# Sports (Dick's) vs. Bike Shops



## Pat07 (Feb 7, 2011)

I noticed some bikes (i.e. diamond back) are sold in a bike shop, Costco and Dick's Sports.... So where do I purchase and why? It appears all carry the same bike specs. Thanks for any advice.


----------



## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

If you work on your own bikes, buy it where its the cheapest if its the same bike. If you don't work on your own bike, I would buy it from a good local shop that can do the maintenance on it. The hard part is figuring out which local shops are the good ones. You don't really knows until you have to deal with them.


----------



## Thorsteenster (Feb 1, 2011)

Pretty good sticky more or less on the same subject:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=30921
I don't know if Dick's falls under that, being an actual sporting goods retailer I'd hope they have better stuff than dept. stores.
Their website is ran by a different company however and doesn't reflect what they have in store, FYI.


----------



## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Diamondback has a ridiculously massive range of pricepoints they address.

The very bottom of their LBS range sometimes shows up at a better price at Dick's and Costco, and seems like it might be an okay way to stretch a buck.

Which bike, exactly, were you looking at? And what's your budget?


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Go with the bike shop. They will do WAYYY more for you down the line as far as warranty, repair, help, etc.


----------



## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Go with the bike shop. They will do WAYYY more for you down the line as far as warranty, repair, help, etc.


Unless you live where I do...... Where all the bike shops are full of people who have no idea what they are doing. My advice is to learn how to work on your own stuff... saves you money and you know its done right.


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

mullen119 said:


> Unless you live where I do...... Where all the bike shops are full of people who have no idea what they are doing. My advice is to learn how to work on your own stuff... saves you money and you know its done right.


I totally agree with that. But in some cases that is just impossible. And besides you'll still need a bike shop for tools and parts anyways. I'm just saying I would buy 10 bikes from a bike shop even though I do my own repairs, maintinence, etc, before I ever bought one from a department store. Plus (I do work in a shop) the newer Diamondbacks have had some issues with the freehub body. And since it is such a cheaply made bike, that hub does not have a replaceable freehub body on it so the unlucky customers either have to buy a new rear wheel or buy a new rear hub and have it built up to the current rim. Honestly in my opinion, the OP should opt to spend the extra $100 or so and get a nice Giant or Specialized, Cannondale, Trek etc. from a shop that will help them out. Dick's bike service is garbage anyways, along with any department store.


----------



## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> I totally agree with that. But in some cases that is just impossible. And besides you'll still need a bike shop for tools and parts anyways. I'm just saying I would buy 10 bikes from a bike shop even though I do my own repairs, maintinence, etc, before I ever bought one from a department store. Plus (I do work in a shop) the newer Diamondbacks have had some issues with the freehub body. And since it is such a cheaply made bike, that hub does not have a replaceable freehub body on it so the unlucky customers either have to buy a new rear wheel or buy a new rear hub and have it built up to the current rim. Honestly in my opinion, the OP should opt to spend the extra $100 or so and get a nice Giant or Specialized, Cannondale, Trek etc. from a shop that will help them out. Dick's bike service is garbage anyways, along with any department store.


I agree about the service... but the Dick's by me has a 1700.00 Mission and a Sortie that was around the same price..... Really nice bikes I would have no problem buying from dicks if I was looking for a bike.


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

mullen119 said:


> I agree about the service... but the Dick's by me has a 1700.00 Mission and a Sortie that was around the same price..... Really nice bikes I would have no problem buying from dicks if I was looking for a bike.


Higher end stuff for sure is fine to buy as long as you double check every single bolt before you ride it and hope you don't run into any warranty issues later with the bike.


----------



## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Higher end stuff for sure is fine to buy as long as you double check every single bolt before you ride it and hope you don't run into any warranty issues later with the bike.


You dont want a backwards fork :lol:


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

mullen119 said:


> You dont want a backwards fork :lol:


Unless you like to ride that way :ihih: I hear it is more aerodynamic :thumbsup:


----------



## bengxe (Oct 11, 2009)

I bought my first MTB at Dick's, and I dont regret it. I even had the guy there tune it up a couple times before I figured out how to work on it myself. This was back in 2003. Knowing what I know now Id go to a bike shop, but the Dick's bike has never given me any problems.


----------



## StageHand (Dec 31, 2003)

The sporting goods stores are better in some places, especially where there's not enough of a customer base to support a smaller shop. Talk to people in your area who know the bike scene, and see what they say. What makes the difference to a lot of people is support, others it's up front cost, get out, ask questions, and see what people think is important and what stores they like the best.

