Buying online from Raleigh USA
03-13-17, 07:28 PM
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Buying online from Raleigh USA
Hello. I'm wanting to buy a Raleigh Merit 2. I've only bought bikes at shops, and have no experience buying online. However, the price buying direct online from Raleigh USA is considerably less than at a shop. My question is: Does anyone have experience buying online, especially from Raleigh? Is there anything I should be aware of before pulling the trigger?
03-13-17, 07:35 PM
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Hello. I'm wanting to buy a Raleigh Merit 2. I've only bought bikes at shops, and have no experience buying online. However, the price buying direct online from Raleigh USA is considerably less than at a shop. My question is: Does anyone have experience buying online, especially from Raleigh? Is there anything I should be aware of before pulling the trigger?
03-13-17, 09:49 PM
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DWG - having recently bought a Merit 3 online I'll add 2 cents worth of opinion. Raleigh has a practice of undercutting their own local bike shop (LBS) retailers, frequently offering a model for hundreds less than the retailers can and not even letting the retailers know of the sale. I ran into this just as I was preparing to buy a Merit 2 from my LBS; all of a sudden the Raleigh Corporate Discount program (linked by Aidoneus above) had the Merit 3 (not the 2) for several hundred less than the Merit 2 I was going to buy locally. I asked LBS if they could match the price and they could not, so we worked out a deal where they fitted me for size, I ordered the bike from Raleigh online, and had it shipped to the LBS. The LBS assembled it, put wider bars on for me, and made adjustments at pick up time. I made sure they got paid well for fitting, handlebars, lots of accessories, etc and continue to use them for all service, shoes, pedals, etc. It's disappointing that Raleigh is doing this to their retailers but it may be the way of the future. Regardless, I strongly recommend you use your LBS to properly fit you for size, make adjustments, accessories, service, etc. My experience on the bike (Merit 3) has been outstanding and that's at least 50% because of the great work by the folks at the LBS. Good luck to you.
03-14-17, 05:22 AM
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Where do you enter the code to get the corporate pricing on their website?
03-14-17, 03:33 PM
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I bought my Merit 3 last November. It was my first real road bike. No issues ordering it with the corporate discount. I had a issue with the fork. I think it was the threads. Luckily my bike mechanic was able to fix it. From what I heard it's a quality control issue but maybe just for the Merit 3. Other then that I had no other issue. I was in between sizes and went with the 58cm. Might be a tad big but I'm loving the bike. 
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...-bicycles.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...-bicycles.html
03-14-17, 03:55 PM
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Thank you all for your insight! I'll go get fitted at a shop, then order online. Now, the question is Merit 2 or Merit 3. Is it worth the extra $250 for the 3? I'll be using it for casual riding.
03-30-17, 10:42 AM
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I'm researching on the Merit 3 too as we speak! From my reading, the Shimano 105 is worth the upgrade and way better than the entry level Shimanos as I understand.. Good luck!
03-30-17, 12:12 PM
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anyone know what the Merit Comp cost with the corp discount? i tried using the one above to get an idea and it didn't take it. i might bite depending on the discount....
03-30-17, 02:02 PM
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Shimano 3500 is absolutely perfectly great for 85% of riders though. If someone wants better, thats awesome and totally great, but really, 3500 components will be more than fine for most all users. They perform reliably. 3500 components brake, shift, and spin wheels as expected.
And while 3500 components arent high end, they also arent exactly entry level. There are 2 groups under Sora.
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