After I extricated myself from the salesman at the last LBS, I got back in my car and started down the freeway to the next one. I was pretty confident that I would find what I wanted, because their people had treated me well the last couple times I was in there. Still disheartened from the previous shop, though, I began to talk to myself in the car. After I had re-enacted the conversations at the previous shop, saying all the things I wish I had said back there but had only just thought of, I was exiting the freeway with a, "Please, please, let me get someone who knows what they're talking about. Because I'm running out of places to go."
As I started driving the road to what I hoped would be my final LBS of the day, I spotted one on the right that I hadn't been to before. I had seen their website, though, so I knew that they sold Cannondale. Since the place where I was headed did not and I still had some time before closing, I decided to stop on the way.
I walked in with some trepidation, and I almost turned around when I saw an older saleswoman approaching. She looked like an elementary school principal. I had already parked the car, though, so I figured I could give her a chance. I told her I was interested in a road bike.
With an air of competence, she said simply, "Do you know what price range or components you're looking for?"
I relaxed then, feeling a little guilty that I had misjudged her. I told her $800-1100, Shimano 105ish. She showed me two bikes in that range--some kind of Lemond and a Cannondale R500. I wasn't crazy about the look of the Lemond, and had shopped enough now to realize that not even a perfect test ride would make me want to buy it. (Girl! Girl!) The paint issue was the opposite of the Trek 1500--the Lemond was boring where the Trek was garish. I prefer the middle ground. I looked at the shifters on the Cannondale, and asked if it was all 105. "It's 105 in the back, Tiagra in the front...but the back is the one that matters anyway."
She said this with absolute confidence, and I found that I couldn't really disagree with her--for me, anyway. I've been riding my bike for 4 years and have moved out of the middle ring in the front twice, I think. So I asked her if I could test ride a R500 in a 52cm. We walked down the row of bikes, with nary a 52cm R500 to be found. There was, however, an R1000 in a 52, and she said I could get an idea of the R500's ride from it. The components were better, but the frame was essentially the same.
So, after equipping the bike with some pedals, me with a helmet, and securing my wallet and keys behind the sales counter, I test-rode the R1000 in the parking lot. And lo, it was good--the best I had ridden so far. I felt a lot more in control on it than I had on the Allez, even though the parking lot had more traffic and speed bumps than the other place. I tried to avoid shifting, since I knew that the components (Ultegra) were better than I could afford anyway. If I bumped my price range up again, Rob may threaten divorce. :)
When I got back to the shop, I told my sales lady that I really liked it, but I had one more place I wanted to check out. I also asked if they had a 52cm R500 in stock that they could build for me, if I did decide to buy one. She checked in the back, and they did, and added that they usually can put them together by next business day. Awesome! With some regret, I traded the R1000 for my keys and wallet. Would I like a catalog? Why yes, yes I would. I thanked her and left, my faith in local bike shops restored.
I called Rob from the car. "I know you're reading, I'm sorry, this is the last time I'll call, but I think I've found The One."
And really? I was almost sure that I had. This last store was really just a formality...I wanted to see if maybe they had some 2004 Trek models (read: 1500 in a different color scheme), and maybe the Pilot in the correct size. I also wanted to ride a Trek on the road, rather than on the trainer, before I made my final decision.
UP NEXT (yes, I know, I'm SORRY): Road bike shopping, part IV: Full Circle
Posted by Joy at July 20, 2005 06:03 AM