Originally Posted by
wunderkind
Maybe some folks should not buy parts from ebay or amazon.com then. Instead only patronize LBS.
I still buy some components and accessories online, usually it's only items that the LBS does not stock and has to order. On past experiences, other than a complete bicycle, I've had better luck in ordering, and getting the correct part much quicker on the first try than the LBS.
I also would have been hard pressed for luck in getting my LBS to find parts for my vintage Schwinn restore.