Buy before you try???
I know my LBS cannot carry everything in stock but can order you one if you are willing to wait. Or get something on-line and work with the vendors themselves. My problem is what if you don't like it once you purchase it? I want to at least feel how it fits, rides and handles even if its only in the parking lot for a few minutes before I puck down my hard earned money. This is especially true if getting a high end bike (>$5k). Plus there are so many bike choices how does one go about getting their dream bike (assuming I have an idea of what I want, ie. a gravel bike)?
So what are some steps I can take to at least get close to what I think I want?
- Specs that match my current bike is one. But even with that ride and handling needs to be felt in person.
- I guess I could find someone with the same bike and ask to ride it. Hopefully they would say okay.
- Buy it, ride it, sell it if I don't like it. I would take a financial loss on that.
- Buy it and hope for the best? I might like it but I want to love it.
Any other ideas? Have any of you purchase a whole bike that didn't work out? What did you do? I think most places would not let you return something if you already rode it. Getting the wrong size is a bummer too. This is my worst fear...