Should I buy my bike from a shop or online?

peyroux
peyroux Posts: 50
edited October 2012 in Road buying advice
Hey guys,
I'm looking to buy my first road bike and have about a £1000 budget. I went to a Specialized Concept Store in Kingston near where I live and had a really good chat with the guy there. Now, I know in the back of my head that ultimately, they want to sell me a bike...but I got some really good advice about other stuff as well (pedals/shoes/what groupset I might eventually upgrade to etc.)
I'm going to go back tomorrow to ride a few models. In that store they also had some super fancy fitting area where they'll measure you and set you up for the best riding position on your bike and stuff.
My question is: Is the advice and service that I'm getting worth buying it from the shop? Or is it still better to write down the model and size I rode and then just try and buy it as cheap as possible online.
and for balance, I have been to some other shops, the advice I got in Evans Cycles was dire... but anyway hopefully you get the idea. As you can probably tell I'm just eager to get my bike so I can get out on the road!!

Comments

  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    If you are happy with the advice you got from Sigma then you you should buy it there. Even if it costs a bit more. Dont think you can buy Specialized at discount prices online anyway.
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • LegendLust
    LegendLust Posts: 1,022
    I think you've answered your own question. A proper bike fitting is worth so much more than the saving you'd make online
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    If something goes wrong its good to take it back somewhere local. Also buying the 'wrong' thing (usually size) is always more expensive.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • peyroux
    peyroux Posts: 50
    If you are happy with the advice you got from Sigma then you you should buy it there. Even if it costs a bit more. Don't think you can buy Specialized at discount prices online anyway.

    It was a specialized shop, but actually the guy that I spoke to also worked at Sigma (I haven't been there yet because form the outside it looked way out of my price range) so I don't quite understand what the relationship the two shops have is. Please shed some light if you do know.

    And that's pleasant to hear from you both. I was anticipating people going "what the hell, get online, buy last years model, etc etc." but I guess I should go and ride some other brands as well for some balance.

    EDIT: I'd also welcome your thoughts on specialized...might as well kill two birds with one stone... :D
    EDITEDIT: this is the one I was looking at getting http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/p/23534/spe ... bike-2013/
  • andyk19
    andyk19 Posts: 170
    If Sigma/CS in London is like the concept store in Birmingham it may be that the same people on the two shops, i.e concept store and sigma. In Birmingham the CS is not owned by Specialized but by an independent owner who has a franchise agreement with Specialized to run the shop as a CS, due to the Franchise agreement the CS can only stock Specialized products in the CS. However to make sure they don't loose out on market share the owners also have an independent bike shop nearby stocking Trek, Cervelo etc.
  • Can't advise on Specialized, but I would definitely advise you to go to a decent bike shop, that offers good service, a free fitting, and expert advice. If you are buying any extra items they will almost certainly do a deal anyway.

    I have already experienced both internet and local bike shop purchases, and I would never again buy a bike online, it's riddled with potential problems. I would have paid in excess of £100 for the excellent bike fit that I got, and I came away with exactly the right size frame and a change of stem to set me up for better reach. Every time I go back and make other purchases they always knock a bit off.
    Ridley Orion
  • peyroux wrote:
    "what the hell, get online, buy last years model, etc etc."
    http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m7b0s6p4510 :twisted:
  • Crispyapp
    Crispyapp Posts: 344
    If its your first road bike then I would recommend that you have a proper fitting. The only problem going to the specialised store is there only going to sell you that brand. It might be worth having an independent fitting for YOUR SIZE and then have look online to see what's about. With your budget you would be probably better looking at last years models as these are usually heavily discounted so you will end up with a better bike than you might of actually anticipated.
    Look 595 ultra - F+F for sale.....
    Cervelo r5
    Kinesis T2 2013 winter bike
    Merida Carbon 1500 flx MTB
  • peyroux
    peyroux Posts: 50
    andyk19 wrote:
    If Sigma/CS in London is like the concept store in Birmingham it may be that the same people on the two shops, i.e concept store and sigma. In Birmingham the CS is not owned by Specialized but by an independent owner who has a franchise agreement with Specialized to run the shop as a CS, due to the Franchise agreement the CS can only stock Specialized products in the CS. However to make sure they don't loose out on market share the owners also have an independent bike shop nearby stocking Trek, Cervelo etc.

    spot on, I found the info on their website: http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/content/ConceptStore

    you guys have sold me on the face to face purchase. I'll just make sure that I get the fancy fitting with cameras and whatnot as shown in the link I just posted :s and I might put my haggle hat on as Wacky Racer said and see what I can get thrown in. Maybe I'll play the desperate student card?

    The bike also seems to have a lot of positive feedback in reviews and stuff. Very excited to try it! :D


    EDIT: and the last two posts get in just as I was starting to feel confident! :(
  • LegendLust
    LegendLust Posts: 1,022
    Crispyapp wrote:
    If its your first road bike then I would recommend that you have a proper fitting. The only problem going to the specialised store is there only going to sell you that brand. It might be worth having an independent fitting for YOUR SIZE and then have look online to see what's about. With your budget you would be probably better looking at last years models as these are usually heavily discounted so you will end up with a better bike than you might of actually anticipated.

    This is great advice. You could buy a bike online within your parameters and then get yourself fitted properly by an independent fitter afterwards
  • I was in exactly this position a month ago. I tried the Secteur Elite and the Allez Elite in Kingston, and preferred the Allez.

    I was also a bit underwhelmed with Evans, two doors up... especially when I decided against the Cannondale Synapse that I'd tried in there - one of the blokes in there went all "ah you don't want to be buying the Spesh, it has inferior components and you're just paying for the name".

