thatbikeguy

TECHNICALLY I could use 3 days to take a trip to London, but you do have a point. I think the best solution is to build the bike myself and buy components seperately.

thatbikeguy

You do have a point, well 3k is budget and I'll make sure to organize my following posts well. Thanks for the feedback!

thatbikeguy

It's not a troll thread actually. I find it immoral and useless to waste time by trolling like a salty 6 year old who thinks every day is april fools. No offense.

wphamilton

Maybe it's just semantics, but if I were "in urgent need for a budget bike" I'd probably buy a budget bike, without too much anxiety over it. Then take my time over the expensive one, having a spare bike in the end.

indyfabz

And there we have it.

mstateglfr 

...except that wont fulfill your 'urgent need' for the bike. So there isnt actually an urgent need? Or perhaps 'urgent need' uses the same line of thinking as a $3000 'budget build'?

bbbean 

I beg to differ. There is a difference between riding in unnannounced, having a shop wrench willing to do a minor repair and get you back on the road in 10 minutes and booking a repair, leaving the bike for a few days and paying standard shop rates.

This isn't unique to my bike shop or even to bike shops. The dealer where I bought my car prioritizes repair and maintenance for customers. If you bought your car there, you get a free loaner while your car is being repaired. Bars and restaurants offer better service and occasional freebies for regulars. Even my local grocery will occasionally run back in the back and pull out fresher meat or produce for regular customers.

Also worth noting is that even if your point didn't fly in the face of human nature and standard business practice, if bike shops don't make a profit and generate cash flow, they won't be there to offer service regardless of the speed or cost.

The several hundred/thousand cyclists who ride group rides and compete in weekly races in my city would argue otherwise, as would the thousands/tens of thousands of cyclists who ride large organized rides and fondos that operate with shop support. Those events simply don't happen without LBS support, and every shop owner I know says organizing and supporting these events is key to their business model. It's how they maintain their relationship with loyal and regular customers, meet potential customers, and generate good will in the community.

bruce19

I bought a CAAD 12 w/105 11 sp from my LBS. I also bought a Colnago World Cup CX on line from Competitive Cyclist. No problems either place.

bruce19

eduskator

This ^^. Budget & custom don't go well together. You will get a lot more more ''bang for the buck'' if you buy a complete bike VS build a custom one since bike manufacturer have a buying power we don't have. Plus, bikes are on sale at this time of year (well, where I live!).

Sy Reene

To the OP's scenario.. I'm pretty sure my LBS doesn't offer a Reynolds steel tubed, Campy equipped road bike. Has this thread lost track of the original dilemma?

mstateglfr 

Wow.

A lot to unpack, so here are some bullets.

- the 2 shops I am willing to frequent are both very good and I have never purchased a bike from either. Not a bike for me or my family. They have helped me right away even during busy times, even though it wasnt based on a purchase from the shop. They have also ot charged me sometimes. I will buy random items from the shops and consider myself a customer of both.
Point being- you needn't buy a bike from a shop to be helped quickly at that shop.

Of course shops need to generate cash flow and profit. Repair can be a major source of that revenue so treating customers well even if they didn't buy a bike from there is key to maintaining a great revenue stream.

- it's awesome that your area has so much involvement in group rides. Please understand that I am taking all people who ride a bike into consideration when I say that most dont do group rides. Probably 20 people on my block have bikes and ride them a dozen + times a year. None participate in group rides. And they obviously dont race.
Shops providing a tent and stand for charity rides is really nice and mutually benefits the event and the shop. The shop gets exposure and has a chance to hook customers thru...repair service. Oh look at that, a nice full circle where a shop is fixing bikes not purchased by the shop.

bpcyclist

I've done both. Bought a nice Wilier from Competitive Cyclist and they did a great job. But their job is done when the bike shows up at your door. It's all on you after that.

Having a relationship with an LBS has a very high value to me. I bought my BMC from Western Bikeworks, which is the dealer closest to my home. I have brought the bike by when I was out on a ride and wondered about something. They always immediately take it back and deal with it and they never charge me. I would be happy to pay, though. The important thing to me is, they know who I am and, way, way more important than that, they know the bike. And that's why I'm buying my Di2 bike from them.

KraneXL

I get good deals at my LBS for accessories. And with apparel, you can always try before you buy. As for the bike, LBS all the way. No assembly required.

eduskator

Yep, like 99% of threads here. Errrrbody gives their opinion (that is often unrelated to the matter itself).