CliffordK

The bike shop is a good place to start for the average customer.

They aren't without their issues though. For example, most stores are much better at selling you what they stock than selling what they don't carry.

Around here, we have more shops that specialize in clunkers than in really nice road bikes. Eventually a customer has to recognise the difference.

One thing that has driven many of us online is a much greater selection of both new and used parts online than from the typical local bike shop. Even with expertise, it isn't uncommon for a customer to maybe gain a little different expertise than the average salesperson. Not necessarily broader, but perhaps deep knowledge pertinent to what they're interested in. Of course, there are some very knowledgeable mechanics that may know some details that one might easily miss with just internet reading.

corrado33

I think the problem is that people don't trust "salespeople." They think that they're only out to make money and put them on bike x or y because it will make them more money. Sometimes this is true. Other times it isn't. It really depends on which store you go to and which salesperson you get.

I had a bad experience when I bought my last mountain bike (new.) I was uneducated about mountain bikes, being a road biker at the time. I knew that I wanted a hardtail bike with an air fork because I'm a light rider and coil springs would be way too hard for me, but that's about the only research that I had done. I told the salesperson exactly this. "I want a hardtail with an air fork." I ride a few bikes and settle on one that I like. I buy it, take it home, look up the components and find out that it IS a coil spring version. So the salesperson didn't OVERSELL me, he UNDERSOLD me. Is it my fault for not knowing that bike had a coil spring fork or is it the salesperson's fault for not telling me? (I later find out that the salesperson I dealt with also does the bike ordering for the shop, so he sure as hell knew what he was talking about.)

In all honesty at the time I was hesitant about spending the extra few hundred dollars on the next step up bike that had the air fork, but the salesperson would have rather seen me walk out the door with ANY bike rather than the RIGHT bike. This is the exact opposite approach I take when selling people bikes at the COOP. He probably figured "This guy dressed nicely, there's no way he'll take the bike out actually mountain biking, he'll probably just commute to school on it, there's no harm in telling him this bike is the bike that he wants." Well, to this day (and many hundreds of miles on singletrack later) I still haven't compressed my front suspension past 1/2 of the movement. And it's not for lack of trying, I just don't have the weight to do it. I've ridden on anything from nice flowy singletrack to extremely technical/rocky trails where a hardtail should not have been. (Constant fields of basketball sized rocks are not a great place to ride a hardtail.) (And I was the only one with a hardtail in the group.) My wrists/hands and shoulders killed me after that day.

bmthom.gis

It's easy. Have a budget, know what kind of riding you want to do, go to bike shop, talk with salesperson, buy bike. A good shop will first ask you what kind of riding you want to do and what your budget it. A good shop won't try and sell someone who just wants to ride around their neighborhood a carbon road bike or full suspension mountain bike.

Maelochs

This is true in any situation. "Caveat Emptor" is not a phrase invented by bicycle purchasers.

Also this has nothing to do with what the OP is on about. he is nto complaining about stupid salespeople, but about the fact that there are options. In his perfect world, you wouldn't have had the option of buying a mountain bike ... just a single-speed, totally generic road bike in exactly the same color as every other bike on the planet.

And here, being as knowledgeable as you were ... I hold you responsible for your choice. Someone who had never ridden a bike, who didn't know what an air shock was ... but you went in having done just enough research to hurt yourself.

How hard did you question the salesperson? Did you ask him about shock maintenance and adjustment? Did you ask him anything?

Also, how far did you test-ride the bike? Did you bounce hard on the shock to see how it responded?

I don't mean to be a Richard; I feel bad for you, being stuck with a bike you didn't want. However, you were trying to buy a specialty tool not basic transportation.

i will grant the OP this: someone who wants to buy a very specialized bike of any kind, does need to do research. But in that case ... anyone who is dropping a bundle of money on Anything ought to do Some research.

