Buying a bike provides you with plenty of choices. Among them: do you buy your bike from a bike shop or department store?
In addition to the number of decisions you have to make when buying your first bike, you need to decide where to buy your bike. For Buying a Bike: Bike Shops vs. Department Store Bikes I offer a closer look at the difference between buying at a bike shop and a discount chain.
While bike shops offer more personal service, their prices are on the higher side. You may find yourself lured by the discount prices at your local department store. Can you buy a decent bike and save over half the price?
Who doesn't want to save money? I'm always tempted to save a buck, even on some of the most important purchases. I have even- gasp! - purchased a bike at a department store. Did I save money? Yes, at first. Then my tire was irreversibly damaged, nothing that I added to the bike really worked well and it was uncomfortable. In addition to the original price and the cost of upgrades that I tried to make, you can add the cost of a new (quality) bike to the investment.
Understandably, some people are just not in a position to spend a lot of money on a quality bike. However, in the long run, the greater savings may be in the bigger investment.
