Buying ex demo bikes - good/bad stories?

jehosophat

Just been thrown a bit of a googly in the phone around for someone with an actual physical frame in stock for me to buy. A shop that is near where I am on business tomorrow has a full ASR5c bike for the price of a frame - with the same F120 forks I already have waiting to go on mine, some decent sounding DT wheels, and basically a really good XT spec. Light demo use allegedly and the shop are willing to warrant the frame.

Annoying in a way as I have all the bits I need bar the frame, but I can always put on my new forks and XTRM970 group, keep some of the kit as spares and Ebay the rest of the stuff currently on the bike that I don't need. I'm no stranger to flogging stuff on Ebay...

Sounds like a fairly good deal - especially as this bike has not really changed much in the 3 years it has been out - early swingarm hassles aside.

bennett_346

Go see it if you can. Ask all the questions you need. But it shouldn't have any problems really. Look for paint chips, bearing issues and ask about the headset.

EDIT: apologies, misread it that the frame was what you were buying as ex demo, not a whole bike!

jehosophat

It is a whole bike, but the frame and headset is all I really need! I am fairly particular about what parts I like (e.g. I use rapid rise on all my bikes so 10 speed is out) and have all the bits needed as I was planning to buy a new frame. This route lets me choose between the parts on the bike and my existing ones to make a best of both setup, flog what I don't want to keep as spares, and basically be quids in. I can't see much could have happened to the frame unless it has been royally stacked. Though I suppose with Carbon that is harder to see...

Going to see it tomorrow anyway...

Bishbosh10

If the frame is warranted and it doesn't looked abused then you aren't really taking that much of a risk are you? Just check the small print on the warranty and compare that with what you'd get on a new frame.

The Rookie

By the time you've sold what you don't want the frame will have been close to free or even a negative cost, don't see how you can go wrong to be honest!

cat_with_no_tail

I've had a few ex-demos / ex displays / showbikes and they've been superb. Go and have a look at the bike yourself to check for scratches, paint rub etc if you can. If not, ask the seller to send photos of it all.

You'll also want to make sure they agree to give the frame a full service, just to make sure all the bearings are sound.

benpinnick

It might not be an issue, but every demo I have ridden has needed one of the shocks serviced. Worth checking their condition and maybe asking for new bushes and seals.

Thewaylander

As long as your compentent with a rench to check it all out and clean it up should be fine,

Expect a good few chips but otherwise my ex demo bike rocks! :P

delcol

veiw it first then see what you feel..

our kids first mtb bike was a ex demo it was perfect only issue was it had to have a new bush on the shock,, saved a lot of money to.. roughly 50%

and if you have new components to go on it sounds to me like your onto a winner..

DodgeT

My current bike was a demo bike, hardly been used and saved a lot of dough. No brainer for me.
Had a good check over it and thorough test ride first though.

jehosophat

I saw it. It was a no-go. Firstly I don't much like the look of the ASR5c in the flesh - it shouldn't matter, but it does, to an extent! Secondly, the shop wanted £2500 not the £2200 the bloke told me on the phone yesterday, so it was actually £300 more than a new frame, not the same. Thirdly it had no components on it that are better than the new ones I have sitting ready for this build. Lastly and most importantly the swingarm had some really quite noticeable dings on it, including one about half a thumb print deep. Nothing massive but with carbon I have no way of knowing how it is underneath - at least metal bends. The components backed up the supposedly tiny mileage but it looks like it has been stacked on rocks or urban steps - I can't see how else it can have those marks. In my hands, from new, that would be years of damage.

Annoying, as I was 99% convinced I'd be walking out of there with that bike.

On the way back I stopped off at another shop that has Pivot Mach 4's all over it's website (another contender - original list was Blur TRc, ASR5c, Mach 4 and Fuel EX9.9). They have not even started selling Pivot's yet and had no frames or bikes to view.

I am either being unlucky or this industry is something of a shambles. I still don't yet have my £2k back from Evans cycles who took it on 23rd March for the Fuel EX9.9 frame it turned out they never actually had! When given the royal signoff to buy a new bike or frame recently I was very excited as I am normally an Ebay scavenger and have not treated myself for a while, but I have completely lost interest now. Next week work will be back to full madness and I'll be driving all over the country too busy making money to spend it, with insufficient time for dicking about with people who can't get their prices right or don't actually have what they claim to be selling.

hunta

Bad luck, but sounds like you did the right thing and exercised good restraint if you'd basically already made your mind up. I'm sure you'll find what you're after soon.

Ghostt

jehosophat wrote:

. I still don't yet have my £2k back from Evans cycles who took it on 23rd March for the Fuel EX9.9 frame it turned out they never actually had! When given the royal signoff to buy a new bike or frame recently I was very excited as I am normally an Ebay scavenger and have not treated myself for a while, but I have completely lost interest now. Next week work will be back to full madness and I'll be driving all over the country too busy making money to spend it, with insufficient time for dicking about with people who can't get their prices right or don't actually have what they claim to be selling.

Might want to try this one before you completely give up: http://www.eaststcycles.com/products.ph ... Suspension
Sorry, meant to add it says unavailable, but give them a ring anyway. Mate of mine works for them, their website doesn't get updated much but they can get hold of some stuff overnight.

jehosophat

Thanks for the link to the 9.9 frame.

However, I bet you if I call them it will be £3k not £2k (as Trek seem to have made a pricing error) and when they look into stock Trek will claim to have some available but they when I place my order (paid for in full, naturally) Trek will then dick them about and say they have none, and no firm order times. I have been through this in part or full with 5 shops regarding that frame before I gave up, having payment taken (not for £3k!) twice.

Cynicism aside, I will call some more as I still like the look of that frame, a lot, it is bang on what I'm looking for. Rutland have so far failed to answer the phone on any of the occasions I have called them (a few!).

Edited to add: Just called them and yes they are saying it is £3k not 2! Asked them to look into availability anyway.