The bike industry is in a state of transition, and today consumers have a few choices when it comes to how they make their purchase. We want to know how you bought your last bike, and how you plan to buy your next one.
And if you’re feeling torn or guilty about your choice, let us know why in the comments. 🙂
19 Comments
Aug 25, 2019
I prefer buying at the LBS for two reasons. First, because I'm very particular about fit and the only way to get that right is to ride it and adjust it and change the stem if needed. Second, I often make changes to the stock bike before it goes out the door. On my last bike, I switched to a shorter stem and smaller chainring, traded the dropper post for a rigid post, and mounted up lighter faster-rolling tires. My bike shop gave me a reasonable deal when making these changes and I didn't end up with a bunch parts that I didn't want. The bike shop can sell the removed stock parts---so they gave me some credit for them.
I like getting a new bike just the way I want it. If you get the fit spot on and the right chainring and tires for your local trails, it just makes the new bike that much better.
Aug 25, 2019
Aug 26, 2019
Aug 26, 2019
When it comes time for a new bike it will be a similar process of finding the geometry/spec I want and see who has it. If I can get it locally I will but not if it means spending more than buying direct/online.
I am also confident and comfortable doing all the maintenance myself (wheel builds, suspension service, etc).
Aug 26, 2019
Aug 25, 2019
Unfortunately, the bike shops in my area are pretty weak. They stock NOTHING and most of the service that I would want a bike shop to handle (pretty much just suspension damper service) they send out anyway. Well guess what, I can mail a part to Fox or SRAM just as well as you can. They always need to order even the most basic of parts and it always takes them forever to get the part.
I can go online and order it myself, quicker and cheaper.
I’m sure my attitude towards bike shops would be very different if I lived in an area with good ones. Sadly, I don’t.
So, online it is for me!
Aug 25, 2019
Aug 30, 2019
Aug 30, 2019
They are also giving better customer service, faster turn around times all at a lower price.
Lower price is key. Mountain biking has become a pretty expensive sport and that DOES scare people away from joining our ranks. Cost prohibitive + sport = poor participation.
Just ask golf how prohibitively high costs and large amounts of land requirements have worked out for its participation levels...
Online retailers are giving people access to our sport at a much lower price point than many LBS do. One of the only advances LBS had over online was supposed to service and maintenance, well at least in my area that’s flipped.
I get crap service and sketchy work done on my bikes...
Instead I can Learn to do it myself for a fraction of the cost and I KNOW it’s been done correctly.
Example, last time my rear shock had to go in for a warranty service I was told to bring my entire bike into a SRAM dealer. I did. Shock was unbolted and shipped to SRAM.
Once it came back they simply had to bolt it back in and call me. Keep in mind the shop is being paid to unbolt and re-bolt my shock...
First ride out, knocking noise from the back end so I pull off trail to check it out and the top shock mounting bolt is loose as hell! Clearly could not even be bothered to torque it to spec!
Keep in mind, they were paid $40 to unbolt and re-bolt a frigging shock.
Again, I’m sure I would feel differently if I had GOOD LBS in my area. But so far the ones In my area, they simply act like I should just throw money at them simply for existing.
Aug 26, 2019
Aug 25, 2019
Aug 25, 2019
Aug 26, 2019
When it came time to buy a FS I did my best to give my LBS's a chance but comparable bikes were almost double the price of my YT Jeffsy. I'm another one who does all my own wrenching and would rather buy the tool(s) to do a job myself instead of paying a shop to do it, as a result I now have a near fully-capable bike shop in my garage.
Aug 29, 2019
Aug 29, 2019
Other option is to search your area and see what bike shops are renting and try out as many bikes as you can. Bonus is that many shops will credit the amount you paid for the rental against the price of the bike and keep it on record to credit you when/if they sell the bike or if you decide to buy the bike on the spot after the rental.
Aug 26, 2019
My wife's current trail bike is a YT Jeffsy, which was a tough sell because she couldn't ride one beforehand. I put together an Excel file of all the bikes she demoed with their geometry charts and determined the Jeffsy was the best compromise of what she wanted for around $3000 as opposed to $5000+ for similar builds. With some different tires and bars, she's loving the bike and shredding harder than I've seen before.
We've also purchased at least a dozen bikes new from shops in the past, but I don't see us doing anything other than used or direct to consumer in the future.
Aug 26, 2019
The issues are: Not any close trails to try out new gear at the level I want to, and then the LBSs typically only have 1 or 2 brands and then are light on the full susp bikes that are more slack than a pure XC type. -- Not quite Enduro, but something more than an Epic ( for example) - [Sorry for the Specialized references - that is what we have been riding and the LBS and son's shop had been carrying.]
So if I go to a park and rent, and like the ride chances are that I can not buy this locally.
To try different bikes in the same conditions- I think I may need to hit a destination (like whistler - I have ridden there once) - and then try as many demo pikes as possible.
Ohhh and there is a real persons budget.... I was even considering saying what the hell and getting a Bossnut, and if it does not work out I am sure I could sell it for $500, much lower financial risk even if shipping it to the USA.
Aug 25, 2019
Aug 29, 2019
That evening I noticed the new YT Jeffsy in a review...the geometry, sizing, and spec were in the sweet spot of what I was looking for...I love it, arrived in less than 36 hours. I tried to support the LB Shops...they failed.