Support Your Local Bike Shop

Do it.
I'm not going to lie I didn't realize how big of a deal this was until I was about 16 and started working at my local hardcore bmx shop. We would throw huge contests, host video premieres and help out all the local rippers. The most annoying thing in the world while working at this shop was when I would have kids come in everyday and ask me a million questions about what part they should get and stuff along those lines. Then the kid would show up at the shop with a brand new frame that he ordered off of Dans Comp! This would piss me off more then anything in the world! I spent hours with this kid a week talking about which frame he should get, telling him how different geometry affects your riding and the kid comes in with the exact frame we had picked out and he said he would buy it when he had the cash saved up! What was his reason for buying it off of dans you ask? Because I would have to charge five bucks more then dans to help cover shipping costs! This is ridiculous! Does Dans sponsor local riders? No. Does Dans throw jams in your local parks? No. Does Dans let you come into their shop and let you just sit on their couch and what bmx DVDs all day on rainy days? No. So why are you supporting them kids! If you have to and I mean have to, as in your local shop doesn't carry bmx or charges a rediculous mark up (Like 25% over dans price) then go ahead and order from Empire, Goods, Staff-bmx, or Albes. Why those four shops? They are all rider owned! They all do stuff for their local scenes! They all help out the industry and local riders! So think twice before you buy.