Performance Bicycle and women specific bikes

[kermit]

Congrats. Sounds like a win-win. You scored a nice bike for $100 more. Dont' let that girl manager talk you out of it. If it feels good you will ride it. Enjoy! Oh and photos are required!

[uforgot]

Lots of people choose not to do business with friends because when things go wrong, they might no longer be friends. We also don't know if her friend at the LBS is a new friend or not.

My LBS shops are very expensive - and I'm not in a salary range where that's affordable to me, I can get things cheaper online or buying them used.

I'm a teacher, and a single mother, so I have to think about my purchases and even save for them. I sometimes find things used but I usually support my local lbs. They understand when you can't afford top of the line, and I've yet to see a shop that can't get bikes under $2,000, $1000 or even $500. If you order from a chain, purchase used, you need to factor in labor, parts and other stuff that you will have to pay eventually. Local lbs means better bikes, better service. The shop will also provide support on the bikes you purchase. Sometimes he throws in free labor, sometimes he gives me a great deal, and if I have a question about anything bikes, he responds to emails within the hour. Not sure what I would do if he went out of business due to lack of customer support. I really don't think I've saved anything any time I've purchased used and tried to do it myself. I usually wind up at a shop anyway. As it turns out, Dan is always right (and if you tell him Pyannyplayer, I'll deny it!) and knows what is best for ME. No trial and error.
You can't build a relationship with Craigslist.


As for doing business with friends, I agree it's not a good policy, but I wouldn't take my friend to help me with a purchase at a competing shop either.

[Crankin]

We buy clothes and most parts on line, but bikes at the lbs. I mean, I got a NEW FRAME after two years, because i just was not happy with what he sold me in 2006. Sure, I paid for the labor to switch over the components and I paid for a new bar and short reach shifters. But the new frame cost at least 3K.
I am not always happy with this shop, but I am up front about my needs and they work with me.

[OakLeaf]

LBS owners/employees here can confirm or deny this - but I've always understood that the profit margin on complete bikes is so small that when overhead is factored in, especially considering the salespersons' time, LBS's actually lose money on complete bikes. They need the parts and accessories business, and in some shops the service business, to survive.

[Cataboo]

I'm a teacher, and a single mother, so I have to think about my purchases and even save for them. I sometimes find things used but I usually support my local lbs. They understand when you can't afford top of the line, and I've yet to see a shop that can't get bikes under $2,000, $1000 or even $500. If you order from a chain, purchase used, you need to factor in labor, parts and other stuff that you will have to pay eventually. Local lbs means better bikes, better service. The shop will also provide support on the bikes you purchase. Sometimes he throws in free labor, sometimes he gives me a great deal, and if I have a question about anything bikes, he responds to emails within the hour. Not sure what I would do if he went out of business due to lack of customer support. I really don't think I've saved anything any time I've purchased used and tried to do it myself. I usually wind up at a shop anyway. As it turns out, Dan is always right (and if you tell him Pyannyplayer, I'll deny it!) and knows what is best for ME. No trial and error.
You can't build a relationship with Craigslist.

Actually, I've built relationships with several people that I've met via craigslist. And I can usually spot the ads of a couple people that I've met buying kayaking or biking things, and vice versa. Some of them I bike or kayak with, or just email on ocasion for advice or suggestions. I bought a bike from a guy back in the spring, he still emails me when he's upgraded something on his new bike and checks if I'm interested in it or just to see how I'm doing with the bike. The president of the local triathalon club sells quite a bunch on craigslist and has a wife that's just about my size - so we're frequently responding to each other's ads or talking about the area. This is on the DC craigslist which is actually pretty huge.

