# Haggling at the bike store



## 101Surge (Apr 18, 2012)

A few people told me that I can haggle myself to a good amount off my bike at the lbs. How much are we talking usually?


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## Slozomby (Mar 22, 2012)

haggle all you want. most places will adjust further for throw ins then they will for i want x off the price. there is a minimum they are allowed to sell a given model for. that may be $100 off msrp for a 1k bike or $1000 off a $6k bike. sometimes all your going to get is a free helmet/water bottle/tire repair kit which is still better than buying that stuff. 

but if all you want/need is the bike then absolutely haggle over price. 

haggle everywhere when your buying a big ticket item. worst they can say is this is the price.


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## mattyrides07 (Mar 9, 2012)

Don't haggle on the bike price unless it's advertised cheaper somewhere else. Instead get them to throw in accessories (helmet, pedals, clothes, etc). Obviously how much they throw in will be based on how much they're making. Try and get 10% of the purchase price in accessories! 

"Dream like you'll live forever, but live like you'll die today."
-James Dean


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## armorlol (Apr 25, 2012)

Yes if another store has it for cheaper then ask for that price. For example Sun and Ski had a 2011 model on their website for $300 and some of the S&S stores in my area sold it for $300 as well. There was another S&S in a different location that still wanted $349 for it.


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## 101Surge (Apr 18, 2012)

Well I need everything, and i'm not spending that much. There are two bikes I am looking at in the store, one is $610, the other is $819... Do you think I will be able to get them to throw in a free helmet/water bottle/ repair kit for that?


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## mattyrides07 (Mar 9, 2012)

101Surge said:


> Well I need everything, and i'm not spending that much. There are two bikes I am looking at in the store, one is $610, the other is $819... Do you think I will be able to get them to throw in a free helmet/water bottle/ repair kit for that?


Ask for 10% of the price of the bike in accessories. Since you need all that stuff LOOK AT THE PRICES YOURSELF when you're in there and do the math.

"Dream like you'll live forever, but live like you'll die today."
-James Dean


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

It really depends on the individual shop, and their particular stance on price-haggling. Some are wheeler-dealers, and others won't move at all off the sticker price (and everything in between). Try too hard some places, and they just dig in their heels. Do a little research and find which shops are willing to bargain if that is your thing. If they offer a lot of attention/service on the back end of the sale (lifetime free tune ups, etc.), that might be something to consider if that could be of value to you.

If you're hell bent on getting a bargain, look for bikes that are a model year or two old, but still new. Most shops are more willing to discount those bikes considerably more than current model year bikes. Current model year bikes, you're lucky to get 10% to 15% off, especially this time of year (just before summer = hard to find good discounts on bikes). With last years models, you could get up to 25% to 30% off, and a two year old model, up to around 40% off at some shops during a sale. . . . And then there are some shops that will let a bike sit for a LONG time and not budge, it just depends on the shop. . . .


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I got $150 knocked off my bike when I bought it. Next bike I bought from the same shop they discounted it $100 from the get-go because it was the second bike I bought from them. So, yeah, if you don't want or need accessories, try to haggle. There's room for them to discount and still make a profit unless they are already charging less than MSRP.


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## dubthang (Apr 2, 2009)

Find out the msrp before you haggle. If the shop is selling for msrp and it is a current 2012 model, then you need to determine if the shop has room to adjust the price. Do this by the size of the shop. A small shop usually has to buy their bikes up front in cash. This means they have little wiggle room in the price until the season is over. Big shops the have net accounts have more room to adjust prices because they are simply paying back their debt, and not repaying themselves. 

This is why many shops will give accessory discounts. Generally the profit margin is greater on this stuff, and often it's easier to get a net account, or be able to return unused merch. Also, many shops may have a back stock of unsold merch on non returnables (like helmets) that they may let go cheap.

Remember that you are looking for a deal, but many small shops are looking to stay afloat. There is nothing wrong with spending a little more if you really like the shop, and they are giving you great customer service. The more time you spend there (and money the easier it will be to get deals later on.


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## cesaros (Apr 22, 2012)

Find a friend that works at a bike shop, and ask them to "pro-deal" a bike for you. you'll get it for 10-50% less than what the store purchased it for.

although you can only do this if you or someone you know works at a bike shop...


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## theextremist04 (Jul 15, 2008)

cesaros said:


> Find a friend that works at a bike shop, and ask them to "pro-deal" a bike for you. you'll get it for 10-50% less than what the store purchased it for.
> 
> although you can only do this if you or someone you know works at a bike shop...


And if they want to lose their job...

The shop I worked at did a lot of business, and didn't really do discounts at all- no % off the bike, no free accessories. Their philosophy was that if you didn't buy the bike, someone else would, and it turned out to almost always be right. So your luck really will vary.


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## chuckwagon85 (Apr 24, 2012)

Wish I would have found this forum and done more research before buying mine.

Chalk it up to a life lesson. Haggle away.


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## SenorSerioso (Apr 22, 2011)

theextremist04 said:


> And if they want to lose their job...
> 
> The shop I worked at did a lot of business, and didn't really do discounts at all- no % off the bike, no free accessories. Their philosophy was that if you didn't buy the bike, someone else would, and it turned out to almost always be right. So your luck really will vary.


I second that. We have a shop down the street from us that undercuts us on every item but treats you like dirt unless you open up your wallet. In my experience there's a slider: at one end you have customer service, at the other you have bargains. It's one or the other or a little bit of both.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

101Surge said:


> A few people told me that I can haggle myself to a good amount off my bike at the lbs. How much are we talking usually?


Depends on a few things. What they paid for it vs what it's marked at, how long they've had it, if they're sick of looking at it, the financial health of the store, mood of the sales person, how nice looking the haggler is, does the haggler put out on the first date...


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

cesaros said:


> Find a friend that works at a bike shop, and ask them to "pro-deal" a bike for you. you'll get it for 10-50% less than what the store purchased it for.
> 
> although you can only do this if you or someone you know works at a bike shop...


and you're asking your friend to risk his job, and you're risking losing a friend. glad none of my friends asked me to pro deal them anything when I worked retail. that's a real dirt bag move. jerk.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

101Surge said:


> A few people told me that I can haggle myself to a good amount off my bike at the lbs. How much are we talking usually?


it's nothing like haggling for a car, so get that out of your mind. ask politely at the shop and find out what their policy is. it varies widely across the industry. some price low to begin with and stand firm. others price high expecting to haggle. some price high and refuse to haggle. some negotiate on the price of the bike, others only negotiate perks and accessories. some cut you a break for paying in cash. some don't let the typical sales guy do much haggling, if at all - only the manager is permitted to do certain deals.

but your best bet is to look for the NOS stuff, bikes that have sat on the floor for a year or more. sales-oriented shops will do this, but I've run across a number of podunk shops that won't discount old product to move it out the door. they're idiots, IMO.


