|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
Hi,
I was hoping someone here could give me some advice. I've been biking for a little while, and am ready to buy my first new bike. I spent much of last summer on two used bikes: a Cannondale R400, 48 cm, for racing and a Schwinn beater, for commuting. I'm not sure of the size - but it was much bigger. Probably 54 or 56 cm. I also rode a Trek 1200 (2003) when I was on vacation. I think it was a 52 or 54 cm. I liked it alot. But I didn't buy one, because I wanted to get rid of my other bikes first. I finally got rid of my other bikes this week. I went to my LBS, and unsurprisingly, there was only one Trek 1200 (2003). The salesman told me it was too big. It was a 54 cm. There were Trek 1200 2004s, though. I'm thinking of buying a 2004, but I had my heart set on a 2003. The LBS doesn't have a great reputation on usenet (it's the Metro Cycles on 96th & Broadway) but I liked the salesman I talked to. He could have just sold me the 2003 if he wanted to. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do. I'd really like a new bike that's well-fitted for me. I also need a bike I can commute and race on... I'm reluctant to buy two different bikes. Do you think having one bike is a good idea? If I get a new one, I'll be sure to tape it up. I'm thinking of buying the 2004, but my heart was set on the 2003. I could hold out to see if I could find one, either locally or have it shipped to me. I'm sure the 2004 is probably better than the 2003 anyway... is that right? And it would be nice to patronize a LBS. Or, now that I know my size, I could just parse ebay and save some money and buy a used 52 cm of some other kind... What a mess, huh? Thoughts? Thanks! Andrew |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
Thanks for your reply! Alas, yes, there were no such bikes in the
whole Metro bikes system... Don Wiss wrote in message . .. On 19 Apr 2004 17:12:46 -0700, (ac) wrote: I finally got rid of my other bikes this week. I went to my LBS, and unsurprisingly, there was only one Trek 1200 (2003). The salesman told me it was too big. It was a 54 cm. There were Trek 1200 2004s, though. I'm thinking of buying a 2004, but I had my heart set on a 2003. The LBS doesn't have a great reputation on usenet (it's the Metro Cycles on 96th & Broadway) but I liked the salesman I talked to. He could have just sold me the 2003 if he wanted to. There are a bunch of Metro's in NYC. Didn't the fellow check the inventory of the other shops? One could then be brought to that shop so he could sell it to you. Don donwiss at panix.com. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
"ac" wrote in message
om... Hi, snip Andrew IMVAIO, Look for a 2003 Marin Argenta (not necessarily mail order, a bike shop may also have them). http://gallery.bcentral.com/Gallery/...38672&PID=1897 930&page=1&sortOrder=0 For $700 you're getting a much better bicycle than the Trek 1200. Chromolloy frame and threaded headset. Still has Tiagra component set. BTW, you are NOT right in terms of the 2004 necessarily being better than a 2003, in fact the opposite is usually the case. The manufacturers often choose to decontent from year to year, rather than raising the price of a specific model. Rarely do they improve a model from year to year. New, higher end models are introduced as older models become lower end. Also, I think that it's a bad idea to have the same bike for commuting and racing. IMVAIO, the best option is to buy a Bianchi Brava for racing, and a BUB for commuting. You'll be spending about $900, but more wisely. http://momovelo.com/bub.html http://www.bianchiusa.com/brava.html The Bianchi Brava retails for $600, and I've seen it on sale for at little as $510 (this was during a 15% off sale at a local bike shop near me, and they were selling very briskly, but even at full retail it's a good deal). For more recommendations see http://nordicgroup.us/bikerec Steve http://nordicgroup.us/bikerec |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:28:19 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf"
wrote: The manufacturers often choose to decontent from year to year, rather than raising the price of a specific model. Decontent? Changing the components to a lower grade? Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on two wheels... |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
In article , curtis@md-
bicycling.org says... On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:28:19 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf" wrote: The manufacturers often choose to decontent from year to year, rather than raising the price of a specific model. Decontent? Changing the components to a lower grade? He means "discontinue" a model. -- Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the newsgroups if possible). |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:28:19 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf"
wrote: For $700 you're getting a much better bicycle than the Trek 1200. Chromolloy frame and threaded headset. Still has Tiagra component set. Still peddling the logic-free prejudiced retrogrouchery, I see. I don't know which of those is the better choice, but the reasons you present are terrible reasons to discourage somebody from one bike to another. Having more models as possibilities (not eliminating models for silly disproven prejudices) makes it more likely that somebody will find a bike that fits properly and makes them happy. -- Rick Onanian |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
The manufacturers often
choose to decontent from year to year, rather than raising the price of a specific model. Decontent? Changing the components to a lower grade? He means "discontinue" a model. No, I think he did mean that a manufacturer might change components to something less-expensive but keep the model name the same. However, from '03 to '04, most mid-priced road bikes improved spec *dramatically* for a given price point. Or, in some cases, simply dropped in price. The Trek 1200 previously mentioned now sells for $749; that's a $150-250 drop in price from the previous year, with the same components except for the frame (which moved from domestic production to China). I'd have loved to see the frame remain domestic, but at $749 with its component spec, it sells a heck of a lot better than at $999 with the same components but a bit nicer frame. At $999, you get the Trek 1500, which is a nicer bike (with a domestic frameset) than a $1300 model just two years ago. The point to all this is that sometimes a newer model is a better buy than the older one, even when the older one is on sale. This causes all manner of problems for a dealer stuck with older inventory! --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Advice Wanted: Bike Buyer in NYC
"Curtis L. Russell"
wrote in message . .. On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:28:19 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf" wrote: The manufacturers often choose to decontent from year to year, rather than raising the price of a specific model. Decontent? Changing the components to a lower grade? Yes, just as auto manufacturers do. It can be subtle changes, i.e. not changing to the next level down in component groups, but changing to lower cost frame, rims, seat posts, tires, seats, pedals, headsets, etc.. Sometimes it's a result of the country of origin of a major part, i.e. frame from China versus Taiwan, or the whole assembly moving from Taiwan to China. It's kind of amusing to have watched the progression of "good country of origin versus bad country of origin over the years. It started off with good=Italy, bad=Japan, then good=Japan, bad=Taiwan, now good=Taiwan, bad=China. They're running out of countries that are capable of doing manufacturing! Changing to lower end frame material is pretty common too. I was sad to see Jamis do this. Sometimes they do lower the price a little if the cost savings are large, though as in any business, prices are only loosely coupled to production costs. Steve Bicycle Recommendation Short List http://nordicgroup.us/bikerec |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
buying my first road bike | Tanya Quinn | General | 28 | June 17th 10 10:42 AM |
First Bike Advice | Marc Jennings | General | 3 | February 5th 04 03:19 PM |
need bike purchase advice... | Benjamin Snyder | General | 8 | November 21st 03 10:21 PM |
my new bike | Marian Rosenberg | General | 5 | October 19th 03 03:00 PM |
2nd-hand track bike - advice needed | hippy | General | 43 | September 16th 03 04:05 AM |