On-Line Shopping - VS - The Local Bike Shop
As far back as I can remember mail ordering for bicycle parts and supplies has been around. There are advantages and disadvantages to the process, depending on what's on your shopping list. Today's Local Bike Shop's can compete with the on-line companies for your riding dollar. When it comes to components that need to be installed on your bike, your local bike shop can offer great deals. You might be able to get the parts cheaper on-line but if you don't have the right tools and knowledge to install the hardware correctly, you may have just bought yourself a headache. Instead of spending your time riding your bike, you could end up wasting your time and damaging new parts. Another thing to consider is, are you ordering the correct parts for your bike. Do you need a seat post that is 27.7mm or 27.2 mm? The difference is whether you're riding your bike on the trail or riding to the post office, to send that seat post back. You can get around a simple issue like this by just checking with the manufacturer, but this still may not be as cut and dry as you think.
About a six months ago, I needed to replace my wheel set on my mountain bike. I know what your thinking, "sure.... he needed a new wheel set" but I really did! My old wheel set had 4,000 miles on them and had cracks appearing at the spoke eyelets. I noticed them a few months earlier, but I didn't want to part with the cash. I had a big ride in Pennsylvania and I didn't want to take any chances. So I did my research on the Internet, at the local shops and by asking friends. I decided that I must have a set of Mavic CrossMax wheels. The best price I could find on the Internet was $725 and they weren't in stock. I called some friends and asked them to check their local bike shops for the wheels. That afternoon I got a call about a local bike shop in Long Island that had the wheels for $750. I left work early, I told the Boss that I had an emergency and started my 23 mile journey to the "Bike Junkie". By six O'clock that night I had my wheels, no waiting and no shipping. I did have to pay a little more, plus gas, and a toll but it was worth it!
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