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## owtdorz (Apr 26, 2012)

I work in retail and wholesale.
I hear the haggling ALL the time.
"I work for Anytown Power, do I get a discount?"
My answer usually is, "Do I get a discount on my power bill?"
Remember why people work and for what.
What do you do? Do you give discounts? How much?
If you are treated with respect and get great service you have to ask what is that worth?
No, it doesn't hurt to ask for accessory discounts though and even free tune ups and truing for the first year.
Great service is worth it's weight in gold.


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## Blister Butt (Jul 20, 2005)

cesaros said:


> Find a friend that works at a bike shop, and ask them to "pro-deal" a bike for you. you'll get it for 10-50% less than what the store purchased it for.
> 
> although you can only do this if you or someone you know works at a bike shop...


Whatever you do, don't ask "a friend" for a pro deal. Only ****** bags ask their friends for pro deals. If you have a friend who can get you a pro deal and he or she knows you're in the market for a bike or accessory and believes for some reason you are worthy of a pro deal, they'll ask you if you want a pro deal. And usually they will only ask if you are someone who regularly spends money in their shop. In our shop we have a name for people who show up out of the blue asking or demanding pro deals. We call these people dick heads.

With regard to the original post, it's okay to try and haggle. It's expected actually. However, if it's clear they aren't in a haggling mood, don't push it. And NEVER, NEVER, NEVER attempt to haggle when there is any other customer in the shop. You will get a very quick "no!" that way.


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## blockphi (Mar 26, 2012)

I bought five bikes from my LBS within a year and through the process became quite good friends with the owner. Never haggled, but he threw in a discount on every purchase I made. 

The biggest thing to keep in mind is the LBS's situation. If it is a small LBS in a small town, like mine was, they're probably not making a whole bunch anyway so they won't have as much room to move. In a bigger city with more competition, the marked prices generally start out a bit higher specifially to allow for some negotion range. 

If your LBS does give you some breaks, MAKE SURE to pay them back by continuing to shop there for even the small items and refer your friends.


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

not sure i would call it "haggle" since many people think of that word in terms of buying a car, or when you're at a flea market. it's not like you're going to say, "would you take $950 for it?" 

you want to be respectful and do your research in advance. if they are already 10% or so below msrp, they're already doing you a favor. it never hurts to ask, "is the price i see here the lowest you will go?" or you can say, "is there anything you guys throw in when i buy this bike? like a helmet, or a water bottle/cage?"

a good way to say it is, "do you have any promotions or deals where i can get this bike for a little less?" i usually only ask if they have it listed for msrp. some lbs sell at msrp and i see others 10-15% below on the same bikes. it just depends on their overhead and success of the shop.


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## cesaros (Apr 22, 2012)

Blister Butt said:


> Whatever you do, don't ask "a friend" for a pro deal. Only ****** bags ask their friends for pro deals. If you have a friend who can get you a pro deal and he or she knows you're in the market for a bike or accessory and believes for some reason you are worthy of a pro deal, they'll ask you if you want a pro deal. And usually they will only ask if you are someone who regularly spends money in their shop. In our shop we have a name for people who show up out of the blue asking or demanding pro deals. We call these people dick heads.
> 
> With regard to the original post, it's okay to try and haggle. It's expected actually. However, if it's clear they aren't in a haggling mood, don't push it. And NEVER, NEVER, NEVER attempt to haggle when there is any other customer in the shop. You will get a very quick "no!" that way.


thats why you ask friends...not an acquaintance or some dude you just met...

Ive never had a problem hooking my close friends up with an item here and there. Usually its only the ****** bags who have an issue :thumbsup:


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Eric Z said:


> not sure i would call it "haggle" since many people think of that word in terms of buying a car, or when you're at a flea market. it's not like you're going to say, "would you take $950 for it?"


I would.  Doesn't always fly, doesn't hurt to ask.

I usually go shopping with a number in mind. I've found that shops will often discount something more expensive to meet my number, rather than saying "no" and having me buy the next lower thing, or go buy something somewhere else.


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## blunderbuss (Jan 11, 2004)

cesaros said:


> thats why you ask friends...not an acquaintance or some dude you just met...
> 
> Ive never had a problem hooking my close friends up with an item here and there. Usually its only the ****** bags who have an issue :thumbsup:


And your boss doesn't mind you essentially giving stuff away? I've been called out just for wrenching on my friends' bikes on my own time.


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## swingset (Oct 14, 2010)

Easiest way to haggle that won't offend:

"Do you have any wiggle room on this price? I really like the bike but it's just a bit more than I was prepared to spend"

Answer doesn't do it for you:

"No problem, I understand. I really like the bike but I'll have to pass. I checked one out at another shop that's in my range so thanks for your time."

This does two things: Asks them for their best deal earnestly and without being a jerk, and then applies "you're about to lose my business" pressure. If anything will move a shop to earn your dollars, this is what works. If they don't move, there was no deal there to be had.

Move along, buy from someone more willing.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

if another shop has the same bike at a lower price for some reason, they should match it. with the brands that are sold at the shops where I have worked, that does not happen. the shops agree with the manufacturers to sell the bikes at a set price. however, if you can get a bike that was used for a while and returned or find a bike they really want to move because it's an older model, was damaged in shipping, etc, you might get a good deal on something that way. otherwise, no legitimate bike shop is going to haggle prices, they are basically set in stone. at least, that has been my experience working at three different Trek dealers. if you want those dealers to loose their contracts and go out of business, or if you want to just waste their time and piss them off, keep haggling!

if this ends up being your situation, ask a few shops what is included with the purchase. a good shop will offer some sort of lifetime adjustments with the purchase of the bike, advice on fitting the bike, and _perhaps _offer to give you some in-store credit or discounts for accessories or upgrades you purchase with the bike on the same day.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

101Surge said:


> Well I need everything, and i'm not spending that much. There are two bikes I am looking at in the store, one is $610, the other is $819... Do you think I will be able to get them to throw in a free helmet/water bottle/ repair kit for that?


at that price range, it's not worth it for a shop to give you more than a water bottle for free. if you are going to spend $2k+, or the shop is really in a bind for some customers, then you can think about haggling over the prices. for every person I meet buying a sub-$1000 bike, there are five customers willing to drop $4000 on a bike. you're a small fish to the dealers.


