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  • Bike Demo'ing
  • GolfChick
    Free Member

    Right I fancy trying out some new bikes, carbon bikes in fact so I thought I’d have a hunt around at what was out there to be demo’ed. I dont really wanna do a whole demo day as I’d rather do it on a weekday for starters when its quieter anyway, I’d rather not go somewhere even more busy because of the demo and I’d like to take the bikes to my local trail to try em out where I know what to expect.

    I always knew demoing womens models was impossible as apparently theres not enough demand but I figured seeing as theres practically no womens carbon bikes I’d be trying mens versions anyways, no problem for me. So I’ve had a look around to try some and so far I’ve discovered they either charge you to try them (I dont mind showing them ID and leaving a card or details of said card) and even if they dont charge you every flippin size is large! Or I had the answer that they didnt have a single 26 model for demoing only the 29!

    Has anybody actually had any luck going to a normal shop and demoing a medium sized carbon bike? I mean they aint sodding cheap and they expect me to just guess whether it fits me!

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Like you said, they ain’t cheap. Few shops can afford to have a fleet of test bikes available and every ride reduces the value. Most shops will refund the charge should you go on to buy a bike.

    Some distributors carry a test fleet though. Approach you local dealer and see what they can arrange.

    GolfChick
    Free Member

    Most places have afforded to get one in but they’re for enormous people!!! I’ve contacted one distributor in the hope they know where a medium is, otherwise i’ll end up ringing every shop to find out!

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    What u hoping to try?

    jairaj
    Full Member

    Not had an issue finding the correct size but found it hard to find a demo in any size. Most the bike shops near me didn’t offer any proper demos, so I had to travel around a bit to find the demos.

    The shops that did have a demo fleet were independent shops.

    Buckingham Bikes had a selection of Trek and Orange mountain bikes. The service was great unfortunately my personal preference was for a Transition Bandit so didn’t end up buying from them.

    Also Marshal Cycles and Chaineys Cycles both arranged for a Transition Bandit to be delivered to the store for me to demo free off charge.

    I found it rubbish that my local Cycle Surgery didn’t have a demo policy at all. I went in asking what demo they could sort out and they just looked at me with a blank expression. After badgering them and a call to head office they said they could maybe sort out a demo on a Specialized if i paid the £80 to courier the bike to the store.

    Evans said apart from riding round the block they didn’t offer any proper demo and they didn’t even consider my request to speak to head office to see if they could arrange something.

    I thought it was quite silly that the two big chain stores couldn’t sort out a demo from some of the biggest bike brands and distributors.

    While some pretty small independent bike shops could easily sort out a demo from a relatively small bike brand.

    IA
    Full Member

    but they’re for enormous people

    As an enormous person, where are all these demo bikes hiding? Very, very few places have them in XL sizes!

    curiousyellow
    Free Member

    Don’t Evans have a no quibble 90 day return policy? I know one person who used it, but he never thrashed the bike round somewhere. He bought it, took it home, got told by his missus he couldn’t keep it and took it straight back.

    May be worth having a crack if you can get them to put the returns policy in writing.

    Moose Cycles have some sweet bikes in normal person sizes available for demo for about £40. They will take it off the cost if you decide to purchase from them. Hope this helps you OP.

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    Stif have access to a pretty massive demo fleet, most sizes, and carbon, as was evidenced at their demo day on sunday, trails weren’t too busy, and you got a decent feel for the bikes.

    Give them a ring, see what they can do?

    TimCotic
    Free Member

    Don’t know if it’s local for you but I did manage to demo a bike from Mountain Trax in Wokingham. They charge 40 quid which allows you to demo as many bikes as you like within a month. They let me take an Aluminium Tallboy away for a couple of days midweek.
    Like you though I did find that the bikes tend to be large – (and even with inline post and 70mm stem it still didn’t feel right). Anyway they had a list of demo bikes on the website – I think they had a very nice looking carbon Whyte 29er hardtail in medium. Good Luck 😀

    kimbers
    Full Member

    every single one of mountaintrax demo bikes seen to be large or extra large!

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