Originally Posted by
noglider
As far as resenting prices at the LBS: somewhere, someone does your kind of work for a lot less. You don't feel like you're ripping off your boss. That's how the LBS owner feels about his prices: he's not ripping you off. He's just making a living in the way he knows how. Let him feel that way. I've been on both sides, and whether or not I agree, it helps to understand.
I agree. I've owned a business (now a side-business) for thirty years and, in order to stay afloat, I have to mark up certain items by as much as 300 percent. The reason this purchase hurt so much is that it was an impulse buy. I did not need a new set of tires, as my Specialized Nimbus slicks are only a few months old. I just wanted the cool look and feel that all the advertising sold me on Maxxis Hookworms, and for that, I was willing to give up some other things I actually need. It turns out the Big Apples don't feel that much better than what I had and they certainly look dorky to me with that reflective strip around the circumference.
Again, though, I don't want to whine any more. It's done and I will live with them. Please only post positive comments from here on in, everybody!