Really dumb test ride question...

[jfogy]

HI!

I bought my first bike (Giant OCR 3) at a giant sporting goods store. I didn't know a thing about riding and my test ride consisted of 5 min in the parking lot in my jeans.

Fast forward five years later and I'm shopping for an upgrade. Silly question but do I show up at my LBS in full gear for a test ride or just semi-athletic comfy clothes. I don't want to look like a complete goober!! :D

What does everyone else do?

Thanks so much,
Jenny

[rij73]

I would go for athletic clothes over lycra. You could take your shoes and pedals, though. I think that's pretty common.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

HI Jenny,
Congrats on shopping for a nice new bike!
Hey you've been riding for 5 years so you won't be a 'goober' even if you try. ;)
Remember it's YOUR money and YOUR test rides, so just wear whatever you'll be comfy riding in. People wear both full biking 'kit' and plain street clothes into bike stores all the time.
My advice is to not worry what the bike store employees think of you. They should be worried about what you think of them! :D ;)
Go for it and HAVE FUN shopping around.

[uforgot]

My advice is to not worry what the bike store employees think of you. They should be worried about what you think of them! :D ;)
Go for it and HAVE FUN shopping around.

I totally agree. If they make you uncomfortable go somewhere else. There are lots of shops around that will put you at ease and cater to YOU.

[kelownagirl]

HI!

I bought my first bike (Giant OCR 3) at a giant sporting goods store. I didn't know a thing about riding and my test ride consisted of 5 min in the parking lot in my jeans.

Fast forward five years later and I'm shopping for an upgrade. Silly question but do I show up at my LBS in full gear for a test ride or just semi-athletic comfy clothes. I don't want to look like a complete goober!! :D

What does everyone else do?

Thanks so much,
Jenny

Personally, I arrive in full gear so I know what it really feels like. I make sure they know I want to take it out for 5-10km ride and do a climb and some fast flats. I often take my own bike with me (ride it there or have it in the car) so they can pull off my pedals or take measurements if they want to. Once I was looking at some bikes and indicated to the guy that I was interested in one. He told me to come back when I was dressed to go for a test ride (not in a nasty way).

[bounceswoosh]

HI!

I bought my first bike (Giant OCR 3) at a giant sporting goods store. I didn't know a thing about riding and my test ride consisted of 5 min in the parking lot in my jeans.

Fast forward five years later and I'm shopping for an upgrade. Silly question but do I show up at my LBS in full gear for a test ride or just semi-athletic comfy clothes. I don't want to look like a complete goober!! :D

What does everyone else do?

Thanks so much,
Jenny

Wear what you would wear on your normal rides, so that the test ride is as realistic as possible.

Honestly, if you were *that* worried about looking like a goober, would you ever have started wearing cycling clothes to begin with? =P

[sundial]

One time I showed up in a Terry flowerdy skort to get fitted. You should have seen the look on the boys' faces. :D

Most of the time I wear street clothes when I test ride stuff because I have to travel a distance to the bike shop. :rolleyes:

[jfogy]

You guys are the best! You have a good point. Who the heck cares???
I'm a cyclist, I wear lycra - jiggles and all :D

I feel all empowered now. Too bad I'm at work and can't go take some rides right now!!

Thanks Again!!!

[Zen]

You guys are the best!

Yes, we are ;)

[csr1210]

For my last test ride, I wore a t-shirt and skirt with my bike shorts underneath. We had other errands to run that day, and I didn't want to be stuck in lycra all day. Once I had decided what I wanted to ride, I shucked the skirt and put on my cycling shoes. I think the shop guy was pretty surprised. He didn't say anything, but he kinda had this look on his face like, "Oh good, she really IS serious about this...." I think he was wondering how it was gonna work out with me testing a road bike in short skirt and flipflops.:p

I'd just repeat what others have said, be comfy, but it really does help to test ride in at least the bottoms and shoes you would normally ride in.

good luck - and have fun! (I loved bike shopping - though making the final decision was a little stressful)

Christy

[teawoman]

When I was looking around for a bike and narrowing down my choices, the bike shop guy said it would be a good idea to wear what I wear biking.

Definitely wear it for the fitting.

[Thorn]

I really like the advice...."not worry what the bike store employees think of you. They should be worried about what you think of them".

Yep, when you're test riding, you're interviewing them. Will they fit you correctly on the perfect bike *for*you*? And, long term, will they take care of your bike? So, wear whatever will make you feel comfortable riding and testing that potential, shiny new bike.

