Blowup207

Anybody ever buy a complete bike on Amazon? My local bike shop does not carry specifically what I’m looking for, or even the brand I want - Cinelli. The closest Cinelli dealer is an hour away. I reached out to them twice with not a lot of help. I can’t find the bike I want in my size and color preference at online dealers. Just to be clear, I’m not looking to buy some cheap low quality bike, but a higher end name brand. I’m looking for a Cinelli ‘Tipo Pista’, in Size: medium. I was looking for a previous year‘s color-way. I’ve had a Bianchi Pista - Size: 53 in the past, and that seems to be comparable in size and geometry to the size: ‘medium’ Cinelli tipo Pista. I will have my local bike shop assemble, which they do for $125. Worth it to me to get the exact bike/color I want. The exact bike I do want is available on Amazon Prime with free returns. There was One good review and one bad review.What’s your experience with Amazon and cycling? Thank you.

shelbyfv

I don't see any "higher end name brand" bikes on Amazon. If there is a bike you want, Amazon would be better than some other online sources. Usual online caveats.

jadocs

I'm not familiar with high end bikes on Amazon either. Now I've seen some Chinese brands that claim to be higher end, but if you look closer they are not.

DaveSSS 

If they sell a big name brand, it would come from another source and would hopefully still be boxed, so you do the assembly. I bought my Colnago online, from a real shop that bought a bunch of last year's leftovers and sold them for $1000 off the original price. The complete bike was still in the original unopened box.
365 cycles and planet cyclery sell some stuff through Amazon.

indyfabz

Yes. It's all about the source. Here is a Colnago being sold by Velo Mine, in Springfield, IL through Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Colnago-AXBX-...4778638&sr=8-9

I have read threads on this forum saying it's a legit place. Now if it's coming from China, one could very well have a negative experience.

Flip Flop Rider

local bike shop can't order what you want in the size you want?

sdmc530

Velomine is a legit place. Super nice people there in Springfield. They have a website, have used them before with excellent results. Not sure why you wouldn't use their regular website.

To the OP:
What exactly are you looking at?

jadocs

I stand corrected

indyfabz

Thanks for confirming my sometimes faulty memory. Would make sense to go through them directly unless some stuff is only available through Amazon.

Personally, I doubt I will ever buy a bike on line.

sdmc530

Nope, me either. Seems like a nightmare waiting to happen IMO.

tgenec86

?? Local shop should be able to order something in within the same time frame as "buying online" unless the intent is to not pay the LBS mark-up (which I get!). Canyon is a fully on-line company, and there are untold numbers of online retailers of bikes - Performance & Nashbar two of the biggest. There is no shortage of availability - so not sure why Amazon would even be a consideration?

The key is - can you assemble and accurately tune up a bike yourself and do you have the right tools? If not, you'll need to go to your LBS regardless.

Miele Man

Why two threads asking the same thing?

You really need to be careful buying on line. Make sure the place you're buying from is legitimate. What happens if there's a problem with the bike such as damage? Who pays for the return shipping? Are you able to do your own assembly? Do you know that the bike will positively fit you?

Cheers

DaveSSS 

The reason to buy online is most often to take advantage of steep discounts on models from previous years. Some frames may go for half price. I got my Colnago from velomine. It came new in the box, for $1000 off the original price. Merlin cycles in the UK has some leftovers real cheap.

I haven't bought a frame from a local shop since the early 90's. I've mail ordered at least 10 frames since then, with no problems.

superdex

For some, Amazon is just another channel. You'll see stuff from Backcountry, Velomine, etc on there. If you don't recognize the brand, that's when I'd be very skeptical and do research outside of Amazon.

And if you know what you want and the size, buying online is fine.

Blowup207 -- what are you looking for, and what is your budget?

mstateglfr 

Buying a bike online is hardly difficult if you have geometry and know what fits you. Same applies to buying frames. The future is now...and also to come. Point is- the internet is hardly some difficult place to buy a bike. In fact, it has been more difficult for me to buy shoes and pants on the internet(which I like to do due to sizes) than its been for me to buy bike frames. I have yet to return a bike frame, but ive returned a lot of shoes and pants.

