Lidl Racing Bike from 16th Dec

[andy_wrx]

It does indeed date from 2009
See https://www.cyclechat.net/

At the time though it was £749...

I said at the time

Now in the UK : £749
http://www.lidl.co.u...Racing_Bike.ar1
(NB you may or may not see it as it looks like it's only in certain UK regions, so it may depend what your store is set to...)

In Northern Ireland again at £799/Republic €899
http://www.lidl.ie/I...oad_Racing_Bike

Full Ultegra triple groupo, including chainset, brakes, etc - no dliution with Tektro or FSA or 105 bits
RS10 wheels
PDR-540 pedals
Selle Italia saddle
Alu frame, carbon fork

Branded as 'Stratos', whatever that means it is underneath...
(that downtube is quite distinctive - looks like this http://www.chainreac...x?ModelID=26893, where Brand-X is CRC's own brand : presumably it's a Taiwanese frame from Merida or someone)

Buy in store, home delivery : so essentially you're buying a bike unseen just like you would on the internet and have to assemble it yourself at home and adjust the gears, etc, plus you won't get a bike-fit and won't have the back-up as if you bought it in your LBS.

I'd be tempted if I were in the market for an alu bike and had that sort of budget to spend, but I wonder who exactly will buy one ?
- the sort of person who does their weekly grocery shop in Lidl isn't going to want to spend £750
- most bike enthusiasts won't want a Lidl-brand bike
- many newbies will be put-off by the home-assembly bit

So it looks like it's exactly the same spec and I do wonder if it's some left-over unsold stock from back then ?

The advert is a lie and I'm sure Trading Standards wouldn't be too impressed
"the very latest components from Shimano"
- what, Ultegra 6600 ? How long have we had 6700 now ?

I do note that, unlike the original advert, now no mention of 'home assembly required'
- now if that actually meant putting the front wheel in and twisting the handlebars straight, not any issue
- but if it did mean that you got a box of bits it would have been a different thing entirely

Either way though, you're not buying from a LBS, so you're not getting a bikefit, you won't be able to take it back for adjustments and service, etc
- but at that price, just take it into your LBS and get them to do it for £25 !