Local Bike shop versus online purchase

Allabaah

Looking to get some opinions on the idea to support the local bike shop with purchasing kit there or get it a LOT cheaper online. I have done both but have always a pang of regret buying online to a faceless organisation.

Moral dilemma!?

Idleater

Short answer is "it depends".
Long answer is I generally price both and include time in my costing.
Sometimes I split it, for example I recently purchased two hubs online, after checking the availability with the lbs (pretty specific items) and got the wheels built by a builder I trust.
Cost in the end was pretty good, and at worst same cost as online.

rollingscone

Well as someone with no money I operate on the basis of:

1. When the extra cost in the LBS is too much for me to bear in good conscience I buy online.
2. When I can afford to pay a little bit more or need something very urgently I buy at the LBS.

My reasoning being that I can only go so far to help my LBS before I start feeling guilty about the about of extra money I'm spending, on the other hand the LBS provide a valuable service that Wiggle etc will never do, so I aim to support them in as much as I can, and see the extra cost when I can afford it as a contribution for the times they help out with advice or something from their bits box.

granda

to be honest i have often found stuff slightly cheaper in my lbs,if even if by a few cent, plus clothing wise i like to have somewhere with a human being to return stuff if it doesnt fit or there is a problem.but then again i prefer the human factor rather than the googlebox factor so its a thumbs up for the lbs from me

shaka

Oñly time I freaky find online cheaper is when there are end of season/line sales. Usually LBS cheaper for most stuff , I'm lucky though my LBS seems to operate on principal of keeping prices low as possible to keep people returning

Raam

I prefer to buy in my LBS but sometime you are surfing away looking at deep section tubs. Then you have a few beers. Then you surf some more and have some more beers. Then, BAM! 3 to 7 working days later a large package arrives for you at work and you go, "oh yeah, bollox, I did order those didn't I?"

Darkglasses

Online is cheaper for me 99% of the time, and have a much wider selection. Not always that impressed with the attitude of my two LBS either.

catweazle

Always check the shops price first - both times recently the price tag was more expensive than the online option but I have then asked for his best price and he heavily discounted both under the cost I would have paid online for it. I got a last in the line of one item and he was bringing in new stock in the other one but it was a serious saving on what I was about to pull the trigger on online

Hes generally a good lbs guy anyways, hangs on to his customers as he looks after them

Brads locks

I thinks most of the shops stocking the likes of the 2014 stock will generally be in or around most online shops bar group sets, most of the cheap online stuff is old stock in very large or small sizes, Warning this is just an opinion!!!

easygoing39

Keep buying from the internet lads,f3ck the local bike shop workers,put them all on the dole where they'll get €186 a week,while you saved 3 euro on the web.Then wonder why youre taxes go up every year,and you have no where to buy a tyre within 50 miles of youre gaff!!!

Paranoid Mandroid

easygoing39 wrote: »

Keep buying from the internet lads,f3ck the local bike shop workers,put them all on the dole where they'll get €186 a week,while you saved 3 euro on the web.Then wonder why youre taxes go up every year,and you have no where to buy a tyre within 50 miles of youre gaff!!!

So I've saved up for a new garmin. Do I buy on line and save €60 or do I buy it local? I could pay off €60 from my esb bill or save it for my kids, or whatever. It's not my responsibility to pay someone else's bills just because they work near me.
Unfortunate but that's the way it is.

allez

Paranoid Mandroid wrote: »

So I've saved up for a new garmin. Do I buy on line and save €60 or do I buy it local? I could pay off €60 from my esb bill or save it for my kids, or whatever. It's not my responsibility to pay someone else's bills just because they work near me.
Unfortunate but that's the way it is.

Have a look at cons cameras online, they do garmin products for bikes and are usually the same price as all the big online companies. They're not an lbs but at least it's an irish company

Alek

??

http://www.connscameras.ie/search/garmin

allez

allez wrote: »

Have a look at cons cameras online, they do garmin products for bikes and are usually the same price as all the big online companies. They're not an lbs but at least it's an irish company

Sorry turns out it was pixmania! My bad

Darkglasses

easygoing39 wrote: »

Keep buying from the internet lads,f3ck the local bike shop workers,put them all on the dole where they'll get €186 a week,while you saved 3 euro on the web.Then wonder why youre taxes go up every year,and you have no where to buy a tyre within 50 miles of youre gaff!!!

That's business. It's not charity.