Good luck.


----------



## JeffRock (Aug 23, 2010)

I bought a bike from Sports Authority. I promptly returned it five days later, And hightailed it to my LBS and bought a better bike.


----------



## Iridethedirt (Jan 20, 2008)

The Dicks Sporting goods near me has had a diamondback sortie in their rack for over a year now. it is sporting scratches on the frame from being mistreated.... I wouldnt buy a bike from Dicks. Aside from REI, I dont really know of any non-bike exclusive stores where I would be inclined to trust the people working there. Go with the Bike shop for ease of warrenty issues, lifetime tune-ups, and all the other nice things you get when dealing with a bike shop Vs dept. store. sometimes the extra 60 bucks is worthwhile... hell, you could even ask if they price match?


----------



## Reidoo (Nov 21, 2010)

I bought my bike from Dick's and couldn't be happier. I actually go to a LBS just 3 blocks away and they repair or help me out whenever. The Diamondback Response is the bike I have and really like it and the price. The only thing I Suggest is get new tires, the Kendra's that come on it are heavy.


----------



## Hotwhls (Oct 21, 2010)

We dont have a Dicks by me but we do have Scheels. That is a pretty big all sporting store. They sell Trek/Gary Fishers and thats where I bought my fuel. Just because you buy a bike at any sporting good store doesnt mean thats were you have to take it for tune ups and maintenance. I take my bike to a LBS for all my service but the price of the fuel was to good to pass up at the BIG sporting good store. As far as warranty I am pretty sure the local LBS that sells trek will work with trek for warranty stuff even though I didn't buy my bike from them.


----------



## Iridethedirt (Jan 20, 2008)

Hotwhls said:


> We dont have a Dicks by me but we do have Scheels. That is a pretty big all sporting store. They sell Trek/Gary Fishers and thats where I bought my fuel. Just because you buy a bike at any sporting good store doesnt mean thats were you have to take it for tune ups and maintenance. I take my bike to a LBS for all my service but the price of the fuel was to good to pass up at the BIG sporting good store. As far as warranty I am pretty sure the local LBS that sells trek will work with trek for warranty stuff even though I didn't buy my bike from them.


Good points. And while i am not trying to argue against you, or convince others of anything... Most LBS give free lifetime tune ups when you buy the bike from them, (minus parts of course) and they will charge up to 70 dollars for the very same service if you did not purchase your bike there. So... if you do your own basic tune up, maintenance, etc, then it really doesnt matter. i got my bike as a frame, used, and built it up, so i have zero warrenty, and either do all my own work, or pay for it, but i dont mind, because the only waiting i do is for myself to finish working on the bike, not the long wait lists for a repair ticket at the LBS.
I think people should learn to work on their own machines for one reason above all others: trailside breakdowns. learning how to pull a link out of a broken chain so you can ride out is pretty important (you do carry a chain-tool right?) or dealing with any of a wide variety of mechanical failures you can experience on the trail is something that will keep you from pushing a broken bike.


----------



## Thorsteenster (Feb 1, 2011)

To further getting a bike at Dicks, find/meet someone that works there. Employee's get a 25% discount. My nephew works there, I may have to go have a look.....


----------



## mtbfrance (Jan 31, 2011)

Bike shop all the way!! I used to work at Dick's and Sports Authority and the training was minimal. i.e. if you can put a front wheel in the fork and install the handlebars you were golden. I would shop around for a bike shop you are comfortable with and that is knowledgable. Grant it, not all bike shops are well trained but there certainly are some good ones out there. Remember, you get what you pay for.


----------



## bigbeck (Feb 15, 2004)

mullen119 said:


> I agree about the service... but the Dick's by me has a 1700.00 Mission and a Sortie that was around the same price..... Really nice bikes I would have no problem buying from dicks if I was looking for a bike.


 The Dick's Sporting Goods stores by me (three stores within a 20 minute drive) do not carry ANY mid-level priced bikes. Their high end is a Diamondback Response Comp which is actually a decent entry level Hardtail. Don't think I'd buy anything below that level.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3965178&cid=CSE:GoogleProductSearch


----------



## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

bigbeck said:


> The Dick's Sporting Goods stores by me (three stores within a 20 minute drive) do not carry ANY mid-level priced bikes. Their high end is a Diamondback Response Comp which is actually a decent entry level Hardtail. Don't think I'd buy anything below that level.
> 
> http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3965178&cid=CSE:GoogleProductSearch


I think it all depends on Location. I have not been to a dicks in over a year... but they had some really nice bikes in one of the local stores(use to anyway). If you look in the diamondback forum, there is a guy that has pictures of a mission that he bought from his local dicks.


