there, and have only bought stuff elsewhere that they don't stock. They are a not-for-profit, Jakes Bikes in Bristol. I cannot recommend them highly enough

I urgently needed some rim tape and a new tyre a couple of weeks ago.

Because I live mainly abroad I often order online so it is there when I return, but in this case I was already in London and I thought it was an ideal opportunity to use the LBS. I've never been a great fan of them but what could go wrong?

They were closed... it was Wednesday. How stupid of me not to know they close on Wednesdays.

I ended up driving over to another store, Cadence, in Crystal Palace where i got what I needed.

And next time will I even bother thinking about the LBS... no.

my LBS is Philip Lang's on the Gallowgate in Glasgow

yes they are a few pounds dearer for helmets, gloves, cleets etc - but the internet does not fix my 105 shifter for free when i fall off my bike and crush it

fully endorse the sentiments in this thread - support your LBS these are the guys that can make cycling even more fun than it already is

My local bike shop build their own frames, have a bit of a cult following and are collaborating with some famous people. And here's the kicker - they don't sh*t from clay. Back before the internet, one would trust their advice to be accurate simply because of their history and prestige, but now days it's much easier to find much more accurate information online. I'd never dream of taking my bike there for a repair or upgrade. Bikes are so simple it beggars belief that people don't understand how they work or how to repair or upgrade their own bikes.

lots of reasons why merlin can undercut. Not exactly sure which the use on which components.

Grey imports, because they sell bikes they are in the position of getting deals direct rather than official distributors, bulk purchase discounts, then the simple one of by selling lots you can afford to run on tighter margins.

You have to ask what distributors make, Madison for an example on Shimano kit, look at the prices for kit from any German online retailer.

I don't understand how the likes of merlin and Ribble can undercut most LBS by a large margin? I can remember before these two were Internet retailers both were LBS but even then there prices were very good. genuinely, why are some shops so expensive in comparison? Also Merlin do still have a shop offering all the normal service associated with a LBS if you live near by. I simply could not afford to shop at my LBS for the majority of my kit ect. In fact some LBS could buy the item from a cheeper shop put some profit margin on the price and still sell it for less than many LBS. Can anyone give a genuine explanation?

Many good shops charge close to RRP and for that often fit the parts as well, it's worth it to find a good one.

LOL, he didn't charge you nothing for labour, he invested that money back into your future business, you've even given him a shout out on here so it was probably a shrewd call on his part as well as great service, however sadly not all LBS are like that.

Would you like to try some crack? It's free!