Thank you for your road bike advice

[SandyLS]

I finally took the time to join the fourm today although I have been a lurker for the last year and a half. I wanted to thank all of you for your great posts. After much research I bought my first road bike yesterday, a Bianchi Veloce same color as the one under my name here. As an older rider (58)the steel frame just felt right. I had to special order it as the shop did not have the color I wanted in stock. I could have gotten the same bike in red quite a bit cheaper, but thought if I'm only going to do this once, I'd better get the color I liked too. It should be in the shop and ready to go by next weekend.
I finally found a shop that worked the way I've read they are suposed too. I can highly reccomend The Continental Bike Shop in Hazel Park, Michigan. I drove 70 miles from my home to buy from this shop and am so glad I did. I did not know a thing about the shop other than I had called to make sure that they really carried Bianchi bikes that I could try out. No local bike shops carried the Bianchi brand even though several were listed on the Bianchi web site.
It was hard to find a shop to take me seriously as a biker. I think being an older female and not having an athletic body type had a lot to do with the poor service I got from many shops I tried. I have nothing against young people being hired by bike shops, but when I am thinking of spending a considerable amount of cash on a bike I don't like to be told that I don't want/need upgraded components and that I wouldn't know what wheels look cool. I guess the kid thought that I would be dead in a few years, so why should I bother with the good stuf!
Some shops did not even suggest that I test ride their bikes. I certainly wouldn't buy a car that way and I could have gotten a used car for what I was willing to spend on a bike. Randy at Continental put me on five bikes. He measured my inseam, put peddles on each bike that matched my bike shoes, aired up the tires, adjusted the seat and went through the operation of the gears with me for each bike. As I was riding one bike on a two mile loop he was setting up the next one for me and had it ready for my next ride when I got back. He did not tell me what I wanted in a bike but helped me find what worked best for me. When I pick up the bike they will do an extensive fitting for me. What a positive experience the morning was. I am so glad that I found this shop and am excited about getting my new bike just in time for the 60 degree weather that is to be coming to Michigan next week.
Again, thanks for all of your posts. Without this forum, I wouldn't even have known to consider the Bianchi brand of bike that I selected.
Happy riding to all,
Sandy

[Melody]

Sandy, I'm glad you had such a positive experience at the shop you visited. I also hope you spend many happy miles on your new bike.

Welcome to the forums!

Mel

[jobob]

What a great story! I'm glad you found that great bike shop. Make sure to recommend it to your friends - good LBSs deserve to be known.

Hope you and your new Bianchi have many happy miles together. Let us know when you come up with a name for him or her.

- Jo "I like steel too" bob

[Biking Chick]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on finding your bike. Awesome ... I guarantee that this is one of those life changing moments and one you'll never forget. Being an 'older rider' I can relate to your experience at the bike shops of feeling invisible ... makes you wonder what part of customer service these 'kids' don't understand.

Looking forward to your sharing your biking experiences.

In central Wisconsin we are suppose to enjoy a couple of days of 60 degree weather ... get out and enjoy!

[Bike Goddess]

Hi Sandy- Your bike story sounds a bit like mine, except I didn't take the bike out for a spin- I just tried frames until I found one that worked for me (also a steel frame). I had the same experience- the guys were super patient with me (even though I found out later they were pretty skeptical!) and in the end I have been pleased with my purchase too! Good for you not to let those youngins intimidate you!

Let us know how your very first ride goes

Do you have a friendly bike club in your vincinity? Hopefully you do. Most guys are thrilled to see women riders if they are serious (I think you are). I am also ecstatic when I find older women riding. We just have some catching up to do!

[nuthatch]

Hey, Sandy! So glad you shared your experience with us. I'd love to hear how you like the Bianchi, how you feel about the steel after you've ridden on it for a while. Share with us when you get a chance. I'm in Illinois and we have spring "bike" fever to the max!! Com'on 60 degrees!!

[cyclingnewbie]

Congratulations on the new bike! I just went through the same process, with exactly the same problems with the local bike shops. Fortunately, the brand I chose was sold by the bike shop I liked the best. All the talk about properly fitting a bike seems to be lost on the LBS. Every one of them I visited went by the "try it and see how it feels" method of fitting a bike. I bet you are going to love your new Bianchi. Let us know how the inaugural ride goes!

[shewhobikes]

Hello from another older rider! I love the celeste color and wish you many happy miles on your new Bianchi. Good to hear you had such great service at your bike shop. Stick with them! Be sure to post about your first ride.

[Jo-n-NY]

I also want to welcome to the forum. Like you and I am sure many others, I was lurking quite a long time before my first post. Although that was not very long ago either.

I want to wish you much luck with your new bike. I will never forget the excitement when my husband wheeled mine into the house. It was on order and was just hoping it would get to me by my birthday. But boy, don't you feel like a kid again?

Wishing you many happy pedaling miles.

~JoAnn

[SandyLS]

