Originally Posted by Machka
I'm not sure I see the point of the test ride. What exactly are you checking for?
Love.
Oh, and while stuff like handlebars can easily be changed, it's even betetr if they don't have to be changed. So maybe two very similar models have different types of handlebars (shallow drops versus deeper, for example). You may go with the one that feels better.
Test rides probably become less necessary the more bikes you have ridden and the longer you have ridden them, but I can't se ehow they can hurt.