bianchi_rider

I know this thread will make some of you dislike me, But this is what I see and what I think.
After reading threads and posts, I am curious why there is such a huge obsession about LBS?
I mean I go to my LBS (a couple of them) But to buy parts, gear, tune ups or get local race or tour info.
I dont understand how or why people are so obsessed with their LBS.
Some threads stated they would like to see more chairs, coffee and magazines, some state its like a local hang out. Excuse me, but I would rather be riding than I would be sitting and having coffee and reading a mag. If thats what I wanted I would ride my bike to the book store and have a chair, cup of java and find a book to read about cycling.
And about buying online or in the LBS, come on, everyone here knows that LBS has a big mark up on new bikes and half the time the LBS has to order your new bike so you have to wait for it anyways either way . I have been (past tense) a salesman, from cemetary to yes bicycles and I know what is expected from the sales people at you LBS, and if they have you so fooled that they are your buddy I wonder how much was spent on that precious roadie. I dont think I am the only one that knows this, so please someone explain this obsession.
Forgive me, but I just dont get it.
Ride safe to those of you that do ride, enjoy your soft chair, cup of coffee and mag at your LBS to those that choose to read about it instead of do it.

J-McKech

I would say im obessed with the LBS, i go to 3 of them but im just obessed because they have awesome stuff!

wheelerw

I agree and disagree. I feel that to much time in a local bike shop is just money being wasted. the more time you spend in a bike shop the more dumb useless stuff will be bought. I am good friends with the owner of a local shop and he will do anything to make a sale, and he is good at it, believe me. But also this local bike shop is a great spot where everyone meets for group rides, races, etc. This bike shop does alot for the community for the kids, charity, etc. so that is why I buy from there. I try to avoid the place as much as possible. I would never buy a bike online just because I the local bike shops usually do free tune ups, free part repairs, etc. And the prices are not to much higher than they are online. BUT ALSO NOT ALL LBS ARE THE SAME

bianchi_rider

I agree and disagree also, i like going to the stores, browsing for new cool stuff, but i find more serious riders to ride with along the trails in the parking area or along the rout. i do go to lbs for info on upcoming rides or entry forms etc, and I have bought several bikes from online, in perfect condition, since I take care of my equipment I do have to go to the lbs for a tune up as anyone who buys a bikle from a lbs would have to do, and about warrenty, never needed one here.. thanks for your input

bianchi_rider

agreed about the cool stuff, i do that to, but do you go and talk about cycling instead of riding, sit around the lbs drink coffee and use the lbs as a hang out? thats the obsession i am talking about, the one where the lbs can do no wrong

bianchi_rider

BTW thats not an obsession, thats normal

DieselDan

You'd be surpised at what you learn by hanging around your LBS and just shooting the **** with your riding buddies. You may even fund that sweet spot in your spin.

bianchi_rider

I ask questions when i go there if I have questions, I can also get answers to questions and find friends here, I can also talk to my buddies while riding, why han out with a bunch of sales people who dont really know as much as they think they do. Guys in this forum know more than them.
I dont go to a lbs to hang out, i would rather be riding instead of talking about it.
If thats what the obsession is then maybe I should open a coffee shop just for cyclists or wanna be cyclists that just want to shoot the #*%@.
Thanks for your input but I still dont see anything special about lbs

jfmckenna

I find the prices at one of my lbs to be reasonable. I will pay more for a part I can get the day I want it rather than wait and pay shipping on one that comes from the www. Plus something goes wrong? just a short ride to the lbs takes care of it. It's not an obsession it just makes sense. btw I bought my frame and groupset from an on line place b/c my lbs did not carry what I wanted for said price range so what ever? I may be lucky but my lbs is a true pro shop where I can go into for any given reason and get tons of info and learn a lot. They know they get there profits from a different costomer but they really cater to the enthusiasts. They are all riders and encourage there clientel to be the same. They don't sell coffee either. To be honest I don't see the connection. I meen I like coffee but not on the road, know what I mean?

Now thats just one of my lbs. bianchi_rider. Yesterday I went into another one that I have dredded for so long but said what the hell I'm in the neighborhood and my girlfriend wants a CX bike. So I go in and ask about one and this kid pulls out a Fuji catalog and starts talkin about a Fuji Cross and then says they also have a ' bian-chee' model. I'm like huh? ok I get it you have know idea what your talkin about. I am building a fixie at the moment too and since this lbs acts as the local bike junkyard and I am tryin to keep this bike cheep I figured I would go in there and ask about used fixed hubs and the guy looked at me like I was nuts. Moral of the story: If you have a good lbs use it. It's not an obsession it just makes sense.

slvoid

I like the LBS because:

a) I can walk in there, ask em for a bunch of tools and fix up my bike no questions asked. If I'm having problems and I walk into a hardware store (at least around here), they won't be so easy to help me out.
b) I can test products before I buy em.
c) If I need a new seat, I can go there, try em out, and snag one for $25. Online, I find the same seat for $10 off and end up paying $10 shipping.
d) I won't sit down and have coffee but when I go down to best buy, staples, starbucks (where people do hang out), walmart, you name it, they don't come up and say, "hey man, how's everything going? how's that bike treating you? there's gonna be a ride on tuesday, you going?"

