About "Support local bike shops"
02-07-20, 06:30 AM
#101
Senior Member
02-07-20, 10:51 AM
#102
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
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02-09-20, 06:14 AM
#103
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,874
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
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That's a relief, it's a ship! 
An early Great Lakes ore or lumber hauler, no doubt, now in restful repose below 300 feet of Lake Michigan!
An early Great Lakes ore or lumber hauler, no doubt, now in restful repose below 300 feet of Lake Michigan!
02-09-20, 06:22 AM
#104
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,874
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
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as a consumer I think Canyon is fine and anyone who gives you slack about direct to consumer models is crazy since most major bike brands now sell directly to consumers online yet at much higher margins. Yes in the end this will effect LBS but like any retail consumers are buying online and not in shops as much anymore. For the past 4 years I have only bought bikes online since on average I was getting 40% off retail and I was able to find bikes in my size which most shops never carry. I do however bring my bikes to local shops for maintenance or to install parts i simply don't have the patience or tools for.
For your instance yeah buying from Canyon you probably understood you simply would only have phone or email support and long term warranty issues become more of a problem. I will say warranties are such a fickle beast and while LBS love to work with you it really comes down to the bike rep or the manufacture them self approving whatever claim. I have had some shops do basic work like install pedals or index gears for free but in your instance I guarantee you would have been paying for that kind of service no matter what
LBS simply need to adapt. A great example of this is Piermont Bikes by my in NY. Amazing store with a huge selection of bikes, accessories, and parts at reasonable prices and they even have a pretty awesome cafe in store. However they differentiate themselves by being a multi faceted store that sells on ebay, takes in people's used bikes or parts and sell them on ebay for store credit, they sell leftover wholesale bikes ob ebay and are very transparent on the markups. I recently bought a bike that had a $3700 MSRP. The owner said yes it's a new in box bike with warranty and he would do $1900 in which he was making $200 profit, which was transparent and IMO very honest. He did say for $2200 I could buy the bike in store and it would include assembly and lifetime adjustments. I asked how much just assembly would be and he said $100, so basically for a LBS experience for minor adjustment I would be paying a $200 premium after assembly. I decided to just buy the bike and paid him $100 to assemble, ultimately I probably regret paying $100 because as soon as I got there he literally took my bike off the rack and his tech just greased and torqued parts to spec and indexed gears.Now with direct to consumer bike companies I think people are seeing that there is a bit of fluff in LBS pricing or people are now seeing they can find their desired bike in their size online new for dramatically less and they are not at the mercy of their LBS having it in stock or having to order it.
For your instance yeah buying from Canyon you probably understood you simply would only have phone or email support and long term warranty issues become more of a problem. I will say warranties are such a fickle beast and while LBS love to work with you it really comes down to the bike rep or the manufacture them self approving whatever claim. I have had some shops do basic work like install pedals or index gears for free but in your instance I guarantee you would have been paying for that kind of service no matter what
LBS simply need to adapt. A great example of this is Piermont Bikes by my in NY. Amazing store with a huge selection of bikes, accessories, and parts at reasonable prices and they even have a pretty awesome cafe in store. However they differentiate themselves by being a multi faceted store that sells on ebay, takes in people's used bikes or parts and sell them on ebay for store credit, they sell leftover wholesale bikes ob ebay and are very transparent on the markups. I recently bought a bike that had a $3700 MSRP. The owner said yes it's a new in box bike with warranty and he would do $1900 in which he was making $200 profit, which was transparent and IMO very honest. He did say for $2200 I could buy the bike in store and it would include assembly and lifetime adjustments. I asked how much just assembly would be and he said $100, so basically for a LBS experience for minor adjustment I would be paying a $200 premium after assembly. I decided to just buy the bike and paid him $100 to assemble, ultimately I probably regret paying $100 because as soon as I got there he literally took my bike off the rack and his tech just greased and torqued parts to spec and indexed gears.Now with direct to consumer bike companies I think people are seeing that there is a bit of fluff in LBS pricing or people are now seeing they can find their desired bike in their size online new for dramatically less and they are not at the mercy of their LBS having it in stock or having to order it.
BTW, that "assembly" sounds like it was necessary work and would be backed up by some kind of warrantee. First, it does not take much labor time to build up to $85 or so (to the customer), and the fee is in part an investment that the shop might be around in 6 months when you need an adjustment. Now most of us could do all that ourselves, but the value of my time is variable with time, OTOH considering how I will learn by performing my own work. Basically, it's complicated. OTOH again, I have paid for full bicycle assembly and found serious defects in the result. I saved my time when I was working full time but have been plagued with difficult adjustment of her 3x11. I'd probably be happier now had I built her new bike myself.
But consider, only one of local shops seems to have Campy expertise anyway, and I didn't know about them then.
Last edited by Road Fan; 02-09-20 at 06:35 AM.
02-09-20, 08:15 AM
#105
Senior Member
02-09-20, 02:57 PM
#106
Senior Member
The topper for me was when I went into a bike shop for a Conti GP4000II. Tagged at $76, manager's wife tried to charge me $80. But the tag on the box says $76.
Well that is a mistake, the price is $80. BUT this time you got lucky and I will charge you only $76.
Oh, I got lucky? You know I can get the tire online for $36? I plan ahead, order 3 for free shipping and I get 3 for about the price I am going to pay her for one, and I got lucky?
Here is your tire, see ya!
Well that is a mistake, the price is $80. BUT this time you got lucky and I will charge you only $76.
Oh, I got lucky? You know I can get the tire online for $36? I plan ahead, order 3 for free shipping and I get 3 for about the price I am going to pay her for one, and I got lucky?
Here is your tire, see ya!
Between putting on the new tires/tubes including changing out the very heavy 'thornproof' tube and wire-bead 21mm Zaffiro on the front, I probably saved about three pounds of rotating weight! The bike rode MUCH different - much more sprightly, and the new supple 150tpi tires didn't feel like hard stiff solid rubber.
