Recumbent - Do I **really** need a dealer?

I was able, recently, while in Minnesota, to check out a shop that specialized in 'bents. They carried Rans and Bachetta brands. They wouldn't, however, sell me a bike! They said their agreement with the manufacturer(s) prevented them from selling any bike that they couldn't "fit" to the buyer in the store. Obviously, this prevents mail order selling, but I asked: "Once I decide on a make and model, can I have a friend in the local area pick up the bike still crated and have it shipped to me?" They said NO!

Since there are NO dealers for any of the brands I'm looking at in my State, and I don't want to drive hundreds of miles to a dealer, how do I go about buying a bike?

I can e-Bay, but I'm reluctant to buy such an expensive item from an individual I don't know. I'd prefer a new bike, but the dealer(s) are sure making it hard! :mad:

There are lots of companies that won't make you jump through hoops like this. ActionBent comes to mind, but there are others.

Did you find the one you like the most? If so, then e-mail these people and tell them your story. Make sure you list your X-seam. You might even call them on the phone during business hours and talk to them. They'll tell you what to measure and how to do it.

http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/recumbents.htm

What area are you in? There shoiuld be at least one dealer in your state. If not, can you plan a vacation to this shop?

Did you find the one you like the most?...

I kind of liked the Bachetta Aero. Since the max weight limit for that bike is 230#, I'll need to lose some before buying. Once I get to that weight, I may reward myself with an Aero.

How far are you from Brandon, MS?

I'm in Baton Rouge, LA. Ain't a dealer within hundreds of miles!

http://www.ridesouth.com/store/

That should be about a 3 hour drive from you. Make sure you call ahead to ensure they'll be in. Ask them about measuring your X-seam, and they can make sure they have the right size in stock. You should be able to get another test ride in.
I did SAG for a long club ride recently, and "scarry" was there on his Aero. VERY nice bike !!! :D
Resistance is futile.............................................

3 hours is doable. Thanks!

I was able, recently, while in Minnesota, to check out a shop that specialized in 'bents. They carried Rans and Bachetta brands. They wouldn't, however, sell me a bike! They said their agreement with the manufacturer(s) prevented them from selling any bike that they couldn't "fit" to the buyer in the store. Obviously, this prevents mail order selling, but I asked: "Once I decide on a make and model, can I have a friend in the local area pick up the bike still crated and have it shipped to me?" They said NO!

Since there are NO dealers for any of the brands I'm looking at in my State, and I don't want to drive hundreds of miles to a dealer, how do I go about buying a bike?

I can e-Bay, but I'm reluctant to buy such an expensive item from an individual I don't know. I'd prefer a new bike, but the dealer(s) are sure making it hard! :mad:

This is so common as to be nearly universal. The funny part is that the dealers all blow out their old bikes at model year end on Ebay. Some agreement! Most dealers won't advertise bikes mail order (except on Ebay) but almost any will ship you a bike. I'd just call around. If I didn't build my own bikes, that's the way I would handle it.

We have no competent bike dealers in our area. I have no use for them personally. You can see from my own bikes that I pay no attention to brands let alone dealers. Admittedly, I have a pretty well equipped tool chest for bike maintenance but I had to learn to do my own wrenching on my own. It isn't so difficult and is fun if you don't have to do it for a living. At least it is fun working on your own bikes. I even do some amateur fitting for local riders since the dealers don't do it around here. I'll measure them up, send them to a dealer to get the right size bike and then do the adjustments after they have it. Perhaps I need to open a bent dealership and bike fitting studio. Like I don't have enough to do already!

I was able, recently, while in Minnesota, to check out a shop that specialized in 'bents. They carried Rans and Bachetta brands. They wouldn't, however, sell me a bike! They said their agreement with the manufacturer(s) prevented them from selling any bike that they couldn't "fit" to the buyer in the store. Obviously, this prevents mail order selling, but I asked: "Once I decide on a make and model, can I have a friend in the local area pick up the bike still crated and have it shipped to me?" They said NO!

Since there are NO dealers for any of the brands I'm looking at in my State, and I don't want to drive hundreds of miles to a dealer, how do I go about buying a bike?

I can e-Bay, but I'm reluctant to buy such an expensive item from an individual I don't know. I'd prefer a new bike, but the dealer(s) are sure making it hard! :mad:Once you have decided on which bike you want you only have to give the dealer your x-sem measure and your height and he will deliver the bike you want in less than 10 days. This goes for Optima, Challenge and Action-bent at least.

You might want to try another dealer. I purchased a Greenspeed GTR trike over the phone from Hostel Shoppe this summer. They are in Wisconsin. I live in central New York. They were great to deal with. They were also great to deal with when I had to send the boom w/Schlumpf Mt. Drive back for what turned out to be some difficult to diagnose repair work under warrantee (Schlumpf had gotten some underspec-ed cones from their supplier). I'm sure their are other equally reputable dealers.

