This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new article to Get Rich Slowly every two weeks.
I must begin this tale of consumer conflict — both internal and external — with four caveats:
- I’m on the other side of 40, gaining weight, out of shape, and from a family with a history of heart attacks.
- I’ve tried to ride my bike to work. However, I find a traditional bike very uncomfortable due to a bad back and neck, which might be from my high school days of playing football and running track (MVP twice, including a couple of decathlons — see decades-old photo at right) — or maybe I’m just throwing that in to prove that I wasn’t always a crotchety wimp.
- A colleague suggested I try a recumbent bike, which has a seat that’s more like a chair and thus not so rough on the bones.
- My wife encouraged me to get something good as an early birthday present.
As a result, I recently spent $2000 — two-thousand dollars! — on this Catrike Trail recumbent bike:
This isn’t Robert, but this is what his expensive bike looks like!
It almost pains me to write that I spent $2,000. Except for houses, cars, and kids, I’ve never spent so much money on a single item.
That likely amazes you. It’s certainly caused me to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat (no kidding). The last two cars I bought were used and cost less than $10,000, so I’m not one who usually splurges on transportation. (This morning, I cut my lawn with a reel mower—the kind you just push — that I pulled from the garbage yesterday.) But if you look at the prices of similar-quality recumbents—trikes or otherwise—you’ll see that this one is “budget-priced,” as Catrike says on its website.
Yes, I looked for used bikes on Craigslist and eBay (no luck, because these bikes are relatively rare and not mass-produced — they’re hand-assembled here in the U.S. of A.). Yes, I visited several stores and tried out several makes and models, some that were cheaper. And yes, I absolutely love this bike. It’s a blast to ride. So I bought it.
I rationalized this large purchase thusly:
- I’ll get more exercise, lose weight, feel better, and live longer. (That’s the kind of line journalists cite with irony in a news article headlined “Biker Run Over—Trucker Didn’t See Him Because the Grown Man Was On a Low, Bizarre-Looking Tricycle.”)
- I’ll keep this bike for a long time, both because I spent so much for it and because it’s well-made. I bought my previous bike in 1995 from a friend for $50, and I still use it to pull my kids in the chariot thingy that kids get to ride in. If I’ve kept a $50 bike this long, I expect that I’ll be buried with a $2,000 bike. (The news article will continue: “The widow had to order a custom-shaped coffin so the deceased could be buried with his tricycle. According to a family source, the deceased made this request because the bike was so expensive. Also, it was impossible to disentangle the two after the accident.”)
- I’ll save money on gas and less wear-and-tear on my car. (“To raise money for funeral expenses, the family is selling his possessions, including his car, on Craigslist and eBay.”)
- It’s so fun to ride! (“Witnesses say that the deceased died with a smile on his face.”)
If this article were following a classic dramatic structure — such as Freytag’s pyramid — we’ve gotten through the exposition. Now, on to the conflict.
Pricey Wasn’t Perfect
The day after I bought the bike, I rode it to work. It was a bit noisy, and a few times it shifted gears all by itself. I showed it to my bike-expert colleague at work (who, along with his wife, has several bikes, including two recumbent trikes), and he pointed out that the bike was damaged: a few scuffs and scratches, a chain too long for my height, and a bent rear derailleur (that thing the chain goes around before it gets to the gears on the wheel—mine rubbed up against the tire when in higher gears). While I was riding it around the office, the chain just fell off.
Now, I knew I was getting a demo bike. I was aware of the scuffs. The option was to take the demo, or have the shop order the bike, wait for it to get delivered, and drive back to the shop to get it (a 45- to 90-minute drive, depending on which of their two shops it was delivered to). Were I able to do it over again, that’s what I would have done.
But I didn’t. So I emailed the owner of the shop, explained the problems, and said I expected it to be fixed — or the bike replaced — plus something extra for trouble (either some money back or extra accessories). He offered to have it fixed it ASAP, but didn’t offer anything else.
I asked again about getting something in return for the problems, and he replied, “These things happen to us all. They happen to all bikes and trikes, some for twice as much, not that it’s easy when it does.”
