Test riding more expensive bicycles: dangerous or hopeful?

[Ana]

I have a local Seven Cycles dealer down the street from me (literally!) and I e-mailed the store and I want to set up a test ride.

Currently, I am not in a financial situation that allows me to purchase a custom bicycle but what if I decide I have to have it? I'm not sure I'm immune to such beauty...

Should I postpone a test ride such a beautiful bike when I am able to afford one? (what would you do?--or have done )

So many bikes to resist... How do you all do it? (I only have one )

[redrhodie]

Um, yeah, there's no resisiting happening here.

Go look. If you really have to have it, you'll find a way. Life's too short to not have your dream bike.

[Miranda]

*addresses group*

"Everyone... I would like you to meet Ana...

*group*

...Hi Ana...

...oh, and btw, my name is Miranda, and welcome to cyber-bike-aholics..."

I'm lusting for carbon, though I haven't had an actual ride yet, but one of my guy bike pals told me his story. He did a Trek carbon demo program (from his aluminum Trek road bike) that ended up in a Trek Project 1 bike. Now, that is some beauty. After he test rode it, the disease was set into it's process. His last thoughts leaving the shop were... "how am going to get the $ for that bike?". Point of sentance importance... not "will" I, but "how".

Sooo... if you rode it, you at least know if you want it or not. Umm, right? Just don't get so love struck on the ride that you crash the demo. I've had a fender bender before... ouch.

[Ana]

Thank you, Miranda

Yes, I keep drooling over nicer bikes! I think we all do this but I just can't help myself!

I do love my bike, with the exception of the fitting issues I have with it and the fact that it's aluminum (I recently discovered that it inevitably fails), but I wish I was more informed before I bought it. Now I know exactly what I would be looking for in the future and I'm dreaming of my next bike already! I want something titanium and maybe custom but but with the economy slowing down I may have to wait...

I am a bit headstrong and stubborn and I'm slightly terrified that I will fall in love with a $6,000 bicycle and I will have to have it and get myself into trouble

I am frugal in almost all aspects of my life but it takes me a while to decide to make large purchases (i.e. contemplating for 6-12 months)--which I consider to be a good quality since I can sometimes become obsessed...

[fastdogs]

my tactic is to not even test ride till I can afford it.
I have recently decided I want a gary fisher hi fi 29er. I don't know why; my skills are certainly not worthy of one, I have no business paying that much for a bike. But I will put money away and next year, around my birthday, maybe I'll upgrade. what I might do, between now and then, is rent one and ride it on some trails. I will not get on the light green bike I saw in the bike store and try it out, because it is for sale, and I have a credit card.
vickie

[ilima]

My first ride on my Merlin (Ti like Seven) I knew I'd never want to ride my aluminum Felt ever again.

A test ride could be dangerous.