I'm a bit turned off by local bike shops because when I bought my first real mountain bike (maybe 5-6 years ago?), I went to several bike shops, researched, went around and test rode, and eventually bought the bike that the local bike shop recommended. Good components, maybe I got 10-20% off the bike, but I still spent maybe $600 which was an awful lot to me... But I never really got into riding the bike and it was only in the last year that I actually realized why not. The bike was too small for me, given the seat angle I couldn't get to the point where I was far back enough to have an efficient peddling stroke. Now, that's partly my own ignorance at the time and not really knowing what a bike should fit like - but it's also something that a bike shop should have been able to spot and tell me. Or to have just recommended a setback seatpost (I'm not sure a setback alone would have completely fixed it, I just shouldn't have bought a women's specific geometry)

I got my first road bike in an REI online sale for 75% off. Yes, it was a previous years model. But I managed to get a hell of a bike for $500, that I couldn't possibly buy at a local bike shop then or now at that price range, and in graduate school, that was already above my price range. When it arrived at the store, they put the bike together for me and tuned it, and helped me adjust it to me when I picked it up. I did luck out because the bike geometry wise fit me very well and at that discount, I knew that any upgrades to the bike to make it fit me would still have the bike well under anything I was going to find at a local bike shop, and I knew I could return it in an REI store without any problems. My bf & I studied the geometry tables for quite a while and had decided it would probably be right for me. It's still my favorite bike, and I haven't had to change anything about the fit, I've given it carbon handlebars and a nice seat. I did take it into a local bike shop recently for a fitting and they recommended leaving it as it was.

I'm not saying I haven't made mistakes buying used or online, but I've been able to return things or resell things without losing money. And that's fine with me. It's better than the hordes of bikes or parts I see being sold on ebay or craigslist with the description "bought at local bike shop for MSRP, turned out to be too big or too small, and they won't let me return or exchange it"

I'm probably lucky in that my BF has a great eye for bike fit and is also good at bike repairs and upgrades, and I'm fairly mechanically inclined. So typically I'll buy something, install it myself, troubleshoot it a bit if necessary, and if it needs any tweaking he does those for me. So in addition to getting a bike upgrade, I get a challenge, and learn a lot while I'm at it. Yeah, I could pay the local bike shop - but I enjoy the process. I also do all the maintenance & repairs that I can on my car, and in my house.

So I'm sure I'm a horror for local bike shops, and I'm sure there are local bike shops out there that are excellent places and do tons for their customers... And I do run into local bike shops when I need a tool, a chain link, or an innertube or something like that. Or if I need a wheel trued quickly and don't have the time or equipment handy to do it... And I understand the sentiment of supporting your local bike shops, however I'm not at a stage in my life with enough disposable income that the fact that I can pay twice as much for something local as ordering it online makes sense to me or my budget. I should however pick less expensive hobbies.

[Dogmama]

I figure my LBS has more experience fitting and troubleshooting than me. That's why I pay them. I don't have tons of money, so I save until I can afford what I want. I need "butt feel" before I buy something as important as my bike that I'll be riding for many years. (I mean the feel of my butt in the saddle --- not anything else )

[kfergos]

Local lbs means better bikes, better service. The shop will also provide support on the bikes you purchase. Sometimes he throws in free labor, sometimes he gives me a great deal, and if I have a question about anything bikes, he responds to emails within the hour.

I have to agree. My LBS gives me great deals, great advice, and great support. For example, I've gotten 2 pairs of nice $12 for $20: "We can make it work." Or a free velcro strap to keep my pump in place. Or when my bike needs tweaking, I can go in and they'll do it right then (especially in the winter when things are slow), often for free. They let me walk off with items without paying for them, knowing I'll be back to pay for it later. They let me borrow overnight, without leaving any collateral, a carbon fiber and titanium bike knowing I'd bring it back. They've fitted me on three bikes and have kept at it until the fit is perfect. So I keep coming back to them. That's the kind of beneficial relationship you can't get buying online or from bigger retailers.

[deeaimond]

Yeah I agree, it can be hard to find a good all-rounder LBS, and I guess ultimately everyone ends up with some mix and matching.