I picked up my new Bianchi Veloche yesterday. She is just beautiful. The bike I ordered was a 53cm The fitting was an interesting experience. On the bike (on a trainer in front of a big mirror) off the bike, on the bike , off the bike, repete. The guy doing the fitting did a lot of holding a plumb bob by my legs and used some kind of an odd shaped plastic ruler thingy. I know that the shop had a sign on the wall that said that a fitting fee was $150.00 but it was included in the price of a new bike.
I learned that I had a long femur. and narrow shoulders. I ended up with the seat quite high, narrower handle bars and a Salsa stem that placed my arms at the right angle. The shop swapped the look peddles that came with the bike for SPD ones so I could use my new Cannondale shoes. The peddles are the same beautiful celiste green as the rest of the bike, very cool! I don't know if all of this was done right, but they sure seemed to know what they were doing.
I was suprised to find when I got home and checked my bill that there was an extra charge for the stem and a $20.00 charge to install the new computer I pruchased there and had them add to the bike. I still would have purchased these items if I would have known about the charges but it seemed strange to me that these charges were not brought to my attention. I guess I just assumed that these were included in the price of my new bike.
I took my first ride this afternoon. I can't believe how much easier it is to ride this road bike than my old Trek 850 mountian bike. I was flying up hills (well, small ones) that took much more effort on the old bike. Only an eight mile ride today as the bike and I are still getting aquainted with each other. So far, so good. I felt really good after the ride, no aches and pains. I did reach 21 miles an hour at on point on the flat and really didn't feel as if I was working all that hard. Hubby and I averager 10 to 12 miles an hour last summer. It will take some time to get used to the more bent over position I'll be using on this bike as compared with my more upright mountian bike. I am still learning about the campy gearing system and I did have a little trouble finding the sweet spot to clip in, but all of that will come in time. It's too soon to tell about the saddle comfort, but it was pretty good for today's short ride. At least I didn't do something stupid like tip over or run into something. I did miss not having my mirror. Where do I mount one on a road bike?
A strange thing happened. I went to get my helmet out of my car and found one that did not belong to me, but luckily was the right size. All I can figure is the day I test rode bikes and ordered mine, I must have been so excited that I accidently left mine on the counter and picked up one from someone else. I have no idea if I got the better deal in the trade of if they did. Neither were new or fancy. I think I also left a pair of gloves with my helmet though.
I sure am looking forward to getting back on that bike tomorrow. Happy biking to all and to all a good night.

[cindysue]

I finally found a shop that worked the way I've read they are suposed too. I drove 70 miles from my home to buy from this shop . ......
but when I am thinking of spending a considerable amount of cash on a bike I don't like to be told that I don't want/need upgraded components and that I wouldn't know what wheels look cool. I guess the kid thought that I would be dead in a few years, so why should I bother with the good stuff.

I was suprised to find when I got home and checked my bill that there was an extra charge for the stem and a $20.00 charge to install the new computer I pruchased there and had them add to the bike. I still would have purchased these items if I would have known about the charges but it seemed strange to me that these charges were not brought to my attention. I guess I just assumed that these were included in the price of my new bike.

Hi Sandy - welcome to this great forum. Well at least taking part in the posting since you've been lurking for awhile.

I am sorry to hear you had to drive 70 miles to find a good bike shop. What a shame no one took you serious. Reminds me of that scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts gets blown off by the snooty salesgirl - then comes back later with her hands full of shopping bags and says "you work on commission, right? Big mistake, big mistake!" I love that movie!

Having a close-by shop is so valuable. I was having some trouble with the cleat on my road-shoe and I went in today to have them look at it. They were great - and very sympathetic to my experience of not being able to clip in on a long organized ride this weekend. They fixed it (it took a good 15 minutes) and didn't even charge me. I'm so happy with the service I receive there!

As for charging you for the cyclometer installment. I think that is CRAP! It should most definitely be included in the price of the computer - not to mention you just spent a small fortune in their shop! I would write a letter to the management/owner telling them how great their service was, but for this extra charge - that you weren't even TOLD about!

Happy Riding Sandy - Best to you!

[CorsairMac]

Wooohoo Sandy congrats on the bike - may you and he/she/it have a very long and loving relationship. As for charging to install the computer?.........I can't speak for other LBS's but thats standard here in ABQ. They charge for Everything they do - even tho I just bought a bike from them. Example: I just bought a brand new bike and I wanted clipless pedals. They charged me for the new pedals and they charged me to switch them out. One of the sweetheart LBS guys (married darn it ) gave me some handlebars he had sitting in his garage coz it would fit me better and save me $30., but they charged me $10 bucks to install them on my bike!! Since I had her there for her maintaince checkup, it was just easier to have them do it....I never thought about the install charge! I'm changing out the brake levers on the Peugeot and they're charging me for the new levers and the installation. I'm praying they don't also charge me for the handlebar rewrap! It probably never occurred to them to mention that to you - they probably thought you just figured it was a given. I DO ask them for all my components tho and they now know I want everthing back that they took off the bike!

[annie]

Sandy,

Bike shops do not have much of a mark up on the bikes so in order to make money and survive, they need to charge enough on their products and their services. It would have been a nice good will gesture to have installed the computer for free ( and I DO think the price w/wo installation should be listed on the computer) but I don't think it's a common practice. It's a service - it takes time- they charge for it. As for switching out stem (or any other parts), you should only have been charged for the difference in cost between the two. Obviously, if you now have a better stem (or pedals, saddle) that costs more, they can't just give it away. So I wouldn't think too poorly of the bike shop. If it bothers you, mention to them that you didn't realize there would be an extra charge, and that you'd appreciate it, in the future, if they would be more clear about their charges.

Anyway, now that you have it, just enjoy that new bike! It sounds like a beauty!

annie

[annie]

Corsair,

Don't be surprised if they charge you for a bar-rewrap.............. Have you ever wrapped your own bars? If it's not done correctly, the tape is going to come loose, it won't look good, and they'll need to be wrapped all over again. It isn't that difficult, but it takes some time. Shops don't generally give away their time. In the shop I worked in (not there anymore) the owner was the only one who wrapped the bars. He wouldn't allow anyone else to do it because he wasn't happy with the results. The tape can't be too stretched or too loose. There's a certain way to wrap it around the brake hoods. Actually, I enjoy doing mine, getting it just right. I usually have to start over 3 or 4 times, tho', before I am satisfied. There- now I've rambled on long enough about a pretty mundane subject.

Enjoy the Puegeot!!!

annie