1. Local Bike Shop
A popular place to buy a bike is to visit a small local bike shop (LBS). These stores can be intimidating to the non-cyclist. A good shop will calm those fears right off the bat. Walk out if they don’t. Benefits of buying this way is that you’re buying from an experienced, knowledgeable person who rides (would make sense, but not always true). Your bike will be professionally built. In most cases, expect terrific guidance during the sale and with future service and repairs. Most shops specialize in one brand with a couple of secondary brands offered as well. There’s a limited space to display bikes, so all models and all sizes may not be built and available to ride. A good salesman
will refer to a catalog to show models not built up if it applies in your case. A good shop will bring in any size of any model for you to try without obligation to buy, which leads to another benefit – you can test ride before you buy. You’ll find a host of accessories (helmets, clothing, locks, water bottle cages, etc…) and will usually discount these items at the time of a bike purchase. Local shops are great resources for where to ride in the area. They can provide info about upcoming cycling events. My personal opinion is that if you’re buying from a LBS, deal with the owner, or a manager. Don’t come to the store on Saturday at noon. Call ahead to make an appointment at a time that the store is quiet. Enjoy the process. An understaffed busy shop with customers coming and going doesn’t lend itself to a positive buying experience. Consider having a fitting done if you plan to ride over 100 miles per week. Most local bike shops offer this service. I’ve witnessed bike salesmen asking the right questions, listening, giving great advice, and selling the perfect bike. (I want to give a shout out to Matt at All American Bikes in Damascus. His shop exemplifies all of the positives mentioned here) I’ve also witnessed salesman not asking many questions, not listening, giving poor advice and selling the bike that the shop wants to get rid of (disregarding budget, size and bike type). You’re reading this blog so you’ll know the difference.
2. Sporting Goods Chain
A larger sporting goods store is another source for buying a bike. In our area, I’m talking about Dicks or REI. In one way, I’m grouping them together, but in other ways, they are quite different. One similarity is that these stores buy in volume, so prices are generally good with deals to be had at certain times of the year. Most sizes and
models of bikes are built up and you can test ride before you buy. That’s where the similarities pretty much end. With Dicks, you’re less likely to get experienced helpful assistance. You may be dealing with an associate who was selling sleeping bags yesterday. The guy who builds your bike may also be the guy who builds barbecue grills and lawn furniture.
These are cost cutting measures for the store, but the result is better pricing. Experienced bike mechanics usually don’t work at Dicks, but the buying experience comes down to the individual you’re dealing with. It may be a young, eager, knowlegable person and that’s great. The ideal buyer is an educated one who knows what type and size they want, and is not looking for a high end bike. Dicks offers accessories, but they’re of a lesser quality and limited inventory. REI, on the other hand, is staffed well. They carry quality brands at various price points. They even offer their own house brand – Co-Op bicycles. They have a well run service department and a full complement of accessories. Expect the bike to be well built. These positives result in a higher price than Dicks. REI is a good option for the consumer who needs guidance, wants a quality bike and wants quality accessories.
3. Big Box Store
A bike mechanic will tell you – don’t buy a bike at a big box retailer like Target, Walmart or Kmart. I agree, unless you’re in the market for a kids bike and I’ll touch on that in a bit. The quality of bikes are questionable. The builds generally are poor, and you’re certainly not going to get any form of buying advice. Most accessories are of poor quality if they offer any at all. You’ll find familiar names like Schwinn, Mongoose and Huffy, but be aware that the big box store carries the super low-end models of those brands. You’ve seen them lined up 
adjacent to the toy department shiny and new. Curb appeal is a priority, low prices are very tempting, but you get what you pay for. I’ve tuned up many of big box store bikes, and my opinion, those with gears and hand brakes deliver a poor riding experience. First of all, the bike is heavier than average. The shifting is okay when first adjusted, but easily get out of adjustment. The sad fact is that the person who has only owned these sub-par bikes have no idea what they’re missing. The manufacturer cuts corners in every conceiv
able way. For example, the brake and shifter cables are galvanized (prone to rust) rather than stainless steel. Ball bearings (old technology) are used in place of sealed bearings in many pivot points shortening the life of proper function. Stamped steel brakes (flexy & heavy) are used in place of aluminum having a negative impact on function and feel. Plastic pedals are used in place of aluminum. Suspension is heavy and flexy – its for show, not function. There’s more, but you get the picture. If you’re in the market for a kids bike, however, a big box store isn’t a bad option. A Superman bike or a Barbie bike is way cool for a youngster. The owner will be excited about their bike leading to a healthy activity that they can enjoy for life. In addition to kids bikes, other single speed bikes like BMX bikes and Beach bikes are hard to mess up and can be had for a great price.
4. Online / Amazon
I’ll get into the negatives of buying a bike online, then wrap up with the positives. The first strike against buying online is that you don’t get to test ride the bike you’re buying. Strike two – exchanges are a hassle. Strike three – Sizing guidelines are given but are not always consistent or accurate. Strike four -The bike arrives at your door in a box, requiring assembly. (Bike Werks Mobile Bike Shop offers assembly, tune and fit for $85). And strike five – you’re on your own – it’s 
more likely that you don’t get the best bike for your budget and needs. On the positive side, you get the typical benefits that on-line shopping offers. You can take your time and do research without sales pressure and you don’t have to even leave your home. There is a vast selection of bikes available – every type, every budget, every component mix, etc…. The greatest appeal for buying on-line is the price, but you have to be careful. Just like big box stores, many online stores (like Amazon) work hard on curb appeal. A non-cyclist will like what they see, and they’ll read a list of impressive features, see a low price and once they ride it, realize that they were duped. Other on-line stores, (like BackCountry, Competetive Cyclist and Colorado Cyclist) feature high end bikes at a high-end price. You can get the latest, the greatest, the lightest and the most exotic, but it’s going to be full blown retail (think $2,000 – $8,000 or more). Having built many bikes purchased on-line, there are three, in my experience, which stand out. Bikesdirect.com offer great deals if you don’t mind less popular brands. The brand is the name on the frame. Not a big deal since it’s the parts that really makes a good bike. CityGrounds.com also provides great value and selection for road bikes, hybrids, BMX bikes and kids bikes. City Grounds ships the new bike to a qualified mechanic (like Bike Werks), the bike is built and delivered to you ready to ride. And finally, for electric bikes, Ride1Up.com offers a limited line, but a great value. I don’t know how they do it, but they offer a solid electric assist bike, well thought out design, with solid parts and super fun to ride for under $1,200.
5. Direct from Manufacturer
If you like the ease and low pressure of on-line buying, but value what the local bike shop offers, buying direct from the manufacturer is a good option. All manufacturers have their websites showing their full lines, yet some allow you to buy direct and have shipped to a local dealer for assembly. Trek (trekbikes.com) and Specialized (specialized.com)and Giant (giant-bicycles.com) all will ship their bikes to local shops. Of those three, only Giant will ship direct to you. Brands like Cannondale and Santa Cruz sites will link you up with a local shop, but you have to go to that shop to buy. There’s one manufacturer who sells on line exclusively and in my opinion is a
real stand out. Canyon bicycles offer “technologically advanced performance bikes at comparatively low prices”. Their offering includes well built, well appointed road bikes, mountain bikes and a super cool urban bike. “Low prices” is a relative term with Canyon road bikes starting at around $1,400. They’re on the cutting edge and you’ll see them in world class races including the Tour de France. They offer a range of high-end road, mountain, city, cyclocross and gravel bikes. No kids bikes, no comfort bikes, no hybrids. Canyon owners rave about their customer service.