Performance Bike Shops are not the Devil
 

They are not evil, they are not Wal-Mart, they are not Nordstroms....they are just a business trying to make a profit and stay in business in a very difficult retail business. Sometimes I find good deals on parts, sometimes great deals on Pro bikes, that are more expensive than their target demographic price range. How about a Team United Fuji full DuraAce 7800, Mavic SL wheels, and Ritchey carbon WCS bars and seatpost....for $3000 including tax, plus getting $270 in store credit for pedals or whatever.

Shop around and give your business to your best local bike shop, get to know them by name and let them help you....

this thread is pointless. thanks for wasting my time!

I want my 30 seconds back......

I would say it is last years bike with last years paint scheme and last years components that is typically assembled by a bike mechanic who could not keep a job at a real bike shop so he settled for a job wrenching at Performance.

Yes they are. I sat here today looking at the online prices with the 20% off sale going on this weekend and the sale magazine I got in the mail that starts this Wednesday. The prices are almost always within a few bucks no matter which sale or promotion they are running. They are no different than BD listing MSRP prices then never selling anything for near that price, but always at a lower "sale" price.
I pity the poor sucker who walks in to a PB shop without knowing the scam they run. Of course, I'll stop in there next weekend during the double points sale with the sale catalog in my hand and buy a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff anyway.;)

Performance sometimes has good deals on stuff but $3k on a store brand bike? Pffft.

The difference would be a phone number.... and a return policy that is 98.8% better than BD. I do agree that they do price almost as Scummy as BD. Almost

The Performance near me is OK. Most of the senior employees were there when it was Supergo. I bought a pair of shoes with the 20% off this weekend. They were cheaper than anywhere else online.

To some of us it doesn't matter that something is "last year's" color or last year's model. In fact I'll buy older stuff that works as well as the new stuff any day. I just puchased a Dura-ace 2008 - 7800 shifter set from competitive cyclist for $219. That's the same price that I paid for my DA 9 speed 5 years ago.

Thats no deal fella.$3000 bike are a dime a dozen for the OCP crowd.
This week they were selling a Fuji team CF, 10 speed, ultegraRD,nice seat, with 105 brifters for$1000.
With the present economy they are giving away cars too.

Walmart is just trying to make a profit, too. Performance is not all that different from Walmart.

My point exactly.....maybe $3,000 isn't such a great deal for a bike with 7800 on it because you can buy the components for so cheap.
I would have a real hard time handing over $3,000 to Performance for anything but that's just me.

+1

I shop around for the best prices I can find, be it online or at a brick and morter store. My budget it tight and I'll spend it wherever I can get the best bang for my buck. More and more that is at my local Performance store. Between the Team Performance cash back and waiting for sales and coupons, I can often find what I'm looking for at prices better than online after shipping and handling charges. The head wrench here at the Plano store is excellent and I've never had bad service there. Several times I've had a salesperson advise me to wait on a purchase for a few days because a sale is coming up.

Go on, call me a shill and get it over with.

Oh and I often shop and Walmart too. I'm just trying to get by on what I have.

Are so.

Underwear gnome give you a wedgie and force you to read this drivel?

People hate on PB because they are a nationwide chain wich means they make a huge profit and can sell products at a better price- like walmart. If your favorite bike shop had a 100 stores nation wide you would probly hate them too.

You're very important and your time is very valuable. Feel better? I'm a little far away but I'm sure we could find another BFer close to you if you need a hug.

They seem to have some pretty good deals to me. I just bought a new Giro Pneumo helmet from them for $80 (plus another 10% back). I couldn't find it online for under $100(maybe didn't look hard enough). They will also take anything back and match price after the sale no hassle. Not the best place for a lot of stuff, but it seems like they have some really good deals from time to time. As far as the pricing model (w/constant discounts off higher retail prices), isn't that a pretty common model for retail sales?

Only if their tubes also f,d up on a regular basis .

Their prices really aren't that good unless you're talking about their house brand stuff, which of course can't be compared because it's not sold anywhere else. The Performance/Forte/Spin Doctor stuff is of marginal quality in my experience, and their service department is one of the best reasons to learn your own wrenching.

True. Unless it's on sale, most of their stuff is the same price as any other shop.

The Team Performance 10% isn't special either. A couple of the local shops will give a discount if you tell them you're in a cycling club.

They are about the only place to get a tire or some tubes on a Sunday though. They also have a pretty good selection of gels.

Well, I can't complain.

I just picked up a set of Dura Ace 7900 / Open Pro wheels for general purpose riding from Performance.
Wheels were $220 front, $330 rear. Built with DB spokes, and (yes) brass nips

Most places are selling the individual hubs for ~$190 front, $330 rear.

Plus I got 20% off up front, and 10% back in points.

Are the "handbuilt wheels" (their term) of supreme quality? Probably not. they certainly weren't stress relieved. But did I still come out ahead if I have to take them down to my LBS for a retension and true after a hundred miles or so? Absolutely.

So Wal-Mart and Nordstrom aren't just businesses trying to make a profit? What else are they up to, Cobra-style world domination? Poisoning school lunches?

Everybody knows Bikes Direct is the Devil anyway.