    I also went to Giant in Twickenham, and they had a 2012 Defy 3 with a CF frame and a virtually identical spec to the Allez for £100 more. So I got that - having ridden them both, I very slightly preferred the Defy to the Allez.

    You might want to give them a go since it's only a few minutes from Kingston, though I don't think they had any more of those left.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • Entirely up to you, there are no rules. If you want the bike fit then obviously its the lbs. but as others have said youre stuck with whats in the shop. So you could get it done, find what geometry suits you then look online as it tends to be cheaper online anyway and youll have the entire biking world to buy from then.

    The money you save buying online means youll have a bit left over for bottle cages, bottles, pump, bag etc etc.
  • meesterbond
    meesterbond Posts: 1,240
    I bought a frame from Sigma when I was living down that way. No test ride (or even sight) of the frame in question, was measured up and told I needed a size bigger than the one I was currently riding (even though I was sure it was too big). Damn thing fitted like a glove, great bike, good service (they've annoyed me with a few things since, so would never say their service was great), but they certainly know their stuff.
    They sell a myriad of other makes as well, so you're not limited to Specialized, in fact after measuring me they steered me to a different brand completely.

    Don't forget you'll also get a free tune up a couple of hundred miles after you buy it, plus they'll be a lot closer to sort out any issues than buying online. For a first bike, I think that's invaluable.
  • Remember for the most part you are only buying a frame, shim. & camp. etc. are the same whatever they are on.
  • orangepip
    orangepip Posts: 219
    I'll add my two pence worth in about specialized. They're bikes always seem to be relatively poorly specced when compared with similar bikes across the internet, but they always work well and seem to fit (me) like a glove. I've had a couple and they've always been excellent. Their shoes and gloves are also very good.

    If you're relatively new to cycling then I would absolutely recommend them as they will give you a good experience.
  • peyroux
    peyroux Posts: 50
    Thanks for all of your posts. Now that I've realised the Specialized store is run by the guys at Sigma, it seems like a no brainer to head over to that shop and see what they suggest with the options of the other brands they also stock. But from the feedback people have given me, the Allez Elite seems like a solid first road bike, I'm just waiting for a clear day to go and test a series of bikes. What seems like a reasonable number to try so as to make an informed decision?
    I'm leaning towards what meesterbond said. I think for my first bike I want the support of a local shop that I can go back to and get help from.
  • peyroux wrote:
    Thanks for all of your posts. Now that I've realised the Specialized store is run by the guys at Sigma, it seems like a no brainer to head over to that shop and see what they suggest with the options of the other brands they also stock.
    It is, but good luck sticking with your budget if you do :)

    ... make sure you go upstairs too, and lust after all the mega-expensive stuff.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • peyroux
    peyroux Posts: 50
    It is, but good luck sticking with your budget if you do :)

    ... make sure you go upstairs too, and lust after all the mega-expensive stuff.

    Ha! This is the reason I didn't go in originally, I looked at the window display and thought that I'd just get laughed out of the shop on a 1k budget.
  • peyroux wrote:
    It is, but good luck sticking with your budget if you do :)

    ... make sure you go upstairs too, and lust after all the mega-expensive stuff.

    Ha! This is the reason I didn't go in originally, I looked at the window display and thought that I'd just get laughed out of the shop on a 1k budget.
    So don't tell them :)

    Upstairs is just porn. In glorious 3D.

    Edit:.. actually, I wouldn't worry about being laughed out of the shop. I went in on a quiet rainy afternoon when they weren't too busy, and the bloke (who also works in the Spesh store in Kingston) took me round the whole place. He knew I couldn't afford anything in the shop, but was enthusiastic enough to show it to me anyway.

    Check out the satin-lined chest of drawers with just a frame in each one.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • peyroux wrote:
    But from the feedback people have given me, the Allez Elite seems like a solid first road bike, I'm just waiting for a clear day to go and test a series of bikes. What seems like a reasonable number to try so as to make an informed decision?
    I tried 6 (not all on the same day!):

    In Evans: Fuji Roubaix 2.0, Cannondale Synapse (5, i think)

    In the Specialized store: Allez Elite 2013, Secteur Elite 2013

    In the Giant store in Twickenham: Defy 1 (2013, ally frame, Shimano 105), Defy 3 (2012, CF frame, Shimano Tiagra).

    By the end of that, I had the Cannondale, the Allez and the Defy 3 on my shortlist, so I went back and rode the Cannondale again, at which point it dropped off the list.

    There was almost nothing in it between the Allez and the Defy, ride-wise or spec-wise. I much preferred the Defy colour scheme (black and white), and since it was £999 down from £1299, I figured a CF frame for only 100 more than the Allez would be worth it. I asked about discounts, and they wouldn't discount the bike any more, but they've given me an ongoing 10% discount on accessories and stuff.

    BTW, you probably know this, but if you're going to test ride anything from Evans or Spesh, it's two minutes to Richmond Park from there, so a quick half-loop will be a good test.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • andyk19
    andyk19 Posts: 170
    I'd say go for it. I've recently bought a nice new bike from my local shop (got a nice discount as we're on good terms) and it's perfect for what I want it for. I do occasionally see links to offers online and think about what my £ could have got me but in reality I've not lost out on anything truly noticeable and figure that you'll always find something which would have been a slightly better offer if you'd been psychic. The Allez Elite is a solid bike which is capable of doing anything (don't let people convince you that you can't enter a competition unless your bike is worth at least £3k), you'll get a good fit and should receive the peace of mind which comes with a good bike shop.

    All in all get it and I don't think you'll ever have real cause to regret your decision.
  • Glad I stumbled upon this thread. I am seeing plenty of deals online but I figure there's no substitute for a fitting at your local bike shop and the subsequent after-service etc. Probably worth paying even up to £100 more than the online price...