With the popularity of buying online comes a "big hit" to our local bike shops especially the smaller independent ones. Yes, we've all been lured at least one time or another to let our fingers do the shopping. As an example, one of the biggest complaints I've heard from shop owners is that people will come into the shop to try on a pair of shoes. They get the feel and size of the shoes they like and walk out the door never to come back and make that purchase. This is also true of a bike purchase after taking a certain model out for a test ride.

So here's my take on this subject. It's called customer satisfaction knowing that if there is a problem with the your purchase or a warranty issue your bike shop can handle the complaint with a quick response. I'm sure this makes sense if you think about it. To save you money especially on a large ticket item like a bike you should check to see if being a club member of the Saint Paul Bicycle Racing Club which Grand Performance sponsors. This might save you a little more than what we receive. Having a good relationship with a local bike shop can also pay extra dividends in customer service like the possibility of going to the front of the line to have a simple fix done while you wait.