LBS Etiquette?

[Owlie]

Do you have a shop in the area that actually sells Surly? That would be the best place to start.

[Trek420]

It depends on the shop. Several shops I know in the Bay Area when I was just looking, really just looking said if "If you want to test ride a bike and do not see your size just let us know, we'll order it." Just to test ride! I suppose they knew another small rider will come along and buy once they have it there.

Helps if it's your regular shop and you bring them beer.

[Irulan]

It depends on the shop. Several shops I know in the Bay Area when I was just looking, really just looking said if "If you want to test ride a bike and do not see your size just let us know, we'll order it." Just to test ride! I suppose they knew another small rider will come along and buy once they have it there.

Helps if it's your regular shop and you bring them beer.

Or cookies. Not everyone drinks, and some of the nicest shop guys aren't always over 21.

[Kiwi Stoker]

To further clarify why most stores don't do "order in and try- no obligation" for strange sizes. Most bikes from manufacturers are shipped partially or not at all asembled. It normally takes a mechanic about 1 hour to assemble the bike (wrapping handlebar tape, running cables, fitting parts together) so that is a cost to them.

Once out of the box- cannot be returned to the warehouse, even if they manage to get it back in the box! So the store or the company's rep will have to find another store to take the bike off the orginal store's hands if they cannot find anyone else to buy it- and to keep costs down that means it cannot really be shipped to the other side of the country- probably just within the rep's territory (of course extreme circumstances will mean a bike MIGHT travel across country for a determined buyer).

There could be more flexibilty in stores that are "sole brand". Eg concept stores for one brand of bike only. That means they are considered the "elite", top rung store and probably have special priveliges that other multi-brand stores will not. But of course this is really only for big brands. Small brands are less likely to take the "hit" of an unsold bike.

Hope this clarifies things a bit more for everyone.

[azfiddle]

I can't advise you on the bike- but I am also small and when I was test riding bikes last year, one thing that sealed the deal was that the shop was willing to order the bike in my size (44) without obligation to buy, because they said it was early in the season and they said they could sell it. I think they were also pretty sure I would love it, which I did.

So it can't hurt to ask.

[Eden]

Just FYI - cyclocross bikes have a shorter seat tube (which is what is listed as the "size" for bikes) than road bikes, because the bottom bracket is higher - so indeed you probably would need a 42 in the CrossCheck if you normally ride a 48 in a road bike.

The attitude from the bike shop I don't understand..... maybe you don't "need" a steel bike - heck, you probably don't "need" another bike at all, much in life we don't truly need, but you *want* a steel bike.... they should be willing to sell you what you want...

[jessmarimba]

I don't know where you are, but if you're near an REI they do (usually) carry some Surly bikes and would probably be more likely to order a smaller size without requiring you to buy it. Heck, you may even be able to order one online from them and return it if it doesn't work, though that would be a big pain in the butt and shipping wouldn't be cheap.

[DebSP]

Do you have a shop in the area that actually sells Surly? That would be the best place to start.

Yes two of the shops I went to advertise Surly lines. The one that had the 2009 bike to sell had a 52 Cross Check that they said was too big for me before directing me to the other bike. And the shop that said he didn't think I needed a steel bike has Surly listed in their ad but I didn't see any Surly bikes there. I was willing to look at other steel bikes if they carried a different brand but no luck! I will try a couple of different shops a bit further away on my holidays.