Road Cycling - Does anyone work at a TREK bike store?

i have a question about some of treks highend road bikes. i am thinking of buying one next year but want to get some info.

-Steve

g'day,

If I was thinking of buying a 'Trek', the last people I would be wanting an unbiased answer from would be a 'Trek' dealer!....there is enough knowledge & intelligence, (sometimes anyway!...lol) around this forum that you are more likely to get the 'real' story here. Post your question or request. Failing that, I'd go directly to Trek, rather than the LBS, (if its opinion related),

cheers,

Hitchy

I resent that, one of those rare moments when I have the kind of free cash to afford a decent bike, and I can't afford to blow it by making the wrong choice, I go to my lbs and their recommendations have everything to do with what the sales guy would most like to clear from last year and probably get the max commission on. It's like buying a car. At least that's what I felt and perceived. It ain't their cash, and they have their own best interests at heart.

In general though I strongly support the lbs. I just go in armed with info and a hesitancy to impulse buy. They have been better on aftermarket stuff.

I resent that, one of those rare moments when I have the kind of free cash to afford a decent bike, and I can't afford to blow it by making the wrong choice, I go to my lbs and their recommendations have everything to do with what the sales guy would most like to clear from last year and probably get the max commission on. It's like buying a car. At least that's what I felt and perceived. It ain't their cash, and they have their own best interests at heart.

In general though I strongly support the lbs. I just go in armed with info and a hesitancy to impulse buy. They have been better on aftermarket stuff.


g'day,

So why do you resent what i said?......your text reads as if you are pretty much agreeing with me?,

cheers,

Hitchy

i dont have a question about a problem i want to know what the invoices are on some of their more expensive bikes like the 5500,5300,5200. my buddy used to work at a store and said the bikes that cost over a couple grand he could get for amost half that price.

HAHAHAHA! I have access to the price list......

HAHAHAHA! I have access to the price list......


g'day,

Trek like everyone else in just about every industry, will have 'different' wholesale prices depending on how good a customer the LBS is. For instance, a shop that sells 50 madones a month regularly, won't be paying the same wholesale as one who does 10......Trek give LBS's free units in OZ for a fixed numebr of sales.....having said that though....whats wholesale on a Madone?......hmmm a few melted down P.E.T bottles, a crushed coke can or 2?.....LOL

Hitchy

Hitchy, I'm familiar with the Vendor levels, at least in the region of the US that I live in.....

i wouldn't approach buying a bike like buying a car. i've never heard anyone having much success with "ok, i know your invoice is $3400 and you're asking $4600, so how about $3500." but if you get to know them and give them a reason to give you a damn good deal on a bike they could sell to someone else for what they're asking, you might get down into the cost range. it's worked for me.

Those listed bikes are 04's which wont be around for 05. My guess is that the msrp listed on the site and if the bike sold for 60% of that,nobody would out much.

I resent that, one of those rare moments when I have the kind of free cash to afford a decent bike, and I can't afford to blow it by making the wrong choice, I go to my lbs and their recommendations have everything to do with what the sales guy would most like to clear from last year and probably get the max commission on. It's like buying a car. At least that's what I felt and perceived. It ain't their cash, and they have their own best interests at heart.

Which is exactly why you need to find a LBS that you feel confident in and learn to trust. In my town there are 6 shops, 3 of these are new and I have never been in them, of the other 3 I have a lot of expierence with each and I only trust one of them. IMO the other 2 are just out for the sale, but the one I go to I have been going to for 12 years and I know the owner...doesn't hurt that he played BB with my older brother when they were in elementry school (some 30 years ago).

Back to the original topic I don't think you are going to get anyone that knows the wholesale prices of high end Treks to post them on the internet. Maybe I am wrong but I don't think so.

I'd imagine that posting wholesale prices would be in direct violation of Trek's marketing agreements and, if anyone at Trek found out, the poor bastard that did it would be hosed.

