What do you say to a prospective bicycle buyer?

I was talking to someone about riding when a woman came up and overheard us.
She said that she was excited about getting a new bike because the last one
she had was when she was about 9 years old. Then, she said in a breathless
voice "Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"

So far, so good. I mean, I've heard this before. Then, she said, "I think
I'll just get one at Wal-Mart and see if I like it--then I could get a
better one later on if I do." And she went on to ask me if she should get a
"girl's bike" or a "boy's bike" because that is all the bike shops seem to
have these days---boys' bikes and she didn't understand why.

I was envisioning this woman buying one of those 50 # slugs at Wal-Mart and
not riding after the first two or three tries because it would be just too
much effort. I started off with telling her about the weight of the Wal-Mart
bike and the lack of quality of the components, but her eyes glazed over.

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

Pat wrote:

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?



"Buy the red one, they are always faster!"

"Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

Pat: You tell her the obvious. That she should test-ride a couple bikes,
both at a bike shop and at *Mart, and see if any of them feel like something
that's going to make her *want* to ride. Why spend $80 at *Mart if it's
going to sit and rot in the garage? You're still $80 further away from
something that you might get your money's worth from.

And if she says "But they don't do test rides at *Mart" then you should ask
why somebody would buy something they might not like? Better not to get a
bike at all in that case. But if you spend $300, even $400 on a bike and
it's something you really enjoy and use a lot, that's a great buy compared
to something that costs $80 that ends up never ridden.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I was talking to someone about riding when a woman came up and overheard
us.
She said that she was excited about getting a new bike because the last
one
she had was when she was about 9 years old. Then, she said in a
breathless
voice "Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"

So far, so good. I mean, I've heard this before. Then, she said, "I think
I'll just get one at Wal-Mart and see if I like it--then I could get a
better one later on if I do." And she went on to ask me if she should get
a
"girl's bike" or a "boy's bike" because that is all the bike shops seem to
have these days---boys' bikes and she didn't understand why.

I was envisioning this woman buying one of those 50 # slugs at Wal-Mart
and
not riding after the first two or three tries because it would be just too
much effort. I started off with telling her about the weight of the
Wal-Mart
bike and the lack of quality of the components, but her eyes glazed over.

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I was talking to someone about riding when a woman came up and overheard
us.
She said that she was excited about getting a new bike because the last
one
she had was when she was about 9 years old. Then, she said in a
breathless
voice "Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"

So far, so good. I mean, I've heard this before. Then, she said, "I think
I'll just get one at Wal-Mart and see if I like it--then I could get a
better one later on if I do." And she went on to ask me if she should get
a
"girl's bike" or a "boy's bike" because that is all the bike shops seem to
have these days---boys' bikes and she didn't understand why.

I was envisioning this woman buying one of those 50 # slugs at Wal-Mart
and
not riding after the first two or three tries because it would be just too
much effort. I started off with telling her about the weight of the
Wal-Mart
bike and the lack of quality of the components, but her eyes glazed over.

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

When someone tells me they are going to buy a Wal Mart bike, I ask them,
politely, what their budget is. When they tell me $200 or less, I inform
them of the excellent used bike selection both our LBS have. I've found
bikes on eBay for people to save them money.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"


So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX


Pat: You tell her the obvious. That she should test-ride a couple bikes,
both at a bike shop and at *Mart, and see if any of them feel like something
that's going to make her *want* to ride. Why spend $80 at *Mart if it's
going to sit and rot in the garage? You're still $80 further away from
something that you might get your money's worth from.

And if she says "But they don't do test rides at *Mart" then you should ask
why somebody would buy something they might not like? Better not to get a
bike at all in that case. But if you spend $300, even $400 on a bike and
it's something you really enjoy and use a lot, that's a great buy compared
to something that costs $80 that ends up never ridden.


Too long of a reply. And the person can always say that if they don't
like the bike they can return it.

Tell her that the WalMart bicycles are of very poor quality, poorly
assembled, and are difficult to repair if something breaks. Then give up.

Pat wrote:
I was talking to someone about riding when a woman came up and overheard us.
She said that she was excited about getting a new bike because the last one
she had was when she was about 9 years old. Then, she said in a breathless
voice "Do you know how expensive bikes are these days!" and before I could
open my mouth, she went on with "Why, my old Schwinn didn't cost even $50
and now they want at least $300 to get a bicycle at a bike shop!"

So far, so good. I mean, I've heard this before. Then, she said, "I think
I'll just get one at Wal-Mart and see if I like it--then I could get a
better one later on if I do." And she went on to ask me if she should get a
"girl's bike" or a "boy's bike" because that is all the bike shops seem to
have these days---boys' bikes and she didn't understand why.

I was envisioning this woman buying one of those 50 # slugs at Wal-Mart and
not riding after the first two or three tries because it would be just too
much effort. I started off with telling her about the weight of the Wal-Mart
bike and the lack of quality of the components, but her eyes glazed over.

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

I like Mike J's response but in this specific instance I think I'd also
ask the woman how much her "good" shoes cost when she was nine years
old. That should at least make her stop and think.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

On 7 Oct 2005 17:30:36 -0700, "Bob" wrote:

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

I like Mike J's response but in this specific instance I think I'd also
ask the woman how much her "good" shoes cost when she was nine years
old. That should at least make her stop and think.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Heh-heh. Or relate it to something she knows, like the price of a trip to
the beauty parlor. 'For only the price of six visits to the salon, you can
have a real bike shop bike!'. ;-D

jj

On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 20:50:47 -0400, wrote:

On 7 Oct 2005 17:30:36 -0700, "Bob" wrote:

So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Pat in TX

I like Mike J's response but in this specific instance I think I'd also
ask the woman how much her "good" shoes cost when she was nine years
old. That should at least make her stop and think.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Heh-heh. Or relate it to something she knows, like the price of a trip to
the beauty parlor. 'For only the price of six visits to the salon, you can
have a real bike shop bike!'. ;-D

jj

Oh, yeah, forgot the punch line... "...and the beauty you obtain from the
bike will last and even improve over time...unlike a bad hair-do". ;-)

jj

Pat wrote:

:
: So, my question is: just what DO you tell someone like this?

Nothing.

Would she be more interested in the $300 bike at the LBS if they offered her
$80 discount? Wasting $80 on a junk bike is just like throwing away a big
discount.