Buying without trying

UnworthyPapaLazaru

Im in a bit of a rut here. My bike2work scheme is using Halfords. There is nothing in there I want but they have told me the can source pretty much any bike.

My spend limit is a grand as per my other thread (down near the bottom of the page) but I wanted to raise this question so It gets some exposure!

I have made a list of grand or under bikes and it currently has 8 on it. 4 I could try in local shops and 4 are not available for a test ride. Typically, my favoured bikes with regard to good spec and handsome good looks are the ones i cant test ride!

What is there to be said for buying without trying??? Is it a bit easier with compact frame geometry? I have read that they are more forgiving with frame sizes, given that the generally come in S, M and L. Standard road geometry however seems to be more of an exact science. I am thinking down the right lines here???

Has anyone bought without trying first and how was that experience? The mantra on here is very much test ride as much as possible, but if its impossible with my favoured ride should I take the risk???

Any comments welcome!

pete600

Hi i bought my Bianchi c2c on line from Evens with out trying it as i live in Thailand. Just done loads of research first. Using the online sizing charts and looking at reviews.
When it arrived got it set up by the LBC and it was spot on.
But it is a risk you take i was lucky.

Colzer1

I bought my PaceRC 303 with out even seeing one in the flesh let alone trying it. I just knew I had to have one and was really chuffed to bits when I opened the box and saw it for the first time.

the big question is do I do the same again when buing a Pace RC405?

passout

I bought a Ribble Nero Corsa recently without riding one - ribble don't do test rides. BUT I got measured up in the shop on the jig. They gave me the approprate stem length etc at no extra cost. Obviously it fits perfectly and it's an excellent bike.

Before this I bought a (much reduced) Giant Reign MTB on-line and it was too small for me despite sizing charts & advice. I sold it a few months later.

So don't buy without at least cocking a leg over the frame first and talking to the guys in a shop unless you are willing to take a risk with it. A test ride would be even better - most shops do allow this.

Monty Dog

Out of 12 or so bikes I've owned recently, I've only even had the chance to ride one - a Specialized MTB - whereas all the others I've built up from frames and components - my latest frame's (Kuota) on it's way from Italy and I've never even seen one in the flesh! . If uncertain about sizing, it's worth spending £25 on a bike fit session and preventing expensive mistakes.

Slow Downcp

I didn't test ride either my Kuota or Enigma, but I know what size top tube I need.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

What about the 'compact' element. Is it less of a science and more forgivinig with saddle and stem adjustments?

bigmat

You can tailor the fit of a frame quite a lot with adjustments to seatpost height, saddle position, spacers under the stem and changing stem length / bars. Not sure whether this is actually any easier on a compact frame.

I recently ordered in a Viner Gladius from Halfords, ordered an XL and it was generally OK but the headtube was an inch or so longer than my other road bike so I couldn't get the bars low enough. I just took it back to the store and they ordered me an L in its place. That fits fine - seatpost is pretty long but that's just the look of compact frames I reckon.

You can usually get geometry / dimensions for bikes even if you can't ride them, so you should be able to work out what size is going to be capable of being made to fit, just keep an eye on the non-variables and also you don't want to push it too far with spacers, long stems etc.

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Mettan

I bought my previous Road bike without trying - ended up being slightly too big - but it was subtle, and wasn't a terrible show-stopper (compensated with saddle position, stem length) - since then, bought a Ribble frameset, LBS swapped everything over, and has been great since. Check the top-tube length over and over - and then re-check it - thats arguably the most important dimension. Read forum posts/reviews etc on your chosen frame - you can usually pick up snippets of useful info - good luck.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I heading towards the Cinelli Xperience.

I'm 5'10 according to my missus, but if you ask me Im 5'11 :roll:

This seems to be the height that falls between a medium and a large! Probably edging towards a large on the research doen so far...

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/images/cin ... e-geom.jpg

Slow Downcp

There's a lot more to it than your height - inseam, reach, trunk length all play a part. What suits on 5'11" rider may not suit another. If uncertain then I'd recommend trying out first.

Which bike2work scheme are you on? Some of the schemes that say Halfords issue vouchers that can then be used at other retailers.

robmanic1

I buy loads of stuff without trying, I just click on the various bike shop websites and the shiny things appear the next day, in fact I find it a little too easy to be honest!

DomPro

I purchased my first road bike without ever having sat on one before. I admit there was a small risk. I would have liked to ride one before putting £600 down on a Boardman but it worked out well. I went for a Medium but it was perhaps a little small. I compensated by putting the seat further back and may get a longer Ritchey stem to improve things further. It had a good write-up and that mainly sold it for me.

mfin

Colzer1 wrote:

I bought my PaceRC 303 with out even seeing one in the flesh let alone trying it. I just knew I had to have one and was really chuffed to bits when I opened the box and saw it for the first time.

the big question is do I do the same again when buing a Pace RC405?

Yep!

