The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

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indy
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by indy »

vjosullivan wrote:
indy wrote:I've spoken to Spa of Harrogate (and couple of other well known dealers) who offered me a good price BUT its a days travel...

It seems a little ironic not to be willing to travel to collect a touring bike. ;)

I did a 500 mile round trip in my wife's car on a Saturday morning to collect my bike from Spa. a) because the price was exceptional (a lot more than £110 cheaper than anywhere else), and b) just to see for myself this shop that everyone kept going on about. Isn't that what travelling's all about? The bike was set up perfectly and I can do most of the after-sales tweaks for myself (and if I can't my rather more LBS can).


O.K whats the general feeling on the forum about this?

Would you travel to save money* OR is it more important to develop a good relationship with your LBS?

I'm already aware that IF I do decide to go to a far away BS that I need to back off my LBS as it doesn't seem fair to use their expertise to buy from another dealer.

*LBS hasn't given me a price but I'm pretty sure that a far away BS will be noticeably and worthwhilely cheaper.
johnb
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by johnb »

You never gave any consideration to the above when you stated in your first post on this thread that you visited Evans and another bike shop in person then viewed more shops online to try to purchase a Dawes ultra galaxy.

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bogmyrtle
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by bogmyrtle »

indy wrote:
vjosullivan wrote:
indy wrote:I've spoken to Spa of Harrogate (and couple of other well known dealers) who offered me a good price BUT its a days travel...

It seems a little ironic not to be willing to travel to collect a touring bike. ;)

I did a 500 mile round trip in my wife's car on a Saturday morning to collect my bike from Spa. a) because the price was exceptional (a lot more than £110 cheaper than anywhere else), and b) just to see for myself this shop that everyone kept going on about. Isn't that what travelling's all about? The bike was set up perfectly and I can do most of the after-sales tweaks for myself (and if I can't my rather more LBS can).


O.K whats the general feeling on the forum about this?

Would you travel to save money* OR is it more important to develop a good relationship with your LBS?

I'm already aware that IF I do decide to go to a far away BS that I need to back off my LBS as it doesn't seem fair to use their expertise to buy from another dealer.

*LBS hasn't given me a price but I'm pretty sure that a far away BS will be noticeably and worthwhilely cheaper.


I don't mean to appear rude but my thoughts would be stop pontificating, make a decision and start cycling.
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indy
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by indy »

bogmyrtle wrote:I don't mean to appear rude but my thoughts would be stop pontificating, make a decision and start cycling.

Would love to but I want to make a fair comparison of the physical bikes but the 2012 Ultra Galaxy isn't out i.e. with dealers till mid-April. My first choice would have been the 2011 model but no stock of 58cm anywhere.
LollyKat
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by LollyKat »

You wouldn't be travelling to save some money, but to try the bike out for yourself which is always desirable. You've done your best to support your LBS so you shouldn't feel guilty about going further afield.
Malaconotus
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by Malaconotus »

indy wrote:O.K whats the general feeling on the forum about this? Would you travel to save money* OR is it more important to develop a good relationship with your LBS?


I'd give the LBS a chance to price match, or to try to get close. There are many advantages to buying from a very local shop and it would surely be worth a premium of £50 or even £100, especially on such a considerable purchase.

However, the LBS may understandably need a real commitment, and a substantial deposit, before buying in a premium bike for you. If it is not part of their core range, or a style of bike they are comfortable or confident selling it could easily end up remaindered and sold at cost after tying up a decent amount of capital for a year or more.

Which in turn means you don't get to try before you buy unless you test ride at, say, Spa, and then order locally, which in turn is hardly fair on Spa who are not exactly a huge business.

So, in summary, I don't know!

BTW, for Ultra Galaxy money you have a wealth of choice, including custom build. And there are very few dud £1600 tourers.
johnb
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by johnb »

indy wrote:
bogmyrtle wrote:I don't mean to appear rude but my thoughts would be stop pontificating, make a decision and start cycling.

Would love to but I want to make a fair comparison of the physical bikes but the 2012 Ultra Galaxy isn't out i.e. with dealers till mid-April. My first choice would have been the 2011 model but no stock of 58cm anywhere.


This fella was waiting last year for the 2011 Dawes Ultra Galaxy to be stocked



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Brucey
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by Brucey »

indy wrote: My first choice would have been the 2011 model but no stock of 58cm anywhere.


listed on Spa cycles website in 58cm (and won't be for ever....) at a bargain price, you'll more than save your train fare.

cheers
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ossie
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by ossie »

Brucey wrote:
indy wrote: My first choice would have been the 2011 model but no stock of 58cm anywhere.


listed on Spa cycles website in 58cm (and won't be for ever....) at a bargain price, you'll more than save your train fare.

cheers


thread killer :lol:

I await the OP's review of the bike once he has had a spin on it.
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stephenjubb
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by stephenjubb »

and if you buy from spa and are feeling flush ask them to put handbuilt wheels on for you (or rebuild the existing ones - mind you spa may give them some attention as standard) as the stock machine built wheels on a galaxy are nowhere as good as handbuilt. many new galaxy owners report problems with their wheels in the first couple of years.
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foxyrider
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by foxyrider »

Maybe think about why such a limited run bike is in stock? Well the answer is that its a duffer! 2011 means it came out in late 2010 so it might have been sat in Harrogate for 18 months with no buyer.

Whilst i've no idea why you picked out that model i'm sure you would be served better by a more modern machine from a specialist company or at least one that knows what they are doing - unlike Dawes. For 2k you can have a handbuilt custom special with all the latest gizmos. Think before you buy.
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RonK
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The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by RonK »

ossie wrote:
Brucey wrote:
indy wrote: My first choice would have been the 2011 model but no stock of 58cm anywhere.


listed on Spa cycles website in 58cm (and won't be for ever....) at a bargain price, you'll more than save your train fare.

cheers


thread killer :lol:

I await the OP's review of the bike once he has had a spin on it.

hehe - I don't think so. If you had read the OP's other thread you would know that Spa doesn't actually have a bike in stock... :roll:
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johnb
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by johnb »

foxyrider wrote:Maybe think about why such a limited run bike is in stock? Well the answer is that its a duffer! 2011 means it came out in late 2010 so it might have been sat in Harrogate for 18 months with no buyer.


You might be a bit ill informed about this aspect of your post.

Spa have for as long as I can remember always been able to source in quantity Dawes tourers when others couldn't, they do the same with Schwalbe tyres and numerous other bits of touring kit.
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stephenjubb
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by stephenjubb »

always better to give spa the business wherever possible. great shop
nmnm
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Re: The frustration of a (long distance) bike buyer...

Post by nmnm »

Re lbs vs travelling, the valuable thing to support, I think, all else being equal, isn't the more local of two options but the smaller of the two. The traits we are aiming to support in the lbs are mostly, I think, small bike shop traits, not nearby shop traits. I say this as someone who lives near a big big bike shop. I have to travel a mile or two to support a "local" bike shop.

Having said that, if I'd followed the advice of my various bike shops I'd be on a bike two sizes too big with the wrong saddle, but I suppose that's another issue. :D
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