Chips Lovell

Since when did online commerce become a moral issue?

harringtonp

Notice over the years that as online buying gets bigger, stock in local shops gets smaller. How often does one go in looking for something right away, only to be be told that it has to be ordered.

MD1983

easygoing39 wrote: »

Keep buying from the internet lads,f3ck the local bike shop workers,put them all on the dole where they'll get €186 a week,while you saved 3 euro on the web.Then wonder why youre taxes go up every year,and you have no where to buy a tyre within 50 miles of youre gaff!!!

its an interesting debate but in the end economics will win out and i suspect smaller LBS will come under more pressure. in reality i think the LBS has got a jump in business it was never going to get with the introduction of the bike to work scheme. if that business decreases then it will be interesting to see what happens

what comes next, do you start arguing that you shouldnt support the bigger LBS (superstores) and keep going to the small guy similar to the debate for groceries between tesco and your local shop?

some of the LBS i go into provide shocking service and stock is overpriced. some are good at service and have good price

well run stores should survive and crap stores, well they are not really a loss

petethedrummer

easygoing39 wrote: »

Keep buying from the internet lads,f3ck the local bike shop workers,put them all on the dole where they'll get €186 a week,while you saved 3 euro on the web.Then wonder why youre taxes go up every year,and you have no where to buy a tyre within 50 miles of youre gaff!!!

I hope you don't have an online banking account because you're doing a teller out of a job.
And I hope you pay all your utility bills by walking into a post office and handing cash to someone.
You should probably disconnect your sky/cable and de-tune the British channels on your tv. It's very hard for Irish actors to find work at the moment.
You should buy your vegetables and meat from a local farmer's market.......you get the idea....

smacl

I buy online for convenience as well as price, as my local bike shop isn't that local, and I'd rather go out cycling than shopping in my free time, whereas I can get any online stuff while working. I'll use CSS if they can come within ~10% (or max ~€30) shipped of the lowest price elsewhere.

As a small Irish company, they only reason I'm still in business is through exporting to the UK, which is true of many small Irish manufacturers. As such, in terms of 'Buying Irish' my focus tends to be more on what is manufactured locally rather than re-sold locally. That said, I would hate to be in retail over here at the moment.

bobcranfret

MD1983 wrote: »

some of the LBS i go into provide shocking service and stock is overpriced. some are good at service and have good price

well run stores should survive and crap stores, well they are not really a loss

Many (not all) LBS staff are like many other retail staff in this country: off-hand, surly, unfriendly, unhelpful, incompetent..................I have bought bikes and components in LBS in the past but now I do my own repairs and assembly and buy everything online.

shutup

Darkglasses wrote: »

Online is cheaper for me 99% of the time, and have a much wider selection. Not always that impressed with the attitude of my two LBS either.

Do you think that after 4, 093 posts you may have given out enough information about yourself that your two local bike shops might know who you are?
Their attitude might be even worse next time youre in!

smacl

shutup wrote: »

Do you think that after 4, 093 posts you may have given out enough information about yourself that your two local bike shops might know who you are?
Their attitude might be even worse next time youre in!

Or if they're well run businesses, their attitude would get better rather than worse when faced with a bit of criticism.

thebouldwhacker

I have a pretty good relationship with my new lbs, brought in the Rose wheel and dynamo hub I bought online recently to show him. He said there was no way he could build the same wheel for anything close to that price but was intrested in seeing the wheel and hub.
I then bought wheel tape, tubes and a handlebar off him. When I decide on a tire I'll probably buy that off him too. I think it worked out well for all concerned.
I value my lbs and will always try him first.

2 Wheels Good

harringtonp wrote: »

Notice over the years that as online buying gets bigger, stock in local shops gets smaller. How often does one go in looking for something right away, only to be be told that it has to be ordered.

Noticed that in London last month, went over with the aim of doing some browsing in a few of the bigger London stores. With the exception of bikes, everything else was disappointing. Maybe it's a combination of recession and online but the choice of accessories was way down on before.

rollingscone

I think having come from a family background of small retail, that it is possible for a small retailer to compete at a price disadvantage, but it is extremely hard work and requires a lot of luck in terms of the staff you can get your hands on; look at the amount of favorable LBS anecdotes on here that involve one or two man owner at the front desk operations and contrast it (highly unscientifically) to various tales of dissatisfaction at larger stores.

Simply it's much easier for an owner/operator to keep his or her finger on the pulse and establish a rapport with customers than someone dealing through the medium of front of house staff, and good people are not necessarily good at customer service so when it is delegated the owner is often only seeing their employee's side of things and doing so through the lens of "Jim's a good sort".

