dennisa

So just curious as this will be the first time I go to a LBS and actually go for a test ride. Should I wear my compression shorts for the test ride with the shoes I've been using for riding an old bike from my neighbor ?

cmburch

I went to several shops over a couple of weeks. I used the normal clothing I would use when riding and brought my helmet/gloves.

I did notice though that the best test where I could really tell the bikes apart was the Missing Link Bike shop in Berkeley. There was an old parking lot nearby that was in bad condition and hilly streets. I went from aluminum, scandium, aluminum/carbon stays, carbon forks, full carbon, Campy, Shimano, etc.

Other shops may have had new parking lots and good condition surrounding streets or no steep street to climb or brake down or no good winding roads.

Nachoman

Whatever you're more comfortable in. Personally, I'd wear cycling shorts and jersey and bring my own pedals, shoes, helmet and gloves.

magimum

i have a question. what do you expect from a test ride? i mean do you do circles around the parking lot or will they let you push the bike hard around the block?

4cmd3

Wear a skinsuit - FTW!

Hot Potato

The travelling Specialized test van was in the area a few weeks ago. I showed up with my cycling clothes and my Look and Spd shoes. I didn't bother to take off my pedals to bring with me. They had spd pedals, but not look. I gave them my credit card, and they gave me top of the line S-works road bikes. I did about 10 miles each on three different bikes, including one with Di2 electronic shifters. What a blast! I think I just had to be back before 8 pm, or else they would charge my card for the bike (yipes!).

The LBS will probably have pedals to put on for you, but if you have some to bring, it can't hurt. My kid can ride around the parking lot for a test ride, but I am going to be gone for a while if I am dropping any serious coin.

pharmboyrx

What do you do when they don't have the frame in your size? I'm in that predicament. I've test ridden a large Look 566 origin but the XL would fit me better. Do you have them put on a longer stem to approximate your position or do you just take it for a long ride with it as is. I like the feel of this frame but at 2.7k for the bike I'm hesitant.

pharmboyrx

What do you do when they don't have the frame in your size? I'm in that predicament. I've test ridden a large Look 566 origin but the XL would fit me better. Do you have them put on a longer stem to approximate your position or do you just take it for a long ride with it as is. I like the feel of this frame but at 2.7k for the bike I'm hesitant.

dennisa

To begin my review. Keep in mind I'm 5'6" with ~ 29.5" inseam. I wore my basic cycling gear.

Well the LBS that is Trek / Specialized dealer only let me ride in the parking lot which is actually quite large as there are a few stores in the same plaza. I rode an '06 Trek 1500, 52cm Full 105's w/ Ultegra RD sweet ride but I felt to stretched out also they still had it priced at ~$1300. Also test road a '09 52cm Specialized Allez Elite again full 105's great ride felt a lot better, but the price was $1700, seems way to expensive considering If I recall the MSRP wasn't even that high. I did like the Specialized but this shop seems grossly over priced on just about everything. They do offer free tune up for life, they weren't 100% clear as to how in depth they go for fitting, but they do offer a 30day no questions asked policy if I don't like the bike because of the way it fits I can return it for store credit and find something else that's a better fit for me.

The other LBS which is primarily a Kona / Cannondale dealer basically tossed me the keys and sent me on my way down some local side streets went for about a mile or so. I took a 54cm Caad9-7 ($979) out for a ride. Although it did not have a a full 105 set up on it it still rode very nicely. I can see how the thumb shifter could be annoying. the 54cm was a little tight on the standover hieght so he's going to get a 52cm in the shop for me to ride. I also took a spin on a '09 54cm Synapse-7 ($979) very similiar setup to the Caad9-7. In anycases I liked the ride on both of them. Only issure is that the next size down on a Synapse is a 51cm and would end up w/ a TT 25mm (~1") shorter than the 54cm.

In the long run I'm very happy with the Cannondales not to mention this LBS I felt the most comfortable with. They offer free tune up for life, they are very occomidating on fitting. They would preffer to do a basic fit by taking a few measurements and have me ride for at least 2 weeks so I can give feedback as to oh my back hurts here or I feel to stretched, toes going numb whatever. Then they would put me with my bike on the trainer and make the final adjustments.

So before I left I asked for a ballpark price be on a '10 Caad9-5 w/ shoes and spd pedals. He said MSRP is $1499 but they wouls throw in the shoes and pedals and if I paid cash they'd knock off the tax. So I'm pretty sure I could work with them a little on the overall price.

mzeffex 

Eesh. Free pedals and shoes? That's a nice deal. Also, knocking off the tax would be.. illegal..

rangerdavid

sweet!! get the CAAD9

pharmboyrx

He just wants you to pay cash so they're not paying credit card fees.

dennisa

Fine with me as I planed on paying cash anyway and as far as knocking off the tax what he meant was they would reduce the price by what the tax would be. But yeah I'm thinking it would be a sweet deal as well.

mzeffex 

What kinda shoes are you getting?

roadwarrior

Yeah...what's the "over/under" on how long they will be in business...

dennisa

This bike shop has been open for over 50yrs don't think there is anything to worry about business wise.

mzeffex 

One store I went to was giving away a free powertap hub with all of these fancy trainers they had. Not the trainers the bike goes on, but the whole excersize bike thing.

BengeBoy 

Incorrect.

The retailer can collect his $$ from you any way he wants. It's only illegal if he doesn't report he sale and then pay tax on that. "Knocking off the tax" is just a way to offer a discount in exchange for cash.

+1

However, he's apparently clever enough *not* to say, pay me cash and I'll charge you less because I save the credit card fee.

If he stated that *explicitly* to the customer, he'd be violating his agreement with the credit card companies (they try to prohibit retailers from offering "discounts for cash"). That way, consumers never really know how much credit card expense is getting baked into every transaction.