Good dealer - www.bitz4bikes.com



A

A.Lee

Guest
Just an heads up to a real good dealer.
My mate runs a bike shop, and if possible I always buy from him, if only
to keep the LBS in business.So, wanting some new shoes for the summer, I
ordered some Sidi Mega shoes (this was mid-April).Yep, should be a couple
of days he said.
And it has gone on like that since - the Importers keep fobbing him off
with various excuses - none being made until May,boat sunk, Italy
gone bankrupt etc.Waiting 5 months for something to come in is just not
on, if it wasnt my mate, I would have cancelled long ago.
I was getting a bit desperate now, with the CX season now started, and
someone had pointed out these dealers on Singletrackworld.com. I gave them
a ring - yes we've got them in stock, and £30 less than RRP. So I ordered
at 17:20 Friday, they arrived 10:20 Saturday, - a big thumbs up to
http://www.bitz4bikes.com

And how can the LBS compete when the Importer just wont supply them?
He would have made maybe £20 on these shoes, yet he just cant get them in
to sell!
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.
 
in message <[email protected]>, A.Lee
('alan@darkroom.+.com') wrote:

> And how can the LBS compete when the Importer just wont supply them?
> He would have made maybe £20 on these shoes, yet he just cant get them
> in to sell!


I think this is getting to be a serious issue. I too have a favourite
LBS. More or less anything I want I could get cheaper and quicker off
the Web - the chances of any small LBS having the bits you want in
stock, particularly if you're an enthusiast who wants specific more
expensive bits, are small. My LBS gives me a discount on his 'normal'
prices because I'm a regular, which is nice of him. And I do buy stuff
from him, because I want him to stay in business. But it would still be
a lot cheaper buying on line.

My feeling is that as more and more people get comfortable with buying
things on line the market for the LBS is going to get harder and
harder. My feeling is that they're going to have to concentrate on
services rather than products: repairs, fitting, cycle hire, with some
sales of complete bikes. But the aftermarket components business is
going to move more and more onto the Internet, and that has
traditionally been where LBSs have made more of their income.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Morning had broken. I found a rather battered tube of Araldite
resin in the bottom of the toolbag.
 
"Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> in message <[email protected]>, A.Lee
> ('alan@darkroom.+.com') wrote:
>
> > And how can the LBS compete when the Importer just wont supply them?
> > He would have made maybe £20 on these shoes, yet he just cant get them
> > in to sell!

>
> I think this is getting to be a serious issue. I too have a favourite
> LBS. More or less anything I want I could get cheaper and quicker off
> the Web - the chances of any small LBS having the bits you want in
> stock, particularly if you're an enthusiast who wants specific more
> expensive bits, are small. My LBS gives me a discount on his 'normal'
> prices because I'm a regular, which is nice of him. And I do buy stuff
> from him, because I want him to stay in business. But it would still be
> a lot cheaper buying on line.
>
> My feeling is that as more and more people get comfortable with buying
> things on line the market for the LBS is going to get harder and
> harder. My feeling is that they're going to have to concentrate on
> services rather than products: repairs, fitting, cycle hire, with some
> sales of complete bikes. But the aftermarket components business is
> going to move more and more onto the Internet, and that has
> traditionally been where LBSs have made more of their income.
>
> --
> [email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
>
> Morning had broken. I found a rather battered tube of Araldite
> resin in the bottom of the toolbag.


I have recently had clothing and bits from my LBS cheaper than Wiggle - it
seems to me that as with anything you ned to do the price checks!

Julia
 
When I want something, I research it (usually online) and find the cheapest deal online. I then go to the shop, being able to view the product and compare it. I usually ask at the counter if they will do a price match, if so, I will buy there and then. Usually this works. ( I got my Road bike priced at £525 for £400 on a price match :) ).

However, the one thing I have recently notcied whilst looking at some pedals, my local dealer, is willing to spend time talking me through the items, helping in fitting them to bikes and allowing me to try them out on a bike of theirs (with the rear raised) to get a feel for them etc. Sometimes, I will pay the little extra of the cost of a product when such a service is provided and proves to be useful as IMO, its not often you come across such helpful and non pressuring bullsh!t free shops, it really makes a difference to the usual uncaring, 'a sale's a sale', 'buy something or get out' attitude.
 

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