And so I took the bike back to the shop. They worked on it and tested it for 90 minutes, and replaced the derailleur. Including travel time, the process took me three hours and a few gallons of gas.
I should note that, aside from this episode, the service at this shop was excellent. They’re friendly, informative, and they let my son and me try out all kinds of bikes. But I still feel like I got a sub-optimal deal, especially given the amount of money I spent. The bottom line, for me, was that I paid full price for what turned out to be a damaged bike, and I had to spend time to get it fixed.
Determine the Dénouement
So that’s the conflict. How should it be resolved? Or has it already?
If you were me, would you demand a discount or some additional accessories at this point? If you’re a bike expert, does this sound like a big deal to you, or just part of buying a bike? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll use your advice to decide what to do next, and report back on the resolution (if any).
And if you live in the Washington, D.C., area, please don’t run me over.
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You are the one who made two (or more) mistakes: paying full price for a demo model, and buying from a shop too far away.
But you did the big thing right, which was get a bike and start riding it. So given that the shop fixed the problems, enjoy your new bike and all the fresh (?) air!
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“Except for houses, cars, and kids, I’ve never spent so much money on a single item.”
I got stuck on this sentence in the article. Could that really be true? For someone of Robert’s age and socioeconomic status, I find that hard to believe! No piece of computer equipment, no furniture item, no appliance that cost at least $2,000? I recall that when laptop computers first came out, you had to spend well above $2,000 to get a “good” laptop by the standards of that time.
The bicycle purchase doesn’t strike me as being at all extravagent, especially if it is a substitute for a gym membership or a home treadmill. My biggest concern would be sharing the roads with not always alert drivers. Be safe!
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If I buy what I know to be a floor model or demo, I would not pay anywhere near full price. Second, I would demand a full inspection and reconditioning as part of the purchase agreement. Doesn’t matter if its a car, bike, or TV. Caveat emptor.
All bikes are somewhat fragile. I’ve owned road and mountain bikes for years. Over that time, I’ve learned to repair & tune them myself and saved lots of time and money.
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I’d have either negotiated a deal up front for the demo (but then taken care of the repairs myself afterward) or else waited for the new one. As it is I’d probably be satisfied with the repairs.
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Ha! I saw the title in my rss reader, and thought, “I bet that one’s by Robert Brokamp.”
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Julie, I’m 35 and I’ve never spent $2000 on ANYTHING except our house. My most expensive bike purchase was nearly $1000, and the last car I bought was $500 (it was old, and that was 15 years ago.)
We have furniture in our house that would have cost more than $2000 new, but we didn’t buy it new. (And my partner has a car, which cost more than $2000 by quite a bit, so if I had purchased it my list would be house, and the car, and that’s it.)
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Hilarious exposition Robert!
IMO, you’ve done just fine by this deal.
Keep in mind that the ideal buyer of this bike is one who test-drove it, had the derailleur adjusted or replaced right then and there before taking possession. This would have left everyone with a real “win-win” feeling, right?
I think that the bike shop treated you well, firstly with a great price and making the repair/replacement of derailleur.
Don’t worry… you weren’t ripped off or mistreated. You should be satisfied.
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How much more time do you have to invest in fighting for other incentives from the store? At this point, whatever the amount may be, it may cause you to resent the entire transaction.
As I re-call, the bike was meant to serve a higher purpose – better health, gas savings, and less wear and tear on your car, right?
Could it be that your fight is not necessarily with the store, but with the fact that you spent $2k on transportation vs. your conservative spending in the past?
This was an interesting read. In college, I shopped right after my exams week. I’d lived in the library a month or so prior to the exam date and shopping was my release – a sort of reinstatement process back into society. Of course I regretted buying the things I bought, but rather than return them, I’d keep them! Sometimes, I eventually gave them away. It was ingrained in my brain that returning things to a store was shameful, and the stores don’t make it easier – you have to have your receipt, have the same card you bought the items with, and at times, stand in long lines while buying customers walk by with a sneer. Then later, I learned the art of returning unwanted items when I met my husband. The shame I felt was gone and I began saving and buying things that were necessities and spending more time / research – waiting for discounts (extreme discounts – we all have our cap) – on luxury items.
