The R3V Bicycle Thread

[quikveedb2]

While I completely agree, you'd be surprised the ridiculous markup that shops charge on top, especially nick nack parts and not complete bikes.

i work at a shop, i'm well aware of the markup. it's pretty standard across the industry. prices are low on internet parts joints because they don't have to pay experienced, qualified people to be able to install & maintain the stuff they sell.

Because of this most bike stores don't even stock high end mountain bikes anymore.

hm, we have a lot of high end bikes on our floor, including an air nine carbon, more than a few madone 6.9's, a speed concept 9.9, and several moots...

Let me ask you this. Do you buy all your parts at the dealership or do you shop online for your E30 parts?

that's not a real great analogy. do you understand the difference between a bmw dealership & a privately owned european car specialist? an lbs is the bike equivalent of the specialist, while the dealership is a performance bike franchise. and if i can choose between the dealership & a privately owned parts dealer, i try to support local business.

[santiago]

that's not a real great analogy. do you understand the difference between a bmw dealership & a privately owned european car specialist? an lbs is the bike equivalent of the specialist, while the dealership is a performance bike franchise. and if i can choose between the dealership & a privately owned parts dealer, i try to support local business.

My local BMW dealership is privately owned. They sell BMW OE parts that I can buy online for much cheaper. The parts are the same, but the online source is cheaper. I pick and choose what I buy local and online. I know that I am trading time for money when I buy online.

Maybe you didn't catch what I wrote above but I think the bike shops are getting screwed by the middlemen. It's the Walmart phenomenon all over again. People flock to the low prices and it's the guys who sell these items for so cheap to the discount online place that are screwing the bike shops.

JensonUSA sells somewhere between $2-5million per year. They aren't getting that from charity , they're getting that from people who are willing to buy from them much the same way that people buy from BMA or Pelican.

[e34john]

Let me ask you this. Do you buy all your parts at the dealership or do you shop online for your E30 parts?

No I don't but the dealer doesn't install it for me free or walk me through the install and make sure its working right and that I know what I am doing. They also don't loan me tools that I may need or even put me on an interest free payment plan. Thats also why I don't shop at the chain owned bike stores.

[santiago]

No I don't but the dealer doesn't install it for me free or walk me through the install and make sure its working right and that I know what I am doing. They also don't loan me tools that I may need or even put me on an interest free payment plan. Thats also why I don't shop at the chain owned bike stores.

There are plenty of people that are happy to pay the big buck for parts and service at the dealership, too.

Look, there's nothing wrong with supporting your LBS especially if you feel you get value from spending your money there. I do the same. You can't deny that there's a market for discount parts, whether they are bike or car parts. All I'm saying is that it's a shame bike shops can't benefit from better pricing.

[e34john]

hm, we have a lot of high end bikes on our floor, including an air nine carbon, more than a few madone 6.9's, a speed concept 9.9, and several moots...

You guys must be a pretty big store? I don't work in or own a store but I'm guessing it is easier to sell a 6,000 road or tri bike than it is to sell a mountain bike for that much money. Atleast here where most trails are about half an hour away while we can ride roadies year round. But everywhere I go the most expensive mountainbike will be 3,500 maybe and they will have one and the rest will be around the 1K to$1,500 mark. While I can go anywhere to find high end carbon or Ti bikes with Di2 or Super Records. I can't find the really cool stuff though like the Wiliers, Pinarello, Times or Storcks, even though I see people riding them. Not the Storcks though, but thats what I really want.

[MikeDE]

^
You don't want a Focus?

Ya know anything about these??

They only make 3 29ers.....soooo i'd rather go with a GF or Cannondale if that's the case.

http://www.focus-bikes.com/de/en_us/bikes/bikes-2011/category/mtb-hardtail-7/subcategory/29r-1/model/redskin-20-2.html

[e34john]

Ya know anything about these??

They only make 3 29ers.....soooo i'd rather go with a GF or Cannondale if that's the case.

http://www.focus-bikes.com/de/en_us/...skin-20-2.html

Never seen any of their MTN stuff. Only a few roadbikes and a tri bike. Their stuff looks cool other than that I don't know too much about them. I just figured it would be a domestic product for your location.

[MikeDE]

^ They have a vew nicely equipped 26ers in the lbs but it's not what i'm looking for.

[e30sd]

just came back from interbike. saw a lot of doodads, but this new company Ritte Van Vlaanderen excited me. decided to pull the trigger and jumped on the show special price on the bosberg.

right now im leaning towards the black but the white is nagging me.





also got a closeout deal on a 2010 chorus gruppo. now i just need some wheels.

[fryerfighter94]

just came back from interbike. saw a lot of doodads, but this new company Ritte Van Vlaanderen excited me. decided to pull the trigger and jumped on the show special price on the bosberg.

right now im leaning towards the black but the white is nagging me.





also got a closeout deal on a 2010 chorus gruppo. now i just need some wheels.

holy fucking sex. that with chorus and some zipp 404's and id be jizzing every time id go riding...

Ive been thinking about getting a cheap fixie/singlespeed to ride to and from school when waterpolo season ends in a few weeks, just because I dont want to ride my roadie and learn how to be a fixie kid haha. found this pretty cheap for 200, http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/1976515835.html old peugot with flip flop hub (huge plus for me). Advice?

[5spoke]

holy fucking sex. that with chorus and some zipp 404's and id be jizzing every time id go riding...

Ive been thinking about getting a cheap fixie/singlespeed to ride to and from school when waterpolo season ends in a few weeks, just because I dont want to ride my roadie and learn how to be a fixie kid haha. found this pretty cheap for 200, http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/1976515835.html old peugot with flip flop hub (huge plus for me). Advice?

I have a windsor clockwork and it has a flip flop hub. Not too pricey and I am impressed with the quality so far.


Check them out. The orange color is the one I have and its pretty sexy in person.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/clockwork.htm

[santiago]

Someone here is selling a converted Peugeot with a flip-flop hub that looks really nice. It's a 54cm, though.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=181608

[fryerfighter94]

Someone here is selling a converted Peugeot with a flip-flop hub that looks really nice. It's a 54cm, though.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=181608

Hmmm it looks awesome but i dont have that kind of cash right now.

[quikveedb2]

just came back from interbike. saw a lot of doodads, but this new company Ritte Van Vlaanderen excited me. decided to pull the trigger and jumped on the show special price on the bosberg.

can you say why it was this company that interested you? i'm just curious since there's so many companies to choose from these days. a couple of my co-workers were there too, and said they didn't see much that notable.

[NOMAD]

Anyone racing Cyclocross this season? It'll be my first season but have been looking forward to it since last season.
I've built up an older Redline Conquest Team with full Ultegra and some strong open pro wheels.