Best Bicycling Retailer Web Site?

[stevesurf]

Retailer feedback aside, which of these web site do you like the best (navigation, content, layout)?

Please keep in mind I tried to pick some representative ones of different layouts; I'm curious what people like the most in a cycle products web site.

[djarard]

If I may list a couple sites that I like and why..

These are sites that have terrific information about most everything they sell, and one can tell that the information comes from personal experience with the products. They are not just repeating the copy that comes from the manufacturer. They also have nice large clear photos:

Competetive Cyclist (competetivecyclist.com)
Harris Cyclery (sheldonbrown.com/harris)
Peter White Cycles (peterwhitecycles.com)
Velo Orange (velo-orange.com)
Wallingford Bicycle Parts (wallbike.com)

I know of a few sites that basically offer the whole QBP catalog. Of those, I like the following because of the organization and the prices:

Alfred E Bike (aebike.com)

Other than that, I think the Nashbar & Performance sites have a lot going for them. The navigation is straightforward, but I especially like that your shopping cart will stay active for a long time, so you can add and remove things from your cart over time. Another big plus is that it's clear what is in stock and what isn't. There is also a lot of opportunity for good deals on closeouts, returned items, promotions, etc.

Other decent sites I have had positive dealings with:

Cambria Bicycle Outfitter (cambriabike.com)
Jenson USA (jensonusa.com)
Excel Sports Boulder (excelsports.com)
Universal Cycles (universalcycles.com)
Bike Tires Direct (biketiresdirect.com)

[Brian]

Steve, you're kind of comparing apples and oranges there. Some are retailers, while at least one is a pretty comprehensive cycling site.