So, how much more time do you have to invest in fighting for other incentives from the store? At this point, whatever the amount may be, it may cause you to resent the entire transaction.
As I re-call, the bike was meant to serve a higher purpose – better health, gas savings, and less wear and tear on your car, right?
Could it be that your fight is not necessarily with the store, but with the fact that you spent $2k on transportation vs. your conservative spending in the past?
Unless you want to spend more time quarrelling with the store about added discounts for the headache, then I’d suggest leaving things the way they are – enjoy the bike. If you choose to keep the bike the relationship you build now will play a huge role in terms of what discounts and considerations you’ll get for your continued patronage.
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Sunk cost.
Is marginal hassle of complaining > potential marginal benefit adjusted for probability of getting said benefit?
I don’t think so either. Also not good for your general health– watch that blood pressure.
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I liked this post. Robert, you were treated fairly by the bike shop. Move past it. Hop on that trike as often as you can and the smile will never leave your face when you ride it. For anyone who wants to learn about bike maintenance go to bicycletutor(dot)com. He shares some great info. and even if you don’t want to do the work you can at least appreciate what is involved in maintaining your ride. The decision I made to commute by bicycle years ago was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have more energy, I feel great and my wife compliments my muscular legs quite frequently.
Ride safe and have fun.
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Bike shops survive on thin margins. Sure, you paid $2000 for that bike, but the shop probably paid the manufacturer $1700 for it. He doesn’t turn much of a profit if he starts giving things away for free. You had every opportunity to inspect the bike (or even ask for a brand new one) before you walked out the door with it.
There are some other strange sentiments in this post:
“It almost pains me to write that I spent $2,000. Except for houses, cars, and kids, I’ve never spent so much money on a single item.
That likely amazes you.”
What likely amazes me? That you’ve never spent more than $2k on a single item before, or that you spent $2k on a bike now? Neither is amazing.
You say “Pricey Wasn’t Perfect” but you did not buy a pricey bike. You bought a mid-range bike. The car equivalent of this bike would be something like a mid-range Toyota Camry. A decent enough car, but it’s not a Mercedes-Benz. Maybe you didn’t notice while you were at the bike shop, but the pricey bikes were in the $5-7k range.
Your rationalizations are also problematic:
“I’ll get more exercise, lose weight, feel better, and live longer.”
Yes, everyone says this when they buy an expensive bike without already being a regular rider. Many of them ride it once or twice and then hang it up in the garage for years. I’m not saying this will happen to you, just that it does happen a lot. This is the number one thing I caution other people about when they ask me about buying a bike.
“I’ll keep this bike for a long time, both because I spent so much for it and because it’s well-made.”
Bike manufacturers love this line — “Our bikes are so well crafted they’ll last your entire life! You can ride them forever!” Sure, that may be true, but you don’t want to. Go back and look at a top of the line bike from 1965. You can still ride it, it works just as well as the day someone bought it. But you don’t want to ride that bike, because it’s 10lbs heavier than the new ones, you can’t get replacement tires that fit it, it only has 5 gears out back instead of the new ones with 11, the shifting isn’t indexed, and you have to reach down to the downtube to shift.
It’s like buying a BMW today. Will it still be running in 25 years? Yeah, probably, but you didn’t buy a BMW to have a car that runs, you bought it cause it has radar-guided cruise control and satellite navigation and automatic headlights. Five years from now you’ll want a new one because it’ll have newer, cooler features.
And to answer the closing questions:
“If you were me, would you demand a discount or some additional accessories at this point?”
No, for two reasons:
1) It just perpetuates conflict. You will be happier if you just let this go and enjoy your now-working bike, rather than if you brood over all the things other people owe you.
