Ask for any freebies?
Some retailers have been known to throw in a few bits…lock/pedals/lid/etc.
Is it polite to be offered or is it a case of you don’t ask, you don’t get?
Does this apply if its an interest-free purchase or a one-off transaction?

Just interested…cheers 🙂

As you say, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
I’d give it a go especially if you’re dropping a couple of grand with them?

Didn’t have the balls to ask for a cash discount for mine but no eyebrows were raised when asking for a free bell and bottle cage. Am sure a lot will have bartered better.

If you’re making a one-off payment, ask them what’s the best price they can do.Expect around 10% off rrp, which will equate to the credit company’s cut on an interest-free purchase.

Ask nice and politely for a discount.. tell them It’s out of your budget slightly etc..
Act interested but not hugely keen and start walking away if they won’t budge… Mutter something about buying somewhere online.
I work in retail and have margins I can knock off.. and if I like the person and they are polite I’ll give the max. Discount I can. If they are an arse then I’ll be much less forthcoming.

I got a price match with interest free credit they dropped my bike from 1400 to 1000 I was happy enough with that 😉

IF you can justify a discount rather than just ask for one you will do better.

I have asked for free bits before and got quite a bit however I am considering getting a custom road bike so would feel a little awkward as they are niche expertise?

I work in retail and have margins I can knock off..

what part of retail do you work in?

I always politely ask for a discount whenever making medium/large purchases. As cloud nine says, there are margins. Or to put it slightly more bluntly – only suckers pay retail.

Evans threw in some Shimano pedals for free when I bought my CX bike.

aw – Member
I have asked for free bits before and got quite a bit however I am considering getting a custom road bike so would feel a little awkward as they are niche expertise?

No harm in asking, but given you can’t buy the same thing elsewhere…

A mate and I were both looking at road bikes a few years back – his LBS did us both a deal on a £1500 bike down to £1200. My LBS would only give me 10% off the same model, but offered it as soon as I explained the situation.

Derby Cycling Group get 10% off at various bike shops in the city, so I guess that is the discount shops are happy to offer

Most shops have got 10% easy wiggle room built in to the price for cyclescheme or finance costs (depending on price point of the bike) – however some are enforced by the terms of their contract with the manufacturer to only offer deals at certain times (ie: specializeds red ticket offers). In this case the dealer still has wiggle room but it’ll be in upgrades and freebies.
Basically, ask, the worst they can say is ‘no’, they still want your sale.

be up front about what you want. Ask for an price for everything together, my LBS will offer a bigger discount on stuff if you get it when you get the bike (ie helmet etc)

We also got T-shirts and socks with the last 3 SC frames we got 🙂

IF you can justify a discount rather than just ask for one you will do better.

Yup – I don’t mind people asking nicely for a discount, it’s the ones who think they’re entitled to one who are a bit annoying 😉

Just ask if there is anything they can do as you are spending a lot of money. But don’t be pushy or act like your their best friend. When i use to work in a bike shop i hated people who kept pushing for more money off and people who try to be too friendly. Just ask politely after choosing all your items.

however some are enforced by the terms of their contract with the manufacturer to only offer deals at certain times (ie: specializeds red ticket offers)

I’ve come across this with Specialized retailers. Under the Competition Act 1998, dealers are free to set their own prices, so I’m surprised this practise still continues. It probably needs someone to raise a complaint to the OFT, but given the relatively small market they’ll probably ignore it (see Oakley complaint 2003)

Check out pedal on in tadley…. They do “podium points” on new bikes which can equate to about a quarter of the value of a bike. On my road bike I ended up with about 230 quids worth of free stuff from an 1100 quid bike. Better than 10% off….

Thanks for the advice…just looked on Pedalon site.
£1600 gets me 31 podium points – depending on exactly what I choose equates to potentially around £250 worth of free items 😀
Will see what my LBS can do first – would rather he had my cash but at the end of the day that’s a lot of nice stuff for nothing.

Its always worth giving them a call too as everything in the shop has a pp price even if its not on the web site….