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## keyjey (Nov 22, 2011)

I only have an entry level bike and when I bought it I researched the price first, the msrp is $420 but I can only spend $390

I didn't really haggle but just told the owner that $390 is my budget and that's all I can do, he gave me the bike for that price! :thumbsup:

not much, but still


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## Durzil (Apr 5, 2012)

mack_turtle said:


> if another shop has the same bike at a lower price for some reason, they should match it. with the brands that are sold at the shops where I have worked, that does not happen. the shops agree with the manufacturers to sell the bikes at a set price. however, if you can get a bike that was used for a while and returned or find a bike they really want to move because it's an older model, was damaged in shipping, etc, you might get a good deal on something that way. otherwise, no legitimate bike shop is going to haggle prices, they are basically set in stone. at least, that has been my experience working at three different Trek dealers. if you want those dealers to loose their contracts and go out of business, or if you want to just waste their time and piss them off, keep haggling!
> 
> if this ends up being your situation, ask a few shops what is included with the purchase. a good shop will offer some sort of lifetime adjustments with the purchase of the bike, advice on fitting the bike, and _perhaps _offer to give you some in-store credit or discounts for accessories or upgrades you purchase with the bike on the same day.


This is the difference between manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) and Minimum advertised price (MAP). With MSRP pricing there is always wiggle room as it is used to standardized pricing across a market (often times it's inflated to make the consumer feel like they got a great deal while on sale). MAP is exactly what it stands for, the minimum advertised price, the seller and manufacturer agree on a minimum price they are allowed to advertise. This is the contract you refer too and is in place to keep pricing consistent (close) across a brand from shop to shop. You can read more about it Here.

So for example MSRP might be 35% over cost while MAP could be 20%. This is why some shops are willing to give up 10% to get the sale (25%) and earn a customer and future purchases and services.


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## spn4125 (Mar 25, 2008)

Is it just me or in all these haggle threads (been a few lately) it seems that bike shop employees say no way never haggle you cheap a$$, while everyone else say yeah prices are generally adjusted if a customer asks. So who is right? 

I am in search of a new bike (first bike) and I plan on asking "is this the best you can do on the price", especially at one shop who has bikes listed over MSRP. Just like purchasing anything there are countless resources that will help you determine how much something is worth. If a store is asking over the items value ask for a better price, if the item is found at a fair or discounted price then just buy it.


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

spn4125 said:


> Is it just me or in all these haggle threads (been a few lately) it seems that bike shop employees say no way never haggle you cheap a$$, while everyone else say yeah prices are generally adjusted if a customer asks. So who is right?
> 
> I am in search of a new bike (first bike) and I plan on asking "is this the best you can do on the price", especially at one shop who has bikes listed over MSRP. Just like purchasing anything there are countless resources that will help you determine how much something is worth. If a store is asking over the items value ask for a better price, if the item is found at a fair or discounted price then just buy it.


It probably varies by area. In my area no bike shop is willing to haggle. Most will reduce last years models but even that varies. There was even one shop that as of last year had a 2009 Giant Trance X4 sitting there at the 2009 list with the current model next to it at just $100 more. That shop is an extreme and most don't do that but it still shocks me that they stay in business with that mentality.

It's supply and demand. Many of these stores keep very tight controls on inventory and rely more on customers ordering new bikes at list price. That still hasn't stopped me from asking about any discounts but I've never received one. The service side though from the 2 stores that I most frequent is very good and I've always been treated well in that area. Paying list for a new bike but getting well priced and good service isn't such a bad deal.


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## Gravatrax (May 3, 2012)

I'm looking at a Giant Revel Zero I saw at a bike store. It is 680 + tax (in my state it would be about 740 total), any ideas on what would be a reasonable haggle? They seem to be very customer satisfaction oriented so I think that's a plus.


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## Blister Butt (Jul 20, 2005)

cesaros said:


> Usually its only the ****** bags who have an issue :thumbsup:


Or the employee handbook.

If you're the head "****** bag" (owner of the shop) and you know what the profit and loss for your shop is and you want to hook up your friends, I say do so to your heart's content! If you are are just some guy working in a shop who somehow thinks the shop "owes you" the ability to hook up your friends, then I say you should find a different career or open your own shop, cuz your little hook-ups are slowly putting the hurt on the shop and are working your way out of a job or out of health insurance or paid vacation time anyway....

As head ****** bag, I'd have no problem letting you go if you worked at may place.

:thumbsup:


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

Gravatrax said:


> I'm looking at a Giant Revel Zero I saw at a bike store. It is 680 + tax (in my state it would be about 740 total), any ideas on what would be a reasonable haggle? They seem to be very customer satisfaction oriented so I think that's a plus.


what's the msrp? any idea of what other lbs are selling it for? there's not much room for negotiation with inexpensive bikes.

edit: just checked. average price (guessing that's how they say msrp) is $690. it's good they're less than that. maybe a tad lower but also look at it, is it worth $10 less. i would just ask if there's anything they throw in when you buy a bike. many lbs in the chicagoland area have different packages available when you buy a bike- like under $1k you get a cheaper helmet and water bottle/cage or something like that.


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## Gravatrax (May 3, 2012)

Eric Z said:


> what's the msrp? any idea of what other lbs are selling it for? there's not much room for negotiation with inexpensive bikes.
> 
> edit: just checked. average price (guessing that's how they say msrp) is $690. it's good they're less than that. maybe a tad lower but also look at it, is it worth $10 less. i would just ask if there's anything they throw in when you buy a bike. many lbs in the chicagoland area have different packages available when you buy a bike- like under $1k you get a cheaper helmet and water bottle/cage or something like that.


That's what I was thinking maybe a helmet and/or a water bottle holder. My friend thinks I should look into buying from bikedirect.com He thinks I'd get a lot of bang for my buck there only disadvantage is that I can't ride before I buy


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

Gravatrax said:


> That's what I was thinking maybe a helmet and/or a water bottle holder. My friend thinks I should look into buying from bikedirect.com He thinks I'd get a lot of bang for my buck there only disadvantage is that I can't ride before I buy


not riding a bike beforehand isn't always a deal breaker. i never rode my el mariachi before buying it, but i didn't ride bikes with similar geometry and top tube length, etc.

also, see if your lbs throws in maintenance packages- maybe free tunes-ups for a couple years or something like that. my wife's bike gets free everything for 2 years- brake bleeds, truing, der adjustments, etc. if you go the bikesdirect route, you wouldn't get the maintenance package (if your lbs offers that). you can of course still go to your lbs and get service but just need to pay for it.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Gravatrax said:


> I'm looking at a Giant Revel Zero I saw at a bike store. It is 680 + tax (in my state it would be about 740 total), any ideas on what would be a reasonable haggle? They seem to be very customer satisfaction oriented so I think that's a plus.


