"Bikes Haggling" Discussion

MSE_Jenny · 30 October 2008 at 6:36PM

What’s this about?

You can save £100s haggling in high street stores or for broadband contracts, insurance and more. The first point of call is read the full Haggling guide. Then, this discussion is specifically to talk about haggling tips for

Bikes

If you want to discuss airport parking in general please go to the Haggling guide Discussion.

If you’ve got a suggestion/tip

Simply click reply and add your suggestion, though its worth scanning down first to check it's not been duplicated.

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Gavinio · 26 November 2008 at 10:46PM

I agree with everything on this site. Techniques I've found work very well (and I've bought over 10 bikes over the the last 10 years) are:
Finding fault, look hard enough at any bike and you will find some cosmetic damage somewhere, so minor it's almost invisible. Check seat stems, and anywhere cables rub against the frame, also check around the wheel nut area.
Previous years stock. Often this will be discounted already. Most manufacturers produce new models in new colours with better spec every year.
Cannot afford the accessories. You may need lights, pump, helmet, clothing etc. Haggling aside this stuff really does add up. Maybe you'd like this bike but there's all the other stuff to buy and that would be too much of a stretch.
Find a nice bike in this years colours, find some fault on it and get into a good chat with the salesman, build rapport and haggle with humour.

Gavinio · 26 November 2008 at 10:47PM

I agree with everything on this site. Techniques I've found work very well (and I've bought over 10 bikes over the the last 10 years) are:
Finding fault, look hard enough at any bike and you will find some cosmetic damage somewhere, so minor it's almost invisible. Check seat stems, and anywhere cables rub against the frame, also check around the wheel nut area.
Previous years stock. Often this will be discounted already. Most manufacturers produce new models in new colours with better spec every year.
Cannot afford the accessories. You may need lights, pump, helmet, clothing etc. Haggling aside this stuff really does add up. Maybe you'd like this bike but there's all the other stuff to buy and that would be too much of a stretch.
Find a nice bike in this years colours, find some fault on it and get into a good chat with the salesman, build rapport and haggle with humour.

Biggles · 27 November 2008 at 12:47AM

MSE_Jenny wrote: »

Bikes

If you want to discuss airport parking in general please go to the Haggling guide Discussion.

I'm confused. How does airport parking come into this topic?

stamford · 8 January 2009 at 9:38PM

Avoid Halfords read here about their rip off tyre and tube prices

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1241089

Jimibeee · 9 January 2009 at 10:57AM

I always find it really annoying when bikers say avoid halfords, we are not biking for the tour de france but for a cheap bike that they actualy make unlile most cheap bikes that come boxed.

stamford · 9 January 2009 at 11:33AM

Jimibeee wrote: »

I always find it really annoying when bikers say avoid halfords, we are not biking for the tour de france but for a cheap bike that they actualy make unlile most cheap bikes that come boxed.

I don't think Halfords "make" bikes. I'd imagine their "cheap" bikes come from the same old factories in Sri Lanka, Indonesia etc and all they do is take them out of the box and bolt together.

I've been more than pleased with the last two cheap full suspension bikes I bought this Christmas online from Wilko's and in 2007 on line from poor old Woolies.

Halfords have obviously got the wind up as they've slashed their online prices

valk_scot · 9 January 2009 at 2:30PM

Specialist bike shops don't normally discount except on discontinued models and ex-display discontinued bikes are twice as likely to attract a good discount, especially if all the back shop stock has gone.

If you need a package ie rack and mudguards attached, or lighting system you will often get a discount on the accessories.

If you know you'll need to change the saddle (ie put a lady's saddle on a man's bike) ask if it can be done as part of the bike price. They won't give you a top of the range titanium railed job but you could get something perfectly adequate from the more budget range as a freebie.

Good bike shops normally offer both an assembly service and a bike check up service after six weeks as part of the purchase deal, just to snug up cable runs and tweak the brakes etc. This is a very good perk so remember to go back for it.

A good specialist bike shop can offer a high level of expertise in bike fitting, advice on suitability of equipment and repairs. You do often pay more for the initial bike but they will go the extra mile to keep you as a repeat customer. In my own case, a small but essential componant on my bike failed the morning I was due to leave on a weekend biking trip...the bike shop owner did not have a replacement piece in stock, so he removed it from a fully built up stock bike for me. If you're serious about your bikes rather than just thinking of them as toys for kids then it's worth considering a specialist rather than automatically going for the cheapest deal.

The_Pedant · 11 January 2009 at 7:31PM

The last bike I bought was in store, from Halfords. If you bought it bike online though, there was an additional discount as it was over £300 or something. I would still of had to paid for delivery and would have only saved £10 or so in all.

So, I went into the store, pointed out that I was interested in the bike in question but that I could get the bike delivered to home for less. With very little thought, they slashed £50 off the already discounted price, as well as throwing in a £25 accessories voucher (which I would have got online too).

I would have been happy for them to match the price (or even counter that I have to get it delivered etc) ... so it never hurts to ask. As long as you know what a good price is for the item and have reasonable expectations (as after all, they don't *have* to knock the price down) then I you have little to lose.

If they don't budge on the price then keep an eye open for any accessories you might be looking for that you could make a counter-offer on.

MSE_Sarah · 31 May 2017 at 3:57PM

Thanks for all your feedback so far. Please keep adding to this thread if you have any other comments or suggestions on bike haggling.

MSE Sarah

"Bikes Haggling" Discussion

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