2) If you didn’t need these accessories when you bought the bike, you don’t need them now. What are you going to do with these accessories, even if you get them? Throw them in the garage so they sit there, taking up space, because to be honest you really didn’t want extra water bottles and a chain cleaner, you just wanted to feel vindicated.
“If you’re a bike expert, does this sound like a big deal to you, or just part of buying a bike?”
New bikes have brakes that squeak and cables that stretch. Most places will tell you to come back after a few weeks of riding to get everything adjusted (and they normally do this service for free).
That said, the bike shouldn’t be scuffed and the derailleur shouldn’t be bent, that’s damage, not just mis-adjustment due to newness. But you already bought the bike, so I say just live with it, or return it. Bikes all get scuffed and break a few parts eventually.
And just for fun, here’s a pricey bike:
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/madone/madone69/
If you stick with the cycling, there’s a good chance that in a year or two, you’ll want to move up the ladder towards something nicer than your mid-level bike.
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I think you’re over-reaching with your demand for free stuff & discounts.
You bought the demo model. There were some issues which the shop fixed for free. You got what you purchased.
Why would you expect a discount or free stuff?
I can’t help thinking that your annoyance and sense of entitlement is proportional to how expensive the bike was for you. But I suggest that if you think you can’t afford it you just shouldn’t buy it.
No product is perfect, you know. Of course there will be imperfections in whatever you buy–just let it go and live your life.
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I would challenge anyone to find another post on this blog that has this many comments and all the commenters agree with each other.
It’s like world peace has been achieved.
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I commute 3 miles round trip to work every day. I did this to 1)cancel the gym membership, I was only using it for the cardio and lifting at home 2) quit paying $63/month for parking. That being said, I didn’t need to buy an expensive “light” bicycle since I want my heart rate up some. I spent $130 at Target for a schwin cruiser and about $150 on accessaries. I’ve been using it for years. My wife also sold her car at that time so we only have one car.
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It’s not the shop’s problem that it take you 45-90 minutes to get there. If they had charged you for the repair on the “new” bike (although it was a demo), that would be another story entirely, but it sounds like they did what I would have expected to rectify the problem, and they shouldn’t have to do a thing extra.
From what I’ve seen your standard two-wheel single bike will need less tinkering than things that are more exotic like tandems and recumbents.
You might want to look into learning how you can maintain the bike yourself as well as adjust it. Bikes are pretty simple machines, and most of the mechanisms are easily accessible.
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Like you, I just purchased a trike. (For the record, I just hit 60 and am overweight.) Because I’m not nimble enough to want to crouch down to the seat level of your average recumbent trike, I bought the Sidewinder, which cost me $1,700. As in your case, this was a really big purchase within my financial frame of reference, though I also realize that within the price range of trikes, this is not a lot of money.
My advice at this point is to let the purchase experience go and just have fun with your trike. I’ve found that because it’s so much more fun to ride, every time I go out on my trike, I end up going farther–often much farther–than I intended to at the outset, and I feel great afterward, not worn out as I did on my upright bike. I live in Eugene, so there are miles and miles of scenic bike paths to ride, and I can take them most of the way to where I want to go, thereby avoiding the hassle of busy downtown streets to a large extent.
The mere fact that I wake up *wanting* to get out there on my trike, and the fact that, yes, I’m already feeling my clothes getting looser, makes me feel like the money was well-spent, even though to the average person, it seems like a really pricey purchase.
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To me, the problem seems less with the bike (they were willing to fix it after all) and more with the shop’s explanation that all bikes have problems. I’m not a cyclist – I would not know that the chains stretch and need adjustment, etc. There is a big difference in perception between “all bikes have problems” (seemingly dismissive) and “all bikes need adjusting/tweaking after being broken in some (throwing in some details as to why).” I also think the shop owner might have offered a small token – perhaps just a $10 gift card – in appreciation for the business and your trouble. It’s also part of the shop staff’s responsibility to let you know, as a new cyclist, what to expect. If they let you down in that area, they jeopardize your repeat business. I disagree with an earlier poster re: they don’t care if they tick you off b/c you won’t be buying another bike. Everyone I know who cycles(I live near Portland, OR – huge for biking) spends large amounts of money on accessories, clothing, etc. once they get into the sport. There is HUGE revenue upside for a shop to keep a new customer happy. I guess at this point it comes down to whether you want to have a possibly-uncomfortable discussion to let them know you were disappointed in the transaction. If there is another cycle shop to frequent, maybe you just prefer to go there instead. But if the business owner is smart, he/she would appreciate the opportunity to win back your trust AND would appreciate the opportunity to train his/her staff to improve other transactions for future customers.
