hanshananigan

I recently bought a road bike from multi-store LBS. I gave it a couple test rides then bought the bike online through their website for convenience. Instead of a new-build, it's going to be a bike that's been sitting on a rack in the store. I expected it would be a new build but there's probably fine print somewhere that says otherwise. I haven't seen the bike yet, but I've noticed that some bikes on the rack in their local store have wear on their tires and the handlebars are grubby. Certainly if I were to buy a bike in the store I would want the price to reflect the wear or at least ask for a new wrap job on the bars. What would be your threshold for wear and how would you handle it?

rmfnla

Unless it has been sold before it is a new bike. It might have been test-ridden, hence the visible wear; if so you would not be out of line asking them to either clean up or re-tape the bars, or reduce the price commensurately.

Minimal tire wear would not bother me...

MRT2

Was the bar tape dirty or worn? If not, you are seriously out of line. Now, feel free to ask for a discount if you are buying at the end of the season and the bike is last year's model.

But if it is a current model, what you call wear is just a couple of weeks or at most, months, of short test rides. You will probably put more mileage on the bike in the first week you own it. And they are selling it to you as new so you get a full warranty. Now, if it is a bike that went out the door and was returned, I would expect the price to reflect that.

Camilo

A new car often has quite a few miles on it, but it's thoroughly detailed before you pick it up. I'd expect a bike to be the same - new or totally cleaned bar tape, tires, wheels, chain, cassette, etc. cleaned, basically, looking sparkling like new.

But then again, I haven't bought a new full bike in about 30 years, so I don't really remember if they were like that or not. I know I bought both right off the floor after a test ride.

Rowan

I am not sure I understand the sequence here. Has the OP actually received the bike yet? How is he surmising that the bike will be from the shop rack and in the condition he descrbied? Was he told this on the website when he ordered, or by the shop employees when he went for a test ride?

New is new. It should be taken from a box and built without any marks or dirt on it and with brand new tyres complete with the moulding bits left on them, irrespective of whether he bought on-line or face-to-face.

CliffordK

Get the bike first... then evaluate it.

It is hard for me to see any tire wear except maybe a loss of nibs with less than 100 miles. I'd worry about a bike that has significant tire wear.

Grubby hands can discolor tape quickly. Perhaps the shop will "detail" the bike before you take delivery.

cyclist2000

If the bar tape were white and it was dirty or if there was wear on the bar tape then they should put new tape on there. I don't think that there should be any significant tire wear for a demo bike.

RonH

How could buying online be more convenient since you have been test riding the bike. Why didn't you buy it from the shop and take it home?

hanshananigan

Easy. I'm a busy family guy and the LBS is 35" from my house. Not to mention I was in Nashville over the weekend while a holiday sale was happening. I've been debating whether to buy and decided to go for it while out of town and didn't want to miss the holiday sale.

benaroundawhile

Either a few steps or a short drive. Got it...

Since you should have the bike by now, do you still have your wear concerns?

hanshananigan

The short answer: when the store called to tell me the bike was ready I asked if it was a new build and he replied "no," that they first check to see if the ordered bike is already on a rack at one of their stores (and it was).

Would it help to mention that the store was Performance Bike?

shelbyfv

You test rode a bike and then ordered the bike online, hoping to get one that had not been test ridden? Is this correct? Are you unhappy with the bike?

PDKL45

Test rides are largely impossible here in Korea for this reason. The shop could not sell a bike as new that had been ridden previously, even for a few kilometers.

I am interested to know if it is common to buy already test ridden bikes in the US. It is quite strange to me that people online always avocate that people test ride bikes, instead of using a fitting machine or having their body measured.

hanshananigan

Just curious what other consumers think.

I thought more folks would want that new-bike smell. I agree that even a demoed bike is "new" until sold, like a car (although in many stated there is a mileage or time limit on what can be called "new." No such thing for bikes). However, it might be more clear if their website clearly stated what they consider new. Their webpage states that they will ship a bike and assemble it for free if sent to a store, leading me to think it would be new out-of-box. I wonder, if I asked for the bike to be shipped to my home, would they have disassembled the bike on the rack and boxed it up?

