Why I Stick with My Local Bike Shop (And Why You Should Too)
I’ve written before about why I believe cyclists should support their local bike shop. That post told the story of how my Specialized AWOL frame cracked after 33,000 miles — and how my local shop, Velocity Bikes in Lubbock, Texas , stepped in to help. They reminded me that Specialized offers a lifetime warranty on frames and took care of the entire process. The AWOL was out of production by then, so Specialized replaced it with a brand-new Specialized Diverge . That was five years and 22,000 miles ago, and I’m still riding it. That experience earned my loyalty — but it’s far from the only reason I keep going back. Let me break it down. 🚲 1. Local Bike Shops Take Care of Their Customers When you buy a bike from a local shop, they usually take care of you in ways that big box stores and online retailers never will. Many local shops offer: Discounts on accessories and parts Reduced prices on service , often half off A basic tune-up that might cost $40 could drop to $20 simp...
