Buying a bicycle online -- article

Thought this op-ed was interesting and will be curious to hear others' reactions to it. As someone who buys nearly everything else online, I still appreciate being able to test ride and the service provided by an LBS. However, I don't want to be chained to buying bikes this way only. My last three bikes were bought otherwise:

1. Used Trek roadie: purchased off eBay
2. Used Jamis MTB: purchased from a TEer (Thanks, Catrin!)
3. New Bike Friday: purchased direct from the company

Anyway, here's the piece: http://bicycletimesmag.com/opinion-let-me-be-direct/

Taking a bike sale away from a LBS for a direct sale from a manufacturer is something I personally wouldn’t do especially if I was new to bicycling and needed personal guidance and/or a fitting.

More importantly I support my lbs because of their giving to our community in numerous ways…from donating 100 bicycles with fittings and helmets yearly through the L.A. Boys and Girls Club to those children in South Central L.A. who have been picked through submitted essays on why they want a bicycle, how it would improve their lives, and how they would care for the bike….to supporting a racing team, sponsoring rides, giving free maintenance classes, free riding lessons for children etc. etc…and renting bicycles for a few days to see how it works for you and with any rental charge refunded with the purchase of a bicycle within 30 days. For me that kind of community work/giving is worth more than saving a few dollars or any convenience from buying a bike or bicycling related items on line or direct from the manufacturer.

Plus when I need a maintenance, accessory, clothing etc. item I can almost always get it that day through them...and then there's the intense infatuation i have for a women who has worked in sales for a number of years :)

Buying a second-hand bicycle is not really shunting aside the LBS, though. On the contrary, it can be ensuring an extended life for a bike that might otherwise deteriorate quietly in the back of someone's shed.

I'm onboard with supporting the local shops, but if they don't have and can't get the thing I want, and said thing is to found online, I have no problem with clickclickclick over an order page. I'm not so sure I'd buy a bike online, but I don't have a good sense of what would suit me just by looking at a picture and a list of components and measurements.

(also: I'm new here, and hope I'm not butting in.)

I don't think I would buy a bike on line. Given all of my fitting issues, I want the help the LBS can give.
But, I buy all of my cycling apparel and accessories on line, and DH buys all of the components and other parts for our bikes on line, too. He does our own mechanical work, except once, when I crashed my mtb and the hydraulic brakes needed to be fixed. I don't feel badly about this, given the cost of the bikes I've bought over the past 15 years. I also refer others to shops, and occasionally, I buy very small things I need at the LBS (like gloves I cannot find anywhere else). I have a good relationship with the shop I bought my Silque at, and I like to refer new riders there. My younger son worked there in HS and they often hire people from the community. DH still likes the people at the evil LBS I bought the Kuota at; he has referred many people there, and they bought 5K+ bikes. They never have given DH any discounts, which I think is terrible. But, there are enough super wealthy racer types around here, who don't care and continue to go to that shop, despite the fact they still have a condescending attitude.

At my experience level, I'd want to test ride first. It may be through a friend who has the same bike in the same size, but I'd need a test ride first. I wouldn't go to an LBS to test ride, then go buy online though. To me that would be unfair.

I live in an area that has many bike stores to choose from. While hunting for a bike, I visited several and the experience ran the gambit of super helpful to utter snobbery.
If my only LBS was as clique-ish and as stuck up as one particular store I visited, I would buy online in a heart beat. I can't support an LBS who makes a newbie feel so out of place and I would certainly go through the struggle of shipping bikes back and forth until I found the right one just to avoid an LBS like that.

Luckily they aren't the only LBS in my area and I found a good one.

I can't imagine buying a bike online -- I also want the help with getting the right fit, and as a non-mechanical person I depend on the LBS for adjustments and advice. Plus, like Rebecca, I want to support their support of the community.

I'm actually trying to buy less online and more in local stores for most things. I've had to return too many things lately that were damaged in shipping, and with clothes fit is often a problem.

I buy locally for artist made gifts, etc., unique things, and food. I can only buy clothing from Banana Republic, Gap, and occasionally J Crew, Ann Taylor. It's a schlep to a mall (12-15 miles), which I hate, thus, I buy ALL of my clothes on line. I have been buying from these retailers for so long, I can look at the picture and know how it will fit. That, and reading comments helps. Plus, stores often don't carry petites, and when they do, often not my size, especially in tops.

In the past, I have bought a new bike frame online (ebay, but through a bike shop selling there), but then I took it to an LBS to build up, and I spent a lot on components (Campy Chorus, etc.) If I am ever in the market for another new bike, I'll definitely go to an LBS for all the reasons cited here. And in fact, all my new bikes other than the Bike Friday (which does direct sales) have been from an LBS. For used bikes, I am very glad the online option is available for those of us who are pretty sure of our size/geometry requirements.

