Is there anywhere that you can test out different bikes?

iamisotope

With all of this talk of one frame material being better than the other, such a wheelset is better than the other etc., is there anywhere that an average Joe go to actually test these theories out?

Ok, in theory, at your LBS, you might be able to try a very small number of bikes, but the are soon going to loose patience if you say..."ok i've tried the alu one, now I want to try the carbon one....now i want to try the steel one with different gears". If you get what I mean!?

It strikes me that your average Joe will get to try a relatively small range of bikes in their lifetime.

ShutUpLegs

There is too much over analysis of what is a very simple purchase

Wacky Racer

There is too much over analysis of what is a very simple purchase

Very true, it strikes me that some on here spend longer worrying about what is best to buy than they spend riding their bikes. I spend less time choosing my new company car than many do on a bike, it's ridiculous. The "average joe" won't notice that much difference between most bikes costing around £1K, and I'd challenge many to be able to tell the difference from a riding perspective between a £1K bike and one costing £500.

I read one article this morning asking what bar tape to buy, flipping heck is that what riding bikes has come to?

Berk Bonebonce

I do not know how productive test riding bikes actually is, seen as each bike might come in 10 different sizes and the test bike is invariably not the right size for you.

iamisotope

ShutUpLegs wrote:

There is too much over analysis of what is a very simple purchase

I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

And I don't even think that it would be helpful to have too many options before buying a bike.

I would however, be interested to feel what the difference actually is between different constructions, gears etc. to put some perspective into the opinions that you get, for example on this forum. E.g. "carbon soaks up road buzz", yeah, but how much? Does it really matter.

At my standard of riding, I probably would gain very little actual benefit from anything higher specced than my bottom of the range aluminium framed Specialized.
I am just curious, that's all.

Wacky Racer

I think you have answered your own question. I definitely would not appreciate subtle differences at my level.