Buying a new bike. Question.

[Boon 51]

I will be buying a new hybrid bike from the UK on our next visit in 3/4 weeks which will be a Specialized Comp.

So far I have found the bike at £800 in three shops..
Bike discount.
Cyclesurgery
Evancycles..

Now they all say that they will better the price of there competitors so how should I go about it getting a better deal..
Send all three an email and ask them directly what is there best price, ask what they will give me as a gift for buying from there shop.
How do you get a better deal if they are all charging the same price?

Any tips.

 

[Cubist]

You could get a phone with conference facility and ring them all at once....?

 

[Mo1959]

Do you mean the Specialized Sirrus Comp? It seems to have been £800 everywhere for ages so I think you may struggle to find anywhere cheaper to use to price match. Best you can hope for is to keep checking and maybe find one that is including some accessories. I know you won't want to wait, but later in the year as soon as the new models come in is when you seem to find the good deals. For example my Vita Elite started off at £600 but got a 2012 model for £449.

 

[Boon 51]

You could get a phone with conference facility and ring them all at once....?

Glad you here as you might be able to help?

Do Cube do a hybrid triple with a 11/34 or 11-36 cassette.. just as another bike to make a wider choice from.
Not the crosstrail type though..

 

[Boon 51]

Do you mean the Specialized Sirrus Comp? It seems to have been £800 everywhere for ages so I think you may struggle to find anywhere cheaper to use to price match. Best you can hope for is to keep checking and maybe find one that is including some accessories. I know you won't want to wait, but later in the year as soon as the new models come in is when you seem to find the good deals. For example my Vita Elite started off at £600 but got a 2012 model for £449.

Free goodies would be helpful..

 

[vickster]

Specialized in the UK are very strict with their pricing and discounting, hence the prices tend to be the same everywhere until the new models are released and reductions are permitted

Why not try a smaller retailer who may be more inclined to provide some discounted extras unlike the large chains?

Are bikes much more expensive in Spain hence buying here? Even with sterling on the slide?

Cannondale have a range of fast flat bars, as do Ridgeback. Any of those have the gearing you require?

 

[Cubist]

Glad you here as you might be able to help?

Do Cube do a hybrid triple with a 11/34 or 11-36 cassette.. just as another bike to make a wider choice from.
Not the crosstrail type though..

Do you mean more of a flat bar road bike than one with suspension fork? Yep, there's the SL Cross range. JEJAmes, Leisurelakes, Tweeks, Most likely to be 2x10 though.

 

[Boon 51]

Specialized in the UK are very strict with their pricing and discounting, hence the prices tend to be the same everywhere until the new models are released and reductions are permitted

Why not try a smaller retailer who may be more inclined to provide some discounted extras unlike the large chains?

Are bikes much more expensive in Spain hence buying here? Even with sterling on the slide?

Cannondale have a range of fast flat bars, as do Ridgeback. Any of those have the gearing you require?

Bit of an odd answer to give you but here goes..

I got my first road bike which was a Giant TCR 1 from a shop in Granada only because it was near-ish to me but it was the same price even at the exchange rate as a UK bike, the problem came after I got the bike as I tried to contact them, I tried mobile and landline phones but got no answer, I tried email but again no answer so I gave up on them as I couldn't get into contact with them.

The second bike I got was Trek Elite 8.5 mtb which was loads cheaper here than in the UK. Evanscycles wanted £1000 and I paid 820€ (which at the time was £650) from Trek Malaga so I was well pleased. I did try Trek again for there Trek 7.6 FX but they dont stock it..which seems a bit odd.

Now there are specialist stockists in Spain but none close to me and none that sell the bikes cheap.. so I'm looking at getting a bike from the UK as we come and go by car and I could bring one back easily.

I have looked at Cannondale and would love one of there bikes, I dont know much about Ridgeback but I cant see any with lower gearing..
Loads of crosstrail thingies but thats not want I want..

When I was getting my first bike I wanted either a Specialized or Cannondale but that never happened, now the only two hybrid road bikes I can find are the Specialized Comp or the Trek 7.6FX with 50 or 48/ 34 front and an 11-36 rear cassette.. the down side with the Trek is its a £100 dearer then the Comp..

Hope that makes sense?

 

[Boon 51]

Do you mean more of a flat bar road bike than one with suspension fork? Yep, there's the SL Cross range. JEJAmes, Leisurelakes, Tweeks, Most likely to be 2x10 though.

Flat bar triple with 46/36/26 front and 11/36 cassette or a 2x10 with 48/34 and a 11/36 rear cassette but not with the suspension..

Cheers

 

[Arsen Gere]

Specialized in the UK are very strict with their pricing and discounting, hence the prices tend to be the same everywhere until the new models are released and reductions are permitted

Interesting, I think this is illegal https://www.gov.uk/competition-law-unfair-pricing-agreements I'm no expert on this though.

 

[vickster]

Only what I have heard, certainly cannot comment on any legalities! I believe there is one distributor to the dealer network in the UK

 

[Boon 51]

Interesting, I think this is illegal https://www.gov.uk/competition-law-unfair-pricing-agreements I'm no expert on this though.

If I remember rightly Volvo cars were in trouble for doing the same pricing fixing thing a few years back.

 

[Boon 51]

Was thinking about this subject at work this morning and I might send the one's mentioned a cheeky email and say..
There are several firms that are offering the Comp at £800 why should I buy it from you and what can you offer me that they aren't.
The worst they can do is not reply..

 

[Boon 51]

Updates..

I did send an email to ask about a gift for buying a new bike and the reply was no we don't do that so the price stated is the price I will have to pay.. fair enough but a hint of price fixing my be true as all the bike shops are selling the bike at the same price.

Had a phone call from Trek Malaga and they have located a Trek 7.6 FX and it will be in there showroom on the 20th of this month for me to have a look at, so well done them.. Plus over here the Trek is cheaper than in the UK so that makes the Trek a tad cheaper than the Comp.
So its a Trek 7.6 FX v Specialized Comp in the end.

Question.. The Comp comes with 700- 28cc tyres .. would 25 cc tyres be safe to fit?

 

[musa]

Yes