LBS
First of all, I am an idea thief. I didn't choose to discuss my own incredible insights into the nature of the LBS; KM did it first. I think, though, it's an idea worth discussing b/c the LBS is a concept that's very important if not essential to the cyclist.
He alluded to a list of posts on the iBOB list discussing the nature of the LBS. The sentiments there were quite varied, from brick-n-mortar owners to those who seemingly wouldn't step foot in a shop if they had to. The point for many is that the Internet and catalogs have made the visit to the LBS pretty obsolete. Here are my reasons for "trading" at the LBS, as my grandpa used to say:
Following is a list of 'Ville shops and their proclivities. I shop very little at the others for different reasons. Anybody new to the 'Ville can use this info, but really it is useless:
**Clarksville- C'dale/Fuji/Colnago/Litespeed. A big fav in town. Bob and Sue (Susie) are great. Big road and mountain bike business.
**Schellers- 2 locations+ another in Lexington. The Trek stable including Lemond/Klein. They also carry Electra and Bachetta 'bents. I have a feeling they do more business selling treadmills than bikes. Stores have that modern clean "We're selling upgraded toilets" kind of look. Tom Armstrong is the local 'bent guru. He's good, but the only time I've ever really been to this shop was some work on the Rans.
**Bardstown Rd. Bicycles-Fuji/Specialized. I should "trade" at this joint. It's close and the guy's kids are at the same hippie magnet school as mine, BUT I've been overcharged here and it just doesn't wet my whistle. I've heard of others who haven't had the most spot-on service here either.
**St. Matthews- Not much going on here. The owner's son is in charge or something and he'd rather watch Raider football than sell bikes. That's what I heard. This was the Bridgestone dealer in town back in the day. I bought my used RB-1 from one of the employees.
**Bicycle Sport- Another Trek dealer. Icky! Looks like a, shit I don't know, looks like some kitchen store you would shop at in the mall. I'm sure yuppies love it, but I've been in there twice in 15 years in town (post-college).
On your Left- This shop has some promise. It reminds me of this shop in Portland. It's primarily a repair shop, but does offer a few things and can order many more. The owner/employee, John, seems like a cool cat. I think it strongly caters to the mt. bike crowd. Nothing wrong with that. I just don't do much of that anymore.
Goose Creek- I've never been there. It's out in the suburban hinterlands. I just visited the site to find that it's a mail order store that does local deliveries by bike courier. ??? I thought they sold bikes, but I guess it's just parts. I'm not sure if it's brilliant or bizarre, but that's what they do. If it's where I think it is, then delivery from there would be brave. It's in one of those very typical suburban "No bikes allowed" kinds of areas.
Cycler's Cafe-Felt/Bianchi/Orbea/Kona/BMC- As you can see they have quite the stable of racy bikes. I really hoped this would be the joint. A "cafe". Instead, it heavily caters to the local roadie crowd, so feels as inviting as a frat part if you're not in the frat.
Damn, that's a lot of time waster. I'm done.
He alluded to a list of posts on the iBOB list discussing the nature of the LBS. The sentiments there were quite varied, from brick-n-mortar owners to those who seemingly wouldn't step foot in a shop if they had to. The point for many is that the Internet and catalogs have made the visit to the LBS pretty obsolete. Here are my reasons for "trading" at the LBS, as my grandpa used to say:
- mechanical service. I've mentioned many times that I have very few mechanical skills. I just don't. I try. I'll give it a go before I break it or foul it up such that a human being with skills has to work on it. That's the primary reason I will always visit Bob and Susie at Clarksville Schwinn. They take care of me, plain and simple. They know I have no skill and they make sure I'm taken care of in a prompt manner. Often, for a medium repair job, they'll ask "Can you leave it?", meaning the default situation is waiting for the repair. Can you imagine that? Service in the modern age of ????? , mierda, I don't know what you should call the modern age of non-service.
- Fair Prices. I didn't say dirt cheap prices. I said Fair and that's reasonable. In our land of cheap, Wal-Mart crap everyone feels that it MUST be the cheapest price possible, but that's shit. If it's a fair price that's good enough for me. I've never known Clarksville to over-charge me for something. Yes, Nashbar may have it cheaper, but include S&H and the price is comparable. It's also the case that the LBS- well, a good one- has to back up their pricing and service. A good shop has to maintain a good reputation. I'm sure all shops aren't so fair and just, but my LBS is, so of course I maintain a relationship.
- Kids' Bikes. Older son Z is probably getting a new bike this Saturday- he's outgrown the other. Can I order that from HC? Nashbar? Performance? Random shop in random place? Clarksville has and sells bikes that aren't only for adults with too much money for their niche hobby (like the Bleriot, duh!) My son needs a bike and the LBS has it. I got my first BMX bike from there, and my first road bike (Trek 400 Elance which I now own again) and my boys get their bikes from the LBS. I'm sure online shoppers can get kids bikes online, but I want my boys to have those butts in the seat to see how those growing arms and legs fit, and how they will fit.
