Navigating the Bike Shop Part 2 - Buying a Bike
If you’re the kind of person who likes to understand how things work, go ahead and take a look at part one of this series where we cover how bike shops are set up, their relationships with distributors and how to narrow down the right shop in your search. Now you’re ready to buy your bike. What do you need to know before you walk in the door?
Know Your Budget
Unless you have unlimited funds, you need to walk in the door with a budget in mind. I’d have a range rather than a set price. By adding a few hundred dollars to your budget, you may be able to get some major upgrades on your bike.
The Cost is Not Just the Bike
This is where most experience sticker shock. If you’re new to cycling you’ll probably need to buy pedals for the bike and if you plan to clip in, you’ll need shoes as well. That’s just to make the bike function. I also recommend you walk out of the store with a complete flat changing kit, at least one water bottle cage and front and rear lights.
An absolute must-have is a good helmet. The material on a helmet will begin to degrade from heat, sun, sweat and other environmental factors so you’ll want to replace your helmet every 3-5 years. Your helmet is not a place to skimp on price. Even though helmets must all meet minimum safety requirements, you’re more likely to wear it properly if it’s comfortable and fits your head well. Other upgrades that you might want fairly soon will be a saddle if the standard saddle doesn’t work and of course bike shorts. You’re looking to spend an additional $100-$1000 on top of the bike itself to make it functional and enjoyable to ride.
Look for Financing Options
A lot of shops have financing available and if you have good credit you can get 0% for a certain period. This can make the investment a little easier to swallow upfront.
Communicate Your Goals
When you talk to the salesperson at the store, don’t start with your budget - instead, start with your goals. You’re going to want to make an entirely different investment if you plan to ride every weekend and complete a 200-mile gravel race in the next few years than if you only plan to ride a few times a month with a group of friends. You want to find the best bike for your goals and then make the decision on price. At the same time, don’t get yourself in over your head with the price. It’s easy to get emotional about a bike but walk away for a few days. Don’t be afraid to ask when this model will go on sale. Bikes are similar to cars - new models come out each year and bike shops will clear out inventory to make room for the newer models.
Make Friends with the Mechanics
I wrote a whole article about things to know before you leave the bike shop that you can read here but whenever you buy a new bike, something will come up. Whether it’s a funny noise or something just not lining up right, chances are you’ll be back in the first few months for an adjustment. The mechanics at a shop work hard and sometimes people don’t treat them the best. If my mechanic is making some easy adjustments I typically try to sit with him and ask questions as he works. I’ve learned more about basic bike maintenance from those interactions than any clinic I’ve attended. Also bringing them donuts or beer helps :)
Walk Away if You Don’t Feel Respected
There are bike shops that are going to treat women poorly. The tide is turning but that is still true. Sometimes it’s the entire store and sometimes it’s just specific salespeople. I’ve been treated differently by a male and female salesperson in a bike shop (read more here). You get to choose where you spend your money. If you feel like you’re being treated like ‘just a girl’ or not being respected then walk away. Don’t spend your money in a place that isn’t going to support women in cycling.
Brands that Support Women
This is by no means a comprehensive list and I’d love to hear from anyone else who has experience!
Trek Bicycles
Trek has been leading the way by putting money into their women’s cycling program. Their goal is to get more women on bikes (disclaimer, I’m a Trek Women’s Advocate and have had great experiences with the brand). The other nice thing about Trek is they offer a wide range of bikes with price points for any budget
Specialized
I’m not as familiar with the work of Specialized but I know they’ve been collaborating with Alison Tetrick to create saddles that make riding more comfortable for women and they seem to be putting a lot of money into supporting women on social media.
Liv
Liv is a brand launched by Giant that is dedicated to women with everything from bikes to gear. As another large retailer, you’ll be able to find a variety of price points with the Liv brand.
SRAM
SRAM isn’t a bike brand but it is the components that you’ll get on your bike. SRAM has a group of women ambassadors and hosts events for women throughout the world.
Machines for Freedom
I haven’t tried out their stuff yet because it is pricey but I hear great things about Machines for Freedom, a female-owned bike clothing manufacture. One of the great things about MFF is they create clothing for all sizes and use models of all sizes in their marketing.