How much of an LBS premium are you willing to pay?

[OtayBW]

In those (now rare) cases when I have gotten to know and become friends with LBS staff and ownership, I would tend to get what I need/want, and spend little time thinking about how I could save a buck online. Unfortunately, that was elsewhere. I rarely frequent most of the local shops around here either because of less than stellar experiences with repair (or cost), or because I just didn't feel very welcome.

There is one shop that I've run across here locally recently that I am glad to say is a good exception....

[biker72]

Originally Posted by nate2351

To add, I'd like to ask everyone here to guess how much Shimano reimbursed shops for having to sell their old inventory at below their previous cost.

That would be ZERO.

That would be 100% correct.
The bike shop owners where I work are still pissed at Shimano.

[gemship]

I wonder how many people here really need to take their bikes in for service? I mean if you have a bike built right the first time with high quality parts how often or possible is it to need much of any service?

[ofcounsel]

Originally Posted by gemship

I wonder how many people here really need to take their bikes in for service? I mean if you have a bike built right the first time with high quality parts how often or possible is it to need much of any service?

I do from time to time, on my MTBs. For example, I prefer not to service my own shocks and forks when it comes time for maintenance. I also choose not to bleed my own brakes. I pay the local shop to do this. I pay them what they charge, and I pay them full retail for the parts I use. It's all good.

Al

[gemship]

Originally Posted by ofcounsel

I do from time to time, on my MTBs. For example, I prefer not to service my own shocks and forks when it comes time for maintenance. I also choose not to bleed my own brakes. I pay the local shop to do this. I pay them what they charge, and I pay them full retail for the parts I use. It's all good.

Al

Yeah I could agree with that. I would imagine suspension tuning to be somewhat of an art in itself. I also recall an old Kawasaki dirtbike I had that I couldn't for the life of me bleed the air out of a brake line that I replaced.The shop said they had a neat little vacuum tool for that... Hey your a sportbike buff as I recall so you can appreciate this...I ride a k6 1000 only on the road with dreams of a trackday so anyways. To save some money I get good deals on tires thru Ebay but because of a bad experience with tire irons scratching the lips of my mags on a different bike I once owned plus a lot of swearing and cussing and a hard time seating beads I like to take the wheels and tires to the motorcycle shop. They really do a nice job although they do charge a pretty penny for a half hour labor to mount and balance the tires on wheels. It's worth it though. Currently my bike is on track stands and the wheels are at the shop. I would like to get the tires there as well but honestly I get them for half the price on Ebay. Nice to be able to just drop off the wheels and tires without asking someone for a ride home if I left the whole bike there as well.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by quauhnahuac

the responses in this thread from bike shop owners really seem to reveal the "old" mentality and give good insight into why bike shops with this mindset are unable/unwilling to adapt to a changing marketplace and end up going out of business. it comes across as stubborn, for lack of a better word, and is a shame that talented mechanics lose their jobs when a store goes out of business because the old guard refused to adapt

Not true at all(as a former bike shop owner) Unfortunately it's just not that simple and certainly not an 'old fart' mindset problem. US bike shops buy from distributors, for good or ill. To match $ or sell big bunches of stuff online, ya gotta sell big bunches of stuff online-volume. If you don't have volume and you can't reduce cost as a retailer, you either match $ and eventually go out of biz or sell at the margin to keep the lights on. To pay for your monthly fixed expenses.

You buy from a distributor a widget for $43. That same distributor sells direct that same widget for $50. What do you suggest? How does a LBS adapt? Your comments reek of lack of knowledge of retail in general and bike retail specifically.

[nmrt]

i dont get this response.
wasnt the lbs charging $100 for the cassette? Now that is a big markup -- not the "divide by 0.65" that you've suggested.

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Not true at all(as a former bike shop owner) Unfortunately it's just not that simple and certainly not an 'old fart' mindset problem. US bike shops buy from distributors, for good or ill. To match $ or sell big bunches of stuff online, ya gotta sell big bunches of stuff online-volume. If you don't have volume and you can't reduce cost as a retailer, you either match $ and eventually go out of biz or sell at the margin to keep the lights on. To pay for your monthly fixed expenses.