What you're buddy is likely talking about is an employee purchase program that most bike manufacturers offer, or at least did at one time. Don't let his claim of getting a bike at half price lead you to believe that he's getting it at cost. Rather, since the manufacturer feels that the best way to get you to sell their stuff and be excited about it is to have you ride it, they give shop employees deals under cost on bikes. It's a great deal if you work for a shop, but it can also be a double edged sword. I went through a Trek 5500 in a year and decided to ditch carbon once and for all for aluminum. you end up spending most of your paycheck on bikes in the end.

What a problem to have, right?

As for bike sales vs. car sales, not even a fair comparison. Car dealers work often solely on commission. The auto manufacturers virtually guarantee that a dealer will make it's share on a car sale, often to the detriment of the manufacturer. There are more kickbacks and kickbacks on kickbacks than you'd like to think, which is why either going used or to someone you know well is the only way to go and not fear a ripoff. With bikes, the overhead vs. markup is dramatically different and the manufacturers don't offer the kinds of incentives to dealers and the buyer as do car manufacturers. Local shops don't make as much on a bike as you might think they do; it ain't jewelry they're selling at 100% markups. The sad thing is that you'll find shady salespeople in any line of work. Insurance and car dealers seem to get the worst of them, but everybody from your local department store to your LBS is bound to end up with some guy that talks down at you while talking out his ass at the same time. It's an unavoidable fact of life that seems to make many believe that LBS's are ****. Too bad.

I imagine that a lot of people here have pretty good ideas of what cost is on a bike. However, most of us also know that we are not to give that info out. If you do find out what cost is on a bike keep in mind that you have to add another $40 or so for shipping, another $30 - $60 to have the bike built by an employee. Another $50 - $300 depending on what that store's tune up policy. Then add some more to that to help keep the doors open of the shop so that you can take it back there when you have a problem. When all is said and done the bike shop owner makes a lot less money than you would expect.

Oh yeah....on a side note here is something that I found sort of sickening and amusing. When I built my current bike I ordered all of my campy at wholesale. After I ordered it I searched around on the internet to see how much money I "saved". It turned out that I could have bought the exact same group on the internet and only had to pay about $30 more. Just something to think about next time someone thinks their lbs is ripping them off on components.

i dont have a question about a problem i want to know what the invoices are on some of their more expensive bikes like the 5500,5300,5200. my buddy used to work at a store and said the bikes that cost over a couple grand he could get for amost half that price.

I don't know of a single bike shop where you could haggle the owner to drop the price more than 10% off retail. There is very little profit involved in selling bicycles these days. Even in New York City, you'll see bikes on the shelf that are are two or three years old! Owning a bike shop is often a poor way to make a living.

I don't know of a single bike shop where you could haggle the owner to drop the price more than 10% off retail.

I just purchased a new Trek 5200 for 15% off (and they gave 25% off everything else like new pedals, shoes etc). Good LBS.

I can't even talk the LBS to drop their $1599 price on an '03 2200. That's why I purchased elsewhere, even different Mfg. I understanding everybody's got to make a living, but when other shops are selling the '04's for about that price now, it just doesn't make sense.

So how much was the 5200? Around here its $2499.

what "good" lbs are in the chicago area i bought my 1000 at chicagoland bicycle and they were real nice and good customer service. what else is their?

So how much was the 5200? Around here its $2499.

It's an '04 5200, came to $2125.00

I purchased my 2004 Trek 5200 triple in May of 2004 for $2295 out the door, so there is definitely room to negotiate. Good luck..

g'day,

So why do you resent what i said?......your text reads as if you are pretty much agreeing with me?,

cheers,

Hitchy

Misunderstanding, bad choice of commas on my part. I wasn't referring to what you said; I was agreeing with you. I was saying I resent the bike shop misguiding me when I have a one-shot chance at getting it right with one of those rare moments I have a couple Gs to burn....