Originally Posted by
MRT2
Perhaps there are people who do this, but that doesn't make it right. But it is a problem generally in retail, where customers use retail stores as a showroom, then buy products for less online. Moral hazard.
There is an honest way to ride a bike you have no intention of buying. Ask the LBS if you can rent a bike for a few hours.
Originally Posted by
Bandera
Being completely upfront and honest about your intentions is not unethical.
It would be interesting to learn of your LBS's response to your plan.
Those who test rides machines with no intention of purchasing them are indeed unethical and there is a technical term for them.
When I had a substantial financial stake in a LBS business the conversation might have gone like this:
Tlock: "Good day sir, I have no intention of purchasing one of your fine machines from you ever but I would like your assistance in selecting the proper frame size for me and providing a test ride on a suitable model so that I may purchase one of possibly similar characteristics online. Rest assured you will receive suitable financial recompense from me by assembling said machine and setting it to exacting fit specifications in the future."
Bandera: "How excellent that you have been so honest and forthcoming with your plan. However, since you do not appear to be the Dali Lama (the only person whose word is bond in my establishment) my policy is to require in cash the amount of gross profit earned from the sale of the model you desire to test ride in surety for future assembly of your online gem. Additional charges may apply as necessary, refunds are out of the question.
If these requirements do not fit your plan I can help you find the exit to enjoy this nice day elsewhere."
-Bandera
Warning: I sorta got carried away and wrote a little novel here... :/
I'd like to update you guys on my bike purchase, because after taking some time to think about what both of you said (maybe a week or so), I realized that you were completely right, and I would simply no longer be able to carry out my original plan.
I had never ridden an aluminum frame, and was dead set on having steel. Local offerings in steel were way out of my price range, but I wasn't comfortable enough with my understanding of geometry and bike fit to be ordering online. So after opening mind to the moral issues of my original plan, I opened my eyes to aluminum frames in my price range available locally. I couldn't be happier with what I found.
I test rode entry level bikes from Scattante and Fuji and even a steel bike from Charge (which I hated). I completely fell in love with the bottom-of-the-line Fuji cross offering, the Cross 3.0 LE. Full Tiagra is F***ing awesome compared to my old school road bikes of the past with downtube suntour stuff. STI levers are the greatest thing to ever happen to me in my life i swear.... etc etc etc
The fit is supreme.
Since buying the bike about two weeks after making the OP above, I have ridden the hell out of it and loved it all. I've been commuting, doing road rides, riding gravel, dirt, some gnarly singletrack, and even placed 4th in an urban cyclocross gravel grinder type race here in ATL (alleycross?). This weekend I'm throwing on the rack and some UL camping gear and taking it out for my first tour.
So I just wanted to say thanks for the tough criticism/advice. The most helpful advice is often the advice you don't want to hear. I was wrong, you were right, and now I reap the benefits of having come to terms with that. Thanks!
Here's some photes:
after a fun spin on ~10 miles of singletrack
during one of Atlanta's rare snow events, the only bike on the road