Originally Posted by sp00ki

I know everyone has heard it enough, but supporting your local LBS in situations like this is really not such a bad idea.
Performance or Nashbar doesn't need your money; LBS do. Most of the good shops are run by really good guys who (contrary to popular belief) do not race porches, decks, sheds, or any part of a house on weekends.
You can probably add exotic sports cars to that list.
They DO however answer bike questions, give advice, help you make choices, teach you how things work while you're shopping, explain differences in components, and so on.
If you really want to keep yourself from giving money to "the man", the least you can do is pick up smaller ticket items (tape, tubes, lube, cleats, brake pads, et al) from your LBS. Trust me when i say that if anyone is getting rich, it's Nashbar/Performance (they're the same company) and not your local shop.
I try to make a rule of buying anything under twenty bucks from a (non-chain) place with a repair shop. When it comes down to it, these are the guys who'll be facing your frame, pressing your headset (and removing an old one), chasing your threads and straightening your frame when you crash-- not the internet.
There's nothing wrong with saving money (parts can be really expensive), and i'm certainly not one to feel anyone should throw it away, but saving thirty cents on a tube is sorta ridiculous.