Re: Have $2500 to spend, what should I buy? - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-23-2003, 01:56 PM

Pat wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
> >
> > What I wouldn't give to have your problem...
> >
> > Can you describe the circumstances a little better? Maybe we can all
> > figure out how to have your problem!
> >
> > --
> > Rick Onanian
> It was a raffle. The check is made out to the bike shop, but in my name,
> for merchandise only. The raffle said, "Win a New Bike!" but they really
> meant, "Win a Gift Certificate". That figures, though, because they
> couldn't know if the winner would be short or tall. Anyway, I got so
> excited I entered another raffle for a new car. You never know---maybe
> I'm on a roll!
> I was thinking maybe a mountain bike with an extra set of wheels. You
> know, one set with slicks and one set with knobbies.....I have been
> doing a lot of thinking and I'm not finished playing around with it,
> yet. It seems to me that I could buy 'more' mountain bike for that
> amount than I could a road bike. I think my road bike frame is okay, and
> when the components wear out, I'll upgrade to better components. The
> road bike was new in 2001, after all! Only problem is, I am not sure I
> can take a bike made for Veloce components and put, say, Chorus on
> it....bottom bracket same size?
> Maybe my brain will burst first! I have all sorts of wild thoughts
> running through it. A little voice in the back keeps saying
> "titanium????"
> Pat in TX

Hey, prices are down at lots of stores, due to the end of the season.
Where is our list of what the store carries??? Or do you just want to
flash your wad around? Do they carry Kona? Get a Stinky Deluxe. Giant?
Get a VT-1 or an NRS? Rocky Mountain? Get an Insinct. But get busy, we
don't have all month.

sm in OR

--
Don't give up, don't ever give up.

>--------------------------<
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08-23-2003, 04:52 PM

> > x-no-archive:yes
>
> Hey, prices are down at lots of stores, due to the end of the season.
> Where is our list of what the store carries??? Or do you just want to
> flash your wad around? Do they carry Kona? Get a Stinky Deluxe. Giant?
> Get a VT-1 or an NRS? Rocky Mountain? Get an Insinct. But get busy, we
> don't have all month.
>
> sm in OR

I appreciate your input. No, they don't sell Kona or Giant. They sell
Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher, Merlin, Seven,Ind. Fabrications, Klein,
Litespeed, Rocky Mountain, and Serotta. I have been talking back and forth
with my local bike shop and I am leaning toward the Rocky Mountain ETSX-70.
The want to sell me one for $3100, so I would have to add some money to the
gift certificate, but what is your opinion of this bike? I am definitely
leaning toward a mtn bike and the Seven Duo costs $3510 for frame alone....

Pat

08-23-2003, 07:24 PM

"Pat" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:bi928q$6psud$1@ID-194653.news.uni-berlin.de...
> ...I would have to add some money to the
> gift certificate, ...

Oh, so it's a gift certificate we are talking about -- not, for example, an
accident settlement.
So, here's a possible idea:

For the last couple of years, my wife has given me a gift certificate to my
favorite LBS for Christmas.
(nowhere near $2500, of course) The LBS owner enters this as a credit
balance in his shop computer, and I run it off during the year. He also
automatically enters my "bike club" discount in there. The credit balance
occasionally confuses the junior shop staff, but overall this works out
well. In particular, rather than taking my business for granted (since I'm
"prepaid"), I'm treated as a likely long term customer.

So, you might consider getting a bike for about $1600-1800, outfitting it
nicely, and leaving the remainder for future tires, tubes, repairs, etc.

08-23-2003, 09:14 PM

Mike Kruger wrote:

> "Pat" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:bi928q$6psud$1@ID-194653.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > ...I would have to add some money to the
> > gift certificate, ...
>
> Oh, so it's a gift certificate we are talking about -- not, for example, an
> accident settlement.
> So, here's a possible idea:
>
> For the last couple of years, my wife has given me a gift certificate to my
> favorite LBS for Christmas.
> (nowhere near $2500, of course) The LBS owner enters this as a credit
> balance in his shop computer, and I run it off during the year. He also
> automatically enters my "bike club" discount in there. The credit balance
> occasionally confuses the junior shop staff, but overall this works out
> well. In particular, rather than taking my business for granted (since I'm
> "prepaid"), I'm treated as a likely long term customer.
>
> So, you might consider getting a bike for about $1600-1800, outfitting it
> nicely, and leaving the remainder for future tires, tubes, repairs, etc.