Well, you know the sizing of Pace bikes already then so you can just do it. You also know the finish standards to expect. Oh... and I have one and its great, not sure about some of the new colours though, don't think they were thinking straight when they decided on those.


Oh, and UnworthyPapaLazaru... you don't like the look of the all carbon Boardman one for a grand then, looked fantastic to me, I'd have one for that budget, the bars seemed a bit on the narrow side on the one I sat on whilst having a gander.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

mfin wrote:

Colzer1 wrote:

I bought my PaceRC 303 with out even seeing one in the flesh let alone trying it. I just knew I had to have one and was really chuffed to bits when I opened the box and saw it for the first time.

the big question is do I do the same again when buing a Pace RC405?

Yep!

Well, you know the sizing of Pace bikes already then so you can just do it. You also know the finish standards to expect. Oh... and I have one and its great, not sure about some of the new colours though, don't think they were thinking straight when they decided on those.


Oh, and UnworthyPapaLazaru... you don't like the look of the all carbon Boardman one for a grand then, looked fantastic to me, I'd have one for that budget, the bars seemed a bit on the narrow side on the one I sat on whilst having a gander.

Nice bike and good spec, just not doing it for me Im afraid! Todays fav is the Wilier Mortirolo (it changes everyday). This one is in my local shop and I can try it.

nasahapley

DomPro wrote:

I purchased my first road bike without ever having sat on one before. I admit there was a small risk. I would have liked to ride one before putting £600 down on a Boardman but it worked out well. I went for a Medium but it was perhaps a little small. I compensated by putting the seat further back and may get a longer Ritchey stem to improve things further. It had a good write-up and that mainly sold it for me.

Similar experience to what I had when I purchased my first road bike (which is also my current one) - I think that unless you're unusually proportioned then going for a small/medium/large frame according to whether you're a small/medium/large person is a fairly safe bet. I would have thought any niggles would be small enough to sort out with seat/stem adjustments (The only thing I've changed is the seat height).

(Although I did go for a very short (< 5 mins) test ride, but as I had no idea what it was supposed to feel like I may as well not have bothered!)

mfin

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

Nice bike and good spec, just not doing it for me Im afraid! Todays fav is the Wilier Mortirolo (it changes everyday). This one is in my local shop and I can try it.

Nice bike and good spec, really? ...doesn't sound to me like you looked cos you do know me n the other guy were refering to a MOUNTAIN bike here that he was considering buying without seeing?!!! ...I was talking about a bike that he potentially knew a lot about having already owned the hardtail version and being familar with the sizing and build quality.

dilemna

I looked at the bike2work scheme through Halfords as I was looking for a mid range MTB ideally a Kona Kula typically £799 - 849 but Halfords wanted a bit more £875 if I remember. They had had one on display but when I went back it was gone. They had cheaper and mega expensive Konas but not the Kula in the size I needed. Seeing Halfords were now stocking Kona and the Boardman bikes I really thought that they were getting serious about cycling. Refreshing given that they had never featured on my radar for cycling. They offered to order a 17or 18" Kula for me but I would have to stump up the full cost first without even trying one. Yeah right.... The young spotty large sales chap didn't know his left from his right and certainly didn't look as if he cycled regularly. What an advert! Neither could he tell me what size frame I would need however I had a sneaking suspicion it was 17 or 18".

Anyway a few days went by as I considered. I got more info about the bike2work scheme. My employer at the time, a major household name with lots of green aspirations new very little about it which didn't surprise me. All show and no go. Anyway I figured the cost to me would still work out more than the cost of buying a bike outright in a sale such as that at Evans who had just started their end of season blitz. Ok so the bike2work scheme takes it out of untaxed income so you get a tax benefit but the bike does not become yours until you have fully paid for it. Also if you leave your employ then you are liable for the full amount. What if the employer goes bust or you lose your job? In the end I thought it more trouble than it was worth using bike2work. It was really rather restrictive and not particulary GVFM.

So I went down to London one weekend last september during sale time visited a few bike shops and test road a few bikes mainly at Evans in the City and St Pauls. Sorted out what was the best size for me. In the end it was 17". They were really good and patient. Not a plug for them BTW. Normally I'm wary of Evans now as they are always having sales a bit like DFS. Anyway I haggled a bit and knocked some more off the sale price which had something like £175 off, they allowed me to throw some other kit in as well, plus I got some other good essential quality cycling stuff that Halfords just doesn't stock. In the end I reckon I saved about £190 over what I would have spent with Halfords through the bike2work scheme also taking into account my £14 train ticket. Plus I got to use my LCC discount on accessories. I also put it on interest free over six months and put the bike money in my savings account earning interest so I have saved even more.

I would only buy an off the shelf bike if I could first test ride it to make sure the size was ok unless I knew exactly what size I needed. Riding an ill fitting bike can be agony and at best will certainly be a compromise meaning you don't get the most out of your cycling as you should. If you are buying bespoke that is different as you will be measured up for a perfect fit as in a tailor made suit and you are paying for this. From my experience I found the bike2work scheme too cumbersome and restrictive.