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First, congratulations on the new bike! Second, the issue you had is normal and the way your shop handled it is normal. I own several bikes, including some top of the line racing bikes which were extremely painful to sign the checks for. They all have problems, regardless of how much you pay for them. Roads are harsh dangerous places, and mechanical parts wear out or fail. You will need to do maintenance on your bike occasionally – especially if you ride in the rain.
Bikes are waterproof as long as you keep the chain oiled. However, in wet conditions the “spray” off the road gets everywhere – and that spray is NOT clean water, it’s grimey gritty nasty stuff that will grind down metal in a shockingly short time. To have a long and happy relationship with your bike:
1. oil the chain after every 2-3 rides
2. Wipe the bike clean with a cloth after riding in the rain
3. Take it to the shop for a tune-up about once a year.
I think the only mistake you made was purchasing from a shop so far away. You will have to go back for maintenance, it’s just a fact of life and does not reflect the quality of your bike.
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I live in giant truck territory where the majority drive like maniacs. There are no bike lanes & few bike paths (also used by walkers, strollers, dog walkers, roller bladers, etc.). So, I suspect around here the recumbent trike would be referred to as a rolling coffin.
I am curious: If the weather is less than ideal, rainy, recently rained so the path/street is still wet, windy, muddy, etc. don’t you end up a filthy mess riding your trike?
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You yourself said this was a budget priced item as recumbent bikes go. I think you have to look at this as a budget item. When you want a Cadillac, you don’t buy a Chevy. If you buy the Chevy you don’t get the performance and luxury of the Cadillac. Parts will be inferior, fitup and performance will be a compromise and IMHO you are making a conscious choice to accept these issues when you opt for the budget priced item.
I feel that the best route to follow when purchasing big ticket items that you expect to get regular and constant use from is to purchase the best quality that you can afford and if necessary delay the purchase until you can meet this criteria. In the now relatively high tech world of cycling, many of the best parts are expensive but in the end they are worth the extra money.
I think the bike shop stood behind their sale, were open about what you were getting and contributed their extra time and effort in an attempt to satisfy you. It sounds like you knew with in reason what you were getting and went ahead anyway. Buyer beware.
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@Tyler: Most of the people I know buy newish used cars and drive them until it is no longer financially practical to keep repairing them–they don’t upgrade every few years to get new features. My mom drove her Honda Accord for 20 years. I drove my used Camry until it threw a rod and replacing the engine would have cost more than the value of the car.
Ditto computers, ditto bicycles, ditto all kind of other expensiveish purchases (I’m sure new hiking books are nicer and lighter and more waterproof than mine–but mine are waterproof enough and light enough. Upgrading from steel-shanked boots was worth it to me, upgrading to whatever’s available now isn’t).
New features aren’t equally important to everyone. I scorched and slightly warped a ~$70 pan recently, and while it’s not pretty, I’m not going to replace it because it still works fine for its purpose (if it were a frying pan I’d replace it). A car or a bicycle is a much bigger investment.
It’s not about having the newest, most feature-rich thing–it’s about having a thing that meets your needs. If your needs don’t change, it could be the same thing you bought 20 years ago.
Otherwise, I agree with you.
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#61 Tyler – I love my Trek Madone. It fits me like a glove. I have a womens specific design and not as expensive as the one you linked to but it WILL be my last bike.
Robert, The bike shop treated your fairly. I suggest that now that you have the trike, become friends with the bike shop that is local to your work or home. Go on some organized group rides with others that have trikes. You learn alot about riding, bike care and you will become a savvy rider.
