KraneXL

Its like buying a computer from Dell as opposed to building it yourself: you get a one-stop shop for everything. And of course there are those no-charge perks. When I bought my last bike from my LBS all my upgrades, i.e. computer, water bottle cages, pedals, seat, tubes/tires, etc. (which I purchased online) were installed at no cost.

indyfabz

Why the dupe thread?

Oneder

Only a jerk would expect that anyway. I don't expect any free things or discounts just because.

fietsbob

and once the weather improves the work queue gets longer, at bike shops.

Kontact 

Any reasonable shop would love to have the opportunity to convert an online shopper to a LBS shopper via good service. I've seen that happen plenty of times.

MRT2

My local bike shop has saved the day for me more than once.

Sy Reene

How much does any LBS know about your personal history? God save the person who buys a bike from one LBS and then moves to another town/state/country.

veganbikes

Buying a bike online is usually more hassle then it is worth. I would rather go into my local shop buy a bike that is already built (or will be built for me if a special order) and come with some free tune ups and possibly other perks. I can ride out of the shop typically that day or within a day or two (unless doing something more serious to the bike like adding Di2 to a hybrid which we did recently and customer wanted XT but FD was not compatible with frame and XT RD was not compatible with road front so it took some time to get it all figured out).

At my shop we give you two free tune ups and help out with any small stuff and warranty issues and at time of purchase any accessories are installed for free which can be a costly endeavor especially for things like racks, kid seats and fenders.

Certainly though we generally don't turn down those that buy on the internet but you don't get any of the service that comes with a new bike purchase. At the shops I have worked at we have had to turn people away because the great deal they got is not safe to ride due to damaged forks or frames and that is always a hassle trying to send a bike back as it isn't super cheap and in some cases might cost almost as much as the bike.

One useful tip: Mechanics generally love beer, cookies, fresh "herb", coffee or things like that. I am not saying you should bribe someone but appreciating their service is always a nice thing and will go a long way to establishing a great relationship with great mechanics.

jitteringjr

Unless you only have one Trek bike shop around you and they know you by sight, you could always say you bought it somewhere else and moved to the area. I said that one time about my older Bianchi when I brought it to a non Bianchi dealer and the wrencher was giving me grief about it. But for me it was true. It’s not going to fly using that line with my Canyon though if I ever need to take it in.

Sy Reene

Why not..? I picked up my Motobecane at a little french shop in the pyrenees.

Metieval

pay for a LBS service a few times, and you'll soon be watching youtube and doing your own service.

Flip Flop Rider

have a neighbor take it in

Obeast

i don´t see any moral dilemma. If they give you bad service, then simply don´t return. You do pay for the service as it is unlikely to be free.

ReclusiveOne

I bought my Workcycles bike online, nearest dealer is way too far away, and had some minor issues that I was having trouble resolving myself and so took it to the local shop to get some work done. They were actually looking forward to seeing it brought in because Dutch city bikes are basically non-existent here, so it was an opportunity for them to see something different. Also, they probably also knew that if that was what I wanted to buy that they wouldn't have been able to help me anyway as the closest they sell to it is casual cruiser bikes, which are not the same. They did the work, charged me basic service labor fees, I had one issue that they thought they resolved but it popped back up a day later and so they reworked that one issue for free.

Bonzo Banana

If you need a LBS to do servicing and repairs then it often makes financial sense to buy there. They will assemble the bike properly, throw in a free service plus treat you well as you get used to the bike and need punctures fixed etc. That adds value to the purchase.

Most LBS's love online bike purchases because they can charge for everything they do which could be more profitable for them than selling you a bike in the first place. However that means the end customer actually gets poor value if they rely on a LBS to do everything for them with regard an online bike purchase.

If you can do your own repairs and servicing then discounted online purchases make sense but if you can't often buying online is the wrong choice.

I get annoyed I must admit when people who buy online and then leave reviews that the bike needed adjustment at their local bike shop! Bikes need maintenance and servicing and assembly of a bike requires some basic skills.

I get especially annoyed when you see reviews about pedals falling off. The buyer didn't read the instructions properly, tried to screw in the pedal the wrong way, damaged the threads and then complains that the pedal fell off in use and somehow that's the online bike seller's fault. I bought an online bike recently and the pedals had serious wrapping with warnings about reading the instructions before fitting, not just on the outer wrapping but on the pedal axle thread itself. It's clear many people have a gung-ho approach to assembly and often don't bother to read the instructions.

So reading online reviews of bikes you have to filter out the people who clearly should not of bought online and have damaged the bike they purchased by incorrect assembly or adjustment. Which can be a surprisingly high number of reviews especially at the bottom end of pricing where the low price temps many people but they end up with the bikes with the most difficult components to adjust and that are most likely to come badly adjusted in the first place.

If you actually go into your local LBS and state you are thinking of buying online a bike they sell they may try to match or get close to that price and the difference in price may actually be quite small. It's worth giving them the option. I suspect for lower price bikes it will make more sense to go to a LBS but where the savings could be huge for a premium bike then online may make more sense.