Someone else commented that it depends a lot on where you live.

There's never a lot of room on a current-year bike, and in absolute terms, not much can come off a bike priced like that before the shop starts losing money.

In places where a certain amount of bargaining is expected, 10% seems to be an easy amount to get off. So ask about $600.

When I bought my first road bike, initially I agreed to also buy the shoes as part of the deal. None of the ones in stock fit me, so they ended up knocking a little more off the price instead. But that's another thing that you can look at - if you need the rest of the gear that goes with mountain biking - pump, shoes, tool, a couple tubes, a seat wedge, water bottles or a camelbak, etc. etc., you might also be able to get a price on the whole thing that's better than any room they might give you on individual elements.

I've never tried to bargain down prices on accessories. With sub-$100 items, it just seems like it's too penny-pinching even for me. The TOU require me to mention that I do have a shop's name on my shorts, so I do get some discounted, fixed pricing on certain items if I plan ahead. So I also see retail as a little bit of a "disorganization tax."

Good luck!


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## Gravatrax (May 3, 2012)

Thanks guys that makes sense.

Off topic; I don't suppose you could jump over to this thread I have open on trying to find that first bike?
http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/selecting-my-first-bike-786183.html


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## mattyrides07 (Mar 9, 2012)

Gravatrax said:


> Thanks guys that makes sense.
> 
> Off topic; I don't suppose you could jump over to this thread I have open on trying to find that first bike?
> http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/selecting-my-first-bike-786183.html


Good components, but crappy cheap frame. Go to your local bike shop and get something from them. You'll be happy with it for a few months and will decide to upgrade to a way better bike (or full suspension) you'll decide its good enough for you and will last a few years 

"Dream like you'll live forever, but live like you'll die today."
-James Dean


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## pecsokak (Sep 23, 2010)

am i the only one who hates haggling? even when buying something off craigslist, i almost always pay what they are asking for unless its obvious that they will take less. i might offer a bit less, but i really hate the whole back and forth negotiation.

the shop i bought my bike from has a lowest price guarantee, and all of the bikes are already marked below MSRP. 

one way you can probably tell if they are willing to lower prices is if they put bikes on sale sometimes. i rarely see bikes on sale in the shops i go too, and i have been told its just because they are already as low as they can sell them for.


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## Punem (May 5, 2012)

I'm about to make my first mountain bike purchase, on an entry lvl bike at my LBS. I don't think I will hagg;e with the price but may see if they will throw in a helmet or maybe some gloves.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

Credit card companies are going to charge the shop 3-5% on the transaction.Ask if they will take that of the price if you pay cash.


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## Slozomby (Mar 22, 2012)

i'd be willing to bet that if someone walked into most any shop w/ $700 cash they could walk out with that bike a helmet and water bottle/cage. assuming they were reasonably polite and cordial.

its not really a question of haggling. make a reasonable offer. makes everyone's life alot better.


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## jesspal (Apr 26, 2009)

Always haggle, shops are always willing to work with you to earn your partronage. When you need to come in for tune ups or repairs they make a nice profit.


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## f1rst 1 (Jul 25, 2009)

I shopped around here in Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago to get the best price for my new Specialized Camber Comp 29. Everyone had it for around the same price, but I called a super small store and they beat everyone else's by $200. I stepped one foot into that store that had about 60% road bikes, 30% bmx and then about three mtn bikes and I turned around. I called the first store I went to and asked if they'd match the smaller store's price. They did and I immediately drove back to the first shop I was considering and ordered it. The shop I bought from is a very reputable shop in the area and I was much happier buying from, and getting service from them in the future.


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## Rokkzstar (May 12, 2012)

I just bought a new 2012 Specialized Hardrock from my LBS this weekend
I tried to get some discount but he wasn't moving too much on the price and it wasn't to expensive(in the world of MTB) so I said I'd be able to do the deal if he could throw in some gloves.

He said sure go try some on and tell me whatyou like.
I picked up some $50 specialized gloves that felt great and he tossed them in on the deal at no charge

so all in all I felt good with the deal. On top of a years worth of free tune ups I will definitely go back to that LBS in the future


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## janiszew (Nov 2, 2006)

*haggling is the fun part*

I worked at a used bike shop for awhile and negotiating deals to build unique bikes was most of the fun. BikeHaggler.com is doing this online, I got some new bike take-off parts there.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

101Surge said:


> Well I need everything, and i'm not spending that much. There are two bikes I am looking at in the store, one is $610, the other is $819... Do you think I will be able to get them to throw in a free helmet/water bottle/ repair kit for that?


Too many variables

Are the bike prices already discounted or MSRP
Are we talking about a $50 helmet or a $250 helmet.

Regardless it seems like a lot to ask for what is entry level bike prices.
I know this is an older post, but how did you do?


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I buy bikes at the same shop for over 20 years now. They work the price of the bike a little, but they give me really good deals on parts and accessories.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

My bike was on sale from $649 to $599. I didn't bother haggling because they have free lifetime tune ups and maintenance and I felt like that was worth it. 
But definitely offer cash, cash is king. You'll be way more likely to get a discount if you're paying cash. But don't be shy about pitting shops against one another because they'll usually price match.
And definitely don't be shy about "hey, for that price could you throw in a helmet and some gloves" because it doesn't hurt to ask. The worst they can do is say no. And also make it clear that you also have a couple of friends that are getting into biking and you'd be WAY more likely to recommend your LBS if they took care of you.


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## sportsmed (Jun 4, 2012)

In my experience you'll have much more lee way on a year or two model, than something that is current. Also bikes that are special order (ie Santa Cruz long travel bikes around here) are much less likely to be discounted, unless the manufacturer has surplus stock on a model. Most bike shops are good people, looking to stay afloat and get people riding :thumbsup:


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

The price of a bike is just one of the factors when considering doing business at a bike shop.

Also, some guys just think they are really clever and can haggle. I guess you have to at least ask; it can't hurt, and something is better than nothing, but don't hold your breath.


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## mhix01 (Apr 26, 2011)

_or every person I meet buying a sub-$1000 bike, there are five customers willing to drop $4000 on a bike. you're a small fish to the dealers. _

My LBS said the opposite: they said they sell WAY more cheap bikes than $3000 plus bikes which is why they don't stock many nicer bikes. It depends on your area I suppose.

