hao

While I was test riding, the thought of crashing and having to return to the shop with a banged up bike came up more than once. Has anyone ever done that? What does a shop usually do when that happens?

Darth_Firebolt

shop guys can usually tell when someone doesn't need to be test riding a bike. if they feel uncomfortable, they might ask if the person knows how to ride. some shops have a "if bike is over $XXXX, you must leave credit card & drivers license info with store for test ride" policy.

rusted_rider

That is what insurance is for?? Lbs gotta have insurance

roccobike

Of course its' happened. But no way it's ever happened to me.

tortugaflats

haven't heard of anyone here crashing but test rides at one shop in in a busy parking lot and you would think for liability they would insist on wearing a helmet

kudude

remember reading about a woman who broke the fork on a Madone during a test ride. As I recall, she paid for the full repair/replacement parts

scotch

no, but one time i didn't wave during a test ride.

Velo Gator

I saw a shop let a guy take out a fully loaded S-works in flip flops. That seems like a bad idea.

jdon

Yeah. 1985. Brand new Mercedes 300D on the lot in Vancouver. Dark rainy night and I just dropped off my boss to pick up his car that was in for service. My boss and the salesman were pushing me to take one for a test drive and I really didn't want to. I eventually gave in, started accelerating out of the lot and hit a curb I hadn't seen arriving. Car came crashing down and was stuck on the curb resting on the oil pan. I had to tell the salesman I wouldn't be buying it due to its new damage history. I never went back to that dealer.

On a bike, sure, all MTB though and crashing happens all the time.

Terex

So yes, there are probably people who crash bikes on test rides. Different equipment, inexperience, bad luck, etc., all factor in.

And then there's the time that Storck was doing demos and me and a couple of buddies decided to do a little "off roading" with some of the lightest bikes in the world...

mzeffex 

We do that all the time, even if it is $300.

A guy test rode a mountain bike for a while recently, like 1.5-2 hours, and brought it back banged up from a couple off road crashes. Nothing big, but you know, holes in the end of the grips and packed with dirt.

A bit of annoyance to say the least.

rat fink

There was a Cannondale test ride during the TOC here where we rode on Supersixes with a rider of Team Liquigas. One guy crashed a Supersix Hi-Mod with Red and didn't have to pay for it.

ciocc_cat

Hmmmm . . . an interesting strategy: put a scratch on the bike of your dreams so that you have to buy it even when your better half told you "no way". Works for me!

dbikingman

Or buy it in the scratch and dent bin, if there is such a thing.

eippo1

I had a kid in the shop a couple 'a summers ago with his dad to buy him a new bike. He seemed wicked spacey, but hey, he's with his dad so what the hell. So he went on a test ride w/ a Roubaix elite and we waited and waited and waited. Then one of my coworkers came by to inform me that we were taking a walk because the police just called regarding a test ride. Turns out the kid decided that stop signs were optional and got t-boned by a car. He was fine, but there was a nice longitudinal crack going down most of the seattube, which he maintained was cosmetic. I'm not sure of the final details, but I think Dad ended up buying 2 bikes for his son.

as a side note, the cop gave me a ride back in the front seat with the lights on and the siren going. so worth it for just that.

collegeskier

I tipped a bike over when test riding. Came right up to the door of the bike shop came to a stop and the bike had toe clips and sure enough the next thing you know I am laying down. No damage felt like an idiot though.

Seattle Forrest

All the shops I've ever been to have that policy, and XXXX = 0.00! I read about someone who stole a multi-thousand dollar bike on a test ride with no ID or anything, but left a cup of coffee behind, and was tracked down thanks to his finger prints.

hao

Wow. My shop didn't even ask for ID, let alone credit card.

hao

How do you sell that bike then? Or is that a dedicated demo bike.

dnuzzomueller

Whenever I test ride at my local shop and try to give them wallet/license they just laugh and say "We know where you live". Which is true.

StanSeven

One shop even told me I needed a long time for a test ride and suggested I keep the bike over a three day weekend. Another place offered me warm clothes so I could have a nice long test ride. Neither asked for IDs and they were high end bikes

rushbikes

Haha! It's only funny cause it's true. I test rode a Felt TT bike in flip flops. Fortunately I'm fairly adept at flip flop riding...

Megiddo

Makes me think of the Office episode "The Sting".

Watch the first few minutes... very hard to watch (but funny):
https://www.hulu.com/watch/184789/the-office-the-sting

mwbarker

I crashed while test riding a 2010 Felt Z85 this summer. The shop owner directed me up an ascending side road and I caught a patch of sand or gravel on the descent when I took too wide of a line into a left-hand bend. According to a witness (I have no memory of the moment) the bike skidded and lost the pavement, front wheel went sideways, and I went shoulder and head-first into the embankment on the outside of the curve. Happened in a flash. Got a nice concussion, cracked a rib, and broke my left collarbone about an inch from the shoulder joint. EMTs took me for an ambulance ride and a couple police officers returned the bike to the shop. While I was pretty banged up (not to mention embarrassed), the bike came through with only a scuffed brake lever. The shop owner called my cell phone to check on me at the ER, and said not to worry about it—his only concern was that I was OK. Now, if I had destroyed the bike, his take understandably might have been different. As it is, I've ordered a 2011 Z85 from him and I'm not going to hardball him on the price. It's arrival in a couple weeks should coincide nicely with my return to the road.