Where in rainy Wisconsin? Note that there were two bike shops in the Milwaukee area that don't allow test rides; hopefully they've cleaned up their act. Personally, I just walked out of them--they didn't deserve my business. One really surprised me. I still won't go back there even though I get a discount through the local bike club.

[jfogy]

Green Bay...

I'll be hitting a few shops in town and a few more in the Appleton area.

Bikes on my list: Specialized Ruby Comp and Elite, Cannondale Synapse Fem 3 or 5 and Six13 Fem 1, Trek Madone 4.5, Scott Contessa CR1 Pro, Lemond Versailles and Raleigh Competition.

Hence the reason for multiple bike shops!!!

There's a shop around here too that doesn't allow test rides. Sorry, you're not getting by business...I'm very OCD and MUST ride before I buy. Even then I will toil over a decision. It's very sad :p

[kat_brun]

I just joined and am looking to upgrade from my Trek 1000. In searching for posts on Scott Contessa CR1, Cannondale Synapse 3 fem. and Trek Madone 4.7 WSD, I came across this thread. Which bike did you end up with? What were the factors in making your decision? How do you like it almost one year later?

I find the test rides a bit confusing since all the new bikes feel so much better/different than my current bike, which I have been taking to my test rides since I don't have a car during the week.

[smilingcat]

I show up in full gear. cycling shoe and my cleats in my "bag" not good to drive in a cleated shoes so tennis shoes.

As one of the guys tell me "It tells the LBS that YOU ARE ON A MISSION... AND YOU'RE DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR MACHINE. I MEAN BUSINESS" :rolleyes: And who says we are the drama queen. sheesh. Bunch a drama kings.

Seriously though, either wear your cycling gear or carry in your "bag" and oh do have your helmet with you.

Enjoy your test ride.

[jfogy]

Kat,

I ended up with a Specialized Ruby Comp. As far as how I made my decision it was based on price, and just gut feel. The Ruby just felt right. Also, the bike shop I got her from is just fantastic. Excellent service is a valuable selling point with me as well. Almost a year later I still love her.

[Aggie_Ama]

I just joined and am looking to upgrade from my Trek 1000. In searching for posts on Scott Contessa CR1, Cannondale Synapse 3 fem. and Trek Madone 4.7 WSD, I came across this thread. Which bike did you end up with? What were the factors in making your decision? How do you like it almost one year later?

I find the test rides a bit confusing since all the new bikes feel so much better/different than my current bike, which I have been taking to my test rides since I don't have a car during the week.

All of these bikes are similar and different so I would just test ride them all to see what works for you. I think they are all carbon but that is where the similarities stop. I ride the Synapse and love it but I am not you. :)

[Jiffer]

Seems to me it would be the most normal thing in the world for someone to walk into a bike shop with cycling apparel on. Umm ... HELLO ... it's a bike shop! ;) I just went to mine a couple of weeks ago with my friend, both in our cycling garb, having just done a ride that had driven to. We dropped off our bikes to be tuned up. I was wearing a jersey, cycling shorts with mid calf lycra pants over them and fuzzy winter boots! (In Southern California). It was an interesting look, but I strutted in there like I was all that and ... since I go to the greatest bike store in the universe ... I was treated like I was all that. ;) The owner's face lit up when he saw me. He yelled hello and then gave me a hug. I got a hug! THAT was a first.

Anyway, I don't know what your shop is like, but I wouldn't think twice about walking in there with your cycling clothes on. You're a cyclist. Even if you weren't test driving a bike, you might be on your way to or from a ride and happened to stop by. But you should wear your stuff even MORE so if you're testing a bike. I wouldn't do it any other way.

Go in there with confidence. If you walk in feeling like you belong and that's it's perfectly normal to be wearing what you're wearing, then you'll feel better and won't appear to be self conscious ... which is the only thing that might make the whole thing awkward. Feel the lyrcra! Be the lyrcra! You look amazing in lycra!!! :D

[Fontinalis]

Headed for the bike store to test drive three different bikes I had picked a few days earlier, I did go there with all the clothes I'd be wearing was I to commute on my chosen bike. My only mistake is that it was mid-March and in Montreal, Quebec. I nearly froze my ears pedaling my way up and down the streets. So my humble advice : if its been a while since you were on a bike and this is not summer, do remember wind factor. ROTF