Originally Posted by
nakedpants
I'm all for supporting the local economy, but I don't really believe in this support your LBS for every single biking need. My LBS owner is a super nice guy, but he didn't sell the bike I wanted. When I found another bike shop that did in a reasonable location near where I live, I thought the guy was ok but definitely could of been nicer and more helpful to someone dropping over $1200. So now do I have to feel awkward bringing a bike to the nice guy at my LBS that I didn't buy there, or go miles out of the way to the bike shop I bought it at, that barely gave me average service? Here is something that's worth a lot to me....my time. My point is, don't feel obligated to support your LBS because people tell you to, do it because you want to.
I love my new Tricross but looking at what I paid for it, the components it has vs what's available at BD for almost half the price, I will tell you all my future bikes will most likely come from BD.
Take it to the good guy. You obviously have done a good bit of business with him and I'd bet he won't get upset about it. I have built bikes from scratch and bought Bikes Direct bikes and from other shops but I take all of them to my guys here in town and they fix or adjust anything I take to them. Heck when I bought the Winsdor Tourist from BD I took it up to them to true the wheels and I told them to adjust anything that looked like it needed it. They adjusted the brakes and that was about. I buy a lot of stuff from then so its not a problem
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(Life is too short to play crappy guitars) 2006 Raleigh Cadent 3.0, 1977 Schwinn Volare, 2010 Windsor tourist. ( I didn't fall , I attacked the floor)