Originally Posted by
THE ARS
What are you guys buying that you're saving 50% when you shop parts online?
Your LBS most likely has old stuff lying around as well.
Just something to think about.
Tom
I support my LBS as far as is sensible but there's a lot of stuff that I buy online because of a huge difference in price.
Bottle cages - £3.99 online, £9.99 at LBS (possibly different brand but visually near-identical)
Brake pads - £4.99 online, £16.99 at LBS (different brand, comparing cheapest with cheapest here)
Cassette - £17.99 online, £34.99 at LBS (identical product)
Chain - £14.99 online, £19.99 at LBS (identical product)
Panniers - £63 online, £105 at LBS (identical product)
Rear rack - £20 online, £36 at LBS (identical product)
So put simply, to put two bottle cages on the bike, and buy the brake pads, chain and cassette, and add a rack and panniers would cost £128.95 online or £232.95 at the LBS. That's a saving of £104, or in US money the best part of $170. For that I can buy all the tools I need to measure chain extension, remove the cassette and still have a chunk of change left over. Even if the LBS gives me a 10% discount (which they sometimes do, depending on who is working when I'm in) the saving for buying online is still about £80, or almost 33%.