I believe (well hope anywyay) that LBSs will continue to survive by writ of increased market size and their immediacy as a point of entry for novices, and as a semi social space for established cyclists: We've established that LBS operate on tight margins, none of the smaller operators are in it to become millionaires so the passion is already there to some degree.

dermabrasion

I think the LBS have to hold smaller stocks when confronted by the challenge of online stores. This becomes a self fulfilling situation unless they see it commercially viable to continue holding a decent range of products. That's where quality, product knowledge and costumer service might trump price.
It is not in my interest to have the lBS go under, I will always need them, even if I buy the Park Tool box set. I like the lads in my LBS passion for cycling, and wish anyone trying to make it in a small business my best. So, I will give them my custom when I can. If there is a no brainier intermission of cost differential, product range, I will go online.

Smalltom

My LBS is a family business and has a deal done with out cycling club for a club discount. I wrecked my rear winter wheel on Tuesday and was online looking for a set if campag scirocco h35 to replace wheels and found them for €235 plus €20 postage iirc. Rang him and asked him to price them and told him the variety of prices. He came back with a 2014 set for €280 but as OP said they have to come from UK so 3week wait. He's giving me a brand new Giant wheel, cassette and tyre/tube to keep me going. Personally worth the extra few quid IMO. I always give him the opportunity to compete as do clubmates and if he can't he doesn't complain. If there is a difference he sometimes throws in a few gels/bars etc. if he closed down I'd have to go to 25miles to talk ****e!!!

apc

Smalltom wrote: »

My LBS is a family business and has a deal done with out cycling club for a club discount. I wrecked my rear winter wheel on Tuesday and was online looking for a set if campag scirocco h35 to replace wheels and found them for €235 plus €20 postage iirc. Rang him and asked him to price them and told him the variety of prices. He came back with a 2014 set for €280 but as OP said they have to come from UK so 3week wait. He's giving me a brand new Giant wheel, cassette and tyre/tube to keep me going. Personally worth the extra few quid IMO. I always give him the opportunity to compete as do clubmates and if he can't he doesn't complain. If there is a difference he sometimes throws in a few gels/bars etc. if he closed down I'd have to go to 25miles to talk ****e!!!

Maybe your LBS is ordering it from the same place you priced it from and is putting a bit on top for profit, or maybe not. The giant wheel could have come off a new bike speced for better wheels so has little or no resale value? or am I being too cynical?

delos

A lot depends on the LBS staff.

If I get good service and good advice I'm happy to pay a bit more (and travel a bit further), maybe 10 - 15% more. If, however, I get a grumpy little ***** who grunts at me and barely looks up from his newspaper they would have to have some pretty good deals before I darken their door again.

Plastik

apc wrote: »

Maybe your LBS is ordering it from the same place you priced it from and is putting a bit on top for profit, or maybe not. The giant wheel could have come off a new bike speced for better wheels so has little or no resale value? or am I being too cynical?

Does it really matter? The wheel is wrecked, he has a free wheel immediately in the meantime, and only has to pay very marginally more for the replacement when it arrives. I would be thrilled if I received that level of service from my LBS.

LCD

LBS gives the local cycling club a few bits of sponsorship. Does repairs. Helps you out the day before the race when your wheel decides to fall apart, even if is 7pm on a Saturday evening.

Whenever possible LBS wins out for me. For the 10% I might save online is 10% less in the local & often Irish economy.

Smalltom

@APC-a small bit cynical perhaps. I don't mind paying the extra few quid for the peace of mind that if it goes atomic kitten (ugly) I can just drop the part or whatever back to the shop and get a spare while I'm waiting. Don't get me wrong, I also buy online but always give him first refusal on the business once I've shopped around! He gave me his brand new 2014 Giant TCR for a day when my rear derailleur fecked up at the beginning of a spin one day. Not too many online shops can do that! The wheels are about €30 dearer off him but that's acceptable IMO even if we are getting it off the same website. He still has to stand over them and cover postsge etc if there are any issues. I suppose I see my brother who works for himself as a carpenter and know things aren't easy and that influences me a bit too I guess.

Allabaah

Darkglasses wrote: »

Online is cheaper for me 99% of the time, and have a much wider selection. Not always that impressed with the attitude of my two LBS either.

Darkglasses,

this is my experience also. Online more than likely wins on price, has a better selection and from quiet a few orders from one of the big online sites, the items arrive 2-3 days later.

