By the way, have any of you ever wondered why shops feel the need to sell things for so much when online warehouses sell for so much less? Ever looked into what shop space costs per square foot per month? The ignorance is almost alarming.

I've never really understood this, as worded, but I think I know what everyone's getting at when they say it. Anyone else want to take a crack at this line?

There's an inherent comparison here, right? Scheels send their profits "elsewhere", but they still serve and employ members of the community. Many more members than the LBS does... And supporting your LBS's profits is different somehow?

Just make the money go round, it's good for the economy.

you're blowing this way out of proportion and it sounds like you're assuming I did this with all my stuff. To shop around for the best price using whatever means I deem necessary perfectly fine and if nobody else did do you think there would still be a plethora of online shops with competitive prices on the web? I didn't think so. I'm all for supporting my store and part of the reason I have a great relationship with them is because I refer people there every chance I get.

Let's be honest though. the world would probably be a better place without that big box store. Not to mention if it wasn't there shimano would probably sell shoes at my LBS and we wouldn't be having this discussion. A local shop turns money around to the community and without a big box store wouldn't need to worry about drumming up business.

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I always wonder how this plays out at the LBS. They bring you out three pairs of shoes, you try them all three on and one fits like a glove. Then what? You say, uh, these fit great but I'm gonna need to think about it a little.

I bought mine at REI. They had that 20% off sale on one item so I picked up some Shimano R086 Road Shoes for a total of around $90 out the door. They were really helpful with letting me try on different models and sizes and since these were the first road shoes I had ever purchased I had no idea how they were supposed to fit (an inch in the toe, completely snug, velcro tight as possible or rachet loose as possible, etc...)

I think online I could find them for $10 less but it just wasn't worth it.

The problem comes in when you're trying to purchase $450 Sidi's and can get them online for $250. Moral dilemma time.

I purchase my Conti 4000S tires from PBK cause they're $68 a pair instead of $68 a tire. Plus I have never asked my LBS about them or tried them on. I get all my advice here at Bike Forums which says extremely little about my state of mind.

Then why do you go to one to try on shoes?


Also, I understand that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but I'm only doing it to make my point clear. People often don't see what they're doing when they do it in too small of doses.

Time?
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I just said it in my last post but I'll say it again. My LBS' do not carry Shimano Shoes. Part of running any retail store is understanding that every person that walks in the door is going to walk out just as empty handed. It's not like I'm out to get them or intentionally attempting to screw them over. I just don't care in the same way they don't care about my community any more than walmart, target, sears, etc do. The online store cares even less and for that reason their prices are lower and they win my business.

I just picked up another set of Ultegra Pedals last month for under $90 delivered. Took all of 5 days to get to my porch from Chain Reaction Cycles.

I will agree to disagree my money is too tight in this day and age to throw it away because I saw it, touched, tried it locally. A sales floor has to understand that there are going to be "shoppers" its all part of doing business.

I have no idea how that answered my response in any way, but my only point is that if there weren't some people overpaying at Scheels, they would stop stocking the item you want to try on and buy elsewhere. Wrong or right, just stop flaming the people who are the reason you have that luxury.

Yes, it's obviously an assumed circumstance of running a retail store. So is shrink and theft.

You have every right to save your money by buying it elsewhere, but buy it from them based on their sizing charts and hope for the best, or return and exchange when it doesn't work out. That's taking accountability for your own decisions instead of making someone else handle your desire to have your cake and eat it too.

I have no problem buying items at LBS knowing that it's a bit cheaper online, I often do. I support bike shops and I like seeing and trying things and not having to wait for them to arrive. Instant gratification. I am also confident that most feel the same way.

I do have a problem with LBS selling items MUCH more expensive than online shops. Like it or not, online shops are their competitors. If shops are unwilling to accept that fact and unwilling to narrow down the difference, then it's their fault. I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep over it.

Think about it another way, if you keep buying overpriced LBS items, then LBS will never lower their prices, driving more people to buy online. Are you really helping out your shop?

This times 100.

What I'm saying is that if Scheels stopped stocking them then perhaps shimano would approach or be approached by on my LBS and I could shop there to support them. I'm sure that the LBS would love to stock shimano but because of a relationship with Scheels in the same city they aren't allowed to or something like that.

I think I understand. So you would pay the price you see at Scheels if they had it in one of your favorite LBS's?

Is this your first time on a clipless? You may want to consider a double-sided mtb clipless or those Speedplays so you don't have to worry about which side is up when clipping on from a stop.

Eh, my only problem is when a shop offers to special order something but still wants to charge their high prices. They don't have to stock it anywhere, it's direct profit,and they probably get a similar wholesale cost as the online store. On top of that, I have to wait 2 weeks for it to come in, so why not match prices there if you can't do it on items you keep in stock?

One thing I've noticed after using various pedal systems is that single sides pedals hang the same way every time since they aren't evenly weighted, so once your foot learns where that is, it's just as easy to clip in as it is with double sided, which rest at any angle they stop spinning at. So in my opinion, 6 of one, half dozen of the other.

(I'm glad people can still keep to the thread's original meaning in spite of our bickering)

like my LOOK Keo Classics....always hanging upside down. damn buggers!

Really? That makes me happy I chose Shimano, then. They always hang pointing up so I just have to drag my cleat over the top.

yea. i 've had them for 2 weeks now. i'm getting use to them now, i just kick them up with my toe and then quickly put my foot down. still, pretty tough for my first pair of clipless pedals.

Yep, just sweep your foot forward, catch the top, step down and click.

Yes, a lot of people will "shop" at a brick and mortar store, then buy elseware or online. I think this is fine if you go in with the intent that if you find what you are looking for, you will buy the product that the salesman is showing you. If you go in fully knowing that you won't buy it, then what you are doing is using up the salesman's time by implying that you might buy. If you told the salesman up front that you have no intention of buying from him, then it is likely he would move on to other customers. There are plenty of other sources of information from the manufacturer's web site, review sites and online forums. There is no real need to take up a salesman's time.

While "shopping" is done by a lot of people, I don't think it is very fair to the sales person. It is about respecting the other person's time and effort.

That's exactly my point. I know my LBS would match or come down slightly to match an online price and treat my like a loyal customer so of course I would.

And on a side note. I have no hard feelings here for anybody. A mature discussion like this makes the day go faster.

I appreciate everybody else's input as well. I'm glad a few people popped in to give feedback. I did initially consider going with two sided MTB clipless pedals but I'm just going to dive in head first out of the gate. I'm sure it'll be a rocky start but I'll get used it and figure it out.

Ok Got it. That makes sense.

No hard feelings here, either. I like these kinds of conversations. Every year, I have a discussion on pirated music with my students. It's fascinating to see the opinions and reasons.

I don't even know if I have time to get into that now. I may have to save that one for Monday.

I'm on the fence with that issue, so it's truly a source of entertainment.

Shall we get this rolling? I need some entertainment for the day. Fiance is going in for surgery tomorrow morning so I need to get my mind off it.