Virtually every cycling related purchase I've made in the last 10 years has been from an online source. Of course I build my own wheels and do my own routine maintenance. If I get really stuck on an issue I have a friend of mine who was a mechanic for the 1980+84 Olympic cycling teams...his 1980 gig didn't pan out too well. Russia/Afghanistan and the boycott. We sure showed them didn't we Jimmy. But, I digress, sorry.

My experience w/lbs' was always so negative once I began to learn a few things, amass some tools and ask some questions that I just stopped doing business w/them. It's the elitist, crappy, hipper-than-thou attitude that chaps my behind. Got a Park TS-2 truing stand/base, repair stand, tool collection and have never looked back. I've got a list of 6 or 7 online stores that either don't charge shipping or have a price point at which they ship for free. And I'm always looking for closeouts and bulk items.