Therefore the LBS will always struggle in my opinion to match their scale and cost effectiveness. So where is the LBS's edge to remain in business is what I'm struggling with, other than servicing bikes???

BailMeOut

Two main advantages of local

- they will fit the bike for you
- easier to get problems taken care of

I bought mine online but I still needed to take to my local shop for a fitting and to fix a few issues that popped up in first few weeks of cycling. My BB30 bearings were creaking after a few hundred kms and while the online retailer sent me new ones straightaway I still had to take to my local shop to get replaced.

Next time I will buy my bike locally.

Allabaah

rollingscone wrote: »

I think having come from a family background of small retail, that it is possible for a small retailer to compete at a price disadvantage, but it is extremely hard work and requires a lot of luck in terms of the staff you can get your hands on; look at the amount of favorable LBS anecdotes on here that involve one or two man owner at the front desk operations and contrast it (highly unscientifically) to various tales of dissatisfaction at larger stores.

Simply it's much easier for an owner/operator to keep his or her finger on the pulse and establish a rapport with customers than someone dealing through the medium of front of house staff, and good people are not necessarily good at customer service so when it is delegated the owner is often only seeing their employee's side of things and doing so through the lens of "Jim's a good sort".

I believe (well hope anywyay) that LBSs will continue to survive by writ of increased market size and their immediacy as a point of entry for novices, and as a semi social space for established cyclists: We've established that LBS operate on tight margins, none of the smaller operators are in it to become millionaires so the passion is already there to some degree.

So as a confirmed novice in cycling, I got the bike from an LBS (with the Bike to Work scheme) and then got most of the gear online. Next bike I'll get will be online give the pricing of the mega sites.

Therefore I'm struggling with the question "does the LBS offer enough added value to justify the addition price". As a novice I haven't experience enough interaction (except an appalling one in a city store) to justify giving the LBS business to frankly support badly needed jobs here.

rollingscone

Allabaah wrote: »

So as a confirmed novice in cycling, I got the bike from an LBS (with the Bike to Work scheme) and then got most of the gear online. Next bike I'll get will be online give the pricing of the mega sites.

Therefore I'm struggling with the question "does the LBS offer enough added value to justify the addition price". As a novice I haven't experience enough interaction (except an appalling one in a city store) to justify giving the LBS business to frankly support badly needed jobs here.

No one is entitled to a living.

What I'm saying is that LBSs can and do earn customer loyalty. Not all of them do, in fact my bigger Local place has treated me in a way over a minor issue that ensures I will never buy from them again.

Whereas one equidistant in the other direction has been good to me, so I buy stuff from them unless I'm saving 20% or more online, a margin that I like to think I'll be able to broaden when my personal finances improve.

ford2600

Therefore I'm struggling with the question "does the LBS offer enough added value to justify the addition price". As a novice I haven't experience enough interaction (except an appalling one in a city store) to justify giving the LBS business to frankly support badly needed jobs here.[/QUOTE]

I was on a long distance spin in July, 250+km during which my gear cable snapped near portlaoise.

There was two small lbs. Neither making a fortune I would guess.

For a €5, owner wouldn't take anymore, he supplied and fitted a new cable.

In time neither of those shops will probably be there.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85782845

bambergbike

At this stage most of my local LBS have seen me through their doors at least once and the ones who have impressed me have seen more of me.

I think I did my first local LBS a favour by switching to the competition. The first crowd didn't charge enough for parts and they charged a bit too much for labour. They botched two repairs (using cheap parts) that they then ended up doing for free using more expensive parts than the ones they had charged me for. I felt a bit ungrateful for not giving them the next job that came up - they had bent over backwards to be helpful probably ended up out of pocket over it. But I also felt a bit sick of having to bring the bike in twice every time. So I switched to a new LBS with more expensive parts and cheaper labour. Now I've also dropped them, that fella was just too disorganized and never started fixing anything until I had already come to collect it a week later (and then only after I'd listened to him talking another customer through the finer points of suspension forks for a very long time.) So I moved to Shop 3, who is great. Lightening-quick service, friendly, not too expensive, not patronizing, very good at listening to questions and communicating the difference (or the tradeoffs between price and performance) between options A, B and C precisely. He has a decent enough stock for a small shop but if he doesn't have exactly what he thinks I should want to hand he gets out a catalogue rather than just selling me whatever is knocking round the back of shop. (A friend doesn't deal with this guy because he thinks he talks too much!) When shop 3 is on holidays, I have gone to shop 4, who was alright but nothing special. In the summer, I also went to shop 5. I was tidying up my bike stuff, and Shop 5 is a charity (a sheltered workshop) that is very happy to hoover up old bike parts in any shape or form, so I brought them anything I wanted rid of and let them do a few bits and pieces for me while they were at it, new tyres etc. I felt guiltier about going to shop 5 instead of shop 3 than I have felt about getting stuff online (mostly clothes and shoes, although I did get a set of Schwalbe Winter tyres online last week for €43, which was just about all I could justify spending towards the end of the month).

