Author Topic: How you buy your bikes  (Read 5157 times)

Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #25 on: 02 August, 2020, 12:06:24 pm »
I've just taken delivery of a second hand Cruzbike S40, excellently administered by the previous owner and with rather higher end componentry that I would ever have gone for. Still getting parts in like the hub dynamo, QR mudguard stay holders, and figuring what the fit is. On this occassion my brother-in-law was within 20 miles of the seller so that's how it was transacted.

Prior to that 5 yrs ago I bought a CB V2k (sofrider is its final guise) frameset and brought it back as luggage. And this was without ever having ridden a recumbent 2-wheeler. My chief reasoning was that there are an infinite number of adjustments one can make and the central plank of it all, i.e. the balance and power delivery, must be learnable so as long as I accepted I'd have to do all that again, and it was all fine. Interestingly the first CB showroom in Europe is just opening https://maialigfiets.nl/

Overall I simply had to get shot of upwrongs and now I've got what is hopefully going to be a 20yr+ bike.
Cruzbike V2k, S40

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #26 on: 02 August, 2020, 01:09:25 pm »
I've just taken delivery of a second hand Cruzbike S40, excellently administered by the previous owner and with rather higher end componentry that I would ever have gone for. Still getting parts in like the hub dynamo, QR mudguard stay holders, and figuring what the fit is. On this occassion my brother-in-law was within 20 miles of the seller so that's how it was transacted.

Prior to that 5 yrs ago I bought a CB V2k (sofrider is its final guise) frameset and brought it back as luggage. And this was without ever having ridden a recumbent 2-wheeler. My chief reasoning was that there are an infinite number of adjustments one can make and the central plank of it all, i.e. the balance and power delivery, must be learnable so as long as I accepted I'd have to do all that again, and it was all fine. Interestingly the first CB showroom in Europe is just opening https://maialigfiets.nl/

Overall I simply had to get shot of upwrongs and now I've got what is hopefully going to be a 20yr+ bike.

Congrats on the S40

not quite the first CB shop in Europe, there is a reseller in Norway and another in France.  I also talked to them about being a UK seller but they are very poor at non-USA comms and with all that's been going on here I've not been pushing it either. I believe they also talked to KD as well.  The main issue is 13% import duty + VAT which means to stand any chance of making a profit you end up needing to charge GB£ for US$ making them look very expensive.  I can understand that import duty on uprights, but it really doesn't make much sense for the low volume oddities we ride.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #27 on: 20 September, 2020, 02:09:44 pm »
So far all mine have come from EBAY.
The last one (Trice XL) was even posted to me in 6 separate parcels.

Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #28 on: 20 September, 2020, 05:31:04 pm »
Approaching retirement, I can count all the bikes I've bought on my fingers. I've not bought one
this century*, more concentrating on frames and then transferring components/replacing components when they're worn out.


1979: 2nd hand single speed, drop handlebar bike. (bought from a friend)
1982: Raleigh 3 speed 'shopper' bike, with basket and dynamo lights (bought from Sale Cycles, Manchester)
1991: Huffy mountain bike, (from US px in Berlin) (stolen by visiting RAF rugby team)**
1993: 2nd hand German 5 speed upright town bike (from a serving colleague due for uk posting)
1994: Trek mountain bike (Richardsons Cycles, Scarborough)
1994: Trek 370 road bike (Richardsons Cycles, Scarborough)
1997: Raleigh Record (Halfords, Scarborough)
2001*: Dawes Audax (insurance replacement for Raleigh Record damaged in collision with car)


Since Oct 2001 I've bought frames and transferred components, replacing worn-out ones when
necessary:


2001: Custom Longstaffe audax (sold)
2002: Hewett Cheviott (sold)
2003: Hewett Cambrian (sold)
2004: Xacd titanium (sold)
2004: Xacd titanium (big crack on seat tube/binned)
2005: Xacd titanium 
2013: Spa Audax 
2013: Dolan Dual 


** There was a tradition amongst visiting RAF rugby teams to steal something from the base
they were playing against. 

Arellcat

  • Velonautte
Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #29 on: 20 September, 2020, 09:12:41 pm »
I can count all the bikes I've bought on my fingers...etc.

This, however, is really a thread about the risk of buying a recumbent bike at often high cost, with the attendant risks of scarcity of test rides and obliging owners.
Quote from: Morningsider
I like that you think any of your conveyances might qualify as "a disguise".

Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #30 on: 23 September, 2020, 09:27:53 pm »
^^^^^
In that case you've got Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE) in Cornwall And Dtekhpvs in Norfolk. Both do test rides on recumbents and Kevin has a wide range of new & used 2 & 3 wheeled cycles.

Is that the sort of thing you wanted?

RichForrest

  • T'is I, Silverback.
    • Ramblings of a silverback cyclist
Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #31 on: 24 September, 2020, 08:55:05 am »
PDQ - Train to Watford to try it. Found on BHPC forum.
ICE S - Ferry trip to Dublin to try it. Found on BHPC forum
Baccehetta Giro - Trip to D-Tek to try a few and ended up with the Giro.
M5 CHR - Kevin at D-Tek mentioned he had a bike that I may like while at Mildenhall. Popped in on way past to try it.
Delivered in person a week later.

Don't think I would buy a bike without seeing it first or  trying it out.

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: How you buy your bikes
« Reply #32 on: 24 September, 2020, 09:13:45 am »


Don't think I would buy a bike without seeing it first or  trying it out.


I'm no expert, but to me , the one I bought, ''looked'' right to me, instinct told me it would be comfortable, and I would get on with USS, where it also told me I would not like hamsters, supermans etc.  Bought Unseen, and untried,  my instincts were indeed correct. The 'inner self' is a great source of unknown knowledge, and frequently to be listened to.   Only 4 months in, but if I were  to by a first bent again my choice would be the same I reckon. Maybe in a years time I might adopt the N+1 view, but not without trying, as it would be for a specific purpose, ie FASTER.......... :P