[net.cycle] Help in looking for a tour bike

schwager@uiucdcs.UUCP (01/18/84)

#N:uiucdcs:8800013:000:1084
uiucdcs!schwager    Jan 17 05:53:00 1984

Hello out there.  I'm condsidering getting into some touring and am 
currently looking for a good bike (non-motorized) to do it with.
I'm willing to spend about $400, give or take 50 bucks.  Here in 
beautiful Urbana we've got a bike shop, Paul's, that really impresses
me.  My problem:  There are two bikes there that might suit my needs-
the Nishiki Cresta and the Miyata 610.  I've also scoped out the Trek
line, however, and the 520 looks pretty nice to my novice little eyes.
But Trek is carried at another dealership that doesn't impress me in
the slightest.  Are there any opinions out there in net.land?
I've heard that it's very important to get a bike from a good dealer-
it should be a prime consideration.  Should I just stick to the one
dealership (Paul's) even if I like the Trek a bit more, or will the differences
between the three bikes given above be inconsequential, nitpicky little
things, that I won't even have to worry about?  Reply to the net;
perhaps someone else might be interested.  Thanks in advance for 
any advice.
-mike schwager			...uiucdcs!schwager

schwager@uiucdcs.UUCP (schwager ) (01/22/84)

#R:uiucdcs:8800013:uiucdcs:8800014:000:294
uiucdcs!schwager    Jan 21 13:22:00 1984

Sorry for including the article in net.cycle.  I was under the impression
from reading the information page about netnotes that this group was for 
both motorized and non-motorized bikes.  Since there was only one other
note in here, I didn't get any impression to the opposite.
-mike schwager

dlk@ssc-vax.UUCP (Donald Kaiser) (01/27/84)

You should stick with the better dealership.  It is disheartening when
i go into some shops because i find that they are poorly stocked and
know less then i do about my bike.  No matter what bike you buy, it
will break some time and you will have to interface with the dealership
either through parts or service.  If you have to do it often then
having a poor dealer just increases the problem.  I do 99% of the work
on my bike but i want to feel totally confident when someone else does
the other 1% because it is usually precision work e.g., machining. You
didn't mention why you liked the Trek over the other bikes.  I would
pick performance over looks any day.

				Don Kaiser
				...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!dlk