If I need to try on a pair of shoes in two sizes because I'm not sure whether getting the wide fit will let me go down a size or not, it's simpler to order both pairs online and then send one back than to deal with an LBS who doesn't want to be stuck with a pair of Sidi Megas.

Allabaah

bambergbike wrote: »

At this stage most of my local LBS have seen me through their doors at least once and the ones who have impressed me have seen more of me.

I think I did my first local LBS a favour by switching to the competition. The first crowd didn't charge enough for parts and they charged a bit too much for labour. They botched two repairs (using cheap parts) that they then ended up doing for free using more expensive parts than the ones they had charged me for. I felt a bit ungrateful for not giving them the next job that came up - they had bent over backwards to be helpful probably ended up out of pocket over it. But I also felt a bit sick of having to bring the bike in twice every time. So I switched to a new LBS with more expensive parts and cheaper labour. Now I've also dropped them, that fella was just too disorganized and never started fixing anything until I had already come to collect it a week later (and then only after I'd listened to him talking another customer through the finer points of suspension forks for a very long time.) So I moved to Shop 3, who is great. Lightening-quick service, friendly, not too expensive, not patronizing, very good at listening to questions and communicating the difference (or the tradeoffs between price and performance) between options A, B and C precisely. He has a decent enough stock for a small shop but if he doesn't have exactly what he thinks I should want to hand he gets out a catalogue rather than just selling me whatever is knocking round the back of shop. (A friend doesn't deal with this guy because he thinks he talks too much!) When shop 3 is on holidays, I have gone to shop 4, who was alright but nothing special. In the summer, I also went to shop 5. I was tidying up my bike stuff, and Shop 5 is a charity (a sheltered workshop) that is very happy to hoover up old bike parts in any shape or form, so I brought them anything I wanted rid of and let them do a few bits and pieces for me while they were at it, new tyres etc. I felt guiltier about going to shop 5 instead of shop 3 than I have felt about getting stuff online (mostly clothes and shoes, although I did get a set of Schwalbe Winter tyres online last week for €43, which was just about all I could justify spending towards the end of the month).

If I need to try on a pair of shoes in two sizes because I'm not sure whether getting the wide fit will let me go down a size or not, it's simpler to order both pairs online and then send one back than to deal with an LBS who doesn't want to be stuck with a pair of Sidi Megas.

I tried on Shimano shoes in a LBS and got the exact same pair €25 cheaper online. There was no way I was letting that go by!

Allabaah

Thanks all for the posts. As a newbie to cycling, buying all the gear posed a few questions around online purchases versus LBS. Still none the wiser as I would like to see LBS surviving giving valued employment. However I will always make the comparison for gear purchases in the future.

Captain Havoc

It's amazing the variation in customer service around the country. Having worked in sales myself, it's so important to greet someone coming into a shop yet a lot of shops won't, I've walked into Cycletrax in Carlow numerous times and nobody has ever said so much as boo to me, there was one largish guy in Cyclesports in Dungarvan who was great to deal with and I ended up buying my brother's Christmas present in there last year. I'd imagine in a bicycle shop you've to deal with a lot of tyre-kickers but that's not unique to the cycle industry. Point is, it won't take up any of your (shop keeper/ mechanic) time to say hello, if you're in the middle of doing something, you can tell the customer: I'll be with you in a minute, I just need to finish this for a customer who's due in soon (it doesn't have to be the truth, just acceptable). I, like a lot of other people in the country, have very little money and if you want it, I'm gonna have to want to give it to you, whether that's based on price, service or convenience.

Allabaah

Captain Havoc wrote: »

It's amazing the variation in customer service around the country. Having worked in sales myself, it's so important to greet someone coming into a shop yet a lot of shops won't, I've walked into Cycletrax in Carlow numerous times and nobody has ever said so much as boo to me, there was one largish guy in Cyclesports in Dungarvan who was great to deal with and I ended up buying my brother's Christmas present in there last year. I'd imagine in a bicycle shop you've to deal with a lot of tyre-kickers but that's not unique to the cycle industry. Point is, it won't take up any of your (shop keeper/ mechanic) time to say hello, if you're in the middle of doing something, you can tell the customer: I'll be with you in a minute, I just need to finish this for a customer who's due in soon (it doesn't have to be the truth, just acceptable). I, like a lot of other people in the country, have very little money and if you want it, I'm gonna have to want to give it to you, whether that's based on price, service or convenience.

