Finding Your Riding Style?

[Bethany1]

Here's my other dilemma: Which LBS to use.

If my LBS that is 20 miles away and can order me one, should I? Then I'd only have to drive that far for quick things.

BUT, the LBS I was looking at appeared to be more organized, friendlier and if the 19 inch fit, I could come home with it. They are an hour away so anything simple would be a major trip. They had more accessories as well. My LBS would have to order everything in.

It would almost be rude to order from my store when this store spent a couple of hours today going over the bikes and then drop him.

I guess I worry about wrecking relationships. At the same time, I don't want to be held hostage to only one store. Which goes back to my post on unwritten rules for LBS.

Maybe I'm reading more into this than I should.

[jyyanks]

I am a new rider and your post really resonated with me. Since I haven't been riding long, I don't know what my riding style is. Several people have recommended a road bike and said I should buy a "bike up" since I will grow as a rider and will eventually want one.

I have been endlessly researching so that I don't buy the wrong bike come Spring. I even bought a used bike on craigslist to try out (price was right - will most likely use on a trainer). After reading your post, I stopped to consider what I was really looking for and why I was leaning toward certain bikes. I think I have to stop researching and start riding!

As for your LBS dilemma, I have the same one and have concluded that it's ok to have 2 LBS's. Do you like the LBS that is 20 miles away even if they have a limited selection? Do you feel comfortable with them? Do they take care of you?

I have the big bike store LBS that has a huge selection but I feel uncomfortable when I'm there and their service is spotty. There is another LBS that is smaller and friendlier. Both carry different brand bikes. So far, I bought my folder at large LBS and will service it there (they carried the brand). But, I have gone to the small LBS to fix up the bike I bought on craigslist, tune up the kids bike, buy tire tubes etc.

Maybe you too can have 2 LBS's and go to them for different things. Just a thought.

[KnottedYet]

I have 3 LBSs. I go to each on a fairly regular basis. Only one of my bikes (currently) was purchased at one of them. Nobody minds if you buy bikes at other shops and show up at theirs for repairs or parts.

They might mind if you stay for hours and try out all their stuff and figure out what you need, and then have someone else order it. Or order it online.

I'd buy the bike from the shop that was knowledgable, organized, friendly, and spent their time with you. At this point they know you and how you like to ride and even have a good idea of sizing for you. It's worth the hour drive to go to a shop that knows these things.

And if you have to wait a few days to try the 17, not a problem. This sounds like a good shop and worth the wait. If you are making the trip to try the 17, call to confirm the 17 is built and ready to be ridden before you drive out there.

You can still go to the closer shop for quick things. Not a problem.

[bluebug32]

+1 on what everyone else is saying. Get it from the place that's on the ball and that's helped you with the bike. I also patronize many different bike shops and, while I've only bought one new bike in a shop, I give them a good amount of business with accessories/clothing. And I still get discount/free repairs at all of them.

[Owlie]

What everyone else said about LBSes.

I'm relatively new to riding, and have only ever had the one roadie. While I'd still like a nicer roadie for when I want to ride hard and fast, my "dream bike" has turned into a steel or Ti (probably custom) CX bike that can handle light touring as well.

Of course, my ultimate goal is one of each.

[Bethany1]

I got thinking about the bike and wondered what it was I liked so much about it. Short of selling a sewing machine worth that much or more, I really can't justify the bike.

I started thinking about what I liked about the bike and I'm guessing it was the handlebars and the seat post. The seat post is a Thudbuster and the handlebars are Salsa's Woodchipper ones. I also loved the shifter set up.

I called up my LBS, asked about the bike and then asked about the components of it. Would they fit on my existing mountain bike and make it a half street/half mountain like the Fargo? If it's just those parts, I wouldn't need a new bike.

He said the handlebars wouldn't work with the shifters I have now. They don't have a clamp and you'd never get the set around the bar. The shifters like the Fargo were 400 bucks. You click once on the paddle or you push all the way over with the paddle instead of having to use both the brake and the paddle to shift. I asked if that would work on my Madone and he said yes and I could use the Woodchipper bars on it as well. Just not sure how much money I want to put on the bike if I'm not sure what I want.

He said he'd order me the Thudbuster and go from there. He thought it was a pretty cool idea and had never seen one.

He wasn't sure he could order the bike from Salsa, but was happy to service one if I did buy it.

I'm still going to try out the 17 inch Fargo w/o the Thudbuster when he calls up and says it's ready to make a comparison.

[pll]

What if you try that seatpost and handlebar in your Madone, perhaps with a different stem to make the position in your bike more upright?

[indysteel]

I have a Thudbuster on my hardtail mountain bike. Are you looking to soften up your 29er for trail riding by using the Thudbuster? I'm otherwise not sure why you'd want to use it to ride on the road. Because it effectively changes your saddle placement (your saddle goes compresses down and back), it may make your pedal stroke less efficient. You'll just end up having to work harder. I guess I'm just trying to figure out what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to make your 29er more of a road bike, put some slicks (tires) on it or get a dedicated set of wheels with slicks for the bike so that you can go from road to trail/gravel more easily. And if you want to have a snow bike, put some snow tires on the 29er.

[Bethany1]

I was evil. I bought the Fargo 3. I just like the bar end shifters better. They seemed more intuitive. If it would stop raining, I'd take her out for a test ride.