If you ride a bike (whether just for pleasure or racing), two things will inevitably happen.
1) Something will break. 2)You will want to buy nice shiny new bits that make it faster/sexier/better etc. Bicycles are wonderful pieces of engineering but sooner or later something will break or stop working as it should. Gears will need adjusting, cables will need changing, and bearings replacing. Chains will wear, as will cassettes, or you may have suffered a spill and simply broken something. If you have the time and the interest (and money for tools) you can learn a lot about bicycle mechanics, and possibly sort out most of these issues yourself. However, if you are busy, or simply not interested in anything other than your bike working (and not how to fix it), then you will need someone to look after mechanical issues with your bike. This is where your LBS is invaluable. You drop your bike in, and when you collect it, it's fixed and will probably ride like new. Imagine that. That creak is gone, the gears work, wheels are straight. These mechanics are experts. They're working on bikes every day and you can be guaranteed they will be able to fix your bike. They will even try their best to fix it within a tight deadline. If you have suffered a last minute mechanical breakdown, and you need your bike ASAP, then they will do everything they can to fix it within that time frame (Although if you find yourself in that situation, as well as paying the cost of the job, you better bring beer.) Your LBS is also great for advice on new kit. From bike equipment to clothing, they will guide you in the direction that suits you the best. Their advice will be honest and based on excellent experience. They see day to day what works well, and what doesn't. They won't try to sell you the most expensive items in their shops, but they will try and help you pick out equipment that is suited to your needs and riding type. As you build up a relationship with your LBS, you will get the rewards. A discount on labour here, a good deal there, and free advice on how to keep your bike maintained well are benefits of your loyalty. So what is the catch? Surely it's a no brainer to go to the local bike shop? Well it's not that simple. Big online stores offer stiff competition. People are drawn in by the price, as in general, they are cheaper. That is not to say online stores have their place, they do. But price does not mean value. The big online store won't fix your bike when it has a mechanical breakdown the day before the race. They won't true that wheel, replace those cables, or find that creaking noise. Your LBS will do all of those things and more. Ultimately supporting your LBS for most of your cycling needs is the way to go. Don't be that person who goes into your LBS with their phone out, comparing prices with an online store, then have the cheek to ask your LBS to match that price. They won't, because they can't (And make no bones about it, if you do this, you're a bit of a knob). Don't be that person who buys a product online (because it was cheaper), then ask your LBS to fit it to your bike (They will, but have a bit of cop on- If you can't fit the bike part yourself, then don't go buying it online in the first place). This is why it is great that McCarthy Cycles, Pi Cycles, O'K Cycles, Evolution Bikes, and The Big Little Bike Shop have come together under the "Support Your Local Bike Shop" slogan, and a major sponsor of the Munster CX league this winter. Just another reason to support your LBS. Check out their websites and find the one that is nearest to you! www.mccarthycycles.com www.picycles.ie www.evolutionbikes.ie www.thebiglittlebikeshop.com www.okcyclesandsports.ie
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
St.Finbarrs Cycling ClubEst. 1938 Archives
October 2017
Categories |