As for Amazon, thru the years I have seen Cinelli, Raleigh, Diamondback, Colnago, Kestrel, and im sure others. I dont actively look, so what I have seen is probably a small segment of what is available from bike shop brand/quality bikes.

indyfabz

The only way I can imagine it possibly happening is if:
1. I am buying a well known (to me) quantity (e.g., I need to replace my Surly LHT; a bike which I have been riding since 2008);
2. I can confirm the good reputation of the outfit selling it, and
3. I find a super good deal and am in such financial straits that I need to save the money.

Even then it would be a "maybe."

Leinster

I bought my wife’s DiamondBack on Amazon. It was a previous year model for about half of what other Al-frame Tiagra spec bikes were selling for at the time. Assembly was easy, and it even came with old-style toe clip pedals.


I’d be a bit more wary about buying a complete bike on eBay, but I’ve done that too and still have the bike and rode it to work this morning. Pay attention to the pictures and ask the seller questions if you unsure about anything. And don’t bid any more than you’re willing to lose.

alcjphil

Question: What specifically are you looking for? It may not be available online. Many people on this forum are very helpful, but to use their expertise, you have to tell them what you want. You might also include information in your profile about your location as I have in mine. Local help is always the best

rollagain

I got my Simcoe Deluxe from Amazon, about half retail price. It was in a discontinued paint color, NOS. Date stamp on the bike (serial #) was three years old, so it had been sitting in the warehouse.

When I got it, the carton had been bashed and patched over. The front wheel was not perfectly true, but good enough that I had to look closely to notice. No real damage worth noting.

It's a nice bike; well made. Simcoe is a Canadian company but they don't manufacture; it's all done to their spec in Taiwan. I wouldn't have paid full price for that bike, but for about $400 it's a good value. Eyeletted rims, good quality rim brakes, 7-speed IGH.

This is how it came equipped (minus the tail light).

DaveSSS 

Ridiculous. It doesn't take long with a few Google searches to figure out that the vast majority of internet sellers are legit. If you can save $1000, by buying last year's model, you'd be a fool not to do it. If in doubt, post here for confirmation. Rich folks don't get rich by wasting their money.

I can warn buyers about glorycycles.com Although they won't steal from you, they will take your money and after a month of waiting, they won't be able to deliver what you ordered. If the product is not in stock for immediate delivery, forget it.

Wileyrat

I've bought three bikes online, all from reputable places....Competitive Cyclist, Amain Cycles, and Bikes Direct, and no complaints about any of them.

The trick is to have a good idea of what you want, and what the frame geometry specs are telling you. If you don't know what the numbers mean, by all means, go to an LBS.

If I saw that a bike on Amazon came from a reputable shop, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

Sy Reene

Suppose it depends. No, I wouldn't buy a complete bike that is normally only available thru and LBS (eg, Trek, spesh, etc) -- because typically I should be able to get from an LBS at the same price. However, some bikes are online-sales dependent, and if a bike attracted me from one of these companies, then I'd consider online (eg. Canyon, Ribble, etc).

There are some online shops (that also have a local presence whereever they're based) such as Excel, that seemingly offer a fairly extensive lineup of complete bikes from higher end brands (eg. Pinarello, Cervelo etc) thru online sales. Unless there's some discount or sale better than I could get locally, then again, wouldn't see the point.

OTOH, no issue whatsoever buying framesets and parts to build online. Eg.. something unique like linked I'd certainly consider:
https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...ajor=1&minor=1

shelbyfv

I don't see much risk buying directly from Amazon with free return. Cable ties for the rear brake are cheesy but I guess many buyers just remove all that.

sdmc530

What happed to the OP? I wish he would at least give us a link or the bike itself, that would have helped out much more.

shelbyfv

Appears he edited the OP to provide more info. This seems to be the bike https://www.amazon.com/Cinelli-038PO...s%2C180&sr=8-1 I think his initial comments about "high end" may have confused a lot of us.