Am I wrong?

No, I do the same thing.

I don't find I have a problem if it needs to be taken in for repair either because they still want the buisiness of repairs.

John90210 said:

No, I do the same thing.

I don't find I have a problem if it needs to be taken in for repair either because they still want the buisiness of repairs.

I guess it's cuz I live in a town of 5,ooo and they all think everyone should shop loacally. I have actually been trying to make my own repairs. Mostly to avoid the situation. But, you still see them out on the trails and you can feel them staring down you new stuff

There is one shop in town that actually told me I could bring any component in and they would install it. However, when I go there it takes 3 weeks to get my ride back. That just does not work for me either

Oh well. Thanks for the reply john90210

You could try buying just the cheaper components from them and see if that changes anything?

And still buy the most costly stuff off the net.

I've learnt to do almost everything myself; yet to build wheels but i'm working towards that. I'd say learn as much as you can about bike mechanics. There are plenty of resources online (Sheldon Brown and Park Tools to name a couple). Get yourself a good set of tools. I built my toolkit up over years. Even after I had a few years off from cycling I kept them and have started adding to them again. Being self sufficient is both rewarding and is also cheaper in the long run. There's nothing wrong with wanting a bargain. I buy online all the time and save plenty which I can put towards the next new toy🙂. The only thing I guess you don't get with most online shopping is after sales service. But as long as you can return faulty goods or otherwise install things yourself, then I don't see this as being a big issue.

Thanks for the replies

Now I don't feel so bad

I just cannot see paying double for something (everything) just to please some people. I have enough friends. LOL

Thanks again

I just bought a HRM online, shipped to my door for $50. Sigma Sport PC-15. Bike shop wanted $64 for the PC-6, which is BASIC monitor. Times like that, I def. dont feel bad. I did buy my new aerobars through the shop, cause it was only a $10 difference, but i ended up getting a free Aerodrink bottle out of it ($15). Sometimes, its better to go through the shop, especially when the difference is not much at all. But when we start talking $25 and up for parts...
I assembled my whole new hardtail through the net. $1100 for something that would easily cost $2k at the LBS. On my budget, thats quite a bit.

IdahoohadI said:

I have been buying all my components online. I have also been saving %50-%75 over what the local bike shops/rape rooms here in my small town want.

So when I go in and want my bike wrenched on they're like "Ummmm were did you get that.......Uhhh I sell that here you know".

SO MY QUESTION IS....Am I wrong to do this?

My LBS treats me great and gives me discounts on everything I buy since I'm one of the regulars. Hence, I give them most of my business even if it does cost a little more. They want to keep me happy and they'll take all the red tape off warranties, etc to do so.

However I wanted to buy a Fizik Alainte saddle (for my road bike) so I asked them the price to order it. For some reason, Fizik is a rip-off in Canada so they told me that the Alainte started at $330 (CDN) after taxes, etc. There are several Alainte saddles and this was the price they started at. Well, I didn't want the base model either so I didn't continue the discussion to find out the price of the one I wanted because, discount or not, there was no hope I was buying it.

I bought a "like new" one on e-bay for $140 (CDN) after shipping, taxes, and cross-border fees.

This brings me absolutely zero guilt. However, I can promise you that when I tell the LBS what I did, they'll say, "Good for you, that was a great price". They wouldn't expect me to throw my money away.

I think that I am gonna start doing most of purchasing online as well. I was at my LBS the other day and there was a young kid there who was obviously new, giving me prices on some of the items I plan on buying. He was accidentally giving me THEIR cost though instead of the customer prices lol. When the owner came over and gave me the real prices of the itmes they were all double the cost. That kinda markup is ridiculous.

IdahoohadI said:

I guess it's cuz I live in a town of 5,ooo and they all think everyone should shop loacally. I have actually been trying to make my own repairs. Mostly to avoid the situation. But, you still see them out on the trails and you can feel them staring down you new stuff

There is one shop in town that actually told me I could bring any component in and they would install it. However, when I go there it takes 3 weeks to get my ride back. That just does not work for me either

Oh well. Thanks for the reply john90210

You've been riding for 4 years and you can't install your own components?
😕

stevebaby said:

You've been riding for 4 years and you can't install your own components?
😕

ha ha ha ha ha

stevebaby said:

You've been riding for 4 years and you can't install your own components?
😕

Not yet.

No time. I have 3 kids. Own my own business. Oh ya and I make enough $$ I don't need to work on my bike. Do you fix your own car?

Dumbass

IdahoohadI said:

Not yet.

No time. I have 3 kids. Own my own business. Oh ya and I make enough $$ I don't need to work on my bike. Do you fix your own car?

Dumbass

Yes.And I rebuilt the Gardner diesel in my boat.And I built all my bikes..never paid for anyone to repair or install anything on my bikes in my life.
If you earn enough to not work on your bike...why are you trying to learn how to do it?
A bike can be built(including lacing the spokes to the rims and truing them)in less than a day.I can't think of too many repairs or installations that would take more than 1/2 hour.
😄 😄 😄

stevebaby said:

Yes.And I rebuilt the Gardner diesel in my boat.And I built all my bikes..never paid for anyone to repair or install anything on my bikes in my life.
If you earn enough to not work on your bike...why are you trying to learn how to do it?
A bike can be built(including lacing the spokes to the rims and truing them)in less than a day.I can't think of too many repairs or installations that would take more than 1/2 hour.
😄 😄 😄

Wow! Your my hero. If my hero was a total [censored]....

IdahoohadI said:

Not yet.

No time. I have 3 kids. Own my own business. Oh ya and I make enough $$ I don't need to work on my bike. Do you fix your own car?

Dumbass

Workin' on a bike is pretty fargin easy.

GV27 said:

Workin' on a bike is pretty fargin easy.

And your point is?

No way, I see nothing wrong with doing that, I do!

Ice025 said:

When the owner came over and gave me the real prices of the itmes they were all double the cost. That kinda markup is ridiculous.

Nothing rediculous about that markup- that is very typical in retail. Remember they have a building to pay for, utilities, insurance, sales people, techs, etc. None the less, no one should feel "bad" buying online. The internet has changed peoples buying habits, if you don't need service order online, the shops will cater to those who do need service, don't want to wait for delivery, or those who don't have the time/skill to install themselves. But, dont rip on them for the markup- it's what keeps them open.

Digibike said:

Nothing rediculous about that markup- that is very typical in retail. Remember they have a building to pay for, utilities, insurance, sales people, techs, etc. None the less, no one should feel "bad" buying online. The internet has changed peoples buying habits, if you don't need service order online, the shops will cater to those who do need service, don't want to wait for delivery, or those who don't have the time/skill to install themselves. But, dont rip on them for the markup- it's what keeps them open.

I'm not ripping on them for the markup. Believe me I understand that everybody's gotta eat. And I'm fully aware of retail markups, as I'm a retail manger. I just gotta look out for my own wallet. I did purchase several items at my LBS other that my bike, but I think most of my buying will be done online, as i've found some items to be 30-40 dollars cheaper.

Since I 1st posted this thread I have had some dealings with one of my LBS.

I just told the guy "hey c'mon cut me a break. I'll buy from you if you meet me in the middle".

He has and now I do buy SOME stuff from him.