But I agree with the majority, that several dozen test rides won't likely considerably wear a bike. When I pick it up I'll give it an inspection (tire wear, true wheels, brake pad wear, defined chain ring teeth, significant cosmetic wear, etc.) and not quibble over the little stuff.

Garfield Cat

Some bikes arrive at a dealer store in just a card board box, minus the components. The dealer then assembles the frame set with the parts. This is where dealers might put in parts that have been on the shelf for a while.

hanshananigan

Different issue, but I've heard of that. Always important to make sure the bike matches the advertised specs (I hope they do in 99.99% of cases).

exmechanic89

The description of 'new' in this thread is really splitting hairs, imo. Who cares if the bike has been test ridden around the shop a few times? And new bike smell? Give me a break. I agree the shop should change the tape if it's scuffed or dirty, but otherwise you're buying a 'new' bike even if it's been sitting on a rack and was built 2 mos ago.

TimothyH

I for one, think the OP has a point.

It's one thing to buy a lower-end bike off the shelf but I would want a very high end bike to be brand new.

Not sure what the threshold is for "very high end" but I think at a certain point @hashinanigan has a right to expect a new bike to actually be new and not a demo model.


-Tim-

hanshananigan

Since new cars have been mentioned as a parallel commodity, I've been reading up on miles put on "new cars" and there are certainly interesting perspectives from "500 miles is no big deal: they broke it in for you" to "we used to take new cars home and beat the ***** out of them on weekends during those 500 miles." Regardless, the more miles on the vehicle, the more of a bargaining chip the consumer has in hand.

In contrast, I also have an interest in wrist watches. There are some pretty strict, informal guidelines on what is considered "new," with watches in cases that are tried on by customers considered "demos" with appropriate discounts offered. If a store tries to sell a watch as "new" that doesn't have the tags and plastic crystal/crown protective coating on it, holy mackerel, the forums light up with a tongue lashing you haven't heard since grandma caught you smoking behind the woodshed.

No right or wrong, I would just expect that anything bought online would be out-of-the-box new and demo'ed bikes are marked as such. Certainly, in person, if a bike has obvious wear, it is a bargaining chip that could be used to haggle. At least in locally owned shops: don't know about Performance, REI, and the like. It just feels weird that you buy a new bike online from Performance Bike (and maybe other shops) not knowing the actual condition of the bike: no opportunity to haggle later, but instead would have to return it if dissatisfied.

I'm sticking with my earlier reply (and consistent with the majority of other posters' opinions, I think) that I will check it out and, fingers crossed, it will likely be in good shape.

ddeand 

If the bike is in the store and has been test ridden, you can expect the tires to show some road use - but the wear would likely be miniscule and not worth worrying about. If the bar tape is dirty from test rides, have them replace the tape or discount the cost of the tape and the labor.

Rollfast

Don't sit on it and you'll be fine...it's the RIDING it.

Rollfast

No, I'm serious...did you ever by a TV or stereo gear from a display? You know that little Johnny had his hands all over the knobs playing it like a video game without any quarters.


The store clerk had to put the channel back on the store video and reset the presets at the end of each day.

hanshananigan

I have, and it always came marked as a floor model and with a hefty discount.

builderguy

I think, if I purchased a new bike, I would expect a new bike. If I purchased one off the floor, I would expect it to have been test ridden, slightly dusty tires, no noticeable wear, and clean tape.

I think the issue here is he ordered what he thought would be a new bike and then found out it may have been test ridden. Waiting until you see the bike is of course what will make the determination, but I think the intent of the thread is more of the principal.

If I order a new car, I expect a new car. If I take one off the lot, I expect that others have gone for a test drive.

Retro Grouch 

Until the moment that you walk out the door with the bike, you have all of the power. The bike shop folks want to make a sale and the only way they can do that is by making you happy.

If you want a brand new build, tell them that. If a bike-in-the-box is available, my bet is they'll scramble around to get it assembled for you. Probably take some extra time. Sometimes the bike that you want, for whatever reason, won't be available anymore. If that's the case, you might be able to negotiate the price or you might have to evaluate how important that "brand new build" is to you. Whatever happens, you'll at least leave the store knowing you got the best deal that was available.