This weekend will be the first time I have my Trek Madone on the MS150 course from Houston to Austin. I can’t wait to see how it feels to ride the roads on a full carbon bike.
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Perhaps you’re having second thoughts because you’re already not using it as much as you expected you would and are disappointed in yourself? If you were really using the bike and valued it, you wouldn’t have to rationalize the purchase.
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@Mel:
The only reason your friends can all buy newish used cars is because so many people sell cars that are still newish. They do this because they want the latest and greatest. This isn’t the most financially sensible thing to do, but it isn’t necessarily ridiculous, either. Imagine you pay cash every 3 years for a brand new Honda Accord: you’re never in debt, you trade in the old car for 75% of the cost of a new car, and you end up spending about $200/month to have a pretty new car with the latest and greatest features all the time.
You’re right, some people don’t want the latest and greatest, but many others do, and even among those that don’t care much, there might be a difference between having 3-5 year old technology and 10-20 year old technology.
It’s also not entirely about needs, Robert didn’t *need* a bicycle, he’d been getting by without one. He wanted his bicycle to be fun. In five years, he might be looking at the latest and greatest as a way to renew the fun that he used to get out of his now-aging bicycle (or maybe he won’t). He won’t *need* to replace it, but he might *want* to.
@Artist:
“I am curious: If the weather is less than ideal, rainy, recently rained so the path/street is still wet, windy, muddy, etc. don’t you end up a filthy mess riding your trike?”
Yes, but most people drive (or take public transit) when it rains, even if they usually would ride.
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I guess I am in the minority here since I least kinda, sorta agree w/Robert (and with another commenter who stated that the bike shop should’ve already ‘tuned up’ the bike before sending it out of its doors).
Would it have hurt the shop to give Mr. Brokamp a $50 ‘goodwill’ refund or gift certificate for his troubles? I know they may not be raking in the bucks, but the customer is #1. Without him, there would be no business.
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It sounds like you could have gotten a slightly better deal at the bike shop though not on the bike itself. The mark-up on new bikes seems pretty slight in my experience. I have never gotten much in negotiations for entry level bikes but I have been able to get huge discounts on some accessories when purchasing a pricier model. I got two pair of shorts at half off when picking up a road bike last year.
That said, I can’t believe the shop let you leave with a non-functional bike. That would be enough to have me looking for a different shop. Most cyclists I know are incredibly loyal to their chosen shop (I know a guy who drives to KC from St. Louis to shop where I also spend most of my money). Those shops earn that loyalty though. The free repair seems a given. It may have been a mistake but generally no shop owner would ever want you to leave in a manner that would cause your next trip in to be a repair.
I lost sleep over my first expensive bike and then again over a pricey television. I’ve learned to plan something big for shortly after making a huge purchase. It helps me see why the purchase is a good idea. I’d plan a nice, long, overnight tour on your new bike.
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I agree that things could have been done earlier in this process (like negotiating down the price), but I think at this point, you just suck it up and have a LOT of fun on your new tricycle.
In my personal experience, I now know that I could have easily saved at least $500 on the $6000 bedroom set and Tempurpedic mattress we bought last year by simply negotiating, but I didn’t (last minute decision made with my hubby being Mr. Happy Pants in the background…bad situational combo and I lost my head).
I felt bad and now I’m over it. The set makes my husband very happy and the mattress has made his back problems disappear. I socked away the negoatiating advice for the future and just try to enjoy our bedroom more.
BTW, your side comments about a truck accident and funeral arrangements caught me off guard and had me laughing out loud in my cubicle. Thanks for the smile!
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Although a bummer that the bike caused you some inconvenience, it sounds as if the store made it right. I think sometimes we get too upset and feel as if we have been wronged. That being said, it wouldn’t have killed them to give you something small for free for your troubles.
