The problem with test rides (and reviews)

andy_welch

simonp123 wrote:

Based on that I would say you really need to test ride the exact model that you would be looking at buying.

Well that was the final straw I know that I enjoyed my test rides on the Trance X2, so I just went down to the LBS, test rode the M and L sizes round the car park (although Giant say that at 6' with a 32" inside leg I should just fit the M, the L felt better) and am picking it up this afternoon.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and to those who think I made the wrong choice; please keep it to yourself

Cheers,

Andy

simonp123

andy_welch wrote:

simonp123 wrote:

Based on that I would say you really need to test ride the exact model that you would be looking at buying.

Well that was the final straw I know that I enjoyed my test rides on the Trance X2, so I just went down to the LBS, test rode the M and L sizes round the car park (although Giant say that at 6' with a 32" inside leg I should just fit the M, the L felt better) and am picking it up this afternoon.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and to those who think I made the wrong choice; please keep it to yourself

Cheers,

Andy

Yeah, Trances all round
Just goes to show how invividual preferences make such a difference, I'm an inch shorter with the same inside leg, but the medium was definitely the right one for me.
I guess we'll both be hoping for a dry weekend then Enjoy!

So, how long before you start looking for upgrades?

IBISMojoHDamon

andy_welch wrote:

simonp123 wrote:

Based on that I would say you really need to test ride the exact model that you would be looking at buying.

Well that was the final straw I know that I enjoyed my test rides on the Trance X2, so I just went down to the LBS, test rode the M and L sizes round the car park (although Giant say that at 6' with a 32" inside leg I should just fit the M, the L felt better) and am picking it up this afternoon.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and to those who think I made the wrong choice; please keep it to yourself

Cheers,

Andy

Is this the time when I can say 'I told you so'...

andy_welch

simonp123 wrote:

Yeah, Trances all round
Just goes to show how invividual preferences make such a difference, I'm an inch shorter with the same inside leg, but the medium was definitely the right one for me.
I guess we'll both be hoping for a dry weekend then Enjoy!

So, how long before you start looking for upgrades?

To be honest I could have gone either way with the size and I'm sure my choice was influenced as much by the fact that they had a large, which I could take away today as anything else. But leaving that aside I felt that the large would be the more comfortable for longer rides although the medium would be easier to chuck about. Also it should be easier to shorten the stem and remove a few spacers on the large than it would be to make the medium larger.

No upgrades for me. At least not this week

Cheers,

Andy

andy_welch

IBISMojoHDamon wrote:

Is this the time when I can say 'I told you so'...

You can indeed

Cheers,

Andy

Thewaylander

Personally i find them very useful.

All bikes have a generaly riding charachteristic that can be enhanced with finishing kit and tyres, but i think its core riding remains the same and this is what i get out of a test ride.

And i would say alot of bikes ride vastly differently.