Subject: RE: Used bike or new cheaper bike? Look for a close-out on a prior year's model. I got a new bike fully equipped with 105 for $800 (retail was around $1600 ). Full warranty and right around the price point for the entry level bikes I was looking at. The dealer was over an hour away and they were no longer going to carry Specialized bikes (thus the great deal ) so I lost out on the LBS relationship but the cost savings was worth it for me. I felt much more confident going that route than buying used or online knowing NOTHING about bikes. When they rung me up and asked me if I wanted pedals to go with my bike I was like....WTF? That's how clueless I was. Took me about 3 months of searching Craigslist and LBS listings on the web to find something but ended up with a bike I LOVE and was almost a perfect fit right out of the store. Pretty much everything for my bike I have gotten at huge discounts 40% or more. Still expensive but got much better quality for the same price. But it does take time and effort to find the deals. |