Inpd

Hi,

Some of us are unfortunate enough to live in areas without a decent LBS and don't know enough about bikes to buy on CL so we buy mail order bikes.

For those of you in my situation which manufacturer did you find shipped the best prepared bike?

I'm not talking about the value, or best performance etc rather which manufacturer ships a bike prepared in a manner that is as close to what a good LBS would give you. I'm not even sure what a good LBS does when preparing a bike but I've heard from many of you of the benefits.

A followup and related point is: What should an LBS do if I get them to assemble the bike? Is there a mandatory list I should absolutely get them to do? Unfortunately the LBSs in my area just have a flat $75-$100 assembly fee and won't give out details. I'm happy to drive to the next town but wanted to sort out details on the phone.

For what its worth I have bought a few mail order bikes. Nashbar's products was best packaged with lots of information.

Wanderer

Any LBS that won't give details about what they do for your money, is immediately scratched off my list......

rpenmanparker 

I'm sure you CAN work with an LBS to go over a mail-order bike for you. I wouldn't buy mail-order, however, if I weren't completely independent as a competent bike mechanic myself. Especially in the situation you describe of not really respecting your available LBSs.

rms13

you've bought at least 2 bikes online and assembled them yourself and by all of many reviews and posts about your BD bike you have been very satisfied with results. So why are you now asking about paying to have an LBS assemble a bike purchased on line?

Inpd

I've bought three. A nashbar, diamondback and my own BD. I've been talking with several knowledgable members via private message who raised that mail order bikes typically having issues with parts such as hub bearings. At this point I knew even though I ASSEMBLED them okay, I don't have the knowledge (as yet) to verify they were prepped correctly hence my question.

Inpd

Yep. Mine too so I scratched them all off. I think it's the performance bicycles effect. We don't have one within 100 miles so the LBSs just have to compete against themselves,

rpenmanparker 

OP, I'm not sure you have a correct view of the meaning of "prepping". Nobody fools with sealed cartridge bearing hubs when putting a bike together in a factory. If the bearings are flawed, that isn't a "prepping" issue. It is simply a warranty issue.

Inpd

Perhaps that was a bad example. But it does raise the inclusive question which vendor does the best QA which is related to prepping isn't it?

rpenmanparker 

Here is the thing: If you care about the riding condition of your bike, you are going to have to go over every inch of it anyway. As long as all the parts are mounted on the frame, your job isn't much different whether the assembly is competent or incompetent. Of course you can get lucky, and not go over it with a fine tooth comb, and still have no issues. But if you are not that kind of person, small glitches really don't matter, because you are going to be doing a full checkout of every system on the bike.

I know you want me to tell you Nashbar or BD or some such is best, but I really can't. I build my bikes from frames and parts. Never had one delivered in a box.

Inpd

nice answer. Thanks. So can you point me to a list on what to look for so I can be "that guy"!

RollCNY

Wait, I thought you wrote off all bike shops when they were mean and dismissive to you when you were bike shopping? Wasn't that the point of one of the 10 threads you had when you were buying the BD?

rpenmanparker 

Sure.

* Wheels: true. Bearing smoothness, even and appropriate spoke tension, proper tire mounting, tube (if you have one) not pinched anywhere, quick releases properly tightened, wheels straight and centered in dropouts and clear fork blades, stays and centered in brake pads.
* Brake calipers tight and centered. Pads straight and aligned properly with brake tracks on wheels. Even pad clearance on both sides. Pads proper distance from brake tracks to allow full braking without bottoming out of levers.
* Crank turns smoothly. No creaking.
* Front derailleur tight and the proper height over large chain ring. FD parallel to the chainrings (starting point).
* Rear derailleur tight.
* Chain length proper as shown by derailleur extension at extreme and middle chainring/cog combinations.
* Seat height right and post and saddle clamp tight. Seat fore and aft position correct. Saddle straight left to right and up/down.
* Headset proper tightness. Stem bolts tight on steerer and on handlebar.
* Handlebar height and angle as desired. Levers at the right position on the bar.
* Braking and shifting work properly through their entire ranges.

Tight means to appropriate torques.

I'm getting tired. What have I forgotten? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone? Anyone?

TheManShow

Most of what you need to know on adjust yur bicycle is on you tube, park tool web-site, and a couple of other places. Where I live most of the local bike shop talk about support the local business. I say why because you don't do s*** for your customers except charge MSRP.


I like to wheel, deal and spend as little of my money as possible. So I can buy more stuff for the dollar. Most business owners if you were making a sales call on them they would want the best product, the lowest price, and product support on a moments notice.

