Buying a bike - another thread!!

[rockgod]

I am looking at purchasing my first road bike.. I have a maximum of $1,000 to spend..

After visiting the bike shops I have found a couple in my price range..

My biggest concern is that due to the frame size i require (either large or x-large) none of the bike shops have the bikes in stock for me to try

So now i am stuck between a rock and a hard place.. All of the threads about buying a bike suggest that you should test ride the bike before buying it..

Problem is I can't do that.. Whichever bike I buy the shop is going to order it in and apparently 194cm tall guys just don't come in everyday wanting to buy a basic road bike and therefore they may be stuck with a bike they can't sell. To be honest I think this is reasonable considering I live in a smallish town

Do you think its reasonable to buy a bike without having a test ride first.. ie what can be that wrong with a bike that after a test ride you just say no its shite.. I am thinking that anything will be a major upgrade from my $400 mtb

The bike I am considering looking at is the Malvern Star Capo Sport.

I am looking at this one as the bike shop that sells it was the most helpful and most interested in helping me find a bike. Its not the cheapest in my price range, but I beleive service counts for alot and being my first road bike I wanted someone who I think would be able to support me and help me along the way..

The option of going to another bike shop doesn't exist...

[jasimon]

Ride the largest size they have to get some basic feel. And if you are still happy, see if you can pre-agree some attractive arrangement (free swaps or differential cost swaps) for swapping bits to make it fit you well. (Bike shops often do this anyway, but in your circumstances it is probably more important.)

[rockgod]

Just a quick update..

Just had a phone call from the bike shop.. They rang to let me know Malvern Star don't have any of the Capo Sport frames in my size and there could be a wait.

They did however find a Cheetah ????? bike in my size that they are willing to part with for about $700..

Anyone know anything about Cheetah??? Its only got the Shimano 2200 set though and is 16 speed..

[bracko]

i would be more interested in getting a better groupset and not having a trial ride, then a worse groupset now.

also, i bought my full sora groupset for $800.

[rockgod]

also, i bought my full sora groupset for $800.

What did you buy and when did you buy it?

Bike prices have risen twice in about as many months. So if you paid $800 three months ago chances are it will now cost about $1,050 assuming two 15% price increases!!

[bracko]

Bike barn in parramatta, but the bike is a house brand, which isn't a problem for me as i intend to ride it into the ground and replace it in 12-18 months....

i could understand a 3-5% price increase due to CPI, another 3-5% on new models and a 12.5% increase due to the nose dive our $$ has taken, but 30% in 3 months... i think someone is having a lend of you.

Cell bikes also haven't increased their prices that much... most places when i was buying my bike were threatening a 20% increase, although after the "drop dead date to put a 50%+ deposit on the bike" had passed, 2 were keen to hold price, one tried to argue the price increase on a bike that was instock, the last (Cell) had run out of 2008 stock.

[m@]

Actually, Cell's prices increased by ~15% for 2009 models (eg Team went from $1200 to $1400) and they state herethat:

industry wide bike prices are going up (yes, even us) 30% on the next shipment of bikes due to the U.S. Dollar.