Should I buy online?

brh77

Hi

I want to get the maximum bike for my money and this seems to be online Vs in my local bike shop. Should I get the best bike I can and try and fit it after, or should I go to my local shop and get less bike but a better fit?

Cheers in advance for your help..........

Ben

Slow Downcp

Better fit - doesn't matter how cheap the bike is if it's not the right size.

jswba

+1. You'll also be able to wheedle a free service out of your LBS, and maybe a few other freebies if you're lucky.

crankycrank

My philosophy is, If you use the services of a shop to make your descision on fit etc. buy from the shop. Agree with Slow Downcp that fit is the most important thing when buying a bike. Also you can mention to the shop what prices you have seen on the net and often they will try to come close to that.

gabriel959

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

fast as fupp

if you buy online the gypsies will steal your soul (and your card details...........or is that the russians?) :shock:

fatgit

gabriel959 wrote:

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

I agree, Cambridge has loads of bike shops but most are rubbish, thought I'd found a good one and then they went and messed up 3 of my friends bikes in as many weeks! won't be using them again!

Which shop do you use in Ely?

amaferanga

I agree that the LBS is often over-rated. Bike fitting will often mean little more than matching you to a frame that's about the right size. You can do that yourself.

I'd recommend you try a few bikes in the shops, but if they're not competitive with online prices then get it online instead. Many of the online shops are LBS's anyway, just not your LBS....

The free service is pretty pointless IME anyway.

NWLondoner

Why not buy online so you save lots of £££ and get a better spec bike. Then once you receive it take it to a bike fitting service and they will set it up for you.

You will still be quids in

Simples!

APIII

It also depends on how much you are spending (it shouldn't, but unfortunately it does). I'm fortunate in having a good, reliable LBS. I get the odd bit of work done there in the workshop and a mate of mine got his BMC there, and they did the full works, measuring up, discussing riding style, etc, etc. It took a couple of hours to get everything sorted. However, a colleague at work was looking for a new bike recently, so I took her there to look at a few. Her budget was only £700 though, so she got the 'this one looks about the right size' treatment and a spin round the car park on it. It was obviously too small, but they started talking about a longer stem, etc. I was just really embarassed. She got the correct size from Evans in the end. They're pretty rubbish, but at least you know to set your expectations low with them.

brh77

Cheers for the comments- I am only spending £500 so I reckon web might be the way to go- I live near Cambridge as well so I am doubly put off. The only LBS near me is Raleigh only so I have even less motivation to go there.

Are makes like BH bikes and CUBE bikes from Chainreaction any cop or are they just fancy paint jobs on tat bikes for newbie suckers like me?

Thanks again everyone- you are helping a fat man get on a skinny bike!

Ben

fatgit

brh77 wrote:

Cheers for the comments- I am only spending £500 so I reckon web might be the way to go- I live near Cambridge as well so I am doubly put off. The only LBS near me is Raleigh only so I have even less motivation to go there.

Are makes like BH bikes and CUBE bikes from Chainreaction any cop or are they just fancy paint jobs on tat bikes for newbie suckers like me?

Thanks again everyone- you are helping a fat man get on a skinny bike!

Ben

Ben

The guy in the bike shop in royston is really helpful and certainly knows what he's on about, shame they only sell Raleigh! The best place near(ish) you is Grafham Cycles at Grafham water, they can get most bikes in if you ask and will generally price match web prices!

Fatgit

fatgit

and if you fancy going for a ride sometime give us a shout!

peanut1978

Cube bikes are pretty good

bh have a decent rep too

1892

Bikes, buy them from your lbs, parts buy them online.

Simples

gabriel959

fatgit wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

I agree, Cambriudge has loads of bike shops but most rubbish, thought I'd found a good one and then they went and messed up 3 of my friends bikes in as many weeks! won't be using them again!

Which shop do you use in Ely?

Ely City Centre - it is run by Mark Jaschke, he has got some very reasonable prices, loads of different brands and he is very knowledgeable. I have got a 10% CCC club discount so that helps too

fatgit

gabriel959 wrote:

fatgit wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

I agree, Cambriudge has loads of bike shops but most rubbish, thought I'd found a good one and then they went and messed up 3 of my friends bikes in as many weeks! won't be using them again!

Which shop do you use in Ely?

Ely City Centre - it is run by Mark Jaschke, he has got some very reasonable prices, loads of different brands and he is very knowledgeable. I have got a 10% CCC club discount so that helps too

Is that the one above the toy shop opposite boots? haven't been in that shop for years but used it when I lived in Ely.

I went out for my first ride with CCC Sunday just gone and really enjoyed it so will be joining soon I'm sure! then 10% off for me too

gabriel959

Yes that is the one. They have got quite a lot of brands and stuff - and 10% off is always a great bonus when you are buying stuff.

Essex Man

I normally buy everything online but got my bike from a LBS.

Newdales in Saffron Walden are very good, but only sells Giants. Hardly a poor make though. This is just down the road from you, whilst you need to risk the fens to get to Ely!

I knew I was getting good advice from them when they said I wouldn't notice the difference for the next model up.

dilemna

gabriel959 wrote:

fatgit wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

I agree, Cambriudge has loads of bike shops but most rubbish, thought I'd found a good one and then they went and messed up 3 of my friends bikes in as many weeks! won't be using them again!