The OP is talking about complete neophytes buying a first bicycle. Anyone who is looking for something very specific---a TT bike, a hardtail mountain bike, a very high-end road bike---is not going to be put off by the need to do research---those are buyers who already want the product and know something about the product. Not at all what the OP is talking about.

I feel for you, dude. You made the error, but still, it sucks to be stuck with the wrong bike. have you considered buying a more suitable fork? I know they are expensive, but riding a bike which doesn't work sucks.

corrado33

I questioned the salesperson pretty hard. I asked how they're adjusted, and he said "the valve is USUALLY under this cap." "The rebound adjustment is down here." I asked how reliable air spring forks are compared to coil springs, and what sort of extra maintenance I would expect. We probably talked for 20 minutes both times I went. I didn't just buy the bike on the spot, I went to other shops in town and rode similar bikes. Of course, they all told me they don't offer an air spring bike as cheap as the one I bought. Probably because it turned out to not be an air spring bike. I should have taken that as a hint that something was fishy.

I did ride it, but having never seriously ridden a nice mountain bike before, I wouldn't have known how one rode vs. the other anyway. I chalked the seemingly "hard" fork up to needing to let some air out. I have debated buying another fork for it, but it's really not worth it. A new fork would be 1/4-1/2 the cost of the bike, (not a super expensive bike) and I'm going to be moving soon, possibly away from mountains unfortunately. In all honesty, I've just learned which trails I like to ride with the bike and which trails aren't that fun due to it's drawbacks. And I've really just been riding my road bikes more lately anyway.


And yes, I know my post was slightly OT.

fietsbob

I don't think just asking this forum 'Which is Best?' , Counts as doing Research..




'/,

Maelochs

yeah ... did you look up the specs on the fork or frame?

Again, I hope I don't seem like a Richard, but if this purchase was made during the Internet age ... and if not, the local library probably had some mountain bike info .... I know I had to actually buy and read magazines before I bought my first MTB because the Internet was pretty lame at that time.

Anyway ... have you looked into replacing the fork? or selling the bike and buying a new one?

I got a super deal on a used Cannondale Rize off Craigslist just by luck or fate ... likely you could find a decent used bike and then sell yours to recoup a little of your loss.

As for OT ... the OP seems to have abandoned the thread after he saw that no one wanted his global generic bike. it's open season now.

TimothyH

At one point in my life I looked into entering a Trappist monastery.

A submarine sounds very similar.

Booger1

It's really simple......Don't drink the bicycle Kool-aid and don't listen to people on the web,including myself.....Just buy a bike and ride it......If you end up liking bikes,you'll know what you want.

How did I manage to get a bike without the internet for research?

jefnvk

But the monastery has cooler clothes and better beer

big chainring 

Great answer.

I think the OP has,a good point though. As a 45 year veteran of cycling, when I walk into a bike shop, all the bikes kinda look the same.

Oddly I tend to like the bikes geared toward women because they have some color on them. I tend to buy bikes based on how they look. Most bikes available today are BORING! Red, orange, purple, gold, yeah that's what I want. I want a bike that speaks to me. Color is numero uno on my list. Then the graphics. But I tend to buy 40-50 year old bikes. Great colors, great graphics.

As far as accessories, for the life of me I don't get the little seat bag thingy. For my entire cycling life I have always used an old sock or just a rolled piece of canvas to hold my spare tube and some tools. Toestrap holds it to my saddle.

But everyone does it a little different. Find the bike and accessories that work for you. Takes some trial and error, but it's bike riding, it's fun.

bbbean 

Oh bah humbug. You can walk into any bike store, spend 15 minutes looking, and walk out with a basic bike that will provide serviceable transportation.

Of course, if you want high performance or have a specialized application, it's going to take more effort and research, but that's true for anything - cars, food, housing, golf clubs, watches, cameras, etc.

jade408

Well I lucked out and won a bike in a raffle. And it was a bike styled the way I liked. Had no clue that style even existed. It turns out few bikes shops have the vintage-y / dutch like bikes I like. Over time I realized that it was less about the dutch-ness and more about the retro-ness. I like steel bikes, clean lines, and old school looks. There is pretty much only one shop that has those bikes near me. Everyone else has the new school bikes and I don't like the looks much.

