Clarification...

I just want to get the record straight on a few issues. Those being my position regarding Independent Bicycle Dealers and the cycling industry as a whole. First of all, let me make this crystal clear. I am not anti-IBD (Independent Bicycle Dealer). I am against shops (or ANY business for that matter) that provide sub-par service. In fact, I will go out of my way to recommend a shop to someone if I feel that they are providing great service. On the flip side, I am not going to "promote" a business that is providing crappy service. On the same note, I make it a point to never say negative things about these sub-par businesses in public. That's not my style. Never has and never will. I think that I have made myself perfectly clear on this issue. Now let's move on. Now on the subject of the cycling industry. In some of my past posts, I have come out and made some pretty strong points and some somewhat "radical" predictions. I'd admit that. They can be considered far-reaching when compared to what we've become used to over the past decade or so. But hey, hasn't just about every other industry gone thru some major transformation in the recent years? Maybe my predictions are sort of a warning shot over the bow of IBD's... A heads-up of sorts. Over the past year or so, I have taken a few steps back and maybe that has given me a unique perspective. Sometimes it's hard to see the forest thru the trees... Thanks for reading. -John