I occasionally buy an accessory, part, etc. from an LBS if I need it quickly, but I mostly go online for these items, and almost always for bike clothing!

Honestly one reason I buy things at my LBS is because everyone there is so friendly and welcoming. A visit there can literally turn a miserable day into a good one. But then that's not an accident -- they emphasize service so that you will want to come back again and again. And they have always treated female and male customers equally. To me this is a business model that deserves support, even if I pay a bit more than I would elsewhere.

BTW a month or so ago I walked into their store and saw the teenage son of the owners selling someone a bike. I remember him as a baby! Mind=blown.

I think that buying a bike online from Bike Friday is similar to buying a Doyenne jersey from TE -- you're directly supporting a good company. I wouldn't be surprised if they were very helpful with sizing before you made the purchase, Emily.

I bought my most recent bike online - from someone else's LBS (in Portland, OR). No LBS near me could get the bike I wanted, they had it (rental fleet on sale), and they were lovely about it (and lovely in person when I visited). The bike before that came from my LBS. I try hard to support local businesses - and I agree with NYBiker that it sort of feels like supporting TE - not "local" to me, but nice people with a carefully curated line of products I want to see succeed.

I prefer to purchase locally and encourage mostly my LBS as I get excellent service, very good deals, etc. I do buy stuff on-line but mostly what my LBS does not carry as his prices match, and even less, of what I'd fine on line. And excellent service is something you sometimes have to pay a bit more for.

When I was looking for a specific Crux color, he tried getting it through Specialized Canada. He's got good connection with them and even them, could not get it as none were left at warehouse (it was in USA). So he told me to go get it (he would have done it for me but charge due to gas, etc to get it) and I was going camping in Vermont anyway. So I ended up calling many US dealer and one ordered the frame for me. But it was to my LBS I went to for the parts and the fitting, etc. The bike still ended up a piece of art (read: expensive) but this is my best bike ever. Beats big time my Amira. I prefer the comfort and no fear of the Crux. I'm more daredevil on the Crux and no regrets getting it on-line. But my LBS helped with with the measurements and make sure it would fit great. So yes, I don't mind buying stuff on line but generally, I will check with my bike shop and if he can't have/carry it, I'll go a different way.

I also like to encourage them as they are very involved in different causes, it gives jobs to people, etc. And it keeps the money in my area.

When I bought my Seven I could have done it directly from Seven. My LBS has a couple of knowledgeable and skilled fitters who use conversation, a Serrotta size cycle and a dynamic motion capture analysis for a fitting that gives excellent fit optimization numbers with an excellent technique assessment taken into account. That also helped in my conversations with Seven about the build. For a more expensive bike that I want to be a perfect fit that made it worth it to me to go through my LBS.....plus they gave me a good discount that buying direct wouldn’t have been given to me.

For a online or in person purchase of a vintage bike like Sammie’s Peugeot or any used bicycle you could get by with buying a reasonably sized bicycle than can have component changes made if needed to make it fit well….especially for a beginner’s bicycle. That takes some knowledge of fit that needs to be learned though.

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Originally Posted by Helene2013

it gives jobs to people, etc. And it keeps the money in my area.

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I definitely prefer supporting people that work and live in my community too….but I also buy things like my fixie wheelset from a woman who has an excellent business in Portland building wheels. I guess it’s more about just supporting good bicycle business people than anything but preferably local for me.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

I think that buying a bike online from Bike Friday is similar to buying a Doyenne jersey from TE -- you're directly supporting a good company. I wouldn't be surprised if they were very helpful with sizing before you made the purchase, Emily.

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Yes, and I had extensive email and phone conversations with BF sales before placing my order; it wasn't just filling out a web form, submitting my credit card, and waiting for the bike to arrive.

I will share this, though: I gave them all the measurements from a road bike I loved, and they still made the effective top tube too long! This was back in 2004, and they really did not understand sizing for petite women. They could not believe that I needed an effective top tube in the 19" range. As a result, I had to send the bike back to Eugene and have it redone. They paid shipping in both directions and were fine about it. I used the experience as a chance to help "teach" them about petite women with long femurs who need bikes with short top tubes and setback seat posts to achieve a proper bike fit. They seemed to appreciate my feedback.

My DH also bought a BF in around 2001 or 2002. He had a very good experience. He used it for a few years, took to Spain and the UK on business trips, but he sold it when we bought our Gurus in 2010. In fact, most of the inquiries came from Asia, and he ended up shipping it to Taiwan. I guess it makes sense as he is 5'7" and most Americans are taller.
I think a bike is the only thing I wouldn't buy online.