Getting stressed out about buying a new bike

[Caren]

This should be fun. Like the coolest thing ever. I just recently sold my business and so while I can't retire, I can finally do something just for me and that means selling my to big for me bike and getting something I really want. Some how over the last week it's gone from giddy excitement about spending tomorrow visiting shops and having a decent budget for a bike to dreading even thinking about it anymore. I'm fairly intelligent but I'm noticed that anytime it's something male dominated, fishing, guns, power tools (all things I'm good at btw) men tend to talk down to me in a "well aren't you a pretty little thing" kind of way.

I feel like I need to over compensate by having all of the necessary information ahead of time and not relying on them to tell me things, but also to protect myself from being "sold" on something, like a last year's model taking up floor space, that might not be the best one for me but I don't know enough to know that. I know the right response is to just take my business elsewhere until I find someone that will actually try to help me find the right bike, not just sell me something, but there aren't to many shops in my area. I'll be driving a little over an hour tomorrow just for two shops that carry 4 brands combined so if finding the right bike for me means trying out lots of things, I don't have to many choices if the shop stinks.

And to make it even more confusing, I'm fairly interested in the LOOK 585 Elle that's listed here, it looks to be a good fit size wise and I even sent the geometry to my granddad that used to work with Specialized for quite a few years. He thinks it would be a good fit, but then thinking about building up a bike and trying to figure out if I would be better off just going with a decent out of the store bike for now or if I should take the plunge and have a really sweet bike built...It's not even fun anymore. Seriously, I'm at the point where I'm considering just ordering narrower bars for my current bike and saying screw it for now, I mean I've road the thing for a few thousand miles already and it hasn't killed me so whats another thousand or so to avoid making myself nuts?

Am I just being a big old baby??

[thekarens]

Deep breath!

Another option might be to visit a fitter first. We have an excellent one here that will tell you what size and type of bike to get based on the type of riding you want to do and the fitting he does.

Other than that there's no reason why you have to but right away. Go look, test ride, then bring the info home to research. If you like what you find you can go back and buy later. Shopping should be fun!

[Caren]

Deep breath and chill out. : ) The first shop I stopped at wasn't so great, very busy and everyone was really rushed. The lady that helped me seemed a little confused when I told her I wanted to stick with my 105's or better and then only had one bike to show me, in the wrong size. But the next shop down the street was awesome! I spent 3 hours there, the guy took my pedals off and on at least 5 bikes, checked the air in the tires each time and took care of the seat height and things like that. He was just so great to work with that it made it lots of fun. Sadly they didn't have what I wanted, but it gave me time to come home and think about it and I still got a new pair of shorts and an excellent day out of it. : )

[Seajay]

1. This should be fun. Like the coolest thing ever.
2. men tend to talk down to me in a "well aren't you a pretty little thing" kind of way.
3. not relying on them to tell me things, but also to protect myself from being "sold" on something, like a last year's model taking up floor space, that might not be the best one for me but I don't know enough to know that.
4. to my granddad that used to work with Specialized for quite a few years.

1. Yes it should be fun.

2 I hear and read this a lot. I think its fair to let a conversation get started with a male salesperson WITHOUT this baggage between you. If it truly is this way....you don't need to continue but I have to wonder if there is some affirmation of beliefs going on here.
Kind of like the whole "shrink and pink" quote I see on TE all the time. Personally I haven't seen a blatantly pink bike on our floor in years.

3 May I say that you walk into many many situations where you just have to trust the person "selling" you a thing or service is honest and looking out for your best interest. You simply cannot be an expert in every field you encounter.
Again..I read this all the time on TE, yet people are willing to buy some used bike off the internet assuming the person looking to unload their old bike has MORE integrity than the person at a bike shop. ?? I don't get it.

4 I'm sure your Grandfather is a great man, but unless he really understands bike fit and has been doing bike fitting recently, I would say that a person who has been actively bike fitting at a shop will probably give you a better result.

What if you went into a few shops and just had some short/medium length general conversations. Get a feel for how they do things and if you like the people without the pressure of "proving what you know" or "will I be sold something" Try a bike or two. But promise yourself you won't buy anything. Kind of like a first date.

I think finding out what the shop will do for you adjustment wise after you have ridden the bike a few times and settled into it is a good probing question. Are they glad to have the opportunity to help you make it perfect or is this request coming as a shock to them? Expect that "customizing" will cost a bit in parts and labor.

Hopefully you find someone at a shop you connect with and have a good feeling about. That is your shop and you buy the best bike they have for you. Pay what they ask and have a great resource for the rest of your time on the bike.

My 2c

[Melalvai]

I've gotten to the point where I've researched the heck out of something, and I'm more confused than ever and I get pretty frustrated. Sometimes that just means I need to go to bed.

But it might mean I should set it aside for a few days. Ask around. (Like you just did here!) Don't be in a rush.

[nuliajuk]

Keep in mind that, if the bike you pick turns out to be not quite right, you're not obligated to keep it for the rest of your life. There are lots of good bikes out there, as long as you get a good fit, many of them will work for you.