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Is it OK to buy online and ask local bike shop to fit?

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  • August 4, 2019 at 7:43 pm #29983
    cyclefaster

    I have a bit of money (including some vouchers for a popular online shop) to spend on some upgrades to my bike. Had it a couple of years and and the compromise I made at the time when buying was to get mechanical discs to keep it to the budget.

    Would either like to go for an upgrade to 105 hydraulic discs or the cheaper option is trp hy/rd.

    There is a great bike shop near me where I bought the bike from and get my services from but the problem is the bike shop tends to sell at full retail prices and a lot more than I can pick up parts for online.

    I’m not much of a bike mechanic so don’t fancy trying to install myself. Is it OK to ask a shop about fitting parts I’ve sourced online and pay for the labour? Not sure what the etiquette is here.

    Cheers

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  • August 4, 2019 at 10:14 pm #947525
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    srchar

    Tools, kit and accessories

    Tools, kit and accessories are the highest margin items.

    If a LBS won’t let you spend your money having a bike fit because it wasn’t bought from them, don’t buy a bike from them just to get a bike fit. In fact, if they refused, I’d assume their bike fit service was crap, unable to stand up on its own and only really value-add as a freebie with a bike.

    I don’t understand why they’d turn away workshop business because parts were sourced elsewhere. Would they rather, having lost your parts business, not even bother to win your workshop business? Most bike shops I visit don’t even stock the (Campag) bits I want to fit.

    The analogies posited above are not sensible. A bike shop does not exist solely to sell parts. It’s a bit more like paying corkage to take your own wine to a restaurant, which is of course totally fine. And my local tyre place are only too happy to fit tyres sourced online, particularly if one pays cash. 

    I’d love to find a LBS that bends over backwards for a loyal customer. In my experience, most are not worth my custom. OT, my opinion of car mechanics is similarly low. I don’t really have the time to maintain my cars right now, but begrudge handing over £75 an hour to a trained ape who has never heard of a torque wrench.

    August 4, 2019 at 9:56 pm #947523
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    wicksy5508

    Does anyone commenting

    Does anyone commenting actually know (I include myself in this) what is the most profitable part of a bike shop ie servicing, supplying parts, selling bikes, or are we all just assuming?

     

    perhaps some LBS owners would like to chime in on this, because it seems to me that £40per hour labour for one mechanic doesn’t a profit make when all other costs are factored in. (I run a security systems installation business so being profitable is obv very Important!)

    August 4, 2019 at 9:41 pm #947521
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    Woodsman

    Sounds like a sure fire way

    Sounds like a sure fire way to go out of business to me….

     

    wicksy5508 wrote:
    No its not ok.

    Would you buy a steak at a supermarket and take it to your local restaurant and ask them to cook it for you?

    Would you buy a beer at a supermarket and take it to your local pub and ask if was ok to drink it in there? Same beer.

    Would you go Kwik Fit with tyres and ask them to fit them?

    You say you are not much of a mechanic, what’s going to happen when all your local bikes shops are gone because you are buying your parts on the internet? Who’s going to fit the parts?

     

    Ps not meant to be a rant and you are clearly a decent person to ask about the etiquette.

    Maybe buy yourself some new cycling kit / helmet / shoes with your vouchers and buy your parts from the LBS (They will be very grateful for your business and you will be surprised how much most bike shops bend over backwards for loyal customers)

     

    August 4, 2019 at 9:40 pm #947519
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    Anonymous

    My LBS charges £40/hr, I have

    My LBS charges £40/hr, I have no qualms taking bits in to fit if I can’t/can’t be bothered to fit myself, most of the things I bring in they couldn’t/wouldn’t be able to get anyways. given the small margins for bike parts anyway even if they aren’t price matching doing the servicing/labour is one of the major parts of the business and will always be that way.

    If there is to be increases in cycling and more people needing bikes serviced/bits putting on then cycle shops need to think about which part of their business they should focus on that makes it sustainable for the owner.

    One of the problems I see and has been one for ages is the fact that fixing a cheap bike can cost more than the bike is worth so bike gets left to rot/taken to tip.

    August 4, 2019 at 9:37 pm #947517
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    Anonymous

    If your LBS is living and

    If your LBS is living and operating in the 21st Century and wants to remain a viable business then they should have no problem charging you a fee to fit parts purchased elsewhere. If they say no then find a shop with up to date ideas about staying in business.

    August 4, 2019 at 9:24 pm #947515
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    wicksy5508

    No its not ok.

    No its not ok.

    Would you buy a steak at a supermarket and take it to your local restaurant and ask them to cook it for you?

    Would you buy a beer at a supermarket and take it to your local pub and ask if was ok to drink it in there? Same beer.

    Would you go Kwik Fit with tyres and ask them to fit them?

    You say you are not much of a mechanic, what’s going to happen when all your local bikes shops are gone because you are buying your parts on the internet? Who’s going to fit the parts?

     

    Ps not meant to be a rant and you are clearly a decent person to ask about the etiquette.

    Maybe buy yourself some new cycling kit / helmet / shoes with your vouchers and buy your parts from the LBS (They will be very grateful for your business and you will be surprised how much most bike shops bend over backwards for loyal customers)

     

    August 4, 2019 at 9:21 pm #947513
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    Woldsman

    You’re just going to have to

    You’re just going to have to ask someone in the shop, aren’t you? In my experience you will probably be out of luck. I’ve seen signs in shop windows stating even that bikes bought elsewhere will not be repaired or serviced. But you never know. 

    August 4, 2019 at 8:56 pm #947511
    0
    Anonymous

    My LBS actually tell me to do

    My LBS actually tell me to do this as they readily admit they can’t compete on price for the components.

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