Caliper

I do all my own work on my bikes. Have done so since my first multi-gear bike. Heck, I do everything on my cars aside from exhaust and tires. Rebuild a few engines or a carburetor or three and bikes are dirt simple. Being an engineer doesn't hurt either...

I try to buy stuff from my local bike shops although I admit I do buy a bunch from online, Nashbar, eBay (love used ebay parts), etc also. When I go into certain bike shops for parts, like cabling or some odd part I get the feeling sometimes that they don't really want me around. Ok, I am often asking for something that they don't have in stock, but I'm fine with waiting and picking it up when their next order comes in. I even try to pay cash when I have that on hand instead of using the card because I know they get charged by the card companies. Does this make me a bad customer overall? What items do bike shops usually make their most profit on? How do other DIY'ers out there handle this?

Machka 

Get your parts wherever you want to get your parts. A bicycle shop is not a charity that needs to be supported.

SHBR

Bike shops can save your bacon if there is a tool they have that you don't.
Something like a headset press for example, granted you could make your own out of a bolt and some washers, but its not quite as elegant. Even a bike stand is a godsend, that allows you to focus on repair instead of balance.

Most of all, when you need a bolt or fastener, and it is the final part in your otherwise finished build.

Yes the prices are usually higher, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush.

GP

The shop I go to welcomes people like you.

Caliper

I agree. They really helped out when I needed to swap a part and didn't have the tool. I bought the part and ordered the tool. When my GF picked up the tool later, the person who rung it up made a remark about "oh, he does his own work". Darn straight I do

The shops here actually do pretty well on prices. I've always seen the part online before I go in so I know when I'm paying more and it's never more than a reasonable shipping charge so I really don't feel like I'm losing much money buying there especially with the convenience factor. Besides, I do like having local shops because that means more possibilities for local people to become cyclists.

Matchka, I don't think of them as a charity, I'm just curious if shop owners don't like DIY or maybe I'm just picking up the wrong vibe.

headloss 

I really think it depends on the shop, time of day, time of the year... If it's a slow day, the shop mechanic realizes you know something about bikes, and doesn't talk your ear off for an hour... I'd be surprised.

Personally, I tend to buy online, simply due to selection. If I can order through the LBS and I'm not in a hurry, I'll do that so long as I'm not making a charitable contribution that amounts to more than I'd tip them. I don't feel that I should be paying LBS prices if they aren't trying to cover the over-head i.e. they need to order something. Of course, if it's some sort of odd-ball special order, that's different.

As you've already said, I think a big part of it is that I like to find used and NOS on ebay. I'm also a Campy guy, so I'm going to order from Europe. For that matter, I'm also a commuter guy, so I order from Europe (because the price and selection for dynamo hubs and lights is way better). In fact, I think the only thing I really do buy through the LBS are QBP products.

Disagree with @SHBR, I have better luck finding nuts/bolts at the hardware store and I like my home made headset press. The only thing I've gone to an LBS for, tool wise, is to have a BB shell faced&chased because that's a $500 tool (in fact, a lot of shops don't even bother to carry one).

eastbay71

I've gotten the feeling from certain shops that they don't really want my business. But there are 3 shops within 5 miles of my house so I went to another shop. I guess that's one of the advantages of living in a large urban area. The shop I've settled on usually wants to see my bikes because they know I build unique bikes that they don't stock. If they don't want your business don't give them your business.

Vexxer

LBS's are like any business... they would rather you buy just a few little things here and there from them then not buy anything at all.. thought if your dealing with employee's who work for some form of commission, they may only care about selling high price stuff.

SHBR

To be fair. In Shanghai the hardware stores are not quite up to western standards when it comes to selection and quality. I used hardware stores more often when I lived in the states.

As someone who worked as mechanic in a bike shop, I found DIY customers were very easy to deal with, much better than the customers that would blatantly trash their equipment and expect it to be covered under warranty.

I would often do charity work for DIY customers, give away swag parts, or free labor and they would send us customers that were looking for something new.

I will admit this may not always be the most profitable way to run a shop. Many, if not most shops will focus on the big ticket customers, and tend to get annoyed with customers that they feel are wasting their time with a small purchases or trivial questions.

Dave Cutter

Yeah..... and Sears doesn't stock (or even want to order-in) parts anymore ether. Times change. My LBS couldn't sell me a seat collar bolt the other day. Said the best they could do is order me in a whole new collar (with the bolt). Instead... they told me which local hardware store would likely have the correct size bolt. Kind'a sucks.

Whatever business model the LBSs pick/select/create I sure hope it works well for them. I'd hate to have to do all my bicycle purchases on-line.

Machka 

I don't think they care one way or the other.

Kai Winters

Biggest profit margin is the sales of bike tubes...huge margin but it takes a lot of sales to make a lot of money.

Retro Grouch 

The bottom line is you have no obligation to make the bike shop people happy. They earn their money by making you happy.

rydabent

Im willing to pay a "little" more to a LBS if they have the part on hand, and I need it immediately. But ------------- I wont pay double the price of on line stores. A fool and his money are soon parted!!!

tagaproject6

You are doing it wrong. Most internet shoppers usually go online because they don't want to pay a little more to the LBS.

GravelMN

I'm all for supporting local businesses and my LBSs have done some good things for me. But they are a business and must remain competitive even as times change. Local tailors, cobblers, woodworkers, tinsmiths and haberdasheries all had the same complaints when Sears Roebuck and Wells Fargo started selling mass produced items by catalog and delivering them by wagon in the 1800s, that LBSs have now about internet vendors offering discount prices online with 2-day FedEx delivery to your door.

