I've biked THOUSANDS of miles in the last years - growing up in Tahoe biking all through the 80s... Heck this month alone I have biked nearly 500 miles (26 miles a day, 29" mtn....
Anyway, Have you dealt with a lot of "local bike shops" -- I have dealt with too many to count.
Lets look at a few pros and cons of "local bike shops":
Pro:
-- Support a local business
-- Go in and talk to an actual person? (maybe)
Cons:
-- Many gear-head bike shop employees (specifically the mechanics) have a BOFH attitude, are gruff, rarely have time to talk - generally have an attitude.
-- Many of the local shops are now pushing bikes that are fucking $10,000 -- I looked at a bike in Mikes Bikes just last week - and it was $15,000
-- Gear selection is limited to a couple brands, and prices are no better than amazon
-- Bike shops aren't like starbucks - they are fucking far apart.
-- I have biked DAILY for over a decade. I have gotten HUNDREDS of flats - and I always carry 2 tubes with me (yes, I want to go tubeless, just havent done so yet) - getting tubes off amazon is ideal. Having to have to drive very far to go buy a tube is a non-starter
Local bike shops currently have shitty inventories because of the supply shortage from china - and to have to again drive to the bike shop to find out that their inventory is low, that the lowest end bike is $5,000 and they want to sell every garment for >$50 with stupid logos and printing all over them to show that you, the customer-turned-billboard are "serious about your biking"
-- Having to stand near too many weekend-road-warriors who really don't need anything but want to instead show you how much money they threw into their entire kit....
-- Having to deal with upsell in certain cases
-- Having to get blank stares with questions about anything outside of what the store actually sells and too many answers of "gee, I don't know"
---
Yeah, While I hate Amazon's monopoly as much as everyone -- this does NOT make all local bike shops even.
Yes, I have met some awesome ones - not not enough to where every bike shop nearest me is a good one in every single city I have loved in all over the greater bay area all the way up to Tahoe City...
Anyway, Have you dealt with a lot of "local bike shops" -- I have dealt with too many to count.
Lets look at a few pros and cons of "local bike shops":
Pro:
-- Support a local business
-- Go in and talk to an actual person? (maybe)
Cons:
-- Many gear-head bike shop employees (specifically the mechanics) have a BOFH attitude, are gruff, rarely have time to talk - generally have an attitude.
-- Many of the local shops are now pushing bikes that are fucking $10,000 -- I looked at a bike in Mikes Bikes just last week - and it was $15,000
-- Gear selection is limited to a couple brands, and prices are no better than amazon
-- Bike shops aren't like starbucks - they are fucking far apart.
-- I have biked DAILY for over a decade. I have gotten HUNDREDS of flats - and I always carry 2 tubes with me (yes, I want to go tubeless, just havent done so yet) - getting tubes off amazon is ideal. Having to have to drive very far to go buy a tube is a non-starter
Local bike shops currently have shitty inventories because of the supply shortage from china - and to have to again drive to the bike shop to find out that their inventory is low, that the lowest end bike is $5,000 and they want to sell every garment for >$50 with stupid logos and printing all over them to show that you, the customer-turned-billboard are "serious about your biking"
-- Having to stand near too many weekend-road-warriors who really don't need anything but want to instead show you how much money they threw into their entire kit....
-- Having to deal with upsell in certain cases
-- Having to get blank stares with questions about anything outside of what the store actually sells and too many answers of "gee, I don't know"
---
Yeah, While I hate Amazon's monopoly as much as everyone -- this does NOT make all local bike shops even.
Yes, I have met some awesome ones - not not enough to where every bike shop nearest me is a good one in every single city I have loved in all over the greater bay area all the way up to Tahoe City...