Ami K

I am looking to buy a carbon bike (didnt decide on brand yet), probably in the $2500-$4000 range.
does anyone know any reliable websites (not e-Bay!!) that sell such bikes on line, or is it always done via bike shops?

fmw

Bikes in that price range are normally sold in shops. Most of the major manufacturers ban dealers from selling bikes on line but they seem to look the other way during model year changes. Since that is going on right now, you can probably find some great deals on 2005 closeouts. You can either buy on Ebay from a shop that is clearing products there or call one directly to see what frame sizes they have available. A good way to find dealer websites and/or phone numbers is to go to the site of the manufacturer you like and look at their dealer listings, which are usually on the site. Since you want to mail order, the location of the dealer won't be an issue. You can shop for frame sizes or details right on the phone. Your budget will allow you to get a terrific ride. Good luck.

Ostuni

at the low end of your range you can buy one of these.

or, at the high end of your range, you can get two of these!

EURO

Ami - there are tons of bike stores online, many of whom will give you a much lower price than a local shop. The best thing to do is decide which bikes you are interested in, and then do a search on google for that model. You'll probably find a bunch of stores that carry the bike.

For instance, put 'Giant TCR Composite' into Google and see what you can find.

Sawtooth

I don't know if anyone knows anything about these guys, but they look sexy.
https://www.leopardcycles.com/

Ostuni

sexy and HEAVY? the site says to use 80-lbs to calculate your shipping!

leopard shipping info.

frischtr

www.racycles.com

Cycling Giraffe

There are a number of sites. I've got nothing but praise for my various shopping experiences with Competitive Cyclist, www.competitivecyclist.com. They have a number of sales going on, so, provided that you fit what is left, you could do pretty well -- for example, currently they have the Colnago E1 in size 48 sloping, built with Campy Chorus for about $3,800. Or, you could get an Opera Leonardo with the same build kit for $3,900. Or, you could get a Look 555 (with the sweet HSC5 fork) with full Campy Record for about $3,950 -- obviously less with Chorus or Centaur. Have never had a problem with Competitive, they have always responded to inquiries (whether by phone or email) promptly, and courteously, and just seem to be all-around good guys in my experience. Even my wife was impressed with their customer service and gave me the green light on further purchases there, even though their everyday prices might not be the lowest on the web. I think that if you're putting down several grand, you want to be assured that you get what you need (ok, want) and you get impeccable service, too.

Wrench Science also has a fairly good rep., but I have not dealt with them, and Colorado Cyclist sells the Ridley bikes, if you're so inclined.

trayer350

excelsports.com is very good.

Ritterview

I bought my Campy Eurus wheels from this site. You deal directly with the owner, who is very knowledgable about the high end Italian stuff he sells.

https://www.repartocorse.com/

EricDJ

Its the shipper. I was looking to ship a bike when i sold it on ebay, It was recommended that I enter that weight too.

However since i did it all online, when I shipped it, I did the real weight and they charged that and never recharged my card more.

motomickey

I too, totally recommend Competitve Cylist. I just had them build my latest mountain bike, and they are fantastic at their assembly and shipping. They do the little stuff that makes you really appreciate the way they build the bike. And they make sure you are happy with the bike. Hap and the gang there are awesome!! You may find a place that is cheaper-but you won't find one that is better or that you can trust better than them.

merlinextraligh

Ami,
I would think hard about buying a bike on line. If you're an experienced rider, know exactly what you need fit wise, have the opportunity to ride the bike you're going to buy (like if a friend or someone in your club has one), and do all, or at least most, of your own maintenence, then buying a bike on line may be for you. If you don't meet all of those criteria, you may be a lot happier working through a good local bike shop.

$4,000 is a lot to spend on a bike you haven't ridden. Also, you'll spend money dialing in the fit, if it doesn't fit right the first time (such as new stems, seats, that a good lbs will swap out free). And personally, I'd be very reluctant to take an internet purchased bike to my lbs and expect them to work on it. They will, but you may be at the back of the line.
I buy stuff on line from time to time, but I also give a lot of business to my LBS. If I need something worked on, they usually do it right then, and often for free, if its a quick fix. There's a value in having that sort of relationship.

strider

Ditto! Bought my bike here after email exchanges and telephone conversations with the owner.

CastIron

Personally, I might buy a frame if it were deeply discounted and fit/build it locally. But dropping that kind of coin on a whole bike I gotta say I wan't someone's throat to wrap my fingers around if something goes bad. At that level I'll willingly pay for some decent human interaction. Even so, I can spend quite a while on the Wrench Science builder.

Lucky07

I'd say if you're fully qualified to wrench your bike, look for deals online. But if you're dropping 2-4k on a bike, research the model you want, search for a local bike shops that carry that model, and buy it at the shop you like best. The shop will likely treat you like royalty if you're dropping 2k+. And they'll provide fitting, free tune ups discounts on accessories, etc.

It's not always easy to find a shop you like, but for high end bikes, you're going to want someone to tweak your bike whenever there is a problem. You might save money online, but you'll never get hands on service.

I've bought from shops I didn't love and as a result, bought bikes online. I wouldn't do either again.

Ritterview

Tell us about your Olmo, and how you selected it over the other fine Italian framesets at Reparto Corsi?

strider

At the outset, I looked for a steel frame. Tried Gunnar, Masi and Lemond and researched Italian frames e.g. Moser. DeRosa, Casati, Torelli etc. Many exceeded my budget and in others, the geometry was a consideration. Ciocc, Coppi, Carrera and Olmo made the final list, After discussions via email and telephone with the Reparto Corse owner on my weight, intended use, and steel tubing as it related to those factors. Narrowed the selection to Ciocc and Olmo and settled on the Olmo.

Like the buttery smoothness of the ride, acceleration to speed and stiffness. It's very responsive to the slightest input be that weight shift or handle bar pressure. Required some concentration to become familiar with the bikes handling characteristics. But, I am very pleased with the Olmo outfitted with Campy Centaur group and Zonda wheelset. In my view, it's comparable to a DeRosa Corum or Casati Laser or similar bikes at a lesser price. Great value for the money.

Nachoman

I bought my wife a bike from Colorado Cyclist. The only thing is that we spent ALOT of time correctly measuring her, and seeing how she fit on different size bikes. She loves her Douglas Percisions Ti!