Where do you buy your bicycle stuff from?

For the last 10 years I’ve purchased my bicycles, parts and accessories from a few different sources. Some have been through brick and mortar bicycle shops, some times it’s been online and a few other times it was through a swap meet or Craigslist. I do have to admit that I’ve only personally purchased a bicycle online. That was for Lady P’s Valentine’s present.

But through the years we’ve performed reviews from various brands that offered a range of mountain bikes from bicycles online such as Woodstock Bikes, Ibex Bikes, Airborne Bicycles and Motobecane. So that means that I wouldn’t have any issues with ordering complete bikes online.

Sometimes when I am sourcing parts for various projects like Burt Reynolds or any other bike I’m working on, I tend to go to Ebay first to check prices. Then I’ll visit other sites that I think would have good prices. If I don’t order it online, that’s when I’ll pay a visit to some of the local bike shops in my area. For the most part the shops will have the part I need and if they don’t,they can get it there in a day or two.

However, one of the best things I’ve done is to send an email out to some of my favorite bicycling friends to see of any of them have the part I’m looking for. If they do, half of the time I end up getting that part for free or at a big discount. I actually pay that forward if I know of anyone that needs parts, I extend the bro deal to them.

So back to the question above, where do you buy your bicycle stuff from?