How do you know who to trust in a bike shop? Everyone in every bike shop speaks so authoritately as if their word is the word. It scares me.

How do I know if they are steering me towards a certain bike just because they can make the most money on it or want to unload it or for some other reason? Scary again.

I'm looking at a Devinci amsterdam (non-disk brakes; don't need them, I think) to ride around town, enjoy myself, and not worry too much about tire reliability or making it up hills -- it's very hilly here in Vancouver, BC.

Help!

Thank you everybody

Harvey

well, for starters, it helps to have done a bit of homework. do your research just like you would if you were buying a car or a computer or a coffee maker. That way you will know if they are pulling your chain. I suggest reading some reviews of the bikes that you are interested in, asking questions and/or searching these forums, and then go into the shop -- by that time you will be a better informed consumer, which is a good thing even if they are being honest!

If you don't know enough yourself to detect bike shop BS, then try bringing a more knowledgeable friend who can gauge it.

If you just want a bike for riding around town, then almost anything is going to do the job as long as it's reasonably comfortable. Are you sure you want to spend close to a grand for an "around town" bike?

Oh, and unless you live on the hill in North Van, Vancouver isn't hilly

I'd go with someone who will explain why to you, it is hard to keep a lie up with detail. I recently started back riding. Took the bike in after 5 years for a tuneup. Tires and tubes had to be replaced. They did not try to sell me the most expensive tires out there. Instead thye pointed out the advantages of high end tires and the various advantages of various tires (eg performance vrs. flat resistance).

They had trouble with my front wheel. They could not get it true. Once mentioned it made sense. I hit a bad pothole years ago and while my rear had been replaced since then my front had not. Sooner or later you will know details of your bike and what guys in a shop say either will or will not make sense compared to what yuo know.

Oh and listen to any gear geeks you ride with. Guys you ride with at least don't have the bias of wanting to push something because of the markup.

--- Good question and excellent advice here. Also, when I have a bike question, I ask Bike Forums. If I get the same answer from diverse sources, then I trust it.

Trust no one.

Anonymous Know-It-Alls on Internet discussion groups are the last people to trust, right after Know-It -Alls at an LBS who are trying to sell what is on the floor/or their supreme knowledge of all things bicycle.

Nice attitude! The point of seeking advice on a forum such as this is that you will receive a fair diversity of views but from these usually comes some points of agreement. Much better to trust someone with no vested interest and who speaks from experience...or is that just the opinion of another "know-it-all"? Tell me just who would you go to for advice?

Dude, he was joking.