You buy from a distributor a widget for $43. That same distributor sells direct that same widget for $50. What do you suggest? How does a LBS adapt? Your comments reek of lack of knowledge of retail in general and bike retail specifically.

[adub]

The sad reality is retail brick-and-mortar businesses such as independently owned bike shops are a dying breed. Direct to retail is becoming the norm for many products including bikes.

[nate2351]

Originally Posted by nmrt

i dont get this response.
wasnt the lbs charging $100 for the cassette? Now that is a big markup -- not the "divide by 0.65" that you've suggested.

As was noted previously in the thread Shimano did a running price change in January. Anything bought before that had to be sold at the new price and shops lost money on all of these transactions.

[59Bassman]

I'm currently weighing this myself.

I am researching/in the market for my first Ti bike. I have 2 LBS that work with Ti frame vendors. One is a Moots dealer, the other is Seven. I'm not (yet) a competent bike wrencher, so I will be buying a built bike. Cost will be roughly equivalent between dealers, but I would pay sales tax on top of that.

Another alternative would be a 2 hour drive to a fitter that works with a very well respected builder. Or I can go with a 6 hour drive to another frame builder I find interesting. Either of these choices would likely net me a full-up bike delivered to my house, again for roughly the same price, sans sales tax (yes, I know about use tax).

Currently I'm leaning towards one of my LBS for the bike. I like the idea of supporting the local economy. I like the idea of starting to build a longer-term relationship with one of my bike shops. Will it cost me a couple hundred more? Most likely. But I believe that local retail establishments are the first contact for a lot of the hobbies I enjoy. When I have the the choice, if I don't support my local shop, I have no basis to complain when I can't get what I need the night before an event, or if I can't find other folks in my community to share my hobby with.

[weiwentg]

You generally can't get big discounts on shoes online, afaik. But even if one could, I would be willing to pay a significant premium at the LBS for shoes or any item which required fit expertise.

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by 59Bassman

I'm currently weighing this myself.

I am researching/in the market for my first Ti bike. I have 2 LBS that work with Ti frame vendors. One is a Moots dealer, the other is Seven. I'm not (yet) a competent bike wrencher, so I will be buying a built bike. Cost will be roughly equivalent between dealers, but I would pay sales tax on top of that.

Another alternative would be a 2 hour drive to a fitter that works with a very well respected builder. Or I can go with a 6 hour drive to another frame builder I find interesting. Either of these choices would likely net me a full-up bike delivered to my house, again for roughly the same price, sans sales tax (yes, I know about use tax).

Currently I'm leaning towards one of my LBS for the bike. I like the idea of supporting the local economy. I like the idea of starting to build a longer-term relationship with one of my bike shops. Will it cost me a couple hundred more? Most likely. But I believe that local retail establishments are the first contact for a lot of the hobbies I enjoy. When I have the the choice, if I don't support my local shop, I have no basis to complain when I can't get what I need the night before an event, or if I can't find other folks in my community to share my hobby with.

It's totally worth it in your case to go through the LBS. It's going to be totally worth it in terms of tweaking fittings, etc. and you never know, you might get some other stuff discounted when you buy the full bike. You will be happy no matter which bike you get. Also, think about the value of your time in having to drive a ways for a fitting, etc. if you can get something of equal expertise locally.

[Joxster]

When you go to the Doctors/Hospital do you ask for a discount? Why should you expect a discount in a retail enviroment? Do you all ask for a 10-20% off you food shop in the supermarket? Now put the shoe on the other foot and how would you feel if you were expected to give a discount off every job you did

[MTB81]

Your bikeshop is not trying to screw you. They're trying to stay open.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by nmrt

i dont get this response.
wasnt the lbs charging $100 for the cassette? Now that is a big markup -- not the "divide by 0.65" that you've suggested.

As mentioned, shimano lowered their MSRP and cost by like 35%..so the $100 amount was accurate until then.