New here, about to purchase a new bike...

[todayilearned]

Hi, I've mostly been into hybrid/mountain bikes but now I'd like to try out road bikes. I'll be going to the LBS later this week (just waiting to sell my Rockhopper).

This is my first time buying from the LBS and was wondering if there is a better time of year to go to get a good deal? I don't mind buying a model that is 1-2 years old so when do they usually clear out the older models?

Are prices firm or is there usually some room to negotiate?

 

[kdelong]

The best time to buy is mid-October to mid-November. The bike shops are trying to clear out last years(and years previous to that) bikes. If you go bike shopping during this time, you can haggle on prices. Don't be afraid to walk away and then come back in after a week to see if they are willing to give you a better deal. Don't beat them up too much on the price though, and get yourself some accessories or services. You want to leave there after paying a fair price for a good product. If you beat them up too bad, they won't like you and it will show if you go in there for service, parts, or accessories. If you don't haggle, they will love you but they will also be tempted to take advantage of you.

There is not problem buying a 1 or 2 year old bike. Just make sure that they are going to honor the warranty, get it in writing. You might also ask them to do a tune up and put on new tires before you pick the bike up. The only things on a bike that have a shelf life are the tires. They can dry rot but it takes five or six years for that to become noticable. However, they will weaken before it becomes noticable. So, if you are going to buy a "new" one or two year old (or older) bike, you deserve to have new rubber on it.