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Why buy a bike on-line?

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    #32
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    In fairness to that LBS, the bike would have come from the manufacturer with the bar tape already done and the tyres would have been whatever the manufacter specified; if it's a budget bike this would mean budget tyres. No excuses with the gears though, should really be perfect on a new bike.


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    #33
    lukester
    Registered Users Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭lukester


    blorg wrote: »
    In fairness to that LBS, the bike would have come from the manufacturer with the bar tape already done and the tyres would have been whatever the manufacter specified; if it's a budget bike this would mean budget tyres. No excuses with the gears though, should really be perfect on a new bike.

    Fair enough on the tyres, but the bar tape was done by the LBS because I saw the bike before he bought.


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    #34
    Money Shot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    I spend way too much of my 'hard earned' on bike's and associated gear. I now spend 100% of this online (UK). It might be different for a complete newbie, but I have no problem buying a bike online. I have bought three bikes online in the last three years (one wasn't for me), and saved over a grand over the three bikes on the best price I can get here.

    I don't find the level of service in the LBS very good, and definitely not good enough to justify the extra cost. Online, you also get much, much more choice.

    In my opinion, Irish bike shops really need to up their game to halt this trend. Everything from tubes, tyres, seat posts, saddles, pedals, jackets, bags, lights, etc etc can be bought significantly cheaper online than here, and in a lot of cases you can get a superior product line cheaper than a standard line in cycleways / cycleogical or any of these guys.

    I can't see any reason why I will change my shopping habits in the near future.


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    #35
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    Money Shot wrote: »
    I spend way too much of my 'hard earned' on bike's and associated gear. I now spend 100% of this online (UK). It might be different for a complete newbie, but I have no problem buying a bike online. I have bought three bikes online in the last three years (one wasn't for me), and saved over a grand over the three bikes on the best price I can get here.

    I don't find the level of service in the LBS very good, and definitely not good enough to justify the extra cost. Online, you also get much, much more choice.

    In my opinion, Irish bike shops really need to up their game to halt this trend. Everything from tubes, tyres, seat posts, saddles, pedals, jackets, bags, lights, etc etc can be bought significantly cheaper online than here, and in a lot of cases you can get a superior product line cheaper than a standard line in cycleways / cycleogical or any of these guys.

    I can't see any reason why I will change my shopping habits in the near future.

    Have you ever found yourself the night before a race with a severe mechanical that meant you've no race bike? If so what is your online store going to do for you? My LBS would give me a lend of a bike.


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    #36
    penexpers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    Alot of my shopping online has to do with the face that Irish shops don't stock what I'm looking for and won't stock it. Other than that, I try and support the LBS as best I can, sometimes it is worth paying the extra, I think.


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    #37
    Money Shot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    tunney wrote: »
    Have you ever found yourself the night before a race with a severe mechanical that meant you've no race bike? If so what is your online store going to do for you? My LBS would give me a lend of a bike.

    Well, if I went to cyclelogical, I'd be told that they don't do repairs - sorry, emergency or not. I doubt Cycleways, Halfords or any other shop would be able to help me in time either.

    Unless, they know you very well - which isn't the case for most people. They would only help out racers or triathletes that they know very well. The majority of people wouldn't fit into this category, and I have never found myself in that situation anyway.


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