The Blog Page

News, commentary and humor about bicycling and other topics of the day

 

Is support for local bicycle shops just BS?

I normally don't get too excited about discussions on online forums, but this particular one got on my nerves.

Bill H., a poster on the St. Louis Bicycle Federation's Topica discussion board (You must be a subscriber to read the forums.), brought up the topic: "Is support for LBS (local bicycle shops) just BS?" Here is his original post:

The chain on my commuter bike is totally stretched out from a winter of commuting and I'm skipping on all cogs, killing my knees. I found a new 9sp chain on nashbar for $12.99, $17 shipped. In hopes of supporting the LBS, I checked on a price and it was $30+tax, which I guess would be about $27+tax with the BikeFed discount. I bought the nashbar chain. Someone remind me why I'm supposed to pay twice as much for parts at theLBS?

After a few posts defending the local bicycle shops, Bill H. comes back with this reply:

Online catalogues support me personally every time they sell me stuff at the best prices, up to half the price of local shops on parts. Plus I get no grief from "too cool for school" LBS employees.As far as LBS support of local orgs like the BikeFed, that is all nice and good, but I don't see much benefit personally from it.... How much have you benefited personally from LBS support of local orgs tuned to your interests?

I don't reply often to discussion boards and forum, primarily because I have my own forum with this Web site, but I felt compelled to come to the defense of local bicycle shops. Here's my reply:

Without the support of local bicycle shops, we cannot put on the Tour de Stooges ride each year. Steve Parks and The Cyclery in Edwardsville has given us lots of great -- and free -- sag support for our ride over the years. And Dawn Weber, the manager of the Fairview Heights Touring Cyclist, has served at sag stops for us and helped get the word out about the ride to the metro-east cycling community.

And, of course, we are most grateful to the numerous St. Louis area bicycle shops who allow us to put up our posters and brochures in prominent locations so people can learn about the ride.

Without the support of local bicycle shops, groups like the Gateway Council of Hostelling International and Bicycle Fun Club would be unable to put on the quality events they're known for each year.

The very notion that support for LBS is just BS is BS!

No doubt, you can save money by shopping at Performance and Nashbar. I do so from time to time. But I also spend money at Touring Cyclist, Bicycle World in Belleville, the Bicycle Zone mobile repair service based in O'Fallon, The Cyclery and other St. Louis area bicycling shops because I know if they don't exist, the St. Louis cycling community would be much weaker than it is today.

Roger 1 comments 2:22 PM

Comments:

Oh my! We did a google search for BillH and the word bicycle and this is what we get? There is no need for direct bashing or slander...but this guy has crossed the line. For his alter ego, go to STLbiking.com and look under the poster Krispistofferson. Enjoy the fireworks.

# posted by  Anonymous : 10:11 PM

 

Post a Comment