Commuting - LBS etiquette

I am currently in the unenviable position of being without my bike, but the enviable position of being in the market for a new one. When I purchased my previous bike about 9 years ago, I knew nothing about them. After getting into using it for daily commuting and long weekend rides, I wore it out and it didn't feel like it totally suited my purpose anymore. I only paid $360 for it anyway. I will try my hand at fixing it up and using it as my beater. When I purchased it, I told my LBS what type of riding I did and got steered to the hybrids. It was in stock so I purchased it after a short test ride.

This time, I actually have a list of bikes I'm considering. I haven't tested any of them yet, but plan to extensively before I buy. If a shop carries a particular brand that I'm looking for but either doesn't carry the particular model normally or does not have the correct size, is it appropriate to ask them to order one so I can try it out or should I expect to only be able to choose from what they normally stock? The specific bikes I'm interested in range from just over $1,000 to $1,600 or so. One of the bikes is an REI one (Novara Rivet), and my local REI has a small stock of bikes. Does anyone know what their policies are about ordering a bike to test?

I'd also like to take it on a longer, more representative test ride. Is it asking too much to take it for a half hour? In case anyone is interested, my short list is: Trek 520; Specialized Tricross Comp; Jamis Nova and Novara Rivet. I'd really like to feel the difference between a touring frame and a cyclocross frame. Feel free to offer other suggestions of similar bikes, but please don't tell me to build my own up. I'm not very mechanically inclined.

yes they CAN order a bike for you to test (may require a returnable deposit). i guess some shops may not do it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

a half hour test ride is not unreasonable, just make sure they know you'll be gone that long... they'll take your license or credit card or something to make sure you come back.

It shouldn't be unreasonable to get a real LBS to order the right model or the right size, but expect to put up a deposit for it.

It's also not forbidden to get the bike shop to build you up a bike, if there's a frame out there that you like. If you're careful and the store has a good stock of lightly used parts or stuff they've swapped out from other bikes you could be in good shape. You have to have the right kind of shop tho - is it a place where people just buy the stock configuration or do they do a lot of wheel and stem swapping to suit the purchaser?

I've seen a Surly Long Haul Trucker and I've bought and built up a Surly Karate Monkey and I'm impressed with the quality of the frame for what they cost. You could certainly get a Surly Cross Check or a LHT in your budget.

Just went through this, looking in a similar price range. If you are going to put down that amont of money, it is totally reasonable to think that a LBS would order a bike for you to test ride. I just did that and it was the wrong size (too small). Just ask your LBS, worst they could do is say no.

As for the half-hour rides, you should definitely do that. Just let them know. Around here, seems typical to have to leave your license or a credit card. Have fun testing!

Half hour rides shouldn't be an issue.

Ordering bikes in for test rides seems more problematic--though I may simply be kind of shy about these things. I could not find a place with Surly Cross-check in stock and no one even suggested that they would order one in and build it up for my convenience. It would have made my process much easier has someone done such a thing. Maybe I need to be more forceful in future bike-buying endevours. All the shops were happy to order one if that was what I knew I wanted, but not just for a test ride.

REI should be somewhat easier. I bet you could even just order the thing and if you don't like it, return it. They tend to be pretty cool about such things. My local REI even encourages this to some extent.

I can see why smaller shops would be reluctant. If they special order or build up bikes for anyone who walks in the door, they would have a lot of stock that may not move. A lof of people just come by for a ride and then don't buy. Reluctance would be even stronger if we're talking about an unusual size.

Luckily the bikes you are interested in are from major companies and so should be easier to find. In any decent sized city there will be several Trek and Specialized dealers. The Tricross is hot now and should also be easy to find. If you wanted a Surly, a Soma, or a Koga-Miyata for example., you'd have a much tougher situation.

Not too add more challenge, but I also recommend Surly. I have a Cross-check and considered a couple of the bikes you are talking about, but chose the Surly in the end. I am very happy with it. Good luck.

My LBS will match any price. So I have been in the market also, but I have to test out the bikes they handle.... Cannondale, Giant, Felt... (to name a few)... They don't have any of the bikes I want, so I go to OTHER LBS and try them out.

