specialized rockhopper senario

inca cola

hi forum
please help!
been looking for a bike for 2 months and have been researching as much as poss. Test ridden 3 in evans ( kona lisa, scott kontessa, trek 6000, trek 4500 and specialized WSD 2007 RHopper.) the last one felt like 'my' bike. Evans offering me 5% off. Want to buy from them as they have been really great but cant help the niggle that I cold get it cheaper? I know its silly, but i just needed some reasssurnace that I am making the right decision to buy, or to continue looking. What do you think? I could buy it tonight...
thank you thank you.

Unknown

If the Evans is local to you and they seem to A) offer a good service and know what they are talking about ( not all do! ) - then buy it local - then any probs are easily sorted. It's better to pay a little over the odds* if you are going to get the service IMHO. - or rather, *not get as bigger a discount I should say.

Bike Weasel as HALO!
This is me - no, really!!
Flickr - you know it make's sense!

DSA244

Good service is important, but personally I don't find Evans a very good shop, but other may be better than mine. I took mine to Evans for some work and they put the wrong bits on my bike.

I recommend a local independent they are usually the best for service and price, but if your happy with Evans then great.

majorbloodnock

Which Evans, Abi? If you can give an idea of whereabouts you are, we might be able to point you in the direction of one or two other LBS's for comparison.

Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat

inca cola

Hi
Thanks for your help,
mbn, what is a LBS?
I think I am more worried about the moral issue of Evans doing all the work with the test riding etc and info, and the going somewhere else to buy. I htink there is only one other place that sells specialized in my area. I must admit, some of the staff are much better than others at this branch, but generally v good.I know thee is one other local shop that sells them so maybe I will check them out and see what they offer discoutn wise, added extras and service tyep stuff... thanks for letting me think out loud and for your help! Its the first bike I have bought, so its all new to me.

majorbloodnock

Hi, Abi

LBS = Local Bike Shop.

I agree with your morals, and it's refreshing to hear. However, don't be emotionally blackmailed into paying over the odds or potentially losing out service-wise later on. If your local Evans really is both competitive and provides good service (some branches are and do), then it'll stand up to comparison with a few other local businesses. However, since some Evans branches are conspicuous in not doing so well, it'd be better for you to find out before parting with the folding stuff.

Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat

DSA244

They are sales men who want to sell!!! so forget the morals as they are only thinking of making cash. I don't know about you but I work hard for my wages, so get the best you can for the best price. Your LBS will appreciate your custom far more than at a chain. My LBS offer about 10% on average with future incentives, thats what I call looking after current and futur customer.

Good luck

Vegeeta

Morals? How about Evans Cycles' morals, IIRC their staff get paid about œ2.50 an hour.

<center><font color="black">A</font id="black"> <font color="red">red</font id="red"> <font color="black">Aireal Symetech XC rear hub!</font id="black"> <font color="black">Aireal EV-2 headset!</font id="black"> <font color="black">A</font id="black"> <font color="blue">blue</font id="blue"> <font color="black">Aireal Symetech hub!</font id="black"></center>
<center><font color="orange">AIREAL AUSTRALIA</font id="orange"></center>

<center>[:)] [:D] [8D] [:I] [:p] [}:)] [;)] [:o)] [B)] [8] [:(] [8)] [:0] [:(!] [xx(] [|)] [:X] [^] [V] [?]</center>

majorbloodnock

No, guys, I disagree. Irrespective of anyone else's morals, Abi's right to honour her's. If a bit of shopping around shows Evans' service so far to be more smoke and mirrors, she'd have justification to move on. However, if said shopping around shows that branch to be legitimately earning its money, she can reward that by bestowing her custom, and feel good too. Good faith is all too thin on the ground these days, so it's good to see examples of it.

I'll freely admit I actively dislike Evans, but that's due to the attitude of the Woking branch (my closest), and is only my experience, not anyone else's.

Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat