Originally Posted by MrPeabody

New guy here.

So last year, I wanted to find a first real bike for my 9-year-old son. Didn't want to spend a huge amount (wife set the limit - married guys know the deal). I knew it was going to be thrown around, slammed about, etc. so an expensive bike didn't make sense.

I went to the LBSs in my area because I like to buy local if I can. Almost every one was a nightmare to deal with.

The first place put my son on a bike 2 sizes too big for him with the seat too high, insisted it was perfect (against my protests), and watched him wobble around the store until he crashed into a display.

At the second LBS, the owner apparently didn't like kids and refused to let him try more than one or two bikes. And only inside, not outside. He yelled at him for trying to climb onto another bike to try.

I ended up buying a used, high quality bike from FB Marketplace for a great price. I checked it over as well as I could and didn't find a problem. So I took it to a 3rd LBS to have them go over it all and do a safety check. This LBS kept it a week, barely looked at it, and OK'd it for me to take home. Except it had no rear reflector, which is a legal requirement in this state. They missed that.

I brought it to a 4th LBS for a minor adjustment a week later. They happened to notice a large crack in the head tube that the other 3rd LBS repair guy didn't catch. It was almost invisible just looking at the bike, but if you put any pressure on it, it was plain as day from the front. I was furious. I should have found it, but the guy I paid DEFINITELY should have found it.

The 3rd LBS owner was extremely apologetic and did a great job making things right. Even got a new frame and basically put a "new" bike together for my son. And then charged me an extra $100 for the labor.

So now that I'm looking for a bike for myself this year, I don't like or trust any of the LBSs near me. I don't trust myself to find a decent used bike that hasn't been ridden off a cliff and fixed up. And no one has anything in stock anyway. What to do?

Stamp collecting is looking like a better hobby right about now...