How built is a new bike coming from manufacturer/distributer ?

[Kbrook]

Hi I have bought bikes online from places such as Wiggle, where all I have to do is straighten bars, put pedals on etc. I now have an opportunity to purchase a Trek at a substantial discount. I know they don't deliver mail order but I am getting from a company who buy from Trek themselves. The bike will be in the same condition that a bike shop would get it in I imagine.

Can someone tell me what that condition is? Will it be built as per a mail order bike or a box of bits. One of the ones I am looking at has Di2 so don't want to be messing about with that too much. Thanks in advance.

 

[Roadrider48]

I think shops receive bikes just as you would(in a box).
But with things like di2 shifting, they really need to be set up by someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[Kbrook]

User, do you mean that the cables are routed I just might need to adjust derailleur tension etc? Sounds like a job I can do, may have to forget take to LBS to sort out the DI2 If i go down that route.Considering the 4.5 or 4.9 madone, its only the light blue of the 4.9 that I'm not sure about.

 

[Mo1959]

When I bought my Specialized Ruby, the shop managed to forget to set it up so it came as I presume it would have from the factory. Cables were just coiled up and not routed and was beyond me to fit up so I took it to my bike shop who assembled it for £30, that was a couple of years ago so, if you are making a decent saving, even if it was £50 to set one up now it might still be worth it?

 

[Kbrook]

Yes thanks Mo1959, will take a chance and worst case take it to the LBS.

 

[Acyclo]

Learn to do it yourself, it'll be quicker, and you'll be more confident about fixing problems in the future.

 

[lpretro1]

Its a bit of a cheek to buy a bike off one company and then take it to the LBS to put it together for you. Don't be surprised if they don't wish to accommodate you. The reason you are getting it cheap is because it's not all prepared and set-up for you - if you had bought locally that would have been already done and included in the cost. I also thought that Trek would not allow their bikes to be sent out in boxes as from a few years ago and they had to be collected from a Trek dealer?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I would be reluctant to trust any LBS with Di2 that does not have the diagnostic equipment. I have sorted out some serious Di2 balls ups from LBS's
Some just don't know how to install it correctly.

If your London bound I could assist with Di2