Here is my dilemma. Any feedback would be appreciated. I am looking into a new bike and if the fit is right I wanted to get a new Litespeed Saber. My LBS is a Litespeed dealer, however they are not a tri shop and I would not trust them fitting me on a tri bike. So in my mind I have three options:
Go to my LBS, have them fit me and hope it is a good one.
Go to a tri-bike store that carries Litespeeds, have someone fit me to the bike. If the fit is good try to note all the sizes (ie frame size, stem length,..) and go back to my LBS and order the bike up.
#2 except buy it at the tri store.
Here are the pros/cons in my mind of each scenario:
I support my LBS but may get fitted incorrectly.
I support my LBS but take advantage of another bike store by wasting a fitter’s time and energy.
I get the correct fitting bike but the first time I go into my LBS to get a tune up or something I get a bunch of strange looks and would feel awkward.
So my question is, which is the best choice? Thanks for the help.
I would let me LBS know that I appreciate their service and I was going to remain their customer but that I was going to purchase the bike from a shop that specializes in the fitting that I require.
If you don’t feel comfortable with the local LBS fitting you, I believe paying a third party for a proper fit is acceptable, yet may have drawbacks. They can measure you and and put you on some bikes yet will they (third party) be apt to changing the seat, cranks, stem, and other stuff on a bike that you are not going to buy? That may take a few hours of their time. Maybe if you pay them enough for their services, then you may be in the hole a few hundred bucks before you go back to your LBS to tell them exactly what you want. You may want to talk to both places you plan on using and figure out as to what they plan to do to fit you properly before you make your decision. I have been in this situation in the past and I bought the bike from the guy I thought I would get the best fit from.
I’m sure I’ll get flamed by this, but being as we live in a capatalistic society all businesses earn your business.
One thing a bike shop should provide is the ability to fit you properly on your bike. It’s not rocket science, but unfortunately most of us here on Slowtwitch are more familiar with it and can do it better than most bike shops. From my experience personally and with friends whom I’ve sent to various shops, the straddle the bike and raise the front wheel, then ride it and sight the front hub in relation to the handlebars, school of fitting is still the norm.
If they can’t fit you (arguably the most important part of a bike purchase as has been advocated repeatedly here on Slowtwitch by many powers that be) it seems they haven’t earned your business.
My answer would depend on what kind of a relationship you have with your LBS. If its strictly a business relationship (vendor / customer) then go to the shop you trust. If (like me) you consider them buddies, then I would get the bike through them, volunteer as a guinea pig (maybe for a reduced fee if they haven’t done it before, and both parties learn something from the exercise. Find out how much they know in advance, go in armed with lots of information, off slowtwitch.com and elsewhere, and both of you walk through the process together. It’s good for both sides, and no, fitting a bike is not rocket science.