Captain Havoc,

you've hit the nail on the head there as I've had a howler with one LBS buying a bike for €1000 and I walked away, where I had great service in another shop and ended up spending €1350 on a better bike.

Hit and miss I suppose but manners cost nothing!

smacl

Captain Havoc wrote: »

It's amazing the variation in customer service around the country. Having worked in sales myself, it's so important to greet someone coming into a shop yet a lot of shops won't, I've walked into Cycletrax in Carlow numerous times and nobody has ever said so much as boo to me, there was one largish guy in Cyclesports in Dungarvan who was great to deal with and I ended up buying my brother's Christmas present in there last year. I'd imagine in a bicycle shop you've to deal with a lot of tyre-kickers but that's not unique to the cycle industry. Point is, it won't take up any of your (shop keeper/ mechanic) time to say hello, if you're in the middle of doing something, you can tell the customer: I'll be with you in a minute, I just need to finish this for a customer who's due in soon (it doesn't have to be the truth, just acceptable). I, like a lot of other people in the country, have very little money and if you want it, I'm gonna have to want to give it to you, whether that's based on price, service or convenience.

I think you often find that those who run their own businesses put their heart and soul, not to mention endless hours, into making the business work, whereas employees in larger organisations, and second generations who've been handed the business on a plate, will have less motivation. Regular customers are the life blood of any business, and IMHO if you go into a shop that doesn't really care about you're custom, you'll see better long term value elsewhere.

dubmess

Allabaah wrote: »

I tried on Shimano shoes in a LBS and got the exact same pair €25 cheaper online. There was no way I was letting that go by!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=647990448557288&set=a.610648578958142.1073741825.181301661892838&type=1&theater

mossym

Allabaah wrote: »

I tried on Shimano shoes in a LBS and got the exact same pair €25 cheaper online. There was no way I was letting that go by!

i've no issue with people using both, do it myself, and most shop owners know you do it. But this i have a big issue with. you go make use of the service the shop offers, take up their time, then go online and buy it? the reason they are cheaper online is because they don;t have the expense of the shop, meaning by buying them from there you give up the benefit of the shop. using your local with no intention of buying there is just taking the pi$$ in my book. Buy them online cause they are cheaper, but don;t use your local as a free try on service.
agree totally with the picture posted above

Euro Fred

Aldi,Lidl & Halfords do me fine, but I just mainly commute

ford2600

"using your local with no intention of buying there is just taking the pi$$ in my book" 100% right

I use both online and lbs.
When buying shoes, take the chance of getting correct size online or buy in shop where they provide a nice comfortable environment while you try various pairs. There is a cost to that even if you choose not to pay it.

pelevin

Got some small jobs done yesterday on my bike in an LBS in Cork, Kilgrews, good job done, they're really sound & bought leg warmers & overshoes also there. I buy the occasional thing online now like a merino based top or previously something high-end like the Gabba at a very significant saving - but certainly general things like those mentioned I'll get from an LBS. They'll often round off the figure by taking a few euros off anyway & if you actually started to put a cost on the time spent trawling through the websites, looking at reviews, etc- say your time is worth even something as small as 10 euros an hour to you - well the pretty minute 'saving' you've made on the above kind of purchases might start to look very different.
Brian from SpeedySpokes/Douglas Cycles I've found good to deal with also so I've two cases here anyway where I'd look on it as a good symbiotic relationship.

ford2600

pelevin wrote: »

Got some small jobs done on my bike in an LBS in Cork, Kilgrews,

Was it the heavy set lad you met? Have often met him on sportives and in shop, he's sound as you'd meet anywhere

pelevin

ford2600 wrote: »

pelevin wrote: »

Got some small jobs done on my bike in an LBS in Cork, Kilgrews,

Was it the heavy set lad you met? Have often met him on sportives and in shop, he's sound as you'd meet anywhere

I should know their names but this time twas the other, also quite short, fella I was dealing with - the owner I think. Had to ring back though over something & the heavy fella said he'd bring for free screws & plates for shoes/cleats, 2 of which have come off one of my shoes. Did the same for me once before. Small thing but sums up exactly the kind of relationship you want with an LBS.