The simple fact is, i'm not against the bike shop profiting off of me. Or, off of other folks, for that matter. (Better them than me, right?) But the typical LBS, when it comes to selling me stuff, they're shooting for high-retail, and that's excessive. I used to work at a shop. It was almost criminal how much stuff got marked up, especially the cheapest, most horrible items.

I know what QBP charges bike shops for things. And, i know that there are times when jenson or pricepoint are offering components to the public for less than QBP is offering the same components to dealers. I know that must be hard. However, that falls under the "not my problem" dept.

As for shipping and waiting for online parts, i understand the frustration of waiting for components in the post. But, I've also had several experiences of waiting much longer for items ordered thru an lbs, for reasons related to poor service from their distributors and cheezy business practices on the part of the shop owner (eg, not ordering anything til he has enough stuff for a nice-sized order.) Worst thing is, many bike shops don't actually have an inventory of stuff I'm after.

When I go into a LBS, i tend to see a bitter crazy person with a crew of employees who tend to range from bright-eyed cyclozealot to burnt-out cynical guy who has been taken advantage of (where they fit on the scale is often proportional to how long they've been there.) They have no useful inventory to a guy like me. They have no useful inventory to most cyclists who've been riding awhile, and know what they want. Instead, they have a pile of overpriced, run-of-the-mill crap that they try to push on you because they don't want to order anything, even though they don't have anything. If/when they do order something, they want to play the role of yet another useless middleman. I'm of the opinion that the biggest obstacle to cycling blowing up bigger is that, in order to get decent new bikes/components, you need to deal with too many evil middlemen.

If I want to buy, say, a cassette that has a $100 msrp, I know that I can get an 08 version for $65, maybe a total of $75 shipped if i only get the cassette, from pricepoint. Now, if i go into the LBS and kick the following logic (and i have):
Me-Hi. I want the Superdeluxe badbutt cassette.
MidMan- That'll be $100 dollars.
Me- Oh. You got one here? 11-34?
MidMan-No. I'll have to order it. It'll be here before long. Or, i can sell you a hyperglide 8speed for $39.99.
Me-Um, I can get a new '08 superdeluxe badbutt for $65 online. $75, shipped and insured.
Midman- No way!
Me- Yeah. Why don't you just sell me one for $75. You make money, i don't get ripped off, and everyone's happy.
Midman-I can't get the 08s anymore.
Me-That's weird. You own a bikeshop, but can't get 08 cassettes. I own a laptop, and i can get 08 cassettes.
Midman-No, way. I have to pay $51.50 plus shipping to get that cassette from QBP.
Me-Yes, so you'd still make money. 1 and a half points. 50% profit. All you have to do is take my money and place an order.
Midman-But, I cannot do that, because I am a worthless middleman. I sell the things for $100. $107 after tax. $10 for "installation"

So, I leave. I get the cassette i want for $75 anyway. I wait less time than i would've via the LBS. Pricepoint makes all the money. Middleman gets none from me, so he can cry poor to his tragically loyal customers, and they can buy some more tubes and lube at inflated prices while shaking their heads. Middleman sadly wonders why business is slow. Pricepoint and its ilk wonder why LBS owners are so stupid.

Really, the whole thing is so outrageously pathetic, but these guys really think that I want to pay them $50 for placing an order, which is something I know how to do anyway. Oh, and installation? If you cannot install a cassette, you should learn how. You can buy the tool for less than the shop will charge you when they use the tool one time.

As for complete bikes, we have another case of scheming middlemen (the "design firms" that try to pass for bike companies) fleecing us by selling us the frames (which they order from the real factory in Taiwan or China) we want, shackled to jenk wheelsets and shimano m443 cranksets and headsets that are broken out the box. Nice. No thanks.

I'm trying to think of a compelling reason to support a shop. I might order a Gunnar from Trophy (not entirely local; next state over, but I can ride to it), but I'm not getting anything to hang on it unless he'll match online prices. The last time i went to a bike shop, i spent $28 for a $10 chain. Another time, I flatted on my fix without a patch or tube right near a "lbs". They charged me $15 to change the flat, and the 14 year old on the stand tightened my bearings up while reinstalling the wheel, so i ended up walking it home anyway. And, i had to order new bearings.

Maybe I'd support the LBS if it was run by a businessman who loved bikes and could do enough math to compete in today's market, and if he staffed the place with competent wrenches, but that type of shop is rare in these parts. Sorry for the size xxl rant, but really, the bike shops will never survive if they don't wake up, and they'll never wake up until cyclists force them to compete effectively. If you truly love your LBS, demand fair prices and quality service. Don't pay inflated prices over guilt-trips given out here.

-rob