Entry level road bike in Costco.

[Cataboo]

I saw this today in Costco, I think it was $600. Available in 19" & 17" male frame sizes:

http://www.northrockbikes.com/road-scr1.php

It's aluminum with a carbon fiber fork, sora shifters, tiagra front derailleur and sora rear (I think).

If it fits, it seemed not bad for the price.

[Grog]

No answers, but some questions one may want to ask:

Who assembles the bike?

Who will fit the buyer on it? (A bike may be the right size but it still needs to be fitted)

Who will make adjustments after one has ridden the bike a few hundred kilometers?

Who will service it?

[ladyicon]

From your signature it appears that you already have a stable of bikes, why would you want a Costco bike???????? Just asking

[Cataboo]

If it were my bike, the answer to all of those questions would be me. As it is for all my bikes.

The whole bike shop vs. chain store question has been debated a ton of times on here. It all comes down to what people are comfortable with. I posted the bike because I was surprised to see a bike with reasonable components at costco and because it's cheaper than the equivalent trek, giant, or specialized that people often post. It's probably cheaper than performance bicycle, as well. We quite often tell people on here that to get the most bang for their buck, they should buy used off craigslist or ebay - all of those bike shop services don't come with a used bike either. Around here, fittings and servicing aren't complimentary most of the times when you buy a bike from a bike shop, you pay extra for it - just like you do when you bring a bike you bought elsewhere to the bike shop.

[Cataboo]

From your signature it appears that you already have a stable of bikes, why would you want a Costco bike???????? Just asking

I don't want a costco bike. I just found it curious to find a tiagra/sora mixture at costco.

[redrhodie]

Do you know if you're allowed to test ride it?

[KnottedYet]

I know two people who've been badly injured by carbon forks failing.

Other than the carbon fork, the bike sounds like an interesting step outside the type of bike Costco generally carries.

(and Felt just recalled a bunch of 2011 bikes because their carbon forks are failing, nice timely addition to my carbon-fork-paranoia)

[Cataboo]

Do you know if you're allowed to test ride it?

There were 2 of them assembled while I was there, and one guy was riding one of them around the warehouse, which doesn't give you any practical experience on hills.

I sort of assume that the costco people didn't do a great job of tuning them if they assembled them, but I didn't try riding one. If it fits someone who has a handy bike friend/husband or BF it'd be a good deal for an entry level road bike. 9 speed triple.

I just saw the guy get on the bike and thought "well, that's surprisingly nice looking for costco" and went over to check out the components.

[Cataboo]

I know two people who've been badly injured by carbon forks failing.

Other than the carbon fork, the bike sounds like an interesting step outside the type of bike Costco generally carries.

(and Felt just recalled a bunch of 2011 bikes because their carbon forks are failing, nice timely addition to my carbon-fork-paranoia)

I've had good luck with the carbon forks that I have.

[Biciclista]

truly, most carbon forks don't fail but some of us hold steel in high esteem. There are no bikes in my stable with carbon forks. I do have carbon bottle holders though.

[Cataboo]

truly, most carbon forks don't fail but some of us hold steel in high esteem. There are no bikes in my stable with carbon forks. I do have carbon bottle holders though.

Steel rusts, titanium doesn't

I sort of run the gamut, 2 ti bikes, 2 steel bikes that are meant to be beaters, 1 carbon bike, and 1 aluminum mtn bike.

2 bikes with carbon forks, handlebars, and stems. 1 bike with carbon wheels. 3 bikes with carbon cranks

I just treat the carbon stuff gentler and don't expect it to last forever. I haven't had any of it fail on me, however.

[redrhodie]

There were 2 of them assembled while I was there, and one guy was riding one of them around the warehouse, which doesn't give you any practical experience on hills.

Now I want to go to Costco (I've never been) just to ride around the warehouse. That would be fun.

[7rider]

I know someone who was nearly killed by a steel fork's failing. Can you say "metal fatigue"? I don't trust cheap carbon. I also don't trust old steel with miles on it.

Anything built by man (or woman) can and will fail at some point and with enough force exerted against it. I also know someone who totaled a ti frame against the side of a car. Strange but true.

[Jo-n-NY]

I know someone who was nearly killed by a steel fork's failing. Can you say "metal fatigue"? I don't trust cheap carbon. I also don't trust old steel with miles on it.

Anything built by man (or woman) can and will fail at some point and with enough force exerted against it. I also know someone who totaled a ti frame against the side of a car. Strange but true.

+1 especially about the cheap carbon. The larger bike companies such as Specialized & Trek for example do indepth testing on their carbon bikes including crash tests. Not to say nothing will ever happen, but they spend the time, energy & money to be sure they are providing as safe a bike as possible.

Plus bike companies such as that are here today and gone tomorrow. If anything happens to the bike, there goes the warrenty out with the company.

[Tri Girl]

really- that's not a bad deal for a Costco bike! If I were in the market and wanted a decent bike, I would definitely consider that as an option. I would have someone check it out, tho, as I'm not sure I trust the guy making minimum wage at Costco to put my bike together properly (heck- I barely trusted my very bike-handy husband to help me build my Bianchi).

Surprisingly good components for a big box store.