Koyote

I need a new pair of rotors for one of my bikes, and they're pretty scarce. A third-party Amazon seller, which looks a bit sketchy, has them listed at $90 each with delivery in about three weeks -- which suggests that they don't really have them in stock.

Called my fave LBS, which is 1.5 hrs away, and asked. Response was, "Sure, Koyote, we've got 'em at $59 each. I'll put a pair on the 'hold' shelf for you." I insisted on paying with my CC, since I won't make the trip very soon.

I hope I always have a shop like this.

rumrunn6

too bad they won't throw them in a padded envelope w/ a cpl stamps for ya!

sdmc530

I too have nothing but love for both my LBS, they always treat me very well. I use them both as much as i can within reason.

I really try to support local the best I can.

Koyote

Oh, they would do that – they’ve done it in the past. But I’ll be up there in a few weeks or a month at the latest. And I don’t need them right away.

Rolla

I had a conversation recently with someone who had gotten faulty advice online and ordered a wrong part via the Internet. He was later "astonished" to learn that one of our local shops had the right one in stock all along, and that he was able to just "walk in, check to see if it fit, and then take it home!" as if this was some novel concept that had never occurred to him.

We've evidently become so inured to online life that we've forgotten that there are physical places with expertise and inventory whose sole purpose is to help us out. Who knew?

Rdmonster69

I could have driven 5.5 hours for the MTB I wanted but decided to just order it from my LBS instead. Bought many bikes from them over the years.

Eds0123

Its funny, reminds me a couple months ago I was calling my LBS Salsa dealer for a frame bag for my cutthroat, and the owner started looking online to order one, but couldn't find one, was it discontinued? he wondered, then shortly he remembered that he has one in correct size in his shop, I asked him to hold it for me and went and picked it up immediately 😂

Noonievut

I always try and support local, but due to part shortages I've cast my net wider than normal (bike shops, but some hours away). I've found two shops that when it comes to orders and/or service, they're now my go-to. One is 20 minutes away, the other 50 minutes. I try to limit driving there so often because of time and gas (and emissions), but I always enjoy visiting, and talking bikes.

Barry2 

My local Sports Basement found me some MT800 and some L03A

Very happy me

CAT7RDR

I know the owner of my LBS and he is very knowledgeable at least to this technical neophyte.
He has been indispensable in making my bikes more rider friendly and I appreciate that with my business.

mstateglfr 

Well, yeah. Bike shops have significantly less inventory and fewer options than online. I do call shops for some things because if they have it in stock I will gladly buy from them, but typically I have to buy online in the end.
I no longer order from either local shop I frequent because they still order 1x/week. So if I come in on a Wednesday, they won't actually order it until the next Tuesday, which means I won't get the item for 1.5 weeks at earliest or possibly 2 weeks after i place the order(its happened).

It is what it is at this point. People like options and the internet provides that better. People like low prices and the internet provides that better.
Bike shops obviously still have a very solid piece of the overall pie, but the story of shop inventory is the same as any other retailer- online had more options.

Rolla

Of course. But this shop had the part he needed all along; he just never thought to ask them.

Distributors impose order minimums, and adhering to them helps the shop keep their prices down. I seldom need things so quickly that waiting a week is a dealbreaker.

Yes, we live in the same world. I was just reflecting on how people have become so accustomed to focusing solely on prices and delivery speed that the LBS, with all its expertise and proximity, is sometimes viewed as the last resort.

Yep. What else could it be?

icemilkcoffee 

My local bike shops generally don’t have whatever I need, but I have come to greatly appreciate a local wheel builder who built a number of wheels for me for reasonable prices and a frame builder who straightened a steel fork for me for a very reasonable price. And these guys are masters at their craft.

Digger Goreman

Preston (he told me I could use his name) at Aztec Cycles in Stone Mountain, GA., is my "go to" guy. Highly knowledgeable, loves to talk, treats me like part of the team, and treats my OLD Trek like it's the most important bike in the shop! We just completed my 1x conversion and, despite occasional issues of mating old, new, and differing brands, have turned my Beast into the Beauty I envisioned.

Bravo, Preston!

Doug64

I posted this in another thread:

The Peak Sports Bike Shop in Corvallis, Oregon is an excellent shop staffed by a great group of folks. I really appreciate them!

Russ, the Service Manager, at Peak Sports Bike Shop in Corvallis Oregon.

Our school district inherited a bike fleet from a neighboring community to help us get our bike safety program going. The bikes, 37 of them, were in decent shape, but needed a safety check, adjustments, and some new parts before we wanted to put our kids on them. I was in Peak Sports picking up cables, brake shoes, etc, and Russ asked me what I was up to. I told him what I needed to do, and he told me that if I waited to the following Monday, he would come over (35 mile drive) on his day off and give me a hand. He showed up early in the morning , and other than taking a lunch break, we worked to 4:30. The only thing he would accept for payment was buying him lunch. His shop also gives us a discount on parts. I've know the folks at this shop for a long time,and they are great people.

Our fleet has 37 bikes, a 20 ft cargo trailer to haul them, 130 helmets donated by our local bike club, tools and spare parts. We teach the 2-week course to 5th graders at the district's 5 elementary schools. Hopefully, this Covid pandemic will get to a point were we can go back to working with the kids again.

Graduation Ride

blurcovenky

I'm a mechanic in a bike shop in Minneapolis. Supporting your local bike shop goes a long way into supporting your local community. Likewise buying from your local grocer or butcher to many other everyday things.

It's easy to say, 'Buy American', 'Avoid Chinese made', We hear this sentiment often. This issue is more complex than we think - Well, how many of us can actually afford to buy 'American made' bike components? Not me, or many of the customers who I meet everyday. We talk about buying 'American' but won't buy at the local hardware store because we can save a few dollars at a mega store or Amazon. It would be years before American industries achieve the economies of scale and are able to churn out products the average 'American' can afford. Till then let's do our part and buy as much as we can 'local'.

I must admit, the average pay in a bike shop for a mechanic puts me in a place to buy where anything is the cheapest possible. I do my best to try and support local businesses.

Thank all of you who support your LBS or any local business. That's a great place to start.