Also bear in mind making use of your LBS supports your local community of cyclists. It helps keep bikes safe for many cyclists including children. So however you want to do it spending money at your LBS is no bad thing.

jefnvk

I dunno, it was pretty easy when I did it for my fat bike, because no one carried Scott near me. Big box showed up at my door, went together in about 20 minutes, quick touchup on the back derailleur and I was good to go. A bike isn't all that complex mechanically, there isn't a whole heck of a lot to do if you are generally competent working with tools.

Plus it gets quite a few looks and compliments at the trails, because it isn't one of the same three bikes everyone else has, as that is all the local LBS offer.

50PlusCycling

Go to Youtube. Bike service is not rocket science. Two ways to earn minimum wage are to flip burgers, or be a bicycle mechanic, because neither requires much skill (I know this from personal experience). If you can cook pasta without burning down your house, you can learn enough about bikes to service one yourself.

The only time I take my bike to a shop is for jobs where I don't have the correct tools. And then, any nearby shop will do.

Slightspeed

Year's ago my beloved Bianchi got killed by a car, while I was on it. I bought a Nashbar frame and took it to my LBS to have the parts transferred, feeling inadequate to change bottom bracket, headset, etc, and lacking special tools. They told me the Bianchi fork wasn't compatible, so back to Nashbar for an Easton carbon fork and headset. They only charged me $100 to complete the build. Later I performed several upgrades, even swapped the down tube shifters for Sora STIs, on sale at Nashbar. I just finished a complete build from a found bare Raleigh frame, and was proud of doing all the vintage mechanical parts sourcing and installation myself. It's a sweet ride. The original shop is long gone, and I miss them, but learning as you go, you can do a lot yourself in time.

Several years ago, I paid an electrician $35 to install a ceiling fan. Watching him, I couldn't believe how easy it was. I've probably done 5 or 6 fan installations now, including trouble shooting a noisy one, and repairing it. You can do more than you think, but there is no shame in asking for help. Just takes a few $$.

SEAJAYBIKE

"but that's it really" Oh you've done it now! I generally try to be nice on the forum but now I'm sitting here steaming thinking of all kinds of nasty things to call you. YOU ARE EXACTLY THE PROBLEM. You can justify it all day long, but its still immoral and stealing.

Who do you suppose spent money on those bikes in the shop ready for you to "check out". Who is paying rent, insurance, electrical bill? Who is paying the people who "gave you info about the models"

I hope you understand what an inconsiderate phrase this is.


.

MRT2

Most of my local shops know me, whether I bought a bike there or not. When I have time, I will stop by local shops to introduce myself, look around, and buy something if they have something I want. There is a shop about 15 miles north of my house. Never bought a bike from them. But, they are on a very popular bike route, so at least a couple of times a season, I stop in there, introduce myself, and browse around the clearance rack, maybe buy some socks or a pair of shorts, or even a couple of spare tubes if I am running low. Nothing big. Fast forward to late last summer. My wife, her friend and I are about 1/3 of the way into a 50 mile ride when my wife flats. I can change a flat, no problem. Not this time. After wrestling to get the bead seated, I realize I can't. The bead is damaged and the tire is shot. The tube won't stay inflated. So I manage to re inflate it enough so we can ride slowly and carefully back to this shop. Middle of a busy Saturday. But I ask the mechanic politely if he can help us. He puts down what he is doing and does an emergency tire replacement and gets us back on our way.

He could have just sold me the tire and let me mount it myself. Or maybe he would have done that for anyone, but it didn't hurt that he actually recognized me.

jefnvk

Immoral? The thing about morals, they are not universal. Stealing? No way.

"Gave me some info about models" is very vague. If the shop spent time and identified the perfect bike for him, offered him real fitting or test rides, and then he ran out because he found it $20 cheaper elsewhere, yes I agree it was a very shady move. If it was the far more common pull out a bike they are trying to sell because it is what is on the floor at the time and check fit by seeing if you can straddle the top tube, not so much. If it was a simple rehash of what was on the Trek website, absolutely not.

What if it was the first shop he walked into, got some information, then realized the shop was just a crappy shop or were charging considerably more than any other dealer? Would he be under obligation to support them, because they had the fortune of being the first place he talked to? Probably not the case, but it wouldn't be the first time I've encountered it.

Krikemancer

All they did was provide me some information regarding the difference between the Trek Domane and Trek Émonda.
Nothing more, no fitting, no test rides.

Just the first shop I came across while looking for Trek retailers.

DMC707

My local shop has been reaching out to online retailers to be listed as a certified assembler ---- if you cant beat em, join em

Krikemancer

Trek even sells bikes on their site. The shop also being an official retailer. (Trek, Ridley only)

02Giant 

I wouldn't sweat it. People with their bikes can relocate at times. Not all bikes being serviced locally, are bought locally.