I thought about buying a bike sight unseen, but then I tried out another bike, thought it would be perfect.....NO WAY.... I will test drive everything!!!!

Think of the money you will drop on this investment

It is a lot of money. I plunked down more than I :D (or my wife :eek:) ever thought I would for a bike for my Surly, but I bought it without riding one. It was a anxiety-producing decision, but, in the end, I had found a shop I really liked and trusted. They did a very careful fitting, listened closely to what I needed and wanted, and were reassuring about what would happen if the bike wasn't right.

If you asked me a couple of years ago, I would have never agreed to such a large purchase without a test-ride, but my shop got it right, and they laughed at the size of my grin when I walked back in the door after the first ride.

When I bought my first bike (non-commuter road bike) from my LBS, I had a chance to ride several demo bikes they had available. The bike I liked was one size too big but gave me the feel for the type of ride I was in for. So I bought it and love it.

I used the same shop for my second bike with out a test ride. The LBS owner (Chirs at Robinson Wheel Works in San Leandro CA) knew what I liked and what I wanted my commuter to be like. I ended up with a Surly LHT for just over 1000 bucks. And I love it. I highly recommend talking to Chris if you live in the area.

Moral of the story...if you trust your LBS they should be able to figure it out for you like Emerson's LBS did. If you don't know them get your LBS to let you ride a bunch of bikes. If they don’t go somewhere else.

I had read on bike forums before I purchased my first bike about an LBS that actually let a customer take back a bike he had ridden for about three months and get full credit for the purchase price towards another bike. They even prepared the two bikes he was considering and let him take them out for a test spin.

This is not my LBS. I asked them about this and, quite simply, they're too small of a shop to do that. He said bigger shops could pass off returned bikes as demo models but they couldn't afford to take the loss. On the same token, I'm fairly certain my LBS couldn't afford to order multiple bikes for me to test ride. I suspect some shops can, but it all depends on the size of the shop and where you're located. Here, bikes are recognized as being transportation when you get your license suspended for a DUI.

Regardless, it never hurts to ask your LBS about ordering bikes for you to test. The worst that can happen is they'll say no.

I just ordered a Surly Cross-Check complete yesterday. So I'll have to agree with everyone recommending Surlys. I've never ridden one but obviously I think they're worth the money if I have one on the way. If you're in a bigger city, a Surly would sell pretty quick if you decided you didn't like it.

I would not bother to ask my favorite lbs to order a bike for me as there are 5 bike shops (counting REI) within 5 miles of home. As well as several custom builders within 23.7 miles. Try getting a expert fitting then you can order what you need pn the first try.

I just ordered a Surly Cross-Check complete yesterday. So I'll have to agree with everyone recommending Surlys. I've never ridden one but obviously I think they're worth the money if I have one on the way. If you're in a bigger city, a Surly would sell pretty quick if you decided you didn't like it.

I like the idea of the Crosscheck, but the chainstay is significantly shorter than some of the other rides I'm considering. I have big feet and don't want to worry about rigging things up in some crazy way if I want to carry panniers. I am going to consider the LHT because it's just so damn useful, that it's cool.

Now if I can just find time to go to the bike shops!

I'd also like to take it on a longer, more representative test ride. Is it asking too much to take it for a half hour? In case anyone is interested, my short list is: Trek 520; Specialized Tricross Comp; Jamis Nova and Novara Rivet. I'd really like to feel the difference between a touring frame and a cyclocross frame. Feel free to offer other suggestions of similar bikes, but please don't tell me to build my own up. I'm not very mechanically inclined.


Have you seen this thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=188211)? I just put some Freddy Fender Hardcores on it last night. It's a great commuter. Take all the extraneous stuff off and thinner tires and it becomes a damn serious road bike.

Jim,
If you're in durham, I'm guessing that the LBS is the cycle center/bicycle chain. Go talk to one of the folks there and ask them about ordering a bike to test. In my limited experience with them they've been pretty reasonable. Also get them to give you a schedule of when some of the bike companies will be doing test-rides. Cannondale brought a lot of bikes out to the cycle center about a month ago for anyone to test ride - it was nice b/c the selection was wider than what they normally carry.

-sv