Originally Posted by
EdmontonIrish
Part economy, part individual circumstances, part internet sales. Not much one can do about the first two, but if you buy from the internet you'd better be okay with not having any LBS.
I'm temporarily working in Moreno Valley, CA. I looked on Mapquest for an LBS out here, as I was thinking about buying a used bike for recreation and possibly commuting. I couldn't find either one, even though I drove up and down the street several times. i then bought a bike from BD.
After I got the BD bike assembled I was looking for accessories - frame pump, spare tube, rear rack, etc. Since I hadn't found an LBS I went to Sports Authority. A sales guy there directed me to the ONLY LBS in town. I bought the frame pump and spare tube, but when I asked about a rack, the guy had nothing for a bike with 700c wheels, and what he had started at $91.00!
I bought the rack from Nashbar.
Honestly I can't understand why there are not more bike shops in a town in California. But I tried to support them - they just didn't have what I wanted.