----------



## sneaux96 (Nov 30, 2010)

As someone who has worked/is working for a major sporting goods retailer as a bike tech (not going to disclose which one on here) I can tell you that experiences with the "major" bike places are going to vary just as much as experiences with LBS's. Some major stores have really great techs that are just as good, if not better, than any tech at a LBS. Just like there are some LBS that will rip you off and do shoddy work...

Visit your local LBS and some major retailers in your area, talk to the tech's/salespeople, try to get the general vibe of the store. See which ones are trying to help and which ones are looking for a sale. And of course look for which place can get you the best price (assuming component groups are comparable). As far as warranties, ask for a pamphlet and read up on the small print, some are really good and will cover just about everything (literally), others only cover minor adjustments...

P.S. I've ridden a couple of Diamondback's before, great bikes for the price. Although I would stay away from the low end stuff (i.e. outlook's and sorrento's)


----------



## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

mtbfrance said:


> Bike shop all the way!! I used to work at Dick's and Sports Authority and the training was minimal. i.e. if you can put a front wheel in the fork and install the handlebars you were golden. I would shop around for a bike shop you are comfortable with and that is knowledgable. Grant it, not all bike shops are well trained but there certainly are some good ones out there. Remember, you get what you pay for.


Were you the bike tech?? If so your a pretty bad bike tech.

I work at Dick's right now and we only have bike techs that assemble and repair all the bikes. Most Dick's do not let a bike be purchased without actually being tech'd out by the tech. So let's get a few things straight here in these next few paragraphs:

1st

Diamondbacks are a solid brand don't let anyone tell you that treks, specialized, etc are better... They are just more expensive. Generally the manufacture only makes the frame and the rest of the components are shipped out from the various biking companies.

2nd

There are many different levels in DB. The stores of Dick's are labeled in tiers based on traffic. The busiest stores are going to get the highest volume of bikes and more expensive bikes, this should make sense because we are a business. Location will vary the amount of bikes and the quality of bikes. BOTH the Sortie lineup and the Mission are very well built bikes and I see plenty of AM kids rip the hell out of them.

3rd

Buying a bike from a bike shop based on warranty is stupid. I don't know about you guys but I've been ripped off by plenty of bike shops that know the same or less about repairing bikes than I do myself. FYI the best deal is through Dick's we offer a stupid easy warranty system that IF anything breaks on the bike you simply bring in the bike and we order new parts for it. I've had guys buy a $250 bmx bike that they tear apart and we put $500 back into it through various wheelsets, cranks etc. Like I said, stupid easy and you have to be dumb to not get it.

The moral:

Am I saying you should buy from Dick's? No you don't have to at all. Is DB a good brand? Hell yeah. My advice to you is find something used through your local craigslist or pinkbike or something else. That is going to be the best bang for your buck. But if your looking at a Sortie that is a couple hundo cheaper than a bike shop why wouldn't you get it at Dick's?


----------



## Thorsteenster (Feb 1, 2011)

pfox90 said:


> The stores of Dick's are labeled
> 
> 
> > Good, so we'll all know which ones they are, that right there should tell you something......
> ...


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Thorsteenster said:


> I lied, he works at Sports Authority. I was thinking Dicks I guess being I was making fun of him saying he should have gone to Dicks instead so he could be Floor Dick, or Check Dick, or maybe even one day, Head Dick.


:nonod:


----------



## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

pfox90 said:


> Were you the bike tech?? If so your a pretty bad bike tech.
> 
> I work at Dick's right now and we only have bike techs that assemble and repair all the bikes. Most Dick's do not let a bike be purchased without actually being tech'd out by the tech. So let's get a few things straight here in these next few paragraphs:
> 
> ...


That makes me wonder what kind of qualifications a Dick tech has to have. Any required training or certification?

I have to fully agree with your third point. I used to work for a shop that would do almost anything to sell someone something new rather then do a warranty for them. LBSs have to be penny pinchers because their margins are thin and operating costs can be high. Big companies tend not to care as much because socks and **** pay the bills anyways, they just sell and service bikes so they can sell bike related crap.

That being said, if you have a good local shop you should be going out of your way to spend money in there, it will pay you back 100 fold. Dick's wont give you ****.


----------



## AlexDeLarge (Oct 5, 2009)

I've bought bikes at both Dick's (DB Response XE on Black Friday cheapness) and a LBS (Gary Fisher Piranha), and both have held up extremely well.
The advantage of a LBS to me is the initial assembly quality, free tuneups, it's closer, and offers bi-monthly free user clinics. Even if you haven't bought anything from them, bring your bike in and the techs will show you how to do a complete tuneup, adjust brakes, or fix a flat for free. I can just bring a wheel in and use their truing stand for free, no problems.