Suzanne
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Btw, according to this: http://blog.ted.com/2006/09/happiness_exper.php
You’ll be happier when you give in and justify having made that fantastic purchase, given that that’s the purchase you made. (As #77 suggests)
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I agree that the bike shop did what it should have and repaired it for you. You buying the floor model likely put them at a disservice too since now he has to wait to get in a new floor model. But if you wanted a discount you should have gotten it at the time of purchase.
All that being said, if you don’t want to waste $2k, make sure you ride the bike and don’t let it sit in your garage. My husband just bought a decent used mountain bike for $200 and is now trying to get ~60 round trips to work in so it pays for itself in savings on public transit. The added health benefits are harder to quantify though. Actually riding it will “save” you more than a free helmet.
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Congratulations on your purchase. I’ve been riding a Catrike Road for two years now and have never been happier on a bike. Don’t fear traffic. You will probably experience what most trike riders do – vehicles will, for the most part, give you more room and treat you better on the trike than they did on the bike. That has certainly been my experience and I live in a very bike-unfriendly part of the country. As for the bike shop, I think they have done pretty well for you by replacing the bad derailler and fixing the chain. You did, after all, buy a demo but as a first time buyer, you were a bit blinded by the process. Lesson learned and you still got a pretty good deal. Your Trail is an excellent little machine and you’ll get many miles of enjoyment out of it. Just don’t forget to add some blinking taillights and a safety flag. An AirZound horn is a helpful accessory too.
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First of all, love the blog and love the bike …not so happy about the article… I read this article this morning and went to work dealing with customer service all day with a major wireless phone company. People tell me all day long how customer service is dead yadda yadda yadda. That is only half the problem. The other half if customers expect to pay nothing for their service. Everyone wants a special deal and they all read magazine articles saying all you have to do is ask… and if someone is nice to me then yes I will refund some fees even if they are valid but every couple of hours I get someone who just thinks they are entitled to whatever they want for free. It just doesn’t work that way. And just by calling me with the attitude (and yes I can hear it in your voice
) you are not getting squat… not a measly .10… Business is Business, if you want the product then buy it, if not look around we have a good deal..Okay rant over…Again,in general I love the blog
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Hey,
If you got the best deal you could on it, and it brings YOU happiness, and YOU think it was worth the money, then there shouldn’t be any heartburn.
I think too many people out there spend too much time worrying about what other people think of them
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I’m a full time bike commuter here in MN and am really hard on my bikes so I have become somewhat of a mechanic just to keep them going. My last road bike purchase had issues that took nearly a year to resolve as it had a defective part in the rear freewheel. I had to push the shop really hard to get them to submit it for a warranty claim which the company took care of promptly once they did. I have since been more careful about choosing the bike shops I deal with.
All in all, I think the shop did you right and think your best course of action is to just ride it and enjoy.
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Ride that bike as often as you can!
That’s the only way the cost will ever be justified!
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hmmm… have to admit I didn’t read all the comments. Simple solutions, buy used, buy different, buy with a credit card. My first bike at 13 cost me $20, my last bike at 40 cost me $200. Would I ever pay $2k for a bike – NEVER!!!
Regardless, pay with a credit card and when the shop doesn’t deliver a quality product dispute payment. Really, we’re making excuses for an expensive product that was functioning poorly within a few miles. Take it back, expect reasonable credits, if not dispute the charge. This is ridiculous!! I can’t believe that everyone is making excuses for a non functional bike with the first serious use. There are no excuses for such sloppy customer service!!
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LOL! Loved the side commentary in the article. Funny stuff!
I have to agree with what seems like just about every other commenter today! What they did for you seems fair given the fact that you bought the demo model.
I started skimming comments about 1/2way through so I don’t know if this was mentioned or not. The time and gas spent is really negligible since you would have had to make a trip to the store to pick up the new bike if you had ordered it anyway. It would have been a 1.5 or 3 hour round trip depending on the shop it was delivered to, and then there would have been time spent at the store inspecting it before taking it home, etc. Then the new bike could have just as easily had a problem and needed to be taken in for repair which would mean a second trip!
All in all, to me it sounds like you’re no worse (and possibly better!) off than if you had ordered the bike.
