Originally Posted by wintermute
I went to an LBS today. Granted, they are in a very affluent area, but when I asked for help, they told me that bikes w/ anything lower than ultegras aren't worth buying.
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Oh, and get this, the place said they'd fit me, but don't do test rides.
I would personally never set foot in that bike shop again. I actually live in a fairly affluent area too but the LBS near me despite selling really high end stuff also caters to all price ranges and tastes. They know that their bread and butter comes from being loyal to the local community and even in places where there's money, not everyone puts the same high value on cycling. Now it may be for the clientele of that bike shop you visited, it wouldn't make business sense to stock lower end bikes but I still detect a hint of too much snobbery on their part based on what you've told us. Two cardinal rules in bicycle shopping...
- Buy what feels comfortable
- Be comfortable with what you buy
Bottom line: Get the most comfortable bike for the price you are most comfortable with paying.