NJ Bike Shops with demo fleets?

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
Hello everyone. I have been researching my next bike since last Summer. The advice that many of you gave was to demo, demo, demo. I have 2 shops near me in North Jersey that I have been able to demo bikes from. TBW and Pedal Montclair. I wish I could buy bikes from both shops because they have been great to work with.

My problem is that these are high-end shops and I am struggling to justify close to $5k on a bike. I demo’d a Pivot and fell in love. Leave my wife-see you in divorce court- love. But it’s $5k!

So I am asking if anyone knows of any other shops that offer demos? I have been on all the websites of the shops I can find, but only TBW has it clearly listed that they even offer them as well as what they have.

Any info would be appreciated. I need to get the memory of the Pivot out of my head by riding something a bit more attainable.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Halter's? stop by after a visit to 6MR or Sourlands
You started too high, which was your downfall.
Reboot, look at $2K bikes then slowly move up
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
You started too high! I hear you. I came in looking at Trances and Fuel EXes. So low $3k range. Looking at the market, I quickly boosted that up to $4k ish. Now I’m looking at $5k bikes. Forgot to mention, I am a tall person so I need size XL, which most shops don’t stock let alone demo out.

I’ll reach out to Halters. Thanks!
 

BabyRobot

Member
I dont have a suggestion beyond those two shops. But I can tell you I demo'd a Tallboy at TBW... then bought it after the ride. I had no intentions of purchasing a bike that day. Man do those bikes sell themselves.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
yep, I don't even bother looking at fancy carbon FS bikes. It's not like browsing an exotic car, where there's no chance to get one. Bikes are just priced at where you could be talked into walking out with a $7K version.
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
I dont have a suggestion beyond those two shops. But I can tell you I demo'd a Tallboy at TBW... then bought it after the ride. I had no intentions of purchasing a bike that day. Man do those bikes sell themselves.
TBW doesn’t even carry Santa Cruz anymore. That’s another thing. Seems like when shops carry a brand, then they don’t, they bad mouth that brand. Do you ride North Jersey? I like the Tallboy, but it has a low B.B. height and short travel. Wondering if that impacts your riding in the rocks up here.
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
yep, I don't even bother looking at fancy carbon FS bikes. It's not like browsing an exotic car, where there's no chance to get one. Bikes are just priced at where you could be talked into walking out with a $7K version.
Yeah. For a few dollars more.. plus most of the YouTube reviews are the top level versions. Frustrating. I almost bought the Pivot. Still might...
 

BabyRobot

Member
TBW doesn’t even carry Santa Cruz anymore. That’s another thing. Seems like when shops carry a brand, then they don’t, they bad mouth that brand. Do you ride North Jersey? I like the Tallboy, but it has a low B.B. height and short travel. Wondering if that impacts your riding in the rocks up here.

I do indeed. Ringwood & Sterling mostly. I find the bike to be perfectly suited for the area. Yes, I do get a pedal strike now and then. Once a ride maybe, if that. It's far less of an issue than you'd think. Cant recommend the bike enough.

Im coming from a 150/140 Giant Trance. Also a great bike and I thought the 130/110 of the Tallboy wouldn't be enough. But so far so good. Ive got plus and 29er set ups for it. The plus is fun, 29 is fast. If you like to pedal as much as you like to descend... this bike (and it's direct competitors) are definitely worth looking at. Don't be scared off by the shorter travel numbers.
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
I do indeed. Ringwood & Sterling mostly. I find the bike to be perfectly suited for the area. Yes, I do get a pedal strike now and then. Once a ride maybe, if that. It's far less of an issue than you'd think. Cant recommend the bike enough.

Im coming from a 150/140 Giant Trance. Also a great bike and I thought the 130/110 of the Tallboy wouldn't be enough. But so far so good. Ive got plus and 29er set ups for it. The plus is fun, 29 is fast. If you like to pedal as much as you like to descend... this bike (and it's direct competitors) are definitely worth looking at. Don't be scared off by the shorter travel numbers.
Tallboy does come in aluminum too....You are the second person from this forum to gush over the TB. I know it’s a great bike, but I still have my concerns. I demoed a 110mm Devinci and a 140mm Pivot, the extra travel was a real benefit to me. I know, all suspension designs aren’t the same, but it did create a bias in my mind.
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
yep, I don't even bother looking at fancy carbon FS bikes. It's not like browsing an exotic car, where there's no chance to get one. Bikes are just priced at where you could be talked into walking out with a $7K version.
Why wasn't I told this before? :mad:
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
We have a couple new Stumpy demos and a Tallboy atm. If I remember correctly you're like 7 feet tall though? Generally speaking, shops demo higher end bikes because the sales from those offset the huge loss a shop takes buying demos in the first place.
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Tallboy does come in aluminum too....You are the second person from this forum to gush over the TB. I know it’s a great bike, but I still have my concerns. I demoed a 110mm Devinci and a 140mm Pivot, the extra travel was a real benefit to me. I know, all suspension designs aren’t the same, but it did create a bias in my mind.
I had a Trance and currently have a Hightower. Riding mostly High Mountain and I am pretty conservative in my riding. I prolly only used 120 of the travel in the front fork.
But the plushness.... love it!
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
We have a couple new Stumpy demos and a Tallboy atm. If I remember correctly you're like 7 feet tall though? Generally speaking, shops demo higher end bikes because the sales from those offset the huge loss a shop takes buying demos in the first place.
I’m 6’5”. So definitely XL. If you have anything, I’ll certainly make the trip. Heard good things about the new Stumpy’s.
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
I had a Trance and currently have a Hightower. Riding mostly High Mountain and I am pretty conservative in my riding. I prolly only used 120 of the travel in the front fork.
But the plushness.... love it!
I like the HT, but I’d be looking at $4800 for the build I want. Glad you like yours. What’s not to like, right?
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I’m 6’5”. So definitely XL. If you have anything, I’ll certainly make the trip. Heard good things about the new Stumpy’s.

The new Stumpy is DOPE. But, we don't have any in XL. It's a bike that has the trail feel of a Hightower but pedals like a Blur. Insane how dialed they got the suspension on that thing. If you want to ride a bike that's 2 sizes too small, you can ride mine :)
 

JohnnyWestood

Active Member
x
The new Stumpy is DOPE. But, we don't have any in XL. It's a bike that has the trail feel of a Hightower but pedals like a Blur. Insane how dialed they got the suspension on that thing. If you want to ride a bike that's 2 sizes too small, you can ride mine :)
It would be hilarious to see me ride the tiny bike! I have a strict no ride/no buy policy. This is a lot of money for me and I’m not going to have any regrets about it when I’m done. I’d rather spend for something I love than regret it for years to come.
 
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