[Closed] Buying Influences

Hierarchy of purchasing decision making:

-Does it fit?
-Can I afford it?
-Does it come in on-trend [i]#Enduro[/i] colour?

Is surveymonkey broken?

I have a brain, so I choose what I want, not what I see other people riding nor what I'm told to buy!

why do you ask?

Actually I only ever buy thing's I see advertised in the back of Sunday broadsheet's colour supplements...

Our spare room is waist deep in Tartan foot warmers, orthopaedic footwear, garden tools and clock radios...

The only real influence prompting me to make these purchases are the voices in my head...

Don't really care what the pro's are using. Their stuff is either super top end stuff that I cannot afford. Or it is heavily tuned or modified, so its not something I can buy off the shelve. Also I bet most of them could make a shopping trolley look like it rides well.

I take reviews in mags with a little pinch of salt. I use them to get the general gist of a bike and if it is worth putting on my short list but do not take every word as gospel.

Similar sort of thing with forum members and online reviews. I think forums are a good place to get an idea of reliability or durability but there is always some idiot who doesn't have a clue what they are doing and slates a product because of that.

My main influence for buying a frame or bike is demo rides. I want to know what I think of the bike riding on the trails that I ride regularly. I don't really care if magazine A really likes bike X but if I don't get on with it during a demo ride I don't want it.

1) Do I need it? [inset faux justification for 'need']
2) Are the numbers right? - geometry/ fit/ compatibility with stuff I have
3) Can I afford it? What do I need to sell?
4) Is it red?

Although, many year ago I bought an early inbred frame on the basis of a recommendation from a bloke down the road who was much faster than me. Then finding how cheap it was sealed the deal. Probably my favourite frame ever.

1) Do I need it? [inset faux justification for 'need']
2) Are the numbers right? - geometry/ fit/ compatibility with stuff I have
3) Can I afford it? What do I need to sell?
4) Is it [s]red?[/s] an interesting colour?

+1

I am asking because I am doing a bit of research as applied for a rep job for cycle brand, was wondering for advertising whether was good to supply kit to grass root riders, or mags to demo or to a bike skills instructors so people see their stuff. So wanted to ask the STW guys for their feedback

price mostly

Yeah - grass roots. Send it this way please. 😉

Is a " grass route rider" someone who only rides on grass?
Sounds like yet another Niche to avoid...

[/pedant]

haha typo error grass roots rider

1) Do I need it? [inset faux justification for 'need']
2) Are the numbers right? - geometry/ fit/ compatibility with stuff I have
3) Can I afford it? What do I need to sell?
[s]4) Is it red?[/s]

Also: availability.

Not too bothered about what pros use, although I'm sure it helps with brand awareness and may well influence my buying - albeit subconsciously.

can I afford it and do I want it

I never need it

Price usually for me

not looks as I have a Carbon 456 and an Orange 5

1) Because its what your fav pro wears/Rides

2) Best reviews in the Mags

3) what your mates ride/ wear

4) Your LBS recommend

5) What your instructor/guide was riding/wearing & recommended from your holiday or bike skills course

6) more grass routes the guy always on podium at races rides/wears

7) advise from reviews online ie CRC & bike forums

Only if the posters already had some good history with judging other products in the same way that I do.

* only joking

Do the bikes look fun?
Are they an interesting company?
Does the company look like it's having fun?
Do they go out of the way to look after customers?
Is it different to Santa Cruz 🙂
Will it survive a winter in the Peak District grinding paste?

I do take my LBSs advice (Tim at Sideways Cycles) as he knows his stuff and tells it like it is. He's also going to be looking after the suspension bits for me, so it makes sense to include his opinion.

All sorts of irrational things enter into it too - things like 'Does someone I find annoying ride it?', 'does it get discounted at the end of the year making my frame worthless?' (see Turner at Merlin/Wiggle over the last 3 years)

Edit: Forgot a pretty important one for me - Will the company change everything a year later? I much prefer companies that keep a design for 3+ years like a lot of the frame-only companies.

Does it fit/work/reasonable price is first.
Is there a review or two of it?
Does it make my bum look big?

1) Does it look well designed (will it do what I want it to?) and constructed (will it last?)?
2) Is it reasonably priced? (I'm no XTR user)
3) Does it look OK? (No Ellsworths thanks)
4) Is the manufacturer a dick? (a la specialized/SSC)

Out club is sponsored by Giant and it is nice to have the same name on my jersey and bike 😳 . That said, they also make some fantastic top-end bikes for which I get a small discount. I also wanted a pro-level frame (too bad I couldn't afford the pro-level rest!). For my Genesis, I wanted steel, SS and they were being sold off half price.

There are very few genuinely poor bikes these days, but I have a completely irrational dislike of Specialized.

How much discount?
I work on the assumptions that all bikes are better than me.

Does it look fun / silly?

Ie drop barred 29er mtbs, single speeds, fat bikes...

Basically:
- Does it fit the bill (functionality, durability etc., fit, I like it)
- Is the price about right
- No big red flags after a quick bit of internet review checking
- Can I actually get one (depending on what it is, this might mean 'does a shop near me have one in')

I'd take LBS advice on board (depending on what opinion I have of [i]their[/i] opinion) but only to narrow down on something I already know I want.

I'm not really fussed what other people or pros are using really. That said if a load of people I knew were slating something I was considering that might put me off it!

If I like it and can afford it, I tend to buy it.

Is the old one worn out or broken? Is someone doing it cheap? 🙂

None of the above.

HTH.

Paint must match Audi

Think; "what would Genghis Khan do?"

Most of my purchases are based on moments of philosophical pondering along the lines of how short life is and what's the point in living if you can't do the things you want followed by days of guilt and hunting for the receipt.

fervouredimage - Member
Most of my purchases are based on moments of philosophical pondering along the lines of how short life is and what's the point in living if you can't do the things you want followed by days of guilt and hunting for the receipt.

The old Genghis method is getting me barred from too many bike shops.