----------



## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

AlexDeLarge said:


> I've bought bikes at both Dick's (DB Response XE on Black Friday cheapness) and a LBS (Gary Fisher Piranha), and both have held up extremely well.
> The advantage of a LBS to me is the initial assembly quality, free tuneups, it's closer, and offers bi-monthly free user clinics. Even if you haven't bought anything from them, bring your bike in and the techs will show you how to do a complete tuneup, adjust brakes, or fix a flat for free. I can just bring a wheel in and use their truing stand for free, no problems.


The clinics is where you start to learn how to do it yourself and really save some money. Or you can just order your parts from Jenson and then buy the "Park Tool Big Book of Repairs" and navigate your way through it.


----------



## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

big_papa_nuts said:


> That makes me wonder what kind of qualifications a Dick tech has to have. Any required training or certification?
> 
> I have to fully agree with your third point. I used to work for a shop that would do almost anything to sell someone something new rather then do a warranty for them. LBSs have to be penny pinchers because their margins are thin and operating costs can be high. Big companies tend not to care as much because socks and **** pay the bills anyways, they just sell and service bikes so they can sell bike related crap.
> 
> That being said, if you have a good local shop you should be going out of your way to spend money in there, it will pay you back 100 fold. Dick's wont give you ****.


Yes we have to be certified. Although, it is a lower certification. Just like how we have a fitness trainer that has to be certified, take an examination, etc. But it is a lower end certification.

For bikes the training really depends who you already have in the shop. That's why you can have some good and bad tech's, just like at a shop. The training is all hands on you watch about a 5 minute video say on assembling a BB. And then the tech shows you how to do it. Surprisingly, a lot of people bring their bikes into Dick's for tuneups, etc. There are quite a lot of videos to watch and the training is on going when new situations arise.

In my case we had a bike tech that had worked there for 5 years, but had been into the biking scene his whole life. He never needed to order new parts like some of the other Dicks techs do, he could fix/tune anything. And he could have easily worked for any bike shop in town.


----------



## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

pfox90 said:


> Yes we have to be certified. Although, it is a lower certification. Just like how we have a fitness trainer that has to be certified, take an examination, etc. But it is a lower end certification.
> 
> For bikes the training really depends who you already have in the shop. That's why you can have some good and bad tech's, just like at a shop. The training is all hands on you watch about a 5 minute video say on assembling a BB. And then the tech shows you how to do it. Surprisingly, a lot of people bring their bikes into Dick's for tuneups, etc. There are quite a lot of videos to watch and the training is on going when new situations arise.
> 
> In my case we had a bike tech that had worked there for 5 years, but had been into the biking scene his whole life. He never needed to order new parts like some of the other Dicks techs do, he could fix/tune anything. And he could have easily worked for any bike shop in town.


Are we talking an in store cert. or industry recognized (BBI, UBI, ect)? And if it's in store does each store have a "head tech" that has a higher, industry recognized, cert.?


----------



## jbl_91762 (Nov 1, 2009)

I have to put my 2 cents in seeing I have experience with a few LBS and Dicks. I purchased my DB Coil EX back in 2009 and have beaten pretty good. Everything worked on the bike the first few months and I only took it back to have the brakes adjusted. The main bike tech there rides MTB's and really seemed to care when he puts a bike together. I've sinced replaced everything on it except the crank and I am enjoying the bike (even though it weighs 32lbs!) DB is a good manufacturer but no I dont see many on the trails. I've learned that the name brand is a preference thing! 
As far as my LBS, I had to shop at least 3 different shops here in SoCalifornia for a shop I felt good about. I was buying my kids 2 bikes and the people I talked to didnt really seem to care. They gave me a price which was non-negotiable and a few didnt even offer a free year of maintenance. WTF, im dropping over $1k in their store and they couldnt even offer me nothting else?? finally found a shop that was in business for over 20 years and drove 45 minutes to get the bikes. They were very helpful, fitted my boys, adjusted everything to the boys liking and were not in a pissy mood or felt rushed when doing so. Bottom line IMO is buy whatever bike you like and can afford and learn how to fix things yourself. You'd be better off in the long run cause any parts you buy can be wayyy cheaper from the internet vs LBS. Plus you never know when you might brake something that needs fixing on the trail, and your 10 miles from your car, Thats a lonnnngggg hike back!


----------

