They are the local Spesh dealer and thus prices are fixed – I could have saved £3 with cash back but I thought no its just as easy to pick up the phone and ask “Daren” to get it and I’ll pick it up when its in.

Anyone else ditched a few quid to support your LBS?

… very often its not just a few quid difference though is it?

They buy their stock from the cheapest source – why shouldnt we?

…. let the arguments begin …. Again..

I tend to agree in part but if I need spesh stuff then I most often go to LBS or if its just a few quid I am loosing?

I try to buy from my LBS when i can, but often my purchases are of an impulsive nature at about midnight so LBS is not really an option.

I try and get a lot of my stuff from the lbs as it builds a relationship with them and they’ll usually try hard to give me a good price, and are really helpful when I need advice on maintenance or anything else (bike related). Yes sometimes I could save a bit more buying online, and sometimes I do, but I think the benefits are good if you have a decent lbs.

I suppose it depends on what the staff are like at your LBS, the one nearest to me is okay when you are served by the owner or his father 😉
If you get his mother then you will leave very depressed as she makes you feel about as welcome as a fart in a space suit 😥
If you get the fat Ignorant hired help 👿 then its even worse, he really does get on peoples nerves, every one you speak to who has had the misfortune of being served by him have said the same he is ignorant/arrogant/and ugly to boot.

Can you explain how I would “Inactively” use an LBS? Can I passively purchase bike parts?

I find Mountain High in Pangbourne, Probably my nearest “Proper” LBS, friendly and helpful enough, but not the cheapest, and when you ring them up to ask about a specific part half the time they seem to re-direct you to AW cycles in Caversham as they don’t have an account… I’ve had the same answer for both Mavic and Hope parts in the past (Can’t be right), now I just don’t bother calling them, pop in every now and then to see what they’ve got in, seldom what I need, very seldom at I price I’d pay….

First look at CRC, have a browse on Google, Then double check AWs site, 99% of the time CRC get the order… Quite sad really.

Good Troll BTW…

Its a good job charliethebikemonger & Rriverside cycles are way down that there South, because I fear I’d spend lots more if we had service like those guys offer round here. To be fair, Swinnertons are good, always ready to give advice etc, but the guys I’ve dealt with at the two shops above are about as good as it gets, really great service.

I they have what I want without ordering, then I buy from the LBS. If it needs ordering, it can go either way.

cookeaa – 🙄 – Just because I raise the question doesn’t mean its a troll – 🙄