I paid full retail on my 2011 Hardrock Sport Disk 29er that I bought in June of 2011. I did get 2 free 29er tubes but that was only because they forgot to ring them up (I pointed it out and they told me it was fine and didn't bother to ring them up). I did ask if the price was the best they could do and they wouldn't budge or add freebies. I'm not a good haggler and I did kind of fall in love with the bike on the test ride and I don't have a good poker face.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

mhix01 said:


> _or every person I meet buying a sub-$1000 bike, there are five customers willing to drop $4000 on a bike. you're a small fish to the dealers. _
> 
> My LBS said the opposite: they said they sell WAY more cheap bikes than $3000 plus bikes which is why they don't stock many nicer bikes. It depends on your area I suppose.


Either that or it could be the attitude of the bike shop.

Been to several bike shops before I bought my sub $1k bike. 
Some were were really pleasant to deal with, and some didn't have the time to deal with me. I live in an extremely high dollar biking area (practically in the middle of Pisgah National Forrest) and people here spend a lot of money on bikes. 
I still see plenty of sub $1k bikes.

Remember, the average working stiff that doesn't have $3-4k to spend on something to decide if they like it or not spends under $1k. Then later comes back and buys that high dollar bike.

Let the $1k guy slip through the door and you probably let another $1k in accesories, clothing, upgrades, etc along with his next bike purchase of $3k+ slip through the door with him.

Most people are not really price shoppers even though they think they are. 
They are service shopers and if you can show value in your service they will buy from you.

FYI, I know what my next bike will be and the bike shop with a bad attitude sells it for less then bike shop with a good attitude. I will be spending more money on that bike my next go around.


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## owtdorz (Apr 26, 2012)

kjlued said:


> I know what my next bike will be and the bike shop with a bad attitude sells it for less then bike shop with a good attitude. I will be spending more money on that bike my next go around.


A few months ago I was looking to upgrade and found a GREAT LBS that had what I wanted to test ride and check it out. They were extremely helpful and cut me a GREAT deal off of what they were asking. It wasn't a sub 1k bike. It turned out that it was a build that they wanted to do and I loved it. They are quite a ways from where I live and there are plenty of other shops within 15 minutes but I am willing the spend the time an $ with them since they have great customer service and do a lot for the community and support racers at most of the events here. You walk into their shop and it's like you're at a local bar. Popcorn, pizza, beer and guys just hanging out.:thumbsup:
They get all my biz and referrals.
So if your in Phoenix stop and say Hi to the guys at Sunday Cycles (shameless plug):nono:


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## Dogfood1 (Jan 2, 2012)

I sometimes wonder if the culture of haggling is killing the small IBD. Does Dick's let you haggle on price? Crappy WalMart bikes, do people haggle? 

Consider the small dealer. This isn't a car dealership where we're making thousands of dollars even at invoice. As much as we romanticize the business, this is retail, and retail is a brutal business, no matter what you sell. To keep popular brands of bikes, we have unrealistic minimum orders. We have demanding vendors, and have to cover tremendous overhead. We work with a skeleton crew because more bodies doesn't mean more revenue, it just means less profit. 

Repairs, one of the few profit centers at an IBD are mainly shitty big-box bikes that require repairs beyond the original purchase price (but the owners never seem to 'get it'). And suck up precious mechanic time.

If you try to manage inventory to your benefit, and work in a Just In Time model, you lose customers because you can't provide instant gratification (what? I have to wait 4 days for my bike????). If you keep too much inventory you end up looking at it for the next year, overextending your credit, and selling the bikes at a deep discount (but not on the internet because the MFG won't let you).

Those same bike manufacturers do you no favors. They open their own boutique retail shops, allow other shops to encroach on your geography and frequently play hardball. Yet they themselves do nothing to grow bicycling beyond existing enthusiasts. Have you ever seen a Cannondale commercial during prime-time television? Trek, Specialized, Giant? Nope. Have you ever seen those same bike companies advertise in any magazine that's not bike oriented? Nope. If they won't invest in growing cycling, how can an IBD?

Because in the end, margins for small IBDs are so small, and livable profit is hard to achieve. At a small shop, every dollar is important. Yeah it's relatively cheap to throw in a helmet or gloves, but those cost money too. Not to be overly dramatic, but we have mortgages, car payments, kids in school, and dreams of retiring. 

Solutions? Good customers: Throw them a 10% off coupon through Facebook. First timers? 10% off and free tune-ups (which they will never come back for). But if you're going to price shop and haggle with my like you're buying a new Accord, forget it...

To me, haggling and competitive price shopping on a bike is a sure fire way of insuring that your IBD isn't there when your "buddies" come to buy their bikes. 

Sorry for the rant, but to a "beginner" audience this is a good lesson on why saving a couple bucks isn't always the smartest way to approach every situation.


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## Blister Butt (Jul 20, 2005)

^ This! Very well put. Thank you!



Dogfood1 said:


> I sometimes wonder if the culture of haggling is killing the small IBD. Does Dick's let you haggle on price? Crappy WalMart bikes, do people haggle?
> 
> Consider the small dealer. This isn't a car dealership where we're making thousands of dollars even at invoice. As much as we romanticize the business, this is retail, and retail is a brutal business, no matter what you sell. To keep popular brands of bikes, we have unrealistic minimum orders. We have demanding vendors, and have to cover tremendous overhead. We work with a skeleton crew because more bodies doesn't mean more revenue, it just means less profit.
> 
> ...


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## shagster (Oct 30, 2012)

Haggle away. If the LBS can't say no to your haggling, than he isn't a very good business operator. The LBS should have a bottom line that he can sell the bike to you and keep a profit margin. If he sells it below that and eventually falls out of business, he can't blame that on the customer that haggled, only himself.


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## Dogfood1 (Jan 2, 2012)

shagster said:


> Haggle away. If the LBS can't say no to your haggling, than he isn't a very good business operator. The LBS should have a bottom line that he can sell the bike to you and keep a profit margin. If he sells it below that and eventually falls out of business, he can't blame that on the customer that haggled, only himself.


Why is he a bad business operator if he chooses not to haggle with you? Having a bottom line price is laughable - this is not a car dealership. Profit from an IBD perspective is loosely defined as having enough money to stay in business during the winter, and be around next spring. This is not the Trek Factory Store, or Dicks, we don't make tons of money, we just love biking and think our town deserves a IBD.

There will always be hagglers, but save haggling for Craigslist and flea markets. This is a business.

Most people don't buy bikes very often, yet still want a deal. How do you get a deal? Come in, be a regular customer, don't buy shiit off the internet and ask us to install it cheap. Talk bikes with us, ask intelligent questions, buy clothing or accessories, actually bring your friends in, like us on Facebook, form a relationship. That's how you get value out of a IBD.

