Your LBS and you.

By Adam Bearup

In this day and age of the big super centers, it can be tough to resist the rock bottom prices that those kinds of stores offer for the bikes they sell. It is our duty as riding enthusiasts to recommend a local bike shop when someone asks us where they should pick up a new rig. Too often I hear of people who bought their bike at Wal-Mart and then complain a few weeks later on how poorly it’s crafted or, worse yet, how badly it was assembled.

So what then is the main advantage of using a local bike shop (LBS)? Well, most importantly and often times forgotten, it’s the customer service. If a person buys a bike at the same place that they buy eggs and ice cream, it goes without saying that the only service they can expect is a blank stare or a 1-800 number to some automated service with operators from India. With a LBS, a customer can expect that problems or concerns will be addressed by individuals who know bikes.

As far as quality is concerned, this is another major issue when considering bikes at super center stores. There are documented cases of riders who have been seriously injured on cheap bikes due to component failure or assembly woes. Those cheap bikes will lure the unknowing by having name brand stickers on them, but the quality stops there. A shiny sticker is not going to prevent someone from doing a face plant on the road because their front wheel fell off. Legal litigation has resulted in warning labels to the effect of “this bicycle is not intended for off-road use” but, hey the person buying one of those cheap bikes at a super center store might as well get a good first aid kit while they’re at it. The point is this; don’t be fooled by the name on the bike alone— you get what you pay for. If the store is able to price a DVD player at $20 and still make a profit, you can’t help but wonder about the quality of their bikes.

Price is definitely a concern today, so the low, low prices are not only tempting but always in style. BUT, do some shopping around before plunking down your hard-earned bucks. Often times you can get a new or slightly used bike from a local bike shop that will last a long time for a fair price. Couple this with customer service and employee experience and the choice isn’t so difficult after all. If you are in the market for a bike, give your LBS a chance to compete, you won’t be disappointed.