While it's always best to test ride before purchasing.This is especially important if you have not owned recumbents before. The rider ergonomics of the two brands you mention look to be quite different. I had not ridden a trike prior to purchasing the GTR, but am very happy with my choice. Hostel Shoppe has detailed measuring instructions to determine what size is best for you.

Hope this helps.......................................................................................Tony Patane

You might want to try another dealer. I purchased a Greenspeed GTR trike over the phone from Hostel Shoppe this summer. They are in Wisconsin. I live in central New York. They were great to deal with. They were also great to deal with when I had to send the boom w/Schlumpf Mt. Drive back for what turned out to be some difficult to diagnose repair work under warrantee (Schlumpf had gotten some underspec-ed cones from their supplier). I'm sure their are other equally reputable dealers.

While it's always best to test ride before purchasing.This is especially important if you have not owned recumbents before. The rider ergonomics of the two brands you mention look to be quite different. I had not ridden a trike prior to purchasing the GTR, but am very happy with my choice. Hostel Shoppe has detailed measuring instructions to determine what size is best for you.

Hope this helps.......................................................................................Tony Patane

Bicycle Man couldn't help you out with the Greenspeed? It looks like they're closer.

Dchiefransom,
I purchased the GTR from Hostel Shoppe because I preferred their 54 speed build (Schlumpf Mt Drive, triple chainrings shifted by derailleur) to the same trike with an SRAM Dual Drive, which I'm sure I could have purchased from Bicycleman. I did not like the fact that the Dual Drive clickbox complicates removing the rear tire for fixing flats and is exposed to possible damage while doing so. I'm very happy with the
54 speed setup. As mentioned in the original email, the problem I had with the Schlumpf was the result of underspec-ed (slightly undersized) cones that came from Schlumpf's subcontractor, a problem that every manufacturer has had to deal with at one time or another.

Hostel Shoppe is the only dealer who advertised the 54 speed gearing, which is their standard build for the GTR. I believe they are the largest Greenspeed dealer in terms of sales in the country. They also had one in stock. After doing some prep work, mounting a computer and fenders and constructing a packing box, the trike arrived in Syracuse in just about a week. It was shipped fully assembled.

Bicycleman is, I'm sure, a great dealer as well. He is only about 2 1/2 hours away from my home. The only issue regarding dealer choice for me was getting the build I wanted quickly.

Regards............................................................................................. .............Tony Patane

I just bought a Bacchetta via email and phone with no problem. (the dealer is about a day and a half's drive from me) It pisses me off when businesses refuse to accept perfectly good money, but it's their loss. I'd be looking for another dealer, or if that isn't possible, making that dealer's life hell until he sells you something.

Most Rans Bikes are rated to carry 275 pounds and many go to a 49 inch X seam.

Did you not have time to get fitted, or was there a specific dimension that they could not work out?

I just bought a Bacchetta via email and phone with no problem. (the dealer is about a day and a half's drive from me) It pisses me off when businesses refuse to accept perfectly good money, but it's their loss. I'd be looking for another dealer, or if that isn't possible, making that dealer's life hell until he sells you something.

As silly as it may seem, some bike shops have contracts forbidding them to ship the bikes they sell. If they sell bikes over the phone/mail/internet they can get sued for a lot of money.

I was going to highly suggest these guys www.triketrails.com, I bought my Burley Sandpoint from them and they were awesome to deal with, however they don't carry the brand you want. The owner did say that they could order any recumbent for me, because I had inquired about a Rans model which they also don't carry, so who knows. You would also benefit from the cheaper Canadian dollar and not having to pay taxes on your purchase. Give them a call though, their website is really outdated.

I was able, recently, while in Minnesota, to check out a shop that specialized in 'bents. They carried Rans and Bachetta brands. They wouldn't, however, sell me a bike! They said their agreement with the manufacturer(s) prevented them from selling any bike that they couldn't "fit" to the buyer in the store. Obviously, this prevents mail order selling, but I asked: "Once I decide on a make and model, can I have a friend in the local area pick up the bike still crated and have it shipped to me?" They said NO!

Since there are NO dealers for any of the brands I'm looking at in my State, and I don't want to drive hundreds of miles to a dealer, how do I go about buying a bike?

I can e-Bay, but I'm reluctant to buy such an expensive item from an individual I don't know. I'd prefer a new bike, but the dealer(s) are sure making it hard! :mad:

If you want a Bacchetta your stuck with dealer only on site sales, which I agree with. I would since I am a former Bacchetta dealer. I'm not any more because I sold my shop. The Bacchetta Bicycle Company wants to sell bike thru dealers only and has stuck to this policy even when it cost them one of their biggest dealers. They want their dealers to assemble and support the product. So far it has served them and their dealers well. Once you have a Bacchetta and deal with the Bacchetta folks you will find that they will bend over backwards to assist you in any way they can.

Jude