This is a different animal than big bike dealers, or big-boxes. We live on relationships, and forcing us to sacrifice an already small profit so you can save a couple bucks and never come back is no incentive for an IBD.

If I make $300 on a bike, and you play the car dealer game and expect me to take $100 off, and throw in a helmet, or a pack I will not stay in business.

This is simple retail economics.


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## shibiwan (Sep 2, 2012)

I'm Asian so lowballing and haggling is part and parcel of my nature. (I GEEB YEW FAI DORRA ANN DEN I BAI NAO!!) 

Seriously, no harm in asking for a discount, although I typically expect more of a break on a $3000+++ bike than a $700 bike. There's only so much profit margin on a cheap bike so I would not expect miracles. No discount? No problem. Ask for deals on other **** (helmets, bike locks, whatever). Stuff like tubes/tires are high profit margin items so the retailer is usually more willing to budge.

Whatever it is, do your research before you buy. Stepping in a store and not knowing what the bikes or parts are really worth is a quick way to throw your money away.

-S


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## shagster (Oct 30, 2012)

Dogfood1 said:


> Why is he a bad business operator if he chooses not to haggle with you? Having a bottom line price is laughable - this is not a car dealership. Profit from an IBD perspective is loosely defined as having enough money to stay in business during the winter, and be around next spring. This is not the Trek Factory Store, or Dicks, we don't make tons of money, we just love biking and think our town deserves a IBD.
> 
> There will always be hagglers, but save haggling for Craigslist and flea markets. This is a business.
> 
> ...


I never said you had to haggle as the store owner. If you choose not to and stick with the advertised price, that is completely your call. It is a chance you take on making or losing a sale, a risk of having your own business and part of the privilege.

Now if you *DO* happen to not sell items at your advertised price...
Every item in your store has a cost associated with it and must have a bottom line price attached to them before you start losing money. I'm not sure what confusing or crazy about that idea. Capitalism.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

The shops I go to usually have tags on most bikes for about 10% off MSRP, so I don't bother to haggle, if it's a shop I like I'd rather have them make money so they stay in business lol.

Although the last few bikes I've bought have been stuff like my Transition Bandit 29, or my Pugsley, and in both cases it was a minor miracle that the shop secured bikes for me, so I gladly paid MSRP.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I paid retail on the last bike I bought in a shop.

I try not to buy retail bikes. Actually, I think shops are great, but I'd rather buy used. It's not the shop's profit margin I object to. They need to stay in business, and if I value having them around, I can't expect not to pay for that. I don't want to pay for the majors' Bold New Graphics every year, or their ads during the Tour de France, or their sponsorship of professional teams. I don't want to pay for their long-ass supply chains. Etc. Etc.

Granted, all that stuff pulls up the price of a bike a couple years old. But at least I'm a little more insulated.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

shagster said:


> Haggle away. If the LBS can't say no to your haggling, than he isn't a very good business operator. The LBS should have a bottom line that he can sell the bike to you and keep a profit margin. If he sells it below that and eventually falls out of business, he can't blame that on the customer that haggled, only himself.


There is a problem with this theory.

The mentality of the customer is either they deal or I go elsewhere and buy from somebody that does. Then the shop owner needs to make a decision to make a little of something or all of nothing. All this over a few dollars that really does not amount to much for the customer but cuts deeply in the profits of the shop owner.

His hand is often pretty forced for the most part to either deal or lose the sale completely.

People should shop more on what services the shop is going give them more then the discounts. Would you rather get a few free trinkets or a few dollars off the price but have the shop not give a rats ass about you once you walk out the door. Or would you rather know they will offer you exceptional service after the sale?

I got my bike from REI. Not really a LBS but not a big box store either.
They also do a lot for the community and the sports they retail. 
Thing is, there is no haggling at REI and if anything their prices are often a little inflated. However, when I crashed my first bike and bent the frame, I went in there to see what options I had. They didn't even bat an eye and offered to refund it saying that is part of their lifetime satisfaction guarantee. (Granted there was a brake issue with the bike that played in to the crash, but that wasn't even a factor in their decision).

After that experience, I sure am glad I didn't worry about buying a bike because the shop would give me $50.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I paid retail on the last bike I bought in a shop.
> 
> I try not to buy retail bikes. Actually, I think shops are great, but I'd rather buy used. It's not the shop's profit margin I object to. They need to stay in business, and if I value having them around, I can't expect not to pay for that. I don't want to pay for the majors' Bold New Graphics every year, or their ads during the Tour de France, or their sponsorship of professional teams. I don't want to pay for their long-ass supply chains. Etc. Etc.
> 
> Granted, all that stuff pulls up the price of a bike a couple years old. But at least I'm a little more insulated.


Do those advertising dollars, supply chains, sponsorships, etc bring up the prices or help them sell a quantity of bikes that keeps the prices lower?

Compare the prices of your major brands that spend money on all that stuff to the price of a custom built with the same quality and components. People buy what they see and without the advertising and sponsorships they wouldn't be able to sell the the quantity and without the supply chains, they would be able to keep up with the demand.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

The point is, I don't care about most of that. I understand the bicycle market to be pretty inelastic, at least in the enthusiast tier. So the more the bike companies work to grab sales, the more they drive my price up. Why should I agree to that? I think my '99 LeMond has really nice graphics.  I like the retro paint scheme, which they stuck with for years, on my Kona Jake. Etc. And I never saw ads for either bike. They were available at my local shop and my favorite one during test rides, respectively.

And while I've seen plenty of 10-speed drivetrains, you can have my 9-speed when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands. I'll probably still get 10-speed next time just because that's what's available. But I don't want it. I was fine with 8-speed, frankly, it was running into some nicer, cheap shifters that happened to be for 9- that got me to switch.


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## Dogfood1 (Jan 2, 2012)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I paid retail on the last bike I bought in a shop.
> 
> I try not to buy retail bikes. Actually, I think shops are great, but I'd rather buy used. It's not the shop's profit margin I object to. They need to stay in business, and if I value having them around, I can't expect not to pay for that. I don't want to pay for the majors' Bold New Graphics every year, or their ads during the Tour de France, or their sponsorship of professional teams. I don't want to pay for their long-ass supply chains. Etc. Etc.
> 
> Granted, all that stuff pulls up the price of a bike a couple years old. But at least I'm a little more insulated.





kjlued said:


> Do those advertising dollars, supply chains, sponsorships, etc bring up the prices or help them sell a quantity of bikes that keeps the prices lower?
> 
> Compare the prices of your major brands that spend money on all that stuff to the price of a custom built with the same quality and components. People buy what they see and without the advertising and sponsorships they wouldn't be able to sell the the quantity and without the supply chains, they would be able to keep up with the demand.


