Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.

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2011-06-20 3:54 PM

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Subject: Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.

I guess this is just more of a moan than asking for advice. With a little push from friends and mom I have decided it's time to give in and buy a tri bike to replace ole dumpy, my wal-mart road bike. However, there is only one bike shop here and they only carry Trek but have no tri bikes in stock. I want to buy from them, but have never even sat on a tri bike, much less tried one or been fitted for one so I have no clue what manufacturer or size will fit. I have looked online but again, I'm not going to buy a bike that I can't at least sit on and take a short spin on before laying down the money.  Obviously I would prefer used, but living in the boonies and needing an XS it's like searching for the elusive jackelope. Haha.

My only hope is that I'm going to San Antonio to visit a friend over the 4th and plan to hit a few shops there, but again, I would prefer to support my LBS, so do I check out a Speed Concept in San Antonio and order it locally if it fits? What if it doesn't fit and I end up with a Cervelo or Specialized, there's no local dealer to do tune ups and what not. Complications! Frustrations! Sometimes I hate living in the boonies. 

If you made it this far, thanks for listening to my rant. You deserve a medal.  

2011-06-20 4:52 PM
in reply to: #3558606


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Subject: RE: Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.

Your LBS should be able to service just about any brand of bike.  If they are not, you certainly don't want to buy a bike from them!

Making an appointment with a shop that has a good selection and a fitter will be the wisest investment of time and money you make in triathlon.  Be patient and wait until you have both.

You mention San Antonio...any other cities you could get to? 

2011-06-20 6:12 PM
in reply to: #3558606

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Subject: RE: Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.

I'm in the same boat as you....kinda. There are no tri-specific shops where I'm at, but there are bike shops with minimal tri gear.

I'd hold off on any big purchases before you're knowledgable of the product and you know what size you need. I'm sure there are websites out there that you can find through google that have all the information you need: http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/bikefit.html

http://www.bikesdirect.com usually has good deals. See if you can figure out what size you need before hand and ensure there is a return policy that suits your needs. That's where I'm getting my next bike from eventually.



Edited by flashpoint145 2011-06-20 6:13 PM
2011-06-20 7:06 PM
in reply to: #3558606

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Subject: RE: Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.
Thanks for the info. I for sure want to hold off on big purchases until I'm informed. The more I read about bike fit the more worried I get about it all. There are a few small bike shops within about 2 hours of here, I'm going to check with them to see if they have any tri bikes in stock, but I don't have much faith that they will have a smaller size. It's funny because I see a ton of people around here on tri bikes, but they are always flying past me and I never have time to ask them where they got their bike. I plan on getting as much knowledge as I can from the big shops in San Antonio, I've visited them once and just stood and drooled. Thanks for the links, I'll look those up and try to get an idea of what size I need.
2011-06-20 7:13 PM
in reply to: #3558606

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Subject: RE: Buying tri stuff with no local tri shop.

I would attempt to try out a speed concept to see how they fit and how you like them. Then order one from your LBS. The Speed Concept is a very nice bike. You can't go wrong with one unless your physiology is completely whacky. The Trek line is made to fit right down the middle, so it is fairly trivial to get most people to fit on one correctly.

 

You could also look into taking a short trip to Austin and getting a preliminary fit while you're in San Antonio. This is a FIST certified fitter that's very reasonable in that area:

http://www.austintricyclist.com/d/2958608_24185.htm

 

There's also a couple of FIST certified shops right in San Antonio:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/fitters/statelist.php?state=texas&



Edited by Rickz 2011-06-20 7:18 PM
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