Buying a new (first) road bike....... a prob?
 

All,

I am one from the Mountain bike camp desiring to purchase a road bike for the first time... I currently have a Gary Fisher Sugar 3 - put about 1k miles on it a year (bought in 2000) and have a decent 'feel' for bikes.

I also research my rear off, knowing exactly what I am looking for, and whereas I am fairly ignorant of road bikes and road biking in general, I am willing and able to learn. In other words, I tend to take my time in the investigation part, but when I'm ready, I have no qualms on buying.

anyway - I have looked at several bikes, ridden several, and have settled pretty much on a Trek 2300. Of course budget becomes a factor at some point and whereas spending a good amount of $$ doesn't bother me too much (have a wife and 3 kids), I do somewhat watch what I spend my money on.

Anyway - At a shop that is fairly large here in denver, I found the 2300 for what I feel is a great price - $1649 for the 2003 model, $1599 for the 2002 model of the 2300.

After my research and checking things out - which took another week and a half, I buzz into the same shop today (which took really good care of me when I was asking a ton of questions and doing some initial test rides) and found the price on the bike is now $1799...... the 2002 has the same $1799 price on it too....

I asked what changed from a week ago, and the guy showed me the price in the 'book' as 1799 and I said I know that, yet a week and a half ago it was $150 less and if it was a 'sale' for that time period or what..... He went to ask the mgmt and they came back that they couldn't knock anything else off the bike ......

?

$1799 is still almost 200 less than retail, yet I am wondering about the $150 that popped back on it - with no good answer (yet).

Maybe I am just venting frustration, because I was definitely liking this bike, and a $150 'goose' doesn't dissuade me from it, just that I hate spending money like that for no decent reason.

The guy whom helped me today is simply GREAT and smart and helpful and is very into fitting bikes to folks etc etc etc.... I really like the shop and have no qualms with it at all - and they are NOT hard sales types.....

I did see the same bike at a shop run by Ron Kiefel where they do great fittings too - and the bike was a hundred less than today's price.......


Ideas here?

thx
rory
(soon will have a

It's time to start price shopping them. If they are competitive with everyone else, then go for it.

If you can get a great fitting on the same bike for $100 SLAM dunk. Business is business. Supply and demand they raise their prices then demand may not be as high.

While the service you get at shop #1 may be worth spending the extra bucks I wouldn't do it out of guilt or obligation,

If you want to buy at shop one give them one chance to match the competative price or get a good fitting at shop #2 and spend the extra bucks on accessories

Any business-smart shop will & should match their competitors' price even if they're located clear across town. Just ask for a price match.

1649 for a 03 2300 and 1599 for a 02 with 04 coming.You should get that 02 for 1499 and take it.When i got my 2000 cannondale,the 01 was coming .It was marked $1199 and i asked how much lower they could go because the new ones were coming and he said $899 so ask or offer low and see what happens.

OK, so I called and talked to a manager at the shop. They said that they price match on any shop in town. The other shop has the bike for $1699....

I don't mind a $50 bump.... yet it helps to know prices, and when they drop way low, it's time to jump.....

they have the 2002 Trek 2300 for $1599.... Only diff is the front fork.... and color.... thinking on this one too.....

thanks for the ideas...

I'd try to get the 2002 at cost plus $100 .. I bought my 2002 LeMond Victoire Titanium for $2k recently.

I had a similar problem. Looked at a bike one week, next week went back and it had increased by $100. I had spent a good deal of time test riding this bike, measuring the fit, etc. Was told second week that I would get the bike for the price that I FIRST saw it at, which was a promotional price. No problem. They were very nice and I didn't have to grovel. Seems like they are treating you rather poorly, in my opinion. :(

In my opinion, I would start price shopping, usually many LBS carry Trek, and you should be able to get a good deal from one of the LBS.

Or we could really screw you up and get a Cannondale R800. I too was looking at the Trek 2300 but left my LBS with the R800. Pretty sure you can get it for around $1499 too! don't want to mess up the works here. You should buy what your comfortable with and fits you well.

Just a thought.....

Wynn

Supergo has the R800 for 1399 and performance is having a nice sale on all bike right now.

Here's my take on this...

1. You tested the bike at the $1649 price and not at the $1799. This inticed you to test it out, at that great price. Your whole evaulation/value process is based on the $1649 price, not the $1799 price. Now that that criteria has changed, your value process has changed also. Otherwise, you wouldn't have posted this message. Nothing wrong this.

2. The manager or owner of the store needs to know that your decision criteria was based on the $1649 price and see if he/she is willing to sell you the bike at that price. The manager or owner should be smart enough to know that if he/she takes care of you, you'll be back to buy other stuff from them as well as recommending their store to your friends. Good service is supreme! They and you win out in the long run.

If the don't honor the $1649, then they really don't care about you, just want to make a quick $150 in the short run. In this case, put your money in a store where you think they care about your patronage the most.

3. $1649 is a lot money, no matter how you look at it. Do whatever you need to do to feel good about your purchase. Even if it means buying it from somewhere else. My opinion on this is, if you had to buy it somewhere else, they did do what was neccessary to win your business.

Hope this helps. :)

when i was looking for a new bike i was fixed on the 2003 trek 1500.i looked around to see where i could get some money off and in the end only got £50 off.the 1500 has got the same ultegra groupset as the 2300, a light weight aluminium frame with a good pair of wheels. i've had no problems with it and would say it is just as good as the 2300 but cheaper.