I like online because:
a) I can get a $2500 laptop for $2000, $1500 if I look on ebay.

The LBS is kind of like the NY Yankees bar, everyone there shares a common interest and the reason why it's there is because of a certain social property that's absent elsewhere.

Waldo

You might want to check that opening statement-it's actually pretty common knowledge that shops don't make their money on new bike sales; I'd assume you would have known that with your experieince. What bikes were you selling that had such a high margin? Please let me know so I can look into changing the lines our shop carries.
I'm lucky to get a 35 margin (gross) on a Bianchi (not an atypical margin; some are a bit better, others are worse). Add in costs associated with assembly time, sales/fitting time, any swaps the customer might desire, frieght (not exactly inexpensive, particularly if I have to special order a bike), and follow-up service and the net margin isn't so hot.

Chi

Talk is cheap. Show me the money.

roadwarrior

Thanks...I was thinking exactly the same thing.

And most of the time people think that a $300 hybrid is all the money in the world. They come from Walmart after having looked at a Schwinn or a Mongoose and you end up spending a half hour explaining frame quality..they buy a $300 bike and you've spent an hour doing it. You'd think they were buying a Mercedes.

We had a guy in yesterday who was interested in a Garneau time trial helmet. We don't stock them since we maybe get 4-5 requests a year, so we just special order them. He says, "Oh, I didn't want to buy one, I just wanted you to fit me." Internet shopper. The guy that waited on him says, "Well, we'd be happy to do a helmet fitting for you. It will be $25 for that service." You should have seen the look on his face. We are still laughing.

I also love the guys that come in for a "fitting" when they have no clue how big a frame they need, but you know they've been on ebay and want that "free" service. I tell them that fitting is the last thing I do after we have selected a bike or two, then I'll do the fitting and we can test them to ensure the fit is correct. "When you are ready to make a purchase from us, we will fit you for the bike you want." Or they can do a full fitting for $150, half price if they buy the bike from us.

Or the "expert" who comes in with his buddy who wants a bike. The "expert" has the buddy snowed into thinking he knows all there is to know about bikes. These are the best.

Or the guy who came in all the time, never bought. Finally buys a bike from me. I am talking to him, picked a bike, measured him and asked him what he was currently riding. Litespeed. I ask what size it was and he tells me it's a 54...he needs a 56...paid $3,500 off the net becasue he thought he knew his size for this thermonuclear bike and he has all kinds of pain and agnoy riding the bike. Bought a Trek 5500.

People are amazing.

bianchi_rider

You still arent explaining what the obsession is. Not to mention you either own or work in a shop, I would expect you to talk about the good points.
you ask what bikes I sold, that has no bearing on this question, but I sold cannondale, trek and le mond. Now mind you this was several years back but the mark up on the bikes was very considerable.
I am still getting the same answers about ahh they have good mercendise, I always take my bike there for tune ups and so on and so on...
I am talking about threads I read , one a guy was asking what people would want if he opened a shop, and people said chairs, magazines, coffee, etc. and then I can read numerous threads and all i hear about is my lbs does this and does that.. I would love to go and check out these lbs that everyone brags about and see if this is really true.
I am not downing the lbs, they are there for a reason, just like the gas station is and the grocery store is and tool store and so on. all I want is an upright answer and no one can seem to give it to me, what is the obsession?
thanks for your input, good luck with your shop. hope its all that you make it out to be ( I mean that sincerely, I am not being truculant)

bianchi_rider

Another bike shop employee or owner, very biased...
I already know what customers are like in, I deal with them every day, but you arent answering my question.
Hmmmmm wonder if anyone will give me the answer, i figured I would have a lot more replies to this one.. I must have made someone stop and think, either that or you guys are being kind and not saying anything, come on let me know what this obsession is, please.....
You own a ford truck, do you hang out at the ford dealership???
your car needs a tune up, do you hang out at the garage???
I mean if women are obsessed with shopping, what do they do? (they shop, they dont just talk about it)
if a guy is obsessed with eating what does he do??? ( he eats, he doesnt go somewhere to talk to his buds about it)
so explain why all the hard core cyclist go to the lbs, and want chairs, coffee and mags, and donuts, instead of riding???

bianchi_rider

No arguement about if you have a good lbs use it, I agree with you, we all have cycling needs. I am looking for quality products at the best price, and if its something i need right now I do buy it from my lbs, but I can get my jerseys, bibs etc on ebay "brand new" for half the cost of my lbs. same goes for some parts, and in most cases the warrenty is included on the new items.
My question or points are why do people think their lbs is the best, why do they hang out there? I just think war stories and talking about riding and such should be done in forums or bars or coffee shops. I have been in so many shops and if you arent showing interest in buying a bike then they just walk away as if you arent there.
Thanks for your input, good luck on you build, bet its going to be sweet when you finish, even if its not a bianchi

geneman

We all know how obsessed you are with the Bianchi brand. Well, I don't really understand where that comes from. Clearly you can see how some people just like what they like, whether it's a brand of merchandise or a vendor. Our species is weird that way.