It's funny, I agree with both of you. A huge part of the industry problem is the shortsightedness (some might say arrogance) of the major players.

It would be great to sell gently used high-end bikes or unique vintage bikes, it's actually one of the segments that's exploding around here. But the manufacturers forbid selling used along with their new bikes.

Enthusiasts will always look for high-end obscure stuff, and that's great, but it's not growing the bicycle segment. The real power to grow the segment lies with the marketing and advertising departments of the major players. As I said in an earlier post, they waste (IMHO) their advertising dollars on people who already are bike enthusiasts. Advertising during the Tour de France? How many people in the suburbs - the ones with disposable income, who could benefit from riding their bike more - are watching that?

To grow the segment, and to combat WalMart crap bikes the manufacturers need to advertise to regular people and become better advocates for both their products and cycling in general. There needs to be suburban advocacy versus the established urban version that is generally preaching to the converted. I know that's not as sexy as sponsoring a TdF team, or a MTB team, but more people on bikes means more sales, and how is that a bad thing?


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## shibiwan (Sep 2, 2012)

Dogfood1 said:


> To grow the segment, and to combat WalMart crap bikes the manufacturers need to advertise to regular people and become better advocates for both their products and cycling in general. There needs to be suburban advocacy versus the established urban version that is generally preaching to the converted. I know that's not as sexy as sponsoring a TdF team, or a MTB team, but more people on bikes means more sales, and how is that a bad thing?


Haha... that's what happens when MBA's run a company's marketing campaign instead of Psychology graduate degree holders.

*run away*

-S


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Dogfood1 said:


> Advertising during the Tour de France? How many people in the suburbs - the ones with disposable income, who could benefit from riding their bike more - are watching that?


Do want to know the answer for that in the US or in the world.

There is not a large percentage of Americans that follow the the TDF however, in other countries it is huge. Much bigger than the Superbowl here.

I have also been in to motorcycles and Moto GP is not that big here in the US, but GP riders are some of the highest paid athletes in the world. Same with Formula 1 which is almost unheard of here in the US. So where advertising dollars dumped in the TDF may not equate to huge US dollars gained, I guarantee it amounts to a lot Globally.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Frankly, I doubt that rec/amateur cycling is any more elastic overseas than in the US. But I was really only thinking about the money that the American-based majors throw away on their on-shore advertising efforts. So while the rest of the world may follow things like non-NASCAR racing, a kind of hockey with cleaner skating and less fighting, and something we insist on calling Soccer to the mystification of everyone else, those are all still really ineffective places for companies to put their advertising dollars here at home.

Some major pushes to get other people on bikes include the Specialized Globe line and a little longer ago, the Trek Lime. I don't think I've ever seen a Lime in the wild, and they were supposed to have been a failure. Globe bikes are copies of conversions, inexpensive bikes and vintage bikes that people are setting up as commuters and bar bikes, and judging by the shrinking product line, they're not doing any better than Trek did with the Lime.

Basically, I think it takes a cultural phenomenon from outside the bike industry to get people who haven't owned "real" bikes to buy them, and I don't think the industry has much of a shot to create those. To some degree, sponsorships actually make some sense in this light - I bet Lance Armstrong, embarrassing as he's become, sold a lot of Madones. But I don't care to be a part of sponsoring Trek's cycling teams and Armstrong is the exception. Most of the other riders they sponsor in one way or another, nobody outside cycling will recognize.

The fishing industry was supposed to have had a problem I suspect is somewhat similar. I think most of us remember fishing with our fathers at some point or another. I thought it was really lame, but I know it clicks for some people. Some of them go on to be lifelong fishermen, and some pretty much forget about it by college. Then they have sons and they want to take them fishing. So they go to a sporting goods store and are confronted by a massive selection of different, individual rods, reels, spools, lures, hooks, etc. etc. etc. They go buy a couple of baseball gloves.

I think all of us who've tried to get a significant other into cycling have had the experience of going into a bike shop and having him/her be overwhelmed by the Wall of Saddles or the row of apparently similar bicycles, or any of the other fairly undifferentiated things. They frequently bail out on the whole project. The Lime was actually supposed to address that, but the pricing structure was off - to get the one with the design features to nail the experience Trek was trying to recreate, one had to pay more than what that type of casual first-time buyer is willing to pay. The majors are shooting themselves in the foot. They know it, but they mostly don't seem to be able to figure out how to fix it. So if they're succeeding at nothing else, it's creating a market for bikesdirect (although they have pretty bad overselection too) and also Target and Costco and the other Box stores.

At the end of all that, road bikes were nailed in the mid-90s and the 26" hardtail was nailed ten years ago. There's a big stock of all these bikes kicking around. So I'm going to keep starting my new-to-me bike searches looking for used bikes from that backstock, and when the bike industry comes up with something new, they can get back to me. To be fair, I'd like my next mountain bike to be a 29er. I haven't yet ridden a full-suspension that I'd want as my "daily driver," so that's got to be several years down the road for me, at least.

I think there's room in the industry, and we can see it in some of the smaller brands, for a company to release a more concise lineup on a much longer design cycle. After all, there is some attrition. My '80s road bike eventually broke, and from time to time, there are big enough changes or enough incremental changes to make some of the older bikes too much trouble to keep rolling. Trying to maintain something from the late '70s is a nightmare, for example.

EDIT: I should add that funding doomed-to-fail lineups like the Lime and Globe series or the development of massively overweight kids' full suspension platforms is another thing I'm not interested in funding. I like R&D and it will probably be my job by this time next year. But a lot of the time, nobody seems to think about whether anyone actually wants what they're R&Ding, or whether they can position it in the right part of the market.


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## s.reynolds (Jan 8, 2013)

There is no harm in asking, when i was buying my bike they knocked it down £300 just like that and it was already in the sale but i saw it cheaper elsewhere still


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## jonathancolledge (Jan 13, 2013)

My philosophy is if you don't ask, you don't get. If you do buy a shed load of stuff they can usually give a discount that makes one of your accessories free. If they don't do discount for big buys, or don't match other prices, try another shop. It makes good business sense to make money on a big purchase and throw in something that you only break even on. It ensures the customer feels great about their purchase instead of guilty and will ensure they come back to the same shop everytime.


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## JerBear007 (Sep 24, 2012)

When I started working at a small town bike shop as a teenager, I never really understood the economics of how and why the shop owner did what he did. He carried lesser name brand adult bikes and hotter name brand BMX bikes. He would work on anything for the stated rate. He would allow generous haggling on adult bikes. He allowed no haggling at all on parts, labor, or BMX bikes. 

