How to buy a bike

starSide

Hi

I have only ever bought one bike in my life 6 years ago - a Raleigh Hybrid. I walked into a shop and bought it there and then for about £300.

I am now trying to buy my first road bike using cyclescheme. I have been into nearly every bike shop in the Midlands, and the shops only have limited stock in limited sizes. Before I ask a silly question in person, I will ask it here first:

Would many shops be willing to order my size in a range of makes/models for me to look at/try? Otherwise how would I ever see/try a particular bike on my short-list?

For example I am thinking of a Cannondale Synape 6 Tiagra 2014 or a Marin Argetina Elite 2014, but cannot find either within 40 miles of me. I just want to go and have a look at one in the fist instance.

Thanks

PC

mpatts

starSide wrote:

Hi

I have only ever bought one bike in my life 6 years ago - a Raleigh Hybrid. I walked into a shop and bought it there and then for about £300.

I am now trying to buy my first road bike using cyclescheme. I have been into nearly every bike shop in the Midlands, and the shops only have limited stock in limited sizes. Before I ask a silly question in person, I will ask it here first:

Would many shops be willing to order my size in a range of makes/models for me to look at/try? Otherwise how would I ever see/try a particular bike on my short-list?

For example I am thinking of a Cannondale Synape 6 Tiagra 2014 or a Marin Argetina Elite 2014, but cannot find either within 40 miles of me. I just want to go and have a look at one in the fist instance.

Thanks

PC

The big shops (like Evans) will, for a refundable deposit, ship it to your local store to try out.

kajjal

As above the bigger stores will happily get a bike in for you to test ride to make sure you get the right size.

starSide

So I am about to drop a grand on a bike but I cannot see it first unless I drive hundreds of miles? This sounds crazy to me. I guess I need to ne studying spec sheets and sizing charts some more.

simonj

These guys anywhere near you :-

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk

cattytown

Hundreds of miles? Where are you?

If there are particular bikes you are interested in, tell us what you want to see and where you are and we may be able to suggest somewhere to go look at them.

Paul.

starSide

Thanks for the feedback

I live near Coventry, and my shortlist is:

Cannondale Synapse Alloy 2014 Taigra
Marin Argenta Elite A6 2014
Moda Bolero 2013/2014
Kineses Racelight T2
Whyte Dorset disc 2014


Its 80 miles for me to get to Epic cycles (each way), so a bit too far for me.

cattytown

And you have a few unusual bikes in there too. You nearest Evans is Birmingham. Not exactly on your doorstep, but not hundreds of miles. Kinesis shouldn't be too bad - Ride at Coventry are listed as stockists - it is a matter of checking dealer/distributor sites to look for a local dealer.

I would then go talk to them. Tell them what you are interested in and see what they can do.

Paul.

kajjal

Evans has shops in Birmingham, Nottingham and Milton Keynes. Leisure Lakes has a shop in Daventry which is not far from Coventry. Take some time on checking on the internet for bike retailers near Coventry from the manufacturers website. If you want a very specific bike then you may have to drive further to test ride it or you could test what they have to see if it is what you are after.

johncp

Don't move to West Wales if you think 80 miles is a long way to a bike shop! had my Wilier from Epic a few years ago and it was three hours each way and just getting a tri bike from TriUK in Yeovil - another 3 hours each way! Its only once in a while, surely its worth it to get the right bike?

starSide

I am after a bike that will take guards and rack (a winter trainer if you like) hence my specific list. Oh and my c2w voucher is for £999.90 so I want to spend it all on a bike (no accessories required).

keef66

starSide wrote:

I am after a bike that will take guards and rack (a winter trainer if you like) hence my specific list. Oh and my c2w voucher is for £999.90 so I want to spend it all on a bike (no accessories required).

That was my requirement 6 years ago. I ended up with a Racelight Tk (now superseded by the Tk3) with 105 groupset. Coincidentally I bought it from Epic, but I absorbed most of the cost of 2 round trips from East Anglia by combining it with business travel Worth it though; marvellous buying experience.

Tk3 with 105 would likely be over your budget though, but your choice of a T2 with Tiagra should be possible. I notice Epic no longer list Kinesis

They do list Genesis though. Considered an Equilibrium?? (no rack mounting points on the seatstays, but that can be got around...)

starSide

I've bitten the bullet now and ordered a Cannondale synapse 6 through leisure lakes in Daventry. I went today to their shop and looked at the next model up for comparison. My thinking that generally any bike at this price point will be a good one.