Which shop do you use in Ely?

Ely City Centre - it is run by Mark Jaschke, he has got some very reasonable prices, loads of different brands and he is very knowledgeable. I have got a 10% CCC club discount so that helps too

Strange I have used Ben Haywards in Kings Parade, Cambridge for two bike purchases in the past both Treks and their service was excellent. Their prices were pretty keen plus they serviced them after about 6 months for free, not that I needed it as I do all my own stuff. Mind you the Trek 7500 was purchased in 2001 and the 1500 all Ultegra spec in 2004 which I got £150 off in their sale. They let me ride each around Cambridge for ages having first made sure they fitted first even though I am a proper cyclist and not an air head student or tourist. I don't go into Cambridge that much now but if I do I always take a look. I have also bought clothing and some components from them when CRC kept sending me damaged Shimano XT 36 hole hubs. They were only about £1 more expensive than CRC but the lastest XT hubs in original Shimano packaging unopened and untouched by human hand. The seals on the boxes were even in tact. CRC sends components out in clear bags with their own stickers on. Hmmmm .

The other bike shops you might consider is Richardsons in St. Ives or Bristows in Peterborough at Orton Waterlooville both are proper bike shops. Although I have never bought anything from Richardsons I have a few things from Bristows in Peterborough. They have rebuilt me a few wheels (my own due to pothole damage) at a reasonable price. They are a Trek dealer and are all cyclists and try to make sure you have got what is best suited to your needs, your requirements and that you are happy. They are pretty helpful.

EdZed

+1 for Bristows

- a small but excellent LBS. I have nothing but praise for the staff. Very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

fungus_the_muffin_man

My LBS charged me £70 to bleed my brakes fit new pads and service my MTB ! If I'd have known the robbing bas**ard would've charged that much I'd have done it myself instead. I'm sure there are good LBS's out there but it's a bit niave to tell people they should go to theirs before all other competitors.

Slow Downcp

Okay, maybe I should have qualified my initial statement. If you have a decent LBS, then buy from there. If not, look for one that you can travel to - I had a fitting session at Epic Cycles recently and they tweaked my position quite a lot (depite me thinking for many years I had found my correct position) and the difference is huge.

You could buy online and then get fitted later as suggested, but if you get the wrong size bike, it could be that no fitting session can get it correct.

Aggieboy

fatgit wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

fatgit wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

LBS are overrated IMO - at least where I live, I need to travel to Ely (which is 20 miles away) to get a good bike shop.

If you got a good LBS then go for it!

I agree, Cambriudge has loads of bike shops but most rubbish, thought I'd found a good one and then they went and messed up 3 of my friends bikes in as many weeks! won't be using them again!

Which shop do you use in Ely?

Ely City Centre - it is run by Mark Jaschke, he has got some very reasonable prices, loads of different brands and he is very knowledgeable. I have got a 10% CCC club discount so that helps too

Is that the one above the toy shop opposite boots? haven't been in that shop for years but used it when I lived in Ely.

I went out for my first ride with CCC Sunday just gone and really enjoyed it so will be joining soon I'm sure! then 10% off for me too

Hey Fatgit, were you with the group with 'Cambridge' jerseys on, that left the cafe at Westmill as another group arrived? I shouted at you all, asking whether you were moving on through embarrassment on our arrival.

fatgit

no, I was in the touring group, I thought I'd start at the bottom and work my way up! I think next ride will be with the GT group as I found it fairly easy going. Which group were you in?

Aggieboy

This one - http://www.gregarios.co.uk/cycling_club ... _club.html

We had come over from Bushey,Watford. You'll be OK in that lot. They went off very slowly!

fatgit

Aggieboy wrote:

This one - http://www.gregarios.co.uk/cycling_club ... _club.html

We had come over from Bushey,Watford. You'll be OK in that lot. They went off very slowly!

lol thought you meant you were in one of the other Cambridge groups!

gabriel959

They only start cranking up the pace in the Intermediates - the GT is just like the Touring but a longer distance.

I have seen the Gregarios, they are not that quick compared to our very own Racing group - the range topper

brh77

All,

Thanks for the advice- I have been to a LBS (no stock and recommended £200 over budget) and Evans (not sure what they are) and he told me that it was not worth buying a bike unless it has Shimano 105 as a minimum! From my £600 budget this means nothing!

Confused!

Ben

fatgit

brh77 wrote:

All,

Thanks for the advice- I have been to a LBS (no stock and recommended £200 over budget) and Evans (not sure what they are) and he told me that it was not worth buying a bike unless it has Shimano 105 as a minimum! From my £600 budget this means nothing!

Confused!

Ben

Have you tried Grafham cycles yet? they're a top bunch of guys and always helpful.

dennisn

IF you plan on learning to do your own work on bikes then lowest price, be it LBS or online, will usually be your determining factor. However, IF you want the shop to do the majority of your bike maintenance and repair then buy from them fairly exclusively as this makes you a very valued customer and you'll get very good service. However, IF you
walk into the shop with a bike you bought online, well, .........