-mark

Feltup

I have found that 60% of "riders" like to look at and talk about their bikes more than ride them.

bianchi_rider

Thanks Mark
Some people like trek, some like giant, I like bianchi, but I do not go to the bianchi dealer and waste time talking about them, I would rather be riding it....
And when i tell people to buy a bianchi in a forum I am just kidding as i know they already have a brand of choice, most are good bikes, but I prefer bianchi, not because they are better than trek or giant or cannondale, but because its what i prefer.

bianchi_rider

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!
Now some light is being shed. I appreciate that feltup, at least now I am getting an idea, I think thats what i have been saying, why talk about it when you could be riding.. man I am in the wrong business, I need to open a cycling only coffee shop...
Thanks again Feltup

OregonBound

I'm puzzled by your seeming obsession with finding others to validate your opinion. Do you have some bone to pick with people who enjoy hanging around a shop that caters to their passion while they talk with like minded folk?

Personally, I support a LBS because I want them to be there when I need face to face help and because I like the people that work there. I don't have the time to spend there shooting the breeze, but I really don't care that some people do.

Paul

Don Cook

I might shop in a local bike store, maybe twice a year? Not even sure if its that much. If I unexpectedly need a part, and don't want to wait the 3-5 business days for it to come from the internet mart, I'll check an LBS to see if they've got it and how much. If they're high, I'll wait the 3-5 business days. If they're ballpark (within 10% or so) I'll give them my business. If I were in the market for a bicycle I'd probably take a look at what they've got. Its hard to test ride over the internet. But even then, I've seen a lot of fine looking frames on internet sites that I wouldn't mind building. So, I really don't know if I'd even go to an LBS if I were looking for a new ride.

But, not everone wants to get dirty working on their bikes. Some people just don't enjoy wrenching. That's fine. In that case, a person doesn't have much choice but to do their biking business with a local store.

BlastRadius

I've only purchased one new bike, the rest I've bought used. I support LBS's if I need (want actually) a part right away. I tried supporting my LBS by taking my bike there for service, but they botched 2 out of 3 jobs. So.... I go to other LBSs for parts and I'm buying (or making) the tools for headset work.

I don't hang out a the LBSs since none of them around here have seats, coffee, or time to hang out. And I don't necesarily have time myself to just hang around. If I'm not working or being with my family, I'm riding.

Laggard

Amen!

It's all about constantly upgrading your bike rather than actually riding.

bianchi_rider

I am not trying to validate anyones opinion, we all have an opinion or two. I just dont see what the big deal is, as its been said most guys go in and talk, well i am a firm beleiver in if you talk the talk, then walk the walk. why hang out and tell stories about how good this lbs is when all they do is sit and talk. I mean there was a post a while back the guy asked what would be better, ebay or lbs, I agree that the lbs has its good points, but heck why not save a buck or two if you can, especially if you are not sure you will enjoy the sport, The lbs "IF" its as good as its cut out to be wouldnt mind helping someone that is just looking with size and so on , in hopes of a future customer, wheather the bike was bought at that lbs or not. like I said I am not anti lbs, but I dont see what the obsession is. there are places to ride where people can meet and talk, every sunday there is an organized ride somewhere, thats a great place, and not to mention they can ride while getting to know info or get to know someone, make friends etc.
I go to the lbs for just a few reasons, and they are to look at new things, (wish list) and to buy things I may need and cant wait for. I just dont see it as a hang out and dont see what the obsession is, as one preson wrote in this thread 60% talk about it, I just think forums and other places are the place to talk and brag and tell war stories, the lbs is a business, they are there to make a living, if it was a hang out someone should open a bike shop/coffee shop and have wifi internet so guys could sit and talk about it online instead of riding, after all dont cyclist buy good bikes and groupos always upgrading so they can ride, or is it they want to go to the lbs and just talk?
sorry if I offended you, but I take cycling to heart and think cyclist should ride their sweet bikes and not go to a lbs and lie or brag about things then tell someone who wants info how great their lbs is when they have only bought a tube in the last year from the lbs but spend hours at the lbs talking, doesnt make sence, thats why i want to know what the obsession is, maybe I am missing something.