Mountain Biking - HELP - Did the bike store substitute cheaper components?

I just purchased a new 2002 Norco Sasquatch from a local bike store, and some of the components don't seem to line up with what Norco's site says should be on the bike.

Before confronting the dealer, could anyone confirm two of the simplest details:

1) How many cogs should there be on the front crank? Right now I have two, meaning the bike is a 16 spd. (yet the handlebar shifter indicator says 3-1...)

2) Should the seatpost have any markings at all? Right now, I do not have the words "Axiom Comp" stamped into it anywhere--in fact all I have is a few numbers and letters...and the thing weighs a ton! (also, seat looks different from site photos)

I am suspicious of a few other components, but I am a complete rookie so these two items are the easiest to spot.

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance!

Bike shops can put whatever they want on the bike before they sell it, and sometimes the manufactures website wont match up with what actually comes with the bike.....for instance the specialized website says the Bighit comes with a Marzocchi Z.5 but if you order the bike it comes with a Dirtjumper 1......the sasquatch looks like it only has 1 front ring on their website.....you wouldent want 3 on that bike anyway! You could ask them about the seat, maybe they could let u trade.....seats dont really matter anyway.

Why is this even allowed? It doesn't seem right to me!

Originally posted by JaredMcDonley
Why is this even allowed? It doesn't seem right to me!

It isn't, but shops do it anyway. They might do it to lower the price on a bike, or maybe a bike has some hard to get parts...so, swap!

Actually, most likely the bikes come that way from the manufacturers. If you look at brochures and somewhere on the net, there will be a little note saying so!

You see, the manufacturers get deals from their suppliers and will change the spec as the deals change. Most parts that get swapped are like in your case the seat and the seatpost. Also, the stems and handlebars are often changed. There are also things you don't see, like the headset and the bottom bracket. Tires are hardly ever the same and pedals are probably never the same!

In very few instances, it's the bike shop. They will however, swap out parts at time of purchase for a customer, usually charging them only the difference between the two items. i.e. giving them credit for the stuff they don't want!

Don't be bashing you LBS if you don't know for sure! In most instances, the sustituted product is better than the one listed. In your case a double vs a single chainring!

Go talk to the LBS and see, there may be a reason for the swap out, or most likely it's a change that NORCO made!

L8R