- Deals. Yes, the net is full of deals, but the LBS has the wheels in the flesh. I have the Redline 9.2.5. and the Surly CrossCheck solely b/c someone at the LBS new my interests and found me a good price and I could experience it on the spot, w/ appropriate changes to boot. OK, they took advantage of me, but I love both bikes. The Redline was very inexpensive to start with, and the shop gave me a great price, $100 cheaper than the MSRP listed at the time. Nathan at Clarksville (he's not there anymore. moved to Indy) knew I wanted a 'cross bike but wasn't ready to pay for the entry level racers from Redline or C'dale. He found the Surly CC and gave me a stinking deal on it. The shop couldn't have made much $$, but he did it b/c that's what service is and that's what the customer relationship is.
- Niche products. Clarksville could have ordered and put together the Bleriot. That's the point, right? Being able to get the Bleriot through QBP? I knew, though, that Clarksville wasn't accustomed to putting together "vintage" steel RBW-style bikes, so I went with HC based on the reputation and ideology of Jim at HC. It came down to vision and interest. Of course Clarksville could've mechanically put together the Bleriot. Duh! But at some point expertise wins out. The same said for the LHT I bought on ebay. Clarksville could've done the same, and after I've added all the shit to it, could've done it at the same or cheaper price. That said, it's not a "Clarksville" kind of bike, or of any other LBS in town. My cycling is not very "'Ville-like", so my sources have to branch out. I'm sure other folks on that iBOB discussion board are feeling the same. There aren't many 650B/commuter/vintage shops out there. Same goes for the SKS fenders, for example. LBS could've ordered them, but Jim had them in stock and sent them to me at a fair price. That's good enough.
- Sizes. Yes, I'm fat compared to the average roadie, so Nashbar/Performance have better clothing sizes for me. That's a fact. Add shoes to this list. I certainly have bought shoes from a variety of sources b/c of sizing issues.
- The Commuting thang. I'm more a commuter than any other kind of cycling. I get significant mileage commuting Aug-Feb until tennis starts. I also try, with some success and failure, to use the bike for errands all year (yesterday to the bank and a 2-mile round trip). Clarksville does have commuting products like hybrid bikes and rechargeable lights, but really there is no focus there. I've bought almost all my bags from outside sources. I sourced the LHT with products from HC and from Peterwhite. There is no commuter focus anywhere in this town. As I've become more a commuter and wanderer and less a roadie or mountain biker, my visits to the LBS have decreased. Maybe I'm a little more self-sufficient. Certainly the ethos of a commuter is a person who can take care of him/herself. That's the point, right?
Following is a list of 'Ville shops and their proclivities. I shop very little at the others for different reasons. Anybody new to the 'Ville can use this info, but really it is useless:
**Clarksville- C'dale/Fuji/Colnago/Litespeed. A big fav in town. Bob and Sue (Susie) are great. Big road and mountain bike business.
**Schellers- 2 locations+ another in Lexington. The Trek stable including Lemond/Klein. They also carry Electra and Bachetta 'bents. I have a feeling they do more business selling treadmills than bikes. Stores have that modern clean "We're selling upgraded toilets" kind of look. Tom Armstrong is the local 'bent guru. He's good, but the only time I've ever really been to this shop was some work on the Rans.
**Bardstown Rd. Bicycles-Fuji/Specialized. I should "trade" at this joint. It's close and the guy's kids are at the same hippie magnet school as mine, BUT I've been overcharged here and it just doesn't wet my whistle. I've heard of others who haven't had the most spot-on service here either.
**St. Matthews- Not much going on here. The owner's son is in charge or something and he'd rather watch Raider football than sell bikes. That's what I heard. This was the Bridgestone dealer in town back in the day. I bought my used RB-1 from one of the employees.
**Bicycle Sport- Another Trek dealer. Icky! Looks like a, shit I don't know, looks like some kitchen store you would shop at in the mall. I'm sure yuppies love it, but I've been in there twice in 15 years in town (post-college).
On your Left- This shop has some promise. It reminds me of this shop in Portland. It's primarily a repair shop, but does offer a few things and can order many more. The owner/employee, John, seems like a cool cat. I think it strongly caters to the mt. bike crowd. Nothing wrong with that. I just don't do much of that anymore.
Goose Creek- I've never been there. It's out in the suburban hinterlands. I just visited the site to find that it's a mail order store that does local deliveries by bike courier. ??? I thought they sold bikes, but I guess it's just parts. I'm not sure if it's brilliant or bizarre, but that's what they do. If it's where I think it is, then delivery from there would be brave. It's in one of those very typical suburban "No bikes allowed" kinds of areas.
Cycler's Cafe-Felt/Bianchi/Orbea/Kona/BMC- As you can see they have quite the stable of racy bikes. I really hoped this would be the joint. A "cafe". Instead, it heavily caters to the local roadie crowd, so feels as inviting as a frat part if you're not in the frat.
Damn, that's a lot of time waster. I'm done.
Comments