Groupset Upgrade - Mail order or LBS

[ksteede]

I'm considering upgrading from Ultegra 9-speed to Dura Ace 10 speed. I know I can get better pricing if I mail-order, but I'm expecting my LBS to replace the components.

Is it politically correct to buy components elesewhere and pay your LBS to perform the upgrade? Or should I pay the extra and get everything from my LBS?

 

[artmichalek]

If you're going to be spending that much on hardware, the shop will probably cut you a deal on the installation. If you're supplying the parts yourself they're going to charge full price, which for a whole group set can be quite a lot. Talk to them about it and find out if it's really going to cost more overall.

 

[dw_moto]

I'm buying an Ultegra group for my new bike and found that my LBS was willing to compete with the mail order price.

 

[John M]

I'm considering upgrading from Ultegra 9-speed to Dura Ace 10 speed. I know I can get better pricing if I mail-order, but I'm expecting my LBS to replace the components.

Is it politically correct to buy components elesewhere and pay your LBS to perform the upgrade? Or should I pay the extra and get everything from my LBS?

I bet that with a large purchase like a full groupset, your LBS will cut you a deal on both component price and installation, whereas if you bring in your own components you will pay full labor charge for installation. I'd ask them what they can do for you. Part of the discount of using mail order is the added savings of doing the labor yourself.

 

[Insight Driver]

Politically I believe, and this is just me, that I would rather spend a bit more (if it in fact turned out that way) at my local bike shop that I support rather than be price-driven and try to get the cheapest 'net price I can. If I was my own wrench, then I'd be doing myself a favor, but since you are going to have a bike shop do the work, you may as well let them get the parts and that small margin that keeps them in business. As it is now, Shimano and Campy both keep a good lid on sales such that you can't get really deep discounts online, but that could change and if it changes a lot, a lot of good bike shops will not be able to survive.

 

[Lonnie Utah]

So would your answers change if one had just droped a few grand in the LBS on a new ride, and one wanted to upgrade their old ride (but had shot their wad on the new one)?

L

 

[ksteede]

thanks for your quick responses guys.

I have checked prices and would be given a bit of a deal (10%) by my LBS. I would still save about $75 if I bought online and had them replace the parts, but I don't think my concience would feel good.

They provide good service and have given me much more than $75 in free service and advice in the past, so I am going to use the LBS for the everything.

thanks again.

 

[cucamelsmd15]

I bought online, and had the shop do it, but the owner sponsors my racing team. He was honest and upfront and said they compete on everything EXCEPT high end Campy or Shimano stuff, and I was looking at '06 Chorus. They happily assembled it for me, no questions asked, however, this may not be the case for you. Oh, and they still gave me the standard discount on the things I did get from them, which were only labor, seatpost, stem, and handlebars.

 

[PeterF]

I'm considering upgrading from Ultegra 9-speed to Dura Ace 10 speed. I know I can get better pricing if I mail-order, but I'm expecting my LBS to replace the components.

Is it politically correct to buy components elesewhere and pay your LBS to perform the upgrade? Or should I pay the extra and get everything from my LBS?

Quick thought... My LBS is the sponsor for the club that I'm a member of and they give me a 10% discount on purchases and perform service at a club rate as well. I bought a set of Ksyrium Elite wheels from them that turned out to be less that what I would have paid at any of the mail order places. Plus they took care of me when I crunched a rim on a bad pothole. On occasion they have tuned the wheels for me while I waited and charged me nothing.

 

[capwater]

Buy online, do it yourself. It ain't that tough. Read the books, check out www.parktool.com. Anything you can't do (needing special tools) or don't feel comfy doing, then take it to your LBS. The best of both worlds; you save dough and still help out the local guy. I'm not trying to demean or cheapen the LBS wrenches, but many things on a bike are very user-friendly. Maybe it's just me, I've been working on car engines since I was 15 so turning a wrench is pretty much second nature. I work in a profession where rich people pay me real good cash to do stuff so they don't get their hands dirty. Don't matter to me, just a few minutes of clean up at the end of the day and my wallet stays fat!

 

[Lonnie Utah]

Buy online, do it yourself. It ain't that tough.

That's what I ended up doing. Went from 8 to 9 speed. Replaced shifters, ran new cables and swaped out the rear casette. I'm gonna replace the chain and have the LBS do a full tune up. I might need a new big chain ring on the front and if I do, I'm gonna get a whole new crankset. The LBS will do that, because I don't have a BB tool...

L

 

[capwater]

That's what I ended up doing. Went from 8 to 9 speed. Replaced shifters, ran new cables and swaped out the rear casette. I'm gonna replace the chain and have the LBS do a full tune up. I might need a new big chain ring on the front and if I do, I'm gonna get a whole new crankset. The LBS will do that, because I don't have a BB tool...

L

Lonnie; BB tool is less than 10 bucks. You'll use it more than just the initial install. Only tool I don't own is a headset press/remover because let's be real, you just don't do that much stuff in the headset cup area. Plus, I can get the wrench at the shop I race for to do it for 10 bucks while I chill out playing with his two dogs. I can't rave about the SRAM powerlink more, even on Shimano chains. At 4 bucks it's something to consider.