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about to purchase a 2012 trek 7.4, have question

Old 10-10-11, 01:03 AM
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El Pollo Loco
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about to purchase a 2012 trek 7.4, have question

hi everyone,


i tried searching for a beginner forums here but didnt find one so i thought id ask some questions. im planning on purchasing a bike sometime this week and had a couple of questions about the whole process.

1)do local bike shops negotiate on pricing at all? i went to a couple of shop and both were $799 for the bike

2)any way to buy these bikes online for a lower price thru an online retailer?

3)what accessories do you recommend? so far i have a front and rear lights figured out. id like to get some kind of reflective velcro as well for my backpack.

4)is it worth getting any extra warranties? they mentioned something about free rubber for the life, or something like that. i forgot exactly what he said.


another bike i wanted to try was the giant rapid 3 but neither of the LBS had them.

thanks

i plan on using this bike to commute to the local gym everyday.
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Old 10-10-11, 01:17 AM
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fastbartender
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All retail sales are up for negotiation in my opinion. What does it hurt to ask? Walk into both places and let them know you are planning on buying a bike and that both shops have it listed at the same price. One of the shops will make you a better deal to close the sale, or maybe they'll throw in those lights you want.

You could probably find the bike or something similar online for a better price, but there is definitely something to be said for buying locally. Since you are looking for a beginner's forum I'll go ahead and assume you probably won't be able to work on your own bike when it needs repairs, and this is when building rapport with a bike shop comes in handy.

I don't know about the specifics of the warranties you were offered but my instincts would tell me it's probably a ploy to squeeze a little more money out of you...but maybe I just like taking risks.
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Old 10-10-11, 01:56 AM
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vuduchyld5
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MY LBS is very prone to giving good deals and they are mainly retailers of Trek. Yes- they can negotiate.
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Old 10-10-11, 02:18 AM
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My colleague recent bought that exact bike from one of the shops here for $720, 10% discount, during a holiday sale. I'd wager there is definitely room for negotiation.

As for accessories, you may need a lock if you don't already have one. A u-lock is highly recommended. Whether or not you decide on a helmet is up to you, but if you buy one at the same time as your bike, you may get some kind of discount on it. Some people choose to get Pitlock or Pinhead locks to secure their wheels and possibly their saddles in place of QR skewers. Racks, fenders, and kick stands could also be considerations.

Reflective velcro probably isn't going to stick to your backpack unless for some reason you have one side of the velcro material attached to your bag.

Originally Posted by Trek website
An important note about our dealers: Trek Bicycle Corporation does not authorize our retailers to sell new or used Trek product over the Internet or by mail order. Delivery should only be made to you at an authorized Trek retail location. This is for your safety. We want to make sure that your bicycle is properly assembled, properly adjusted, and is the right size for you. We also want to make sure that you receive your owner\'s manual and consumer literature. Your Dealer will also explain how to properly use your bike and answer any questions or concerns you might have.
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Old 10-10-11, 07:35 AM
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tech365commuter
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I registered to answer this question. (I work at a Trek shop)

1) Each shop is different on negotiating. It really depends on the owner. However, most of the shops I have went to, including the one that I work at tend to have the price as marked on the sticker/tag, be the final price. What is often negotiable is the accessories that you can get put on the bike. IE what they will throw in. Some will throw in more than others. NOTE during FALL this isnt always the case as shops are trying to get rid of last years merchandise. Oh and sales, yes bikes will be on sale during sales. (no brainer) One man's experience.

2) Oh, I'm sure you CAN buy it online for cheaper. Most likely someone is selling it online for cheaper... BUT then you have to pay for shipping, which may cancel the deal. BUT more importantly if you buy it online you completely lose out on any service that may come with your purchase of your local bike shop. IMHO one of the best reasons to buy a bike local is that they are going to offer you some type of maintenance plan. My shop for instance offers free adjustments for a year as well as a discount on all accessories for a year. You buy online your SOL.

3) Commuting accessories are easy, in order of importance:

1) Helmet (if you ride in traffic),
2) Lock (unless you plan on taking your bike inside all the time)
3) Lights (if you ride at dusk/night, Fenders (if you commute in the rain), Rack and Bags/Milk crate (unless you want to backpack it and be sweaty when you get to work)
4) bottle cage, bottle, possibly kickstand for those who need it.

4) What type of warranties are you talking, about like service plans? If so then it depends on how mechanically inclined/lazy you are. If they are offering you service for a year for X dollars, you need to consider how much bike maintenance you are able/will do on your own. If your skilled and can do it all yourself (unlikely for most people out there) then ignore them, but most people could benefit from having some type of service plan for a year or two if you ask me.

NOTE: im not saying that a person shouldnt learn how to fix their own flat. MORE what I am saying is from my experience with many of us here in the USA, we are too lazy to do so. (not me, im not paying anyone to fix my flat, but I do occasionally have the wrenches adjust my gears, for them its 5 mins for me its more like 45 mins)
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Old 10-10-11, 10:36 AM
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BridgeNotTunnel
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I bought my bike from my lbs and it came with two years free maintenance included.

It has been just over a year and well over two thousand miles with this bike and I've only ever had to pay for parts.

This past weekend they kept my bike overnight and took apart and cleaned the entire drive train and adjusted the gears without charging me a dime (I left a couple dollars for a tip).
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Old 10-10-11, 12:57 PM
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The LBS, here, sells Trek . 6 months free service after the sale.
multiple issues if they come up...

NB: 011 season is past, now is the time for unsold bikes to be discounted.

bike distributors give out population based sales territories , so in a rural county

in another town he sells Specialized.

bikes lines are a debt the shop has to pay off, to stock them ,
so you need to have a lot of sales to afford to carry parallel brand lines.

tipping a service job like bike mechanics is a good thing.

its not as well paid a job, as Mr Goodwrench at the Chevy dealer.

Last edited by fietsbob; 10-10-11 at 03:54 PM.
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Old 10-10-11, 01:54 PM
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jsdavis
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Originally Posted by tech365commuter

3) Commuting accessories are easy, in order of importance:

1) Helmet (if you ride in traffic),
2) Lock (unless you plan on taking your bike inside all the time)
3) Lights (if you ride at dusk/night, Fenders (if you commute in the rain), Rack and Bags/Milk crate (unless you want to backpack it and be sweaty when you get to work)
4) bottle cage, bottle, possibly kickstand for those who need it.
I find that lights can be helpful even during daylight. I ride in strictly urban environments meaning I'm constantly transitioning between light and shadow. During the commute times shadows are very long even if it's 2 hours prior or after sunrise or sunset. Reflective or neon clothing are not necessarily useful when riding through large shadows; only lights really stand out.

Since the cost of energy is negligible, and at the risk of being Fred, I run my front and rear blinkies during my commute because of the shadows resulting from said urban environment. I think the cost is something like 1/20 of a penny to recharge the batteries to operate my lights for a week. Since I've already paid for my lights, rechargeable batteries, and charger, 1/20 of one cent is negligible cost.

I charge my batteries religiously every Sunday so that there is never any doubt on whether or not I have a fresh charge. I bought one of those fancy chargers several years back. According to the display, I'm putting some 300-400 mAH into each of my AAA cells every week which is nearly half the charge that the battery can hold and I'm running the light only for about 7 or 8 hours a week. For reference, the light is a Portland Dangerzone.
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