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A lot of the comments seem to center around the fact that it was a “demo” bought a full price and so it should be the buyer beware.
Would the buyer be justified in wanting something more if it was not a demo bike, but a brand new one that had defaults in it? I’ve been on both sides both as a small business owner and a customer. My small business nature definitely puts me on the side of the shop, but I wonder if there isn’t a better solution to address it? (free gift card? Discount on accessories?)
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This was a really great post – I can definitely identify with feelings of self-doubt/regret after making a major purchase PLUS it was funny!
I really enjoy the thoughtful, intelligent conversations that happen on this blog. There seems to be an unusually high number of great posters around here, which I think is a reflection of the types of posts that get published.
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A simple problem that was rectified in a heartbeat. Your sense of entitlement doesn’t serve you. It doesn’t sound like the shop questions that you damaged it getting it to and from the shop so they served their end of the deal. Fixed it promptly and courteously.
A local bike shop isn’t a big box and can’t afford to give the store away to satisfy a person with higher expectations than they deserve.
That said. You get what you pay for. I read a comment from one person about never being willing to pay 2k for a bike. This person will never know what a beautiful ride like yours is. Catrike is a beautiful machine and if you are motivated to ride it then it is worth every penny.
PS – 2k is not an expensive cycle.
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It is so interesting to watch how some people offer advice when they know nothing of the subject. @bear says he would never pay more than @200 for a bike, good for him. Did he notice that it is not a bike/bicycle? @Patti rides a trike and knows what it feels like in traffic. I ride one also, and I know what it feels like in traffic. I get more room when cars pass, or they stay behind until it is safe to do so. Remember that you are a non-standard object and the brain will register it, unlike a normal bike where the brain sort of recognizes something there and forgets about it. @drivers who can not see a trike, which is wider and in a better placement on the road, stop driving or take lessons. I have been riding using the “Effective Cycling” method and have had no incidents in 30 years of serious cycle use.
B
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I bought a tadpole-style trike two years ago, when we had a tax rebate. Best thing I ever did, and it was made and sold here in Michigan (TerraTrike), thus helping the economy of a suffering state. I ride about 40-50 miles per week, and it is great exercise.
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First let me say congratulations on your purchase, I always felt that money spent on bicycles is money well spent!
Second, having worked in a bike shop for a few years I would say that you were treated fairly and the price was probably fair. Recumbent bikes always present additional challenges for bike shops due to their size and configuration, and sometimes a brand new recumbent adjusted perfectly will perform as above, due to the manufactures selection of components (i.e. derailleur, brakes, headset..).
That being said, bike shops can be notorious for sinking money into bikes with little gain. I would recommend that you learn how to work on your own bike as you will develop a better relationship with it. If you have the desire, you can buy the tools you need to fix your own bike for cheaper than it costs for the bike shop to adjust it. Additionally, there is also the possibility of bike co-op, where you can get help to do the repairs and learn at the same time.
Good Luck!
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As most other people said, you did fine. . . and the bike was a reasonable deal.
However what was only glanced on by other people is that you will have a bunch of maintenance in the 1st year (wheels need to be trued, derailer adjusted as the chain stretches, etc) which the bike shop usually does for free but you will also have some annual maintenance costs you will have to ante up for. Tires and especially for recumbents pricey chains will be in order. . .
Enjoy!
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I live in the UK too and I bought a bike through the “cycle to work” scheme, basically your company sponsors part of the bike, you buy it tax free in 12 monthly instalments taken out of your gross instead of net income. That’s a global 40% saving. I ordered the bike and the accessories and they assured me they would NOT give me the demo bike. When I got to the shop to collect, the demo bike was gone and no accessory was fitted on my bike. I inspected it and found a dent, so I immediatly complained and got 10% off (about $100). Then the guy took forever to fix the accessories so I complained again, and got another $100 in accessories for free. Since I had a voucher from my company to spend on the bike, I also walked out of there with over $150 in vouchers, that I have since used to do maintenance and buy other accessories. All in all about $250 for my trouble, that was worth it.
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