The next shop I worked at was in Metro Denver and the manager had us steer hagglers toward older year models. We were allowed to go around 10% under cost on older models. We wouldn't budge much on current year models, and that was only when people were buying multiple bikes for the family. That shop built a solid reputation and relied on return customers and word of mouth. 

Now I have a career from my overpaid college education and I don't work in the local shop. I've moved to a medium-small town and here we have a town with little interest in cycling. Every time I've tried to go to the shop during business hours, they've closed early or taken the day off for whatever reason. From what I hear, the shop owner doesn't carry much inventory and won't work on department store bikes. I've heard that his focus is working on bikes, but I don't fully understand how he would stay in business working on bike shop quality bikes that weren't purchased in this town.

The point of all this? Bike shops find their niche and sustain on their terms. Some individual going into a shop is either going to find that the shop will haggle or it won't, but whether it does has already been determined long before the customer comes in the door. I don't see a shop employee, manager, or owner thinking twice about a customer trying to haggle once the customer either leaves or the transaction is done. 

So if people want to haggle and feel they need to, then they should.


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

JerBear007 said:


> When I started working at a small town bike shop as a teenager, I never really understood the economics of how and why the shop owner did what he did. He carried lesser name brand adult bikes and hotter name brand BMX bikes. He would work on anything for the stated rate. He would allow generous haggling on adult bikes. He allowed no haggling at all on parts, labor, or BMX bikes.
> 
> The next shop I worked at was in Metro Denver and the manager had us steer hagglers toward older year models. We were allowed to go around 10% under cost on older models. We wouldn't budge much on current year models, and that was only when people were buying multiple bikes for the family. That shop built a solid reputation and relied on return customers and word of mouth.
> 
> ...


Excellent post.

I've worked at 4 bike shops. None were interested in haggling. Older model years get discounted, there are some promotions now and then - but no back and forth on the price. Lots of people try, which is not surprising in this day and age where retail chains advertise sales of 50% off or more. What people don't understand is that profit margins on bikes are notoriously low compared to most other retail items.

It also seems like there's a lot of perceptions that cross over from car buying, which is also hard to combat. Most people buy cars for less than list price and are accustomed to haggling there. I'm not totally sure how/why this perception exists when buying bikes - maybe because they both have wheels? Nobody haggles over the price of a TV at Bestbuy, which can easily eclipse the cost of the average bicycle

Many shops, especially small shops sell at MSRP (especially on entry level bikes). Some customers will walk out because of that, regardless of free services offered with purchase. For some people the bottom line is the only thing that matters.


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## aethalin (Jan 14, 2013)

I didn't have much luck with haggling at my local shops. Although, they did give me some water bottle cages, bottles, and 20% off accessories, when I bought my new bike. They sold their bikes at a discount already. I can't really complain. It seems to depend on the person and their mood.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Come to think of it, I got a bit off two of the three bikes I've bought new. One was last year's. The other, I just told them a price I was comfortable with spending, and they brought the next more expensive bike down to my figure. I'd have been okay with buying the next lower bike to stay inside my budget; guess they wanted all of it.


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## frecklepanther (Jan 16, 2013)

Depends (obviously). Certain stores won't budge on price but could throw incentives in. I bought my latest bike as a used demo bike and they would not come down at all from the discount already offered (25%, had been taken out 8 times to ride) but they did throw in some free tune ups and gear.


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## legendlime05 (Oct 4, 2012)

My LBS is outstanding, I know that I paid msrp on my revel, but everytime Im in the store I get GREAT service. And I havent paid full price on any accessories. 
I want them to stay in business, so I didnt fight paying msrp. 
Find they one you click with most and go with it.


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## euellgibbons (Jan 18, 2013)

how do you find MSRP on a bike? Say for example, a 2012 Trek Remedy 8, or '12 Giant Trance 2?


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## stencil (Nov 23, 2012)

euellgibbons said:


> how do you find MSRP on a bike? Say for example, a 2012 Trek Remedy 8, or '12 Giant Trance 2?


That's a really good question, and a good reason people get very confused about pricing and discounting.

There are so many component kits that the same bike could cost $1,000 more at one shop over another based on how they finished it out. Some manufacturers are pretty transparent about this, others not so much. You'll want to really do your homework and hope that your LBS is on the up-and-up.


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## gbug (Jul 20, 2010)

A lot of good opinions posted so far. I think the key, as others as mentioned, is to be polite and also to visit a few shops to figure out which ones are willing to move on price. And my bargaining tactic would not be to ask, "Is this the best price you can offer?" Phrase it like that, and you make it too easy for the shop to tell you that the price is what it is.

IMHO, if you are spending $3k+ on a bike purchase, the buying process should involve more than one visit to the bike shop. Let them know that you are looking at other bikes/shops and give them a chance to win your business. At the end of the day, the shop is not doing you a "favor" by discounting on price. Either they want to sell you the bike at X price, or they don't. Any good shop should know exactly how much they can sell a bike for and still turn a profit.

I bought a bike about two months ago, started out considering two different bikes. After doing a couple demoes, decided which bike I wanted. Two dealers local to me carry this brand. At shop A, (also where I demoed bike from, for a fee) the owner said the price is what it is, the manufacturer does not allow us to discount. I said ok, I really can't spend what you are asking, thanks anyway. Went to a shop that I had never set foot in, shop B. Told him I absolutely cannot spend more than X amount, what can you do for me? Price on the floor was $1600 higher than X. He came to within $400 of my price, then $300 after a little more discussion. Once I determined that was the lowest he would go, I said thanks, let me think about it. Went back into the shop the next weekend, told him I would buy the bike if he threw in a dropper post. He threw in the dropper post and I walked out with a new bike that was effectively in my price range if you include the dropper post. Total discount was 23% off the floor price.

This was a higher end bike though, so YMMV on a cheaper bike.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

euellgibbons said:


> how do you find MSRP on a bike? Say for example, a 2012 Trek Remedy 8, or '12 Giant Trance 2?


Usually, I can just look it up on the manufacturer's web site.

A couple manufacturers don't list it. You can usually find it by searching the bike name and trim level and "MSRP." Sometimes bikepedia.com or the reviews here on MTBR have it. Or you can just base it on the MSRP of comparable bikes, although that requires a little more understanding of the parts.

I notice you mentioned 2012 bikes. I'd be a bit surprised to find them for any more than 40% off yet.

The MSRPs don't drift that much most seasons, so if you can't find MSRP for those bikes, it's probably within $100 of the MSRP for the '13 models.


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