Use a local shop.
I wish it were that simple but it just isn’t.
When I wanted new shoes I learned the nearest shop that had any actual stock of MTB shoes was nearly an hour drive away. Their range was extensive but choice of sizes very limited. When I was looking for a new helmet the stores nearby offered me a choice of exactly one brand per shop – and often one size ‘but we can order them in’ – so two visits needed then.
And that is before we look at the money which can be saved buying online.I’m not talking about from online only retailers either – there are brick and mortar business which have adapted to the time and are still someone’s local shop. I’ll turn to those over local shops because believe it or not I get better service and they are more convenient. Not like I’m out in the sticks either – I’m near a major city.
So tell me, why would I travel to a place to pay more for a thing that is not the exact thing I am looking for? Because the inconvenience involved far outweighs the benefits of trying to prop up local businesses. And I have tried many more times than the examples given above. The results are always very similar.
