In Praise of the Local Bike Shop

Expert maintenance and service for
your bike.

Everyone has been to Target or Walmart and seen the racks of inexpensive bikes while buying soap or razors. Whenever someone asks about buying a new bike I always steer them away from the discount stores and urge them to go to a local bike shop (LBS). While road bikes at the discount stores range from $100 to $500, the road bikes at a LBS usually start at $700 and can range up to thousands.I always hear the response that a bike is a bike, so what is the difference. The differences are the services and expertise that the staff and shop will provide to you while buying your bike and after you buy the bike.Quite a few discount store customers come into a LBS that is next door, bringing their brand new discount bikes wanting a tune up, or to fix badly assembled bike, including one where the fork was installed backwards.
When you walk into a LBS and you ask for a little guidance, one of the staff should ask you a series of questions about what type of riding that you do, how often that you ride and how far that you ride.This is important to help the staff direct you to the right type of bike in the shop. Typically, a LBS has beach cruisers, mountain bike, road bike, triathlon, or time trial, bikes and hybrid bikes. So like a car dealership, there are plenty of choices that can accommodate the way you want to ride. If you walk into a bike shop and the staff there does not ask you these basics questions then you are in the wrong shop.
Once you settled on the type of bike that you are looking for, you are faced with a wide range of prices. The range is based on the type of features and quality of the components installed. For road bikes, the prices are based on the frame material, the weight of the bike and the quality of components. The two main frame materials, aluminum and carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is more expensive but is lighter than aluminum. Bikes can be as light as 10 pounds. The components go from aluminum to more exotic materials. This is where you budget comes into consideration. If you are pushed into a bike that is well above your budget, then again you are in the wrong shop. The differences between the various models should be explained and then you should be allowed to make your choice without a lot of pressure. Especially, if you are just starting out cycling, since you might not be really sure that you’ll be cycling months from now.
One thing that does not happen at discount stores is a bike fitting. People come in different heights and body types. Road bikes come in different sizes. A thorough bike fit should take about 30 minutes or so. Sitting on a bike, a staff member will take measurements, what size bike you should ride, and the exact position of the seat, handlebars, and pedals. This is very important since the wrong size bike will be uncomfortable, if not painful, soon after you begin to ride it. And the position of the seat and handlebars can also result in discomfort or pain.If the shop doesn’t offer a bike fit or can’t do one, find a shop that will.
The biggest service that a LBS offers are service and tune ups. Clearly, if you have a problem with your bike you bought from Target, your options are limited to return it or not. One of the factors built into the more expensive pricing at a LBS is the free tune-ups offered by many of these shops. If your bike develops squeaks, or you need tweaks or you have broken parts under warranty, then most shops allow you to bring the bike in for a free tune up or quick fix of warranted components. Today’s bikes are not as complicated as cars, but they do require maintenance. Proper maintenance, especially with carbon fiber bikes is critical for you comfort and safety.  You should plan on a regular overhaul of your bike, where the service technician partially dismantles your bike and checks and lubricates some of the interior parts.
The next biggest service is the advice to the novice that the staff will give to anyone that asks. Most, if not all, of the staff of a LBS ride on a regular basis. They have a wealth of knowledge that can’t be bought at Walmart. How to ride stronger and faster, where to ride and how to contact local cycling groups are among the things you can find out in the shop. Some shops organize their own group rides as well. And if your friends and family don’t quite understand cycling and don’t want to hear about that amazing ride last weekend, you can always go on down to the shop and trade stories down there, like when a squirrel ran across the road and jumped onto your water bottle.