Originally Posted by Miller2
I bought my bike online for $400 LESS than I could get it anywhere local. Once I received it I finished the final assembly then took it to a bike shop and PAID them to look it over and adjust it.
That exactly my experience! I've saved about $700 on a bike via ebay, checked/adjusted it myself, and paid local mechanic to have it rechecked.
For me things are working out like that
- if I need parts: I buy them whenever it's more cost-effective (usually ebay, never had any problem; or MEC).
- if I want to bike-talk: go to local bike club rides or here (hey, there is a lot of nice people here)
- if I need a professional mechanic I go the shop that have the best mechanic (not a $8-per-hour high school boys). At this point of time such shops are still co-located with LBSs. But when LBSs go out of business there will be Bicycle Mechanic shops with profesionals running them (they simply won't need any idiots on the floor).