Fifty Plus (50+) - Where do you buy your parts?

I'm taking a class on bike maintenance and repair. So, far it has been a great class taught by a very knowledgable person. But, with this knowledge comes a question: Where do I buy parts?

I don't want to cut my LBS out completely. But, for many things there is a pleasure in doing it myself. So, for things like cable, cable housings, screws, wire, gears, etc. Where have you found to be the best?


(I've seen some ads and gotten some mailorder catalogs that are not only truely expensive but are questionable. Obviously geared to those with more money than sense, not me).

I buy cables and housing from the LBS. I looked at the sets on line, and the bulk sets the lbs sells me were a few bucks cheaper. I'm sure you can do better online with sales. When I do buy online, I often go with Amazon

Internet, scambay, LBS where ever the part I need is available at a decent price. I find getting oddball stuff is best done through the LBS who usually orders from a distributor.

I built a HOT mountain bike last season and the LBS got 100% of the build except the frame. They deserve my business, I like them and they delivered on price, delivery and quality, what more could I ask?

75% of my parts come from various online bike shops/eBay/Amazon. I try to use the LBS for routine supplies, but there is such a diversity of stuff available online that it is hard to resist that.

I buy some things from RibbleCycles.co.uk (http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/) It takes a good-sized order to make up for the overseas shipping. But I tend to order in big batches so it works for me. Their currency calculations are always a bit higher than what my bank actually charges.

Stateside, eBikeStop.com (http://www.ebikestop.com/) carries a lot of parts that other places don't. They also carry dealer-sized packs of things like cables and housing. With four bikes, the 10 meter packs of housing are a real money-saver. It's also the only place I can find the gallon size of Bike Lust.

I get my parts for the LBS, they in turn help me out from time to time.
I fix a few bikes for folks that need the bike for transportation and can't
afford any thing else and can't really afford to do much to their bikes.
The LBS helps me with parts for them, discounts, they do a few wheels
for me, NC.
I pay their price for parts for my bikes, I flip them to make money.
Their prices are about the same as online when you figure in the
shipping.

It is one hand washing the other.

I get advice and assistance when I need it, priceless!

If you use the internet, these are my favorites.

http://www.loosescrews.com/

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=728144510462&h=main&m=top_ten

Bodyshop.:D

I tend to get most of my parts from my favorite LBS. The exception being tires. They don't carry what I like and if they ordered them it would, according to them, cost more than if I get them on-line on when one of the mega chains has a sale.

Hardware type stuff,(ballbearings,axles nuts,etc)from LBS, rest from one of the online bike places
Bud

I buy from mainly 3 sources. I buy some parts from my bike builder, some parts from internet bent sellers like Hostel shop and some from my LBS. Things like trunk packs etc that you really need to put your hands on to see what you are getting is what I buy at my LBS.

Given where I live, I buy everything from the LBS - there really isn't much alternative. And even though I have a full set of tools, I tend to have them do all the work since they do a very good job.

I get small things such as axles, brake cables/housing, nuts, bolts, grips, and other little things like this at my LBS.
But for things such as my derailleurs, cranks, and things that I plan on doing quite a bit of research on before buying if buy at http://www.niagaracycle.com/ they've done me good so far.

LBS plus internet. All my bikes are full Campi. If I need some obscure part, like replacement cogsets, brake lever rebuilds, Campi wheel rebuilds, I use Branford Bike in Seattle WA. Rodd and Doug really know Campi. Their workmanship is impeccable.
http://branfordbike.com/

LBS. Have lot's of $$$$ invested there.

I use my LBS when I can. I use Ebay occasionally. I really like JensonUSA. They ship things really quickly - probably because we're both in California. I've also used Blue Sky, Price Point, Alfred E. Bike, and Harris Cyclery. I've even bought from Amazon occasionally, though I try not to because they get enough of my business already from booksales, etc.