Throw their wants back at them as for the moon you might get it. I was recently negoacating for the lease of a new vechicle. The salesman just before he closed the deal, and got me to sign on the line. Hit me with some BS Fee. I said another 600 bucks, no way. He replied 600 bucks is nothing. I replied take anotherr grand off the selling price. He look like I cut his heart out.

I got up and walked with him yelling something about work a deal for me for six hours, and now I walking out. i told him he was not honest, upfront, and sales is about making sale, but also be rejected.

I am still looking for another car, but was not tricked into feeling guilty.

softreset

I don't know many bike shops that exhaustively explain what the flat rate assembly (or disassembly fee) covers. Actually, all of the ones in my area (including the one I work at) don't specifically itemize it. Part of the reason, I suspect, is that it really depends.

For example... if the list says: "Install crankset and chain rings" then I'm on the hook for that. But if that comes pre-installed by the manufacturer I can't very well install them. I can check for proper torque but I can't install something that's already installed. Same with the rear mech. Some come preinstalled (some with a removable hanger, some not). So do I list that we install the hanger? What if it's a non-removal hanger?

That's also why it's usually a flat rate. Because some bikes were be on the low end and some come with horribly out of true wheels that take us 30 minutes to make road-worthy. But it all comes out in the wash.

Inpd

Fair point. But I've done my research and know how the bike comes packaged, I'm not just handing over a box and saying go for it. I was hoping they would at least give me a list of things they'll definitely do.

shelbyfv

Maybe you should consider setting up a personal blog somewhere to vent your BD/mail order infatuation.

TheManShow

Be happy you have the opportunity to disagree with the poster verses being run out to the desert to be excututed for disagreeing. BTW they also have the right to express their true feelings.

WalksOn2Wheels

From the perspective of someone who has built a few mail order bikes for customers at the shop I worked at: It depends.

Most bikes are packaged roughly the same as any other bikes. You basic road, hybrid or mtb bike is going to come with most everything installed minus the seat, front wheel, pedals, and mounting the bar onto the stem. Our shop charges I think 60 bucks for a single speed or "pre-assembled" (meaning a previous built and ridden bike that was shipped for vacation or whatever), and $75 for a new-in-box geared bike.

For a new geared bike out of the box, the basic build procedure is:

Install seatpost (this is done first so you can hang it in the stand)
Cut off front wheel (usually ziptied to frame)
Tear off packaging material
Install bars onto stem
Install front wheel, setup and tighten stem/bar combo
Set up/adjust brakes, make sure wheels are true
Install pedals
Tune derailleurs for both cable tension and limit screws (You do NOT want a new customer putting a derailleur into the spokes)

There is definitely not going to be any bearing overhauls unless it's so bad as to be an obvious problem, but our shop would most likely take the time to go ahead and do it as a part of the build fee because we like customer service and actually want people to come back to the shop happy.

I'm also suspicious of the fact that you say the shop didn't want to disclose what is involved in a build. I you just called them on the phone, most likely you were talking to someone who doesn't work in the shop area, or it might have been really busy and they were trying to give the shortest possible answer to get back to the customers that were in the store hounding them to put air in their tires.

Also, I built a Nashbar MTB for a relative and it was probably the single worst mail order bike I've ever put together. I felt like it was ever so slightly better than a box store bike, but definitely a few steps below your basic ~$400 entry level MTB from any of the major brands.

Stevensondrive

I've always wondered about those Nashbar carbon Ultregra or Dura bikes. They sure look like a great deal

sour

If you want a bike you can ride right out of the box, then look at Competitive Cyclist. (I guess I don't know if they still ship fully assembled bikes like they use to.)

Nachoman

Yeah, I bought a bike years ago from Colorado Cyclist and I can't remember having to do 'anything' at all, to get it up and running.

bassjones

Order direct from Lynskey.

Shuffleman

Why not? Does it really matter? Unless you know how to work the wrench much of what you are paying for is peace of mind that everything is safe. Some bikes may require more than others. For that flat fee that you pay they will do it if it needs to be done. For example, perhaps your wheels are true. They do not have to touch that. Perhaps they are not, then they will correct it.
I have to agree here but to an extent. I am not one to call anybody out but your posts do seem to be tied to a similar agenda. If I am incorrect, than I sincerely apologize but they do give off that appearance. I am not going back looking but I do recall you and BD and LBS posts several times.
I can't disagree with this. As I wrote earlier, this poster does seem to have an agenda with the posts that may not be the norm. Again, it could just be that his interests lie with BD and Internet Bike companies. If it is, than I am sorry for my skepticism. There just seems to be an angle.

02Giant 

I bought my Orbea through them in Dec. 2013, it couldn't have been better.

TheManShow

Also Excell Sports in Colorado is excellent.