I think you have it nailed Ryan. Since my LBS owners realized I was "their"
customer, I get really good service, unasked for discounts, and they will order
anything I ask for, no need for a deposit. I enjoy the relationship. Chain
stores and bigger bicycle retailers just can't perform like this.
Sometimes I pay more than I'd pay at a larger supplier, but I get freebies like
no charge brake tune ups, derailleur adjustments while we are having a cool one
and discussing how Lance does it...
That kind of "ambience" is more than dollar valuable. It enhances the quality
of one's life.
Experience tells me it is good to do business with your fave bike shop.
Best regards, Bernie

08-24-2003, 07:58 AM

x-no-archive:yes

> >
> > Oh, so it's a gift certificate we are talking about -- not, for example,
an
> > accident settlement.
> > So, here's a possible idea:
> >
> > For the last couple of years, my wife has given me a gift certificate to
my
> > favorite LBS for Christmas.
> > (nowhere near $2500, of course) The LBS owner enters this as a credit
> > balance in his shop computer, and I run it off during the year. He also
> > automatically enters my "bike club" discount in there. The credit
balance
> > occasionally confuses the junior shop staff, but overall this works out
> > well. In particular, rather than taking my business for granted (since
I'm
> > "prepaid"), I'm treated as a likely long term customer.
> >
> > So, you might consider getting a bike for about $1600-1800, outfitting
it
> > nicely, and leaving the remainder for future tires, tubes, repairs, etc.

You have a good idea, but in my case, I doubt it would work. The raffle
that I won specifies the money be spent at a certain bike shop on a new
bicycle. That limits things a bit. However, I had totally forgotten about
the bike club discount (hereabouts, that amounts to 10%). Maybe I can
parlay that on top of the gift certificate .....

>
> I think you have it nailed Ryan. Since my LBS owners realized I was
"their"
> customer, I get really good service, unasked for discounts, and they will
order
> anything I ask for, no need for a deposit. I enjoy the relationship.
Chain
> stores and bigger bicycle retailers just can't perform like this.
> Sometimes I pay more than I'd pay at a larger supplier, but I get freebies
like
> no charge brake tune ups, derailleur adjustments while we are having a
cool one
> and discussing how Lance does it...
> That kind of "ambience" is more than dollar valuable. It enhances the
quality
> of one's life.
> Experience tells me it is good to do business with your fave bike shop.
> Best regards, Bernie

Your idea is good, too, but not in my case. Why? Because the bike shop is 55
miles from my front door. It is not my local bike shop! I wish I could
spend the certificate locally, but I can't.

Pat in TX

>
>
>

08-24-2003, 11:53 AM

Pat wrote:

> x-no-archive:yes
>
> > >
> > > Oh, so it's a gift certificate we are talking about -- not, for example,
> an
> > > accident settlement.
> > > So, here's a possible idea:
> > >
> > > For the last couple of years, my wife has given me a gift certificate to
> my
> > > favorite LBS for Christmas.
> > > (nowhere near $2500, of course) The LBS owner enters this as a credit
> > > balance in his shop computer, and I run it off during the year. He also
> > > automatically enters my "bike club" discount in there. The credit
> balance
> > > occasionally confuses the junior shop staff, but overall this works out
> > > well. In particular, rather than taking my business for granted (since
> I'm
> > > "prepaid"), I'm treated as a likely long term customer.
> > >
> > > So, you might consider getting a bike for about $1600-1800, outfitting
> it
> > > nicely, and leaving the remainder for future tires, tubes, repairs, etc.
>
> You have a good idea, but in my case, I doubt it would work. The raffle
> that I won specifies the money be spent at a certain bike shop on a new
> bicycle. That limits things a bit. However, I had totally forgotten about
> the bike club discount (hereabouts, that amounts to 10%). Maybe I can
> parlay that on top of the gift certificate .....
>
> >
> > I think you have it nailed Ryan. Since my LBS owners realized I was
> "their"
> > customer, I get really good service, unasked for discounts, and they will
> order
> > anything I ask for, no need for a deposit. I enjoy the relationship.
> Chain
> > stores and bigger bicycle retailers just can't perform like this.
> > Sometimes I pay more than I'd pay at a larger supplier, but I get freebies
> like
> > no charge brake tune ups, derailleur adjustments while we are having a
> cool one
> > and discussing how Lance does it...
> > That kind of "ambience" is more than dollar valuable. It enhances the
> quality
> > of one's life.
> > Experience tells me it is good to do business with your fave bike shop.
> > Best regards, Bernie
>
> Your idea is good, too, but not in my case. Why? Because the bike shop is 55
> miles from my front door. It is not my local bike shop! I wish I could
> spend the certificate locally, but I can't.
>
> Pat in TX
>
> >

Life's like that sometimes! I'd get the max value out of the certificate in
that case, even if it means putting some money on top of it. That would mean a
super bike for small cash.
Best regards, Bernie