I always give my LBSs first shot when ordering parts and supplies and will even pay a bit more and wait a bit longer for local service, but there are limits.

Don in Austin

My favorite LBS does not seem to hold it against me that I do my own work. The manager entered my information in the computer for 20% off on parts, tires and tubes, nutrition, and the rare instance of labor (wheel building.) Gets their prices close to online and I spend quite a bit of money there. They know I buy stuff in my name for my friends and have no problems with it. When they have been particularly generous, I bring a couple of six packs of imported ale to the repair counter at closing time.

Don in Austin

howeeee

I cant figure out how the average person can afford to ride a bicycle on regular basis and not be able to do most of the work themselves. I am working on my bicycles or my wifes or my sons and his wifes and kids bikes constantly. I fixed at least 15 flats this season.

I go to several different bike shops for tubes, tires and parts, they all know i work on my own bicycles and they respect me for it.

chewa

I try to do both. I have a lot of bikes and buy some stuff on-line, but also other bits at the LBS. (For example, I,ve just bought two BBs because they were half price on-line).

However, we bought my wifes Orbea carbon roadbike from the LBS because we got a fitting service there.

I think LBS staff know that many keen cyclists have grown up fixing their own bikes (If I could braze, I could do everything on a bike, as I build my own wheels).

When I was buidling my Cinelli up (even though I could do it myself) I got the LBS to install the head and crank bearings. When they asked who I was getting the groupset from I mentioned the on-line retailer I was using (as the LBS didn't stock much Campag) and they agreed to price match, so I bought my Veloce Groupset and Campag wheels there.

I routinely get 10% discount on parts, so there's generally not much of a saving online anyway, and I like the way the LBS smells (all that steel, rubber, aluminium and carbon - yum!)

Rowan

This post is a gem, because it shows the wheel has turned almost (if not more than) 360 degrees. Internet shopping is absolutely no different to shopping by catalogue in the 1800s... or even the 1960s... except the deliveries are mostly faster.

I do go to bike shops to browse, and if there is something I would like, and the price seems about right, and I am in the mood for instant retail gratification, I will buy.

It's rare that I don't go into Abbotsford Cycles in Melbourne and not walk out with some sort of bike stuff... but then it does stock stuff I like such as Brooks saddles, randonneuring gear, and other goodies.

But other stores seem to operate on low inventory, and that means I will spend, oh, about 5 minutes browsing before leaving.

mack_turtle

as a mechanic, I am always a little worried about the people who say they will "fix it" at home. I have seen countless instances of people attempting to build their own wheels and cable their bikes on their own without knowing what they are doing and the turn their bikes into a disaster. I usually don't see these in the shop but rather on the street/ trail, probably because people realize what they have done and are embarrassed to bring it to a bike shop. when someone's bottom bracket is grinding and I tell them it will cost X to replace it, along with the worn out chain, rusted cables, cassette, and chainrings that they need to get the bike functioning, and they tell me they will "fix it at home," I assume they are going to either ruin their bike, or just ride it like that until the bike is inoperable. anyone who has the skills, tools, and knowledge to work on their own bikes would probably know better than to allow the cables to rust out, wait until the drivetrain is trashed, shoot WD-40 all over their disc brakes, etc.

eventually that shop should learn to trust you that you know what you're doing and encourage you to keep buying small parts. if they are smart, they will start selling you new tools too. if they keep giving you attitude, you are free to shop elsewhere.

Camilo

I have never experienced anything but welcoming attitude by any shop in which I spend money. I really don't think they have any idea or concern about what I do outside their shop. In other words - they have no idea or concern that I do my own repairs and sometimes buy stuff at other shops or online.

I suspect you're being paranoid or happen to go to a shop full of jerks (in which case, why would you ever go back?)

Now, none of this is to say that some shops don't have fairly ignorant sales people, but I've never gotten a negative attitude, just good natured ignorance, but happiness to sell me whatever I wanted to buy from them.

jyl

I do almost all my own work. Build up bikes, wheels, overhaul bearings, etc. My main local bike shop (MLBS) is perfectly fine with it. I ride C&V bikes and they like seeing the ones I bring by.

Sometimes I've brought bikes to them when I don't have the tool, but in general I prefer to buy the tool, if it isn't an expensive or seldom used one. For example, I'll buy a pedal tap set, freewheel remover, or a truing stand, but not a bottom bracket facing tool or the Park tool used to set chainstays.

I buy a good portion of my parts there, special ordering if they don't have it. If another shop or an online retailer is having a crazy good sale (50% off) on a given item I'll buy it there, but otherwise I pay full price at my MLBS instead of choosing the online vendors' "standard" discount.

I also go to my MLBS for beer a few times a week. They make as much from me on beer as they do on bike parts.

rydabent

Having worked on office machines and computers that have thousands of parts, a bike is not a thing of mystery. About the only thing I dont do on a bike is build a wheel, since I have never needed to.

Wordbiker

The only way I could see someone being a pariah to a shop for doing their own work is if they are taking up time on a busy day picking your brain about how to perform a repair or asking for advice on what to buy online. It's akin to asking an auto mechanic to diagnose a problem over the phone with no intent to otherwise employ their services. They're in the business of performing labor for pay. Demanding they share their knowledge for free is a bit rude. If they offer it freely...that's a keeper.

Some shops (like mine) encourage home repairs and even offer clinics to make cyclists more self sufficient. I see it as building lifelong cyclists, not one time sales.