The important lesson that came for me with research was that I am super picky about looks and details. And that influences whether or not I want to ride. You don't want to know about how much research I did to find a nice looking bottle cage.

fietsbob

Except for the 16 ICBM and 2 torpedos with Nuclear Warheads..

HTupolev

Most critically, the seat bags tend to be basically waterproof. The contents and bags don't jiggle around much, and it's easier to access and re-pack the contents than with folded cloth and a strap. There's also the aesthetic matter that you effortlessly get something that more or less looks like it belongs, although I'm sure there are people out there who could put together a beautiful folded canvas assembly.

Gresp15C

I've been cycling for 45+ years, and this year was the first time that I did any research before buying a bike.

Still, let me anticipate the solution to this problem: Teach your kids some basic mechanical skill, self confidence, curiosity, and an understanding of how marketing / advertising / salesmanship work. This will empower them to get through most of their consumer purchasing situations with minimal stress.

rydabent

Little decisions now will enable you to make large decisions later.

SydneyFife

Wow it seems this thread has determined people have different needs, wants, and some shops/salespeople are better than others. Quite a think tank I stumbled into.

LaughingLots

This indicates that you did not do enough research at all. Change the stock spring and a coil fork can accommodate all weights.

Dave Cutter

I have thought for some years.... the best advocacy for cycling sports would be high school cycling programs.

But most of the "advocacy types" don't like using cycling and sports in the same sentence. Let alone admit that cycling is anything other than car killing, Earth friendly, sustainable, transportation. And those IN the sports arena already see PLENTY of competition.

Americans think of cycling in three venues. First and primarily, bicycles are thought of as childrens toys. Second, bicycles are sport... with the mountain cycling sports leading the way (in the American paradigm). Third and lastly, people think of cycling as "alterative" transportation.

Personally.... I think cycling is even entering the fringe area as a child's toy. But I am not sure I mind so much.

So what if cycling becomes a little more of a fringe activity? There are tons of activity's that aren't really main stream. I know of no one who curls... but it is growing in popularity. I currently don't know anyone who is boarding horse, either. I know we have a local parasailing airport... but I don't know anyone who goes there. So what's wrong with fringe?

LaughingLots

This has existed for a while.

This must be really influenced by your location.

gear64

My parents gave me my first bike when I was around 5. I would imagine seriously oversized and I loved it. My parents gave me my second bike at 14 or 15, again likely oversized, I rode it into my 30s. Bought my first MTB in 30s, just walked in LBS saw one I liked, test rode, bought it. Same with second MTB several years later. I've done minimal research when going back to road bikes through Craigslist. My perspective to some extent, it's just a freaking tool, it's the act of riding that brings joy.

Dave Cutter

Of course. I really only attended one High School. But, I've never heard of a school cycling program in the Midwest. Although golf has been a part of Midwestern sports programs since the early 1900's. Shooting sports were even popular for a time.

Locally....... one High School has hundreds of bikes locked to racks. Many... in all types of weather. Where [some] other local schools have banned riding bicycles to school grounds.

LaughingLots

NICA |

Dave Cutter

Yes. The NICA was founded in 2009, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the United States. And like the USHPA or the USCA for that matter..... pretty much fits the fringe definition.

Don't get me wrong... I am NOT berating cycling sports... I support the idea. But even the one great national champion we had was disgraced in a drugging scandal. If it wasn't for W's work with mountain cycling and wounded veterans... cycling would be in even worse shape now.

Despite fudged (and hopeful numbers), and a fortune spend in cycling infrastructure.... cycling is in a downturn. There is plenty of work that can be done to promote/help American cycling popularity. Or.. we can just accept cycling as the lesser sport that it is in America.