What happens to the bike you've test ridden?

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Thursday guy

Active Member
In bike shops like Evans Cycle, they offer test rides on any bikes in their range, you can even order in a bike for a test ride if they don't have it in the branch (which I assume would be brand new), and they build it up for you. I'm just wondering, if you test rided the bike and decided against buying, afterwards do they still sell the bike as brand new?
 

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Not always, you can get some bargains on 'ex-demo' bikes.
 

outlash

also available in orange
I'd imagine most companies would have some kind of grading where if a bike was tested and came back immaculate then it goes back on sale. If it comes back scratched/grubby etc etc then it'll get sold on as ex demo or display at a price according to it's condition. Probably. I've just bought an ex display bike for 60% of it's RRP and it's essentially brand new, full warranty too.

Tony.
 

jack smith

Veteran
Location
Durham
Most will go back on sale i would of thought as new after a clean and check but as said above if their is anything noticable it would be discounted
 

Simontm

Veteran
After gearing problems, multiple spoke breakages and brake issues with my hybrid, all within three months of purchase, I'm of the opinion that Evans sold me the demo bike! The manager's final FO email to me he basically said: "You paid £350 for the Pinnacle, what did you expect for that kind of money?"
 

young Ed

Veteran
After gearing problems, multiple spoke breakages and brake issues with my hybrid, all within three months of purchase, I'm of the opinion that Evans sold me the demo bike! The manager's final FO email to me he basically said: "You paid £350 for the Pinnacle, what did you expect for that kind of money?"
i'm commuting on a hybrid falcon trail finder worth about £200 i think new (i got it second hand on ebay for £75) and have never had a single spoke go and with a few hours fiddling i could get the gears a hundred times better than they currently are (currently 2 or 3 speeds out of 21) and i could get the brakes working much better than the currently are (not very good when they don't want to be and the front brakes needs the cable lubing and adjusting etc and new pads on rear) but this is after several years of merciless riding and messing by me and i have done the BB i think and the rear wheel collapsed in a weird accident that could have been my fault.
but all in all with well over 2,000 miles on the clock with me and i don't know what the last owner did and what with my miles being near on abuse it hasn't done too badly!

so a 3 month old pinnacle shouldn't be anything like you are describing!

anyway sorry to go off topic :sad:
Cheers Ed
 
This is where some of the top retailers can show some level of ethics. Once a bike is used for test riding it should fall under the demo category. It should not be passed on as new. I recall we had one instance where a foreign buyer complained in this forum with clear photos of use and only then the retailer agreed to do something.
 
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Thursday guy

Thursday guy

Active Member
After gearing problems, multiple spoke breakages and brake issues with my hybrid, all within three months of purchase, I'm of the opinion that Evans sold me the demo bike! The manager's final FO email to me he basically said: "You paid £350 for the Pinnacle, what did you expect for that kind of money?"

wow.....I was under the impression that Pinnacle bikes are decent quality

don't you have warranty or something like that to cover for the issues on the bike
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Most warranties only cover frame and forks, not components
 
This is a non-issue which most retailers manage perfectly well. We expect our mechanics to test ride every bike that they build - what's the difference between that and letting a potential buyer ride a bike around the block? If a buyer can't tell the difference between a bike which has been ridden around the block a couple of times and a brand new fresh-out-of-the-box - then there is no difference.

I happen to carry several thousand pound's worth of demonstrators, but that's because I sell a range of especially rare and unusual bikes which lead unusually harsh lives - in and out of vans and being ridden in the playgrounds of special schools.
 
Interesting question is what happens if you have an accident while test riding? When I first took out a road bike, there was a gentle downhill and I had my hands on the tops, and suddenly didn't know how to stop. Panic! Put my foot down to drag along the ground, found the brakes and continued slowly. But what if I'd careened into a parked car?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
You'd be responsible for the damage to the bike and anything else. Evans make you sign something to that effect.
Don't know about other shops. I test rode a bike from pearsons, it was a while ago though so can't remember what was discussed
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Yes but you have to pursue a process to make a claim. I don't know if he went to the CAB, started a small claims process, engaged a solicitor

Indeed evans charge your card, I assume more insurance against theft. I can't remember what the piece of paper says specifically
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Not the only one ;)
I don't believe my post conveyed any certainty, I don't know if Simon pursued evans for selling him a bike that wasn't fit for purpose, there is a post somewhere about his experience and the issues with the bike
 
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