Question for retailers: price cutoff for ordering a bike without commitment?
I am having a very difficult time buying a bike as many stores do not have much stock in my size (52ish) and none of the stores around me are willing to order in a bike that I won't 100% commit to buying. I know there are differing schools of thought (the "all the good brands make good bikes, just get fit correctly and you'll be fine" vs the "test ride everything") but I would like a chance to test at least ONE bike before I commit! This is esp. important as I am switching geometries (from comfort road to classic road).
So my question is - at what price point/size will you order a bike without a firm commitment? A $2500-3000 size 52 bike does not seem like an inventory hog to me, but for all but one of the stores around me (sadly they don't carry the brands I am interested in) this seems to be too much to ask.