For me, the owners of the LBS nearest to my home are a husband and wife team. The husband has some attitude issues, and isn't a very good mechanic. But the wife is friendly and prompt with ordering things for me if i ask for them, and also offering me good prices. On the other hand, I know a brilliant mechanic, the LBS he worked at closed down (the boss wasn't running the business properly) so now he just works from home. He doesnt have the parts, but he is a genius with the tuning up etc.

So now i buy from the LBS, let the owner install the parts then take it to my mechanic for a checkup. (helps that my mechanic is just a block or so away.. ) That way the LBS guy stays happy and keeps giving me good prices (coz i don't get mad at him when a crap job is done) and my mechanic earns some extra to raise his 4 kids, and I feel nice and safe riding my bike.

[Crankin]

Frankly, I've never found a shop that I was 100% happy with. I bought my first 2 road bikes at a big store (Landry's) and while they were OK and I had my knowledgeable husband with me, they didn't really ask what they needed to. Hence, I've had 4 bikes in 8 years. My mtb is too big for me (Belmont Wheelworks), but since I hardly ever use it, it's OK for the amount of riding i do.
My best experience was with Quad Cycles in Arlington, where I bought my Jamis. It's a small shop, but they seem to cater to all different types of riders. So friendly and no hard sell.
I don't recommend the shop I go to now (ATA)... they cater to racers and hard core people. While most "regular" people consider me hard core, I am not. If you want an expensive European bike, it's the place to go. They do sell Giants, but no other US brand. It's funny, some people love this shop, as evidenced by comments on the web, but others hate it. SheFly told me her husband won't even buy tubes there!
I am just glad my husband is very mechanically inclined and we have all of the tools at home.

[Cataboo]

People should do what they're comfortable with...

I just don't think Denny should be chastised for buying from a chain or for not buying from her friend with a LBS. Obviously, she's already having issues and just needed help with what to do.

But I know if I had a friend who owned a shop who got upset at me because I went somewhere else to buy something - I would not be happy with said friend.

[Zen]

I've found that, after factoring in shipping charges,my LBS prices are just about the same as ordering online.

I've also learned that it doesn't pay to be cheap. Save up if you have to. (I know I do, I don't even have a visa card)

[Crankin]

Favorite saying in our house:

You get what you pay for.

[denny]

I got my bike a week early today. Whoopee!!! Performance Bike did a great job in getting it in sooner than expected and I couldn't be happier.

To answer RunningMommy- my friend at the LBS couldn't be happier about my trade in fact he had insisted in making sure that he found the right bike for me. As I had stated in previous post, 1. He wasn't open for business the first time I purchased and financed my bike with Performance. 2. He hadn't confirmed his financing company until yesterday. 3. Even with a "friend" discount I wouldn't have been able to afford their bikes w/out great financing options and a Customer guarantee program. I purchased my bike from Performance, but my friend will be doing the ongoing maintenance on my bike for "customer service and expertise reasons"

While I realise that LBS provide great customer service (and I'm sure you do too Running Mommy) you can pay for it out the wazoo! I have yet to find one LBS that fits my budget for biking accessories. In fact, my very first purchase for cycling shoes cost me $110. That same shoe cost $90 at REI and Performance. When my budget becomes more flexible,ie. getting a new job then I would be happy to consider the bike of my dreams from my friends shop. (Assuming they're still in business of course).

Another thing, as Catriona stated, I've learned the hard way.. do NOT mix friendship with business if you can help it. That kind of money passing hands is a large business transaction in my book.

NOW. Anyone wanna see my bike pics tomorrow? I named it "Song" because it hums along smoothly.

[Cataboo]

I'd love to see a picture of Song

I'm glad it all worked out for you.

[Triskeliongirl]

A little off the original topic, but does anyone know perforamance's policy on a return that used team performance points. If you return an item, are the points put back in your account, or do you lose them?