Originally Posted by jefnvk

There is no need for a contract for such a transaction. You pay, you get a receipt, if said bike is not delivered that is your contract when you go to court. This is not a complex transaction or anything necessitating a detailed statement of work and stipulations.

Judging by how the OP snapped at someone pointing out his own stated history, I'm not really certain that caution on the shops part is unwarranted.