Would you feel guilty?
 

I purchased my Giant bike from my LBS...they were great...took $35 off the original price,, patient and offered to tune up the bike in a couple of months free of charge. I have purchased a few accessories from them...Topeak rack, mirror.etc.

Now here is my question.... do you or would you feel guilty returning to the LBS with new or additional accessories attached to you bike that you did not purchase from them? ...I bought a Topeak Trunk bag and other items online...the LBS had an Airzound horn for $45. I got it from Amazon for $19.00!

No.

Why would you return to the LBS with those items attached to the bicycle?

And no, if I were to stop by the LBS with items purchased elsewhere attached to my bicycle, I would not feel even remotely guilty. Why would I? I walk into clothing stores wearing clothing from other clothing stores.

I'm friendly with a bike shop just a half mile from my place. I rolled into their shop a month ago with a bike that I recently bought from another bike shop 10 miles away. I felt a moment of guilt, but the fact is that they don't carry Cannondale, and I found someone else who did. It was that simple. Besides, I've bought all my tires, racks, shoes, and other accessories from them. I even bought my wife's hybrid from them. If they carried my bike, I would have bought it from them too.

Or to put it another way: In college I worked for an electronics retailer (1989-94). My friends frequently came to me when they needed something. Occasionally one of them would buy from a different dealer. It never bothered me. What bothered me was if they wouldn't at least ask me for some free advice. I didn't need to make money on them. If they found what they were looking for and it was something I didn't carry, great, buy from whomever fills the need.

No.

When everything else is said and done, it's not your job to make your LBS happy. They get paid to make you happy.

Absolutely not.

My LBS knows me by name, and knows I don't buy everything from them... In fact, I have never bought a bike from them, and have had them do some work for me on a few bikes.

If it is a good shop, they will appreciate your business, and treat you well, if not, then that is an issue with the shop, not with which components are attached to your bike.

I do tend to remove accessories from my bike that aren't relevant to the work I am asking them to do, if they are easily removed, whether I bought them there or not... I assume that it makes the work easier for them to not have to reach around my bags etc.

Only if the owners are Grams and is been in the neighbourhood forever, watched me grow and even babysat me a few times and loaned me a free bike when my old one was stolen. Otherwise NO.

It's only uncool if you ask the shop to install stuff you bought elsewhere.

If you really want to keep it level, drop by with a six-pack every now and again. I do that with my LBS and they are always happy to see me.

Only if you expect them to do it for free. If they are charging labor, who cares where it came from, they are still making their coin.

No reason to feel guilty, though I do understand the temptation. The three shops I use all are owned by guys I've known for 10 years or more, so there's an element of friendship there, too. When I bought my Atlantis, I told them what I was looking for, but none of them seemed interested in trying to find a bike that suited me. I bought the one I wanted, and have ridden it by all the shops to pick up small things or just say hello. Retail owners have to realize they can't win them all.
I do buy most of my tubes, bar tape and small accessories locally. It helps the shops a little, and it keeps me in their minds as a regular customer if I have a Friday-night emergency or something.

For the $25 dollar difference between the Airzonds you can drown your guilt with some good beer.

Hale No!!

No. I figured I bought a bike from them.

I definitely don't. At least I bought the bike from them, so I still buy other stuff from them, b/c I get a 10% discount lifetime since buying the bike.

Don't worry,it comes as something completely normal to them.

If a shop makes you feel guilty for buying elsewhere because your budget demands it...find another shop.

I have a couple regulars that bought bikes and parts on eBay, etc, and I do sometimes give them the old, "Well, you wouldn't be having this problem if you'd bought from us..." line, but it's just in fun. As AllenG stated, labor is labor and we make no price distinction for straight installations. However, we do offer discounts for installation of accessories when with the purchase of a bike, as well as a discount on the items.