Originally Posted by
RedC
Refering to Performance as an lbs is like comparing CVS to Joe's Pharmacy. If your town is big enough to have a Performance store you're bound to have lot's of "Joe's Bike Shops" and you're much more likely to be talking to experienced bike mechanics at real lbs
The guy that was helping me was not a mechanic. He was sales staff. Also, I wasn't referring to them as an LBS, but to me, they are equal in many ways. At least this individual store is. The other nearby shop had me as a customer for over 10 years, but every time I went in, I felt like it was the first time they had ever seen me. Over the summer I went into the LBS with my wife looking for a possible hybrid or flat bar road bike for her. The young man that helped us sized us up as Grandpa and Grandma and only wanted to show us a hot pink Cruiser. The guy at Performance actually knew I was an enthusiast type and spoke to my